This May, in honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we are highlighting and interviewing AAPI-owned business owners we admire. We’re excited to introduce you to Fiona Co Chan in our newest editorial series, Business is Booming. Fiona is the founder and CEO of Youthforia, skincare friendly makeup that's clean, vegan, and cruelty free (and has adorable packaging.) Fiona believes the best part of wearing makeup is going out and being with your friends, which sometimes (gasp!) means forgetting to take your makeup off. Youthforia was her solution: makeup that is so good for your skin, you could sleep in it.
Take us through your morning routine.
I like to wake up right when the sun rises. I don't use an alarm clock. I get up around 6:40ish. The first thing that I like to do is make a coffee. I love to go running. That's my time to figure out what I need to get done [for the day]. I also do something called EFT Tapping. You tap through acupressure points and talk through any stuck emotion that you're going through. That helps set my intention for the day and then I go straight into making content.
What was your first job?
I worked at this really large software company that doesn't exist anymore. I was responsible for partnership marketing. It was very corporate, very enterprise, very different from what I do now.
Where do you look for inspiration?
I'm on TikTok all the time. I also get creative energy every time I travel. When I travel, a lot more product ideas come about. There's something about being in a completely different setting that just makes your brain turn.
What's your favorite way to celebrate success?
I don't celebrate my successes enough. I always have some self-talking track that's like, "You're not successful, yet! You can always do more." That's something I'm trying to work on.
What's your pump-up song?
I have two playlists that I always listen to. One is Latin dance hits, the other one is K-Pop dance hits. There's something about dance/club music I find relaxing.
What are you reading right now? Watching?
I'm reading Black and White: The Way I See It, the memoir Serena and Venus Williams dad wrote. I find how he thinks about motivating your kids to have their own drive super interesting. I'm not a big TV person. I think it's because I'm on TikTok so much that I can't sit still for TV, but I do love watching reality TV clips on YouTube.
What beauty product makes you feel instantly put together?
My combo right now is our Pre-Game Primer, our BYO Blush--I always need to have blush-- and I really like Dewy Gloss 08 Make Some Noise. Putting on makeup is such a ritual. It makes me feel awake, alive, and excited for the day.
Who is the last person you texted?
My mom. I love my mom. I ask her for a lot of advice throughout the day. She is just a ball of joy. I'm texting her constantly.
What makes you optimistic?
There's so much to be optimistic about. There's so much to do, so much living so to have. I'm always excited to learn new things, explore new things... I feel like the next chapter in my life will be really interesting. It will be very different from my first 30 or so years...
What's a charity or organization you feel passionately about lately?
Act To Change. Being bullied in your youth for how you look like or where your family is from can have lasting effects on someone's self esteem and mental health. I'm really passionate about encouraging people to be proud of where they come from, who they are and encouraging good mental health. Mental heath is something that rarely gets discussed in AAPI communities.
What is the best life advice you've ever received?
Never forget that your path and your experiences are completely unique to yourself. No one can ever take that away, and that's what makes you special. Your life and your experience are unique to you. You don't have to follow someone else's path. You can just create your own.
You can shop Youthforia here and follow Fiona on Instagram here.