Finding Founders

Sometimes all it takes is one viral video to change your life. Following the pandemic, Karho Leung was able to help his fellow businesses in Chinatown and make that area lively again by simply throwing a barbecue. Since Karho had moved to New York at a young age, he became acclimated to the city’s fast-paced hustle and learned to always keep trying. Through his passion for connecting with the community and creating experiences, Karho was inspired to open 12 Pell, a barbershop-shoe shop fusion. From humble beginnings to the helm of a multimedia empire generating millions of views, his journey illustrates the boundless possibilities of success. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

San Francisco grapples with a housing crisis that challenges families to navigate perplexing American housing protocols in a market whose prices are only getting higher. We’re back with Leonardo Shapiro as he gives his perspective on what it’s like to find housing in the Bay Area as an immigrant. As we walk through Leonardo’s neighborhood, we discuss immigrating to the U.S. and the potential pathways for affordable housing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

San Francisco is one of the most expensive cities to live in the United States. Because of this, some families have turned to more affordable housing options like RVs. Juanita and the Coalition on Homelessness are dedicated to helping fight for the RV community’s place in the city, as it keeps people housed and allows families to save money for the future. In our journey to the RV community, we dive into Juanita’s past with homelessness, reveal the harsh realities of shelters, and learn about RV living. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

APEC’s influence on homelessness can most notably be seen from the increased sweeps the police are doing within the APEC zones. People are losing their valuables and have to be on the move. Javi works for the Coalition on Homelessness, which connects unhoused people with resources for permanent living solutions. As we go through alleyways that are usually heavily populated, we’ll discuss the city’s response to homelessness in relation to APEC and compare it to the resources the community actually needs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is Alexis and her three kids. I’m meeting them at this building in San Francisco that’s a school during the day and a shelter at night. One year ago today, Alexis and her family called the shelter home. It became a safe haven for them as the past held shadows of a 17-year marriage marred by domestic abuse. During her time at the shelter, Alexis was able to get a job and eventually got a place for her family to have their own space. As we walk through what was once their neighborhood, we’ll go deeper into how Alexis got her family to where they are today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Tenderloin is known as the grittiest neighborhood in San Francisco. From the high crime rate to the common drug use, most people wouldn’t be caught walking through after dark. But today Del is walking me through the streets of the Tenderloin and showing me his unique perspective. Before Del was a San Francisco community activist and the secular mayor of the Tenderloin, he was a drug user on these very streets for 18 years. Because of that unique experience, he’s intimately aware of how to bring real community issues to the local government. From the historic halls of Glide, to Code Tenderloin, an academy that teaches people how to code, to pivotal encounters with local figures like Pastor Joe, Del's mission is clear: to uplift the Tenderloin community through compassion, resourcefulness, and unwavering commitment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is Terry. He volunteers with the Downtown Streets Team, who once helped him get on his feet when he first moved to San Francisco. Now he helps clean the streets of needles and helps San Francisco’s most vulnerable. We’re going to follow him through the areas he serves while learning a bit about his own life story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Leonardo and his family had built their whole lives around the success of this company, and yet with just one visit from Homeland Security, it was on the brink of vanishing into thin air. He’d moved to an entirely new country looking for opportunity, and faced obstacle after obstacle, all because he was an ‘alien.’ With only a couple of weeks before their green card expired, Leonardo and his family were desperate for any help they could get. Today, Leonardo Shapiro is both the CEO and founder of not one, but three companies, including Ultapay, Airbanq, and Not Alien. He’s redefined what being an immigrant means to thousands of entrepreneurs like him, proving that immigrants are human, not alien; but before we dive into this tumultuous journey, let’s rewind to the beginning, to a story that every immigrant family knows all too well… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zach put 40 hours into his YouTube debut only to get 10 views and a spam comment. That left him to question his online identity; was this the end of his short-lived YouTube career? I mean there wasn’t much in his favor. He was starting at the height of covid and the worst of med school just around the corner. I’m sure Zach was questioning whether juggling his work and his passion would amount to anything. But today, Zach Highley’s 454K subscribers are proof that it was well worth the sacrifice. Zach now makes a living as a doctor but also as a YouTuber, and today he’ll share how it all started: the nightmare of applying for med school. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A beautiful California day turned into a nightmare, as Will failed to save his friend’s life while running one of the state's toughest rivers. This nightmare frightened him enough to quit kayaking, possibly forever. This is the reality of extreme sports. Often not even the greatest athletes can conquer these elements unscathed, but it’s a risk they’re willing to take. Will Gadd stands as a four-time Canadian National Sport-Climbing Champion, three-time Winter X Games gold winner, and the world’s first person to scale up the frozen Niagara Falls. Whatever he can climb up, paddle through, or paraglide over, he can conquer; and it all started as a kid, exploring the mountains in his family’s backyard. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices