From durable luggage to leakproof reusable toiletry bottles and bug repellant balm.
BY RACHEL CHANG
April 23, 2024
All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
As a first generation Taiwanese immigrant, Kathy Yen says she feels a “profound significance” being an Asian American business owner.
“It’s a testament to the perseverance required to overcome the language and cultural barriers that I’ve faced along my journey,” Yen, who runs sustainable personal care products brand Oliver Flynn with her sister, says. “Each day, we work tirelessly to bridge these gaps, striving to communicate effectively and navigate cultural nuances in the business world.”
That’s just one of the challenges that the AAPI community faces these days, along with a rise in anti-Asian hate in recent years, as well as a long history in America of discrimination and exclusion.
“For decades, Asian Americans have been seen as service industry providers, as our parents and grandparents came to this country to open up restaurants, dry cleaners, and nail salons,” says Jin Chen, founder of the multi-purpose Planeket. She says because of the “lower class” perception of those businesses, “some people feel it’s okay to be rude to Asian Americans, especially the older ones. But what I see is that they are also entrepreneurs.”