In this episode of Hyphen Nation, I sit down with someone whose story embodies both extraordinary resilience and extraordinary success: Vicky Tsai, founder and CEO of Tatcha Beauty. Vicky’s journey begins with her parents’ immigration from Taiwan and winds through years of racism, sexism, and silence—experiences that shaped her, tested her, and ultimately fueled the compassion and courage she leads with today.
Growing up in a largely white Texas town, Vicky endured open hostility, slurs, and isolation—sometimes even from teachers. Later, on Wall Street and in corporate America, she faced the kind of harassment, bias, and power imbalances that many women experience but rarely speak about. Yet through every chapter, she found a way to survive, adapt, and keep moving forward. As she puts it, so many of us—especially in the Asian American community—are raised to chi ku, to swallow pain, to endure, to stay small. But Vicky’s story shows what happens when you stop shrinking and start reclaiming your narrative.
Before creating one of the most beloved skincare brands in the world, Vicky was navigating careers in finance, corporate marketing, global strategy, and even acute dermatitis brought on by stress and harsh products—an affliction that ultimately pushed her to rethink beauty itself. Her path to Tatcha is filled with moments that are heartbreaking, eye-opening, and deeply human. But it’s also filled with bold choices, unexpected mentors, and the incredible perseverance that would one day lead her to build a global company rooted in healing, wellbeing, and Japanese skincare traditions.
This conversation goes far beyond entrepreneurship. It’s about trauma, identity, self-worth, and the lifelong work of reclaiming power. It’s about the invisible burdens many Asian Americans carry—and what it looks like to finally set them down. And it’s about how one woman transformed surviving into thriving, and turned her deepest wounds into the foundation of a brand that has touched millions.
Vicky is one of the bravest, most openhearted leaders I know, and I’m grateful she courageously chose to share her story here.
