From Insurance Advisor to Full-Time Fashion Illustrator | Hwi

"There's a Buffet of Ideas" || Ernest Ng

Meet Ernest Ng, the Malaysian comics artist behind "Bro, Don't Like That La, Bro" comics. With a quirky and witty flair that has captured the attention of thousands of readers across the country, how has Ernest managed to keep himself going and grown his brand over the years? In this episode, he shares: ✔️ The origins of "Bro, Don't Like That La, Bro" ✔️ How consistency has helped him build his career ✔️ How he deals with hate and negativity -- ⏱️Timestamps 0:00 Pre Trailer & Opening 1:04 Intro 02:09 What inspired that first comic, and how has it grown? 02:50 The Thing He Did Right 03:26 Observation into Inspiration 04:03 The Transition from Blogs to Publishing 04:52 What's his most successful series? 05:44 How to grow a following as an online creator 06:47 What works to grow online 07:34 How does Ernest decide what to put in his comics? 08:12 Can elements be overdone? How does he feel about that mentality? 09:18 As Malaysians, what other inspirations does he suggest artists draw on? 09:52 Staying relevant in the digital content scape 10:30 Managing burnout 11:23 The GenAI Question 12:33 Dealing with Haters 13:47 Opportunities he wishes to explore 16:48 Ernest's Inspirations ◽️ Follow STIVE ◽️ IG: https://www.instagram.com/stive.asia.official FB: https://www.facebook.com/stiveasiaofficial Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1MHTvSU ◽️ Follow Ernest Ng ◽️ IG - https://www.instagram.com/ernestngbro ◽️ Follow Bro, Don't Like That La, Bro ◽️ IG - https://www.instagram.com/dontlikethatbro/ ◽️ Follow Founder of Stive Asia - Jeff Fan ◽️ IG: https://www.instagram.com/jeff.beinspired TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jfan.25 Stive Asia Official Site - www.stive.asia

From Insurance Advisor to Full-Time Fashion Illustrator | Hwi

Meet Hwi, a Malaysian fashion illustrator who has made her mark painting for high-end brands like Hermes, Dior, and Kate Spade, as well as having the privilege of attending Milan Fashion Week! Listen as she details her journey from an insurance advisor to full-time illustrator, as well as the challenges she's faced along the (run)way 💅In this episode, she shares:✔️ How she grew her platform to where she is now✔️ How she took the plunge to do art full-time✔️ Her philosophy on creating art--⏱️Timestamps0:00 Pre Trailer & Opening1:04 Intro2:03 How did she become a fashion illustrator?4:00 Fears for the Future and Making the Switch4:44 Plans for Pursuing Other Creative Paths6:16 Challenges Along the Way7:39 The Marvelous Ms. Mimi9:07 Making a Mark, Mixing Mediums, and Macarons10:11 Attending Milan Fashion Week10:52 Hwi's Drawing Process11:58 On AI and Genuine Expression13:03 How does she get inspired?13:58 Dealing with Creative Block15:39 What motivates her to continue on her path?16:35 Vision for the Road Ahead16:51 Advice for Aspiring Illustrators17:30 Message to her Former Self19:13 Outro---◽️ Follow STIVE ◽️IG: https://www.instagram.com/stive.asia.official FB: https://www.facebook.com/stiveasiaofficial Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1MHTvSU◽️ Follow Hwi◽️ IG - https://www.instagram.com/hwi_illustTikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@hwiillust◽️ Follow Founder of Stive Asia - Jeff Fan ◽️ IG: https://www.instagram.com/jeff.beinspired TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jfan.25 Stive Asia Official Site - www.stive.asia

Don't Wait for the "Right" Time | DerpyKaichu

Meet DerpyKaichu, a Malaysian illustrator who works full-time as a general physician! She's grown a committed following sharing her charming original characters, relatable comics... and of course, her cats. She shares her insights into balancing her work and art, working the convention scene, and what drives her to create! In this episode, she shares: ✔️ How her hectic work influences the tone of her art ✔️ Her experience reconnecting with art and the local convention scene ✔️ Her plans for expanding on her work and her original characters -- ⏱️ Timestamps 0:00 Teaser 0:55 Intro 2:03 How did she start drawing? 3:39 Balancing humour and vulnerability 4:19 Finding Inspiration 5:32 What was her mindset when she first started posting on Instagram? 7:07 Three things she did right 8:42 Dealing with pressure and art block9:25 Full-time or No?9:40 On Making Merch 11:22 DerpyKaichu's Creative Process 11:56 On Generative AI and the Artistic Process 13:12 Plans for the Future14:05 Tips on Making Original Characters 14:58 Balancing Passion and Money 16:00 Projects for the Future16:31 Advice for Aspiring Artists 19:06 Outro -- ◽️ Follow STIVE ◽️IG: https://www.instagram.com/stive.asia.official/ [https://www.instagram.com/stive.asia.official/ ] https://www.instagram.com/stive.asia.official/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/StiveAsiaOfficial [https://www.facebook.com/StiveAsiaOfficial] YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CreatorCEOs [https://open.spotify.com/show/1MHTvSU] ◽️ Follow DerpyKaichu◽️ IG - https://www.instagram.com/derpykaichu/ [https://www.instagram.com/derpykaichu/] ◽️ Follow Founder of Stive Asia - Jeff Fan ◽️ IG: https://www.instagram.com/jeff.beinspired/ [ https://www.instagram.com/jeff.beinspired/] TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jfan.25 [https://www.tiktok.com/@jfan.25] Stive Asia Official Site - www.stive.asia [ www.stive.asia]

What AI Can Never Steal From Real Artists | Yattlukis

Meet Yattlukis! She’s a Malaysian illustrator and visual storyteller known for her dreamy pastel palette, heartfelt Raya illustrations and culturally rich storytelling. What started as sharing artwork online during the MCO slowly grew into a distinctive brand loved for its softness, warmth and emotional connection.Yatt opens up about imposter syndrome, staying consistent as an artist and why human art still matters in the age of AI. She also shares how she balances commercial collaborations with cultural authenticity and how her signature style helped her land major brand projects including Secret Recipe. In this episode, she shares: ✔️ What AI can help with and what it can never replace ✔️ How culture, memory and storytelling make art ✔️ How she balances art, motherhood and creative burnout — ⏱️ Timestamps: 00:26 Intro00:26 The Artist Who Made Raya Packets Feel Like Collectibles01:47 How MCO Unexpectedly Gave Birth to Yad Lukis02:13 The Story Behind Her Dreamy Pastel Art Style02:24 Culture or Commerce?03:14 The Career-Changing Project That Put Her on the Map06:21 Why Cultural Details Matter in Every Illustration06:58 The Mindset Shift 07:45 What She Does When Burnout Hits Hard08:43 Her Honest Thoughts on AI09:06 Being a Public Creative Without Losing Yourself09:42 Real Advice for Artists Who Want Clients11:29 Pricing, Growth & The Dangerous Side 13:22 What AI Can’t Copy 14:41 Ending ◽️ Follow STIVE ◽️ IG: https://www.instagram.com/stive.asia.official/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/StiveAsiaOfficial Spotify : https://open.spotify.com/show/1MHTvSU ◽️ Follow Yattlukis ◽️ IG : https://www.instagram.com/yattlukis/ Website : Yattlukis Website ◽️ Follow Founder of Stive Asia - Jeff Fan ◽️ IG: https://www.instagram.com/jeff.beinspired/ TikTok : / jfan.25 Stive Asia Official Site - www.stive.asia

I Drew a Cat With a Mouse…18 Years Later It Became My Career | Jian Goh

Meet Jian Goh, also known as Akiraceo, the Malaysian comic artist behind the lovable characters Miao, Wafu and Pafu! What started as a simple university blog eventually grew into a comic universe that has lasted over 18 years, expanding into books, merchandise, exhibitions and brand collaborations. JianGoh shares how an unplanned idea turned into a lifelong creative journey and why real life experiences are still the biggest inspiration behind his stories. In this episode, he opens about: ✔️ Why artists should not fear AI but learn to use it ✔️ The challenges of balancing a job and creative passion ✔️ Why creators should focus on enjoying the process — ⏱️ Timestamps: 0:28 Intro 1:12 The spark behind Miao, Wafu and Pafu 2:46 Character inspiration from real-life hamsters 3:24 The journey to comic creation 4:52 Insights into the comic inventory 5:24 Keeping creativity fresh over the years 7:36 Posting content online: pressure and frequency 7:52 Overcoming burnout and creative blocks 8:37 Balancing comics with a job 8:58 Adapting to the rise of short-form videos 9:53 Concerns about AI in art creation 11:47 How merchandise came to be 13:03 Future vision for Miao, Wafu and Pafu 13:44 Advice for aspiring comic artists 16:15 Outro Sometimes the most meaningful creations begin without a plan, just the courage to start. ◽️ Follow STIVE ◽️ IG:  https://www.instagram.com/stive.asia.official/ [https://www.instagram.com/stive.asia.official/]  FB:   https://www.facebook.com/StiveAsiaOfficial [https://www.facebook.com/StiveAsiaOfficial] Spotify : https://open.spotify.com/show/1MHTvSU [https://open.spotify.com/show/1MHTvSU] ◽️ Follow JianGoh◽️  IG - https://www.instagram.com/akiraceo/ [https://www.instagram.com/akiraceo/]  &  https://www.instagram.com/miaowafupafu/ [https://www.instagram.com/miaowafupafu/] Merch:@Akiraceo [https://linktr.ee/akiraceo?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=2e77bca0-675f-4e46-9759-fa7576f63dd5] ◽️ Follow Founder of Stive Asia - Jeff Fan ◽️  IG:  https://www.instagram.com/jeff.beinspired/ [https://www.instagram.com/jeff.beinspired/] TikTok :   / jfan.25 Stive Asia Official Site - www.stive.asia [http://www.stive.asia]