Fireside chats with Dan, Mia, Thomas, and Kuan on career, culture, and relationships. The best conversations happen when different perspectives and backgrounds come together, so stop by to listen if you're ever in need of a Friend Next Door.
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As another year is coming to a close, let's take some time to reminisce about the good and the not-so-good things that we experienced this year. How was 2025 for you? Do you have any year-end rituals like Dan does? Share any and all great tips with us! As always, if you have a burning question, find us here: Email: frndsnextdoor@gmail.com IG: @frndsnextdoor Dan: @therealdanchen Mia: @msmiaaa…
There's always that friend who's down for anything, whether it's grabbing a simple dinner or trying out something new. And then there's that friend who's always willing to hear you vent. They don't need to give you a solution, but they're there and that's enough. What kind of a friend are you? Have you changed as a friend now compared to your younger years? As always, if you have a burning…
In the spirit of keeping up with the times, Dan, Kuan and Mia discussed their understanding of main character energy . To those who are chronically online, we're sure you've heard about this. Be the start of your own movie. You're in charge of creating your own story. Forge your own path. Do we think this creates an invisible pressure to be 'extra'? Is there something wrong about wanting to be a…
Have you ever looked around the room and realized that... you're now the adult in the room? That it's time to take control of the situation to avoid any unwanted consequences. Do you like being the adult in the room or do you wish that sometimes someone would just help you figure things out? As always, if you have a burning question, find us here: Email: frndsnextdoor@gmail.com IG: @frndsnextdoor…
It's December 2025. WHERE did the year go? We used to say this jokingly but we're dead serious now. We used to wait forever for school year to end, for Christmas to arrive, for our vacation to finally start.. whatever it may be! Do you guys also feel like time somehow flies faster as we age? Is there a way to slow it down? As always, if you have a burning question, find us here: Email:…
We've spent time talking about "home" and "where you're from" on this podcast. On this episode we dive deeper into how important roots are. If you spent your life moving around, you may be struggling to answer the 'where are you from' question. Your childhood memories may have been formed at your hometown, but then you moved away in your formative years, and then again as you're stepping into…
Out of the many relationships we juggle everyday, our relationship with money isn't something we regularly think about. Because what for? I make money, I spend money, end of story. But on this episode, we dive a bit deeper into what money means to us and how it shapes our life. As always, if you have a burning question, find us here: Email: frndsnextdoor@gmail.com IG: @frndsnextdoor Dan:…
Friends - listen to this episode before that travel plan makes it out of the group chat. Traveling solo allows you to learn about yourself. Traveling with friends helps you learn more about each other so there's definitely a lot to look forward to. How important is it to travel with the right group of people? Should you vet them before the trip? As always, if you have a burning question, find us…
The world certainly isn't perfect. Sheesh, okay stating the obvious there. But in the midst of all the chaos that is this imperfect world, there are moments where people show up with a simple gesture of kindness, and that is enough to tell us that humanity is still worth rooting for. As always, if you have a burning question, find us here: Email: frndsnextdoor@gmail.com IG: @frndsnextdoor Dan:…
Are we in the age of monetization? If you say no.. we love that for you. It's obvious that we're now living in a 'monetization of everything' era. On one hand, it presents a great opportunity for people who are willing to put themselves out there to gain some extra cash (or make a serious living!). On another hand, it could also create an overwhelming amount of content. The question is.. what do…
Are you someone who's constantly punching above your weight? Whether it’s dating someone way out of your league, landing a job you “weren’t qualified” for, or winning a trivia night with nothing but guesses and blind confidence, you're swinging hard, aiming high, and surprising everyone (including yourself!). Or are you the opposite - you know what you're good at and prefer a more measured…
This episode is a followup to our "Optimizer/Maximizer" episode, talking more about the cost to perfection and if humans are even meant to achieve that. We talk through the fine line between striving to do a good job, what it really it takes to get to the "top" or "perfection", and what type of reality lives there. Take a listen and let us know what you think :) As always, if you have a burning…
THE LIMIT DOES NOT EXIST!! Or does it? On this episode we talk about limits, both internal and external, and especially having a limited mindest. Take a listen and let us know what you think :) As always, if you have a burning question, find us here: Email: frndsnextdoor@gmail.com IG: @frndsnextdoor Dan: @therealdanchen Mia: @msmiaaa Thomas: @mundane_photos
Have you had a label that stuck and was hard to shake? What about defining others as just "the X guy" or "that Y girl". Why are labels a thing and when are they helpful -- are they ever helpful? We dive into this and more on this episode, stick around and let us know what you think :) As always, if you have a burning question, find us here: Email: frndsnextdoor@gmail.com IG: @frndsnextdoor Dan:…
When's the last time you called a friend, read a book, asked a live person for a recommendation? On this episode, Dan, Mia, and Kuan talk about the way we communicate with eachother and the world around us. We call out old trends that need to make their way back (spoiler alert: not everyone agrees) and trends / things that just flat out need to go. How many of us are doing things just for the YOLO…
We're bringing back the hot series with Thomas - finally rounding it out :) Did you miss the previous episodes in this series? Don't forget to check out Dan's, Kuan's, and Mia's earlier this season as well! As always, if you have a burning question, find us here: Email: frndsnextdoor@gmail.com IG: @frndsnextdoor Dan: @therealdanchen Mia: @msmiaaa Thomas: @mundane_photos
We're continue Part 2(!) of marriage talks with marriage levels novice, intermediate, and veteran. On this episode, we get into does "happy wife, happy life" really work and how many votes do you really have when it comes down to making decisions -- is it a 50/50 split or does it end up being 0/1? As always, if you have a burning question, find us here: Email: frndsnextdoor@gmail.com IG:…
Long term planning is not easy to begin with when you're single. Add a spouse in that equation, the conversations become that much more interesting! How do you approach these topics? Do you talk about them when you're dating, or is that too early? We have a special friend joining us on this episode! As always, if you have a burning question, find us here: Email: frndsnextdoor@gmail.com IG:…
The world is your oyster - that's what they say right? With that in mind are you someone who takes every opportunity and makes the most of them? Or are you someone who may not be all gas and no brakes, but rather prefers optimizing your current situation? There's obviously no right or wrong approach here, but we're curious! As always, if you have a burning question, find us here: Email:…
When it comes to making a major decision in life, one naturally turns to a math formula. Just kidding. But it is entirely possible that some people subscribe to the idea that mathemathical principles can be applied to some of our approaches to life. Would you agree? As always, if you have a burning question, find us here: Email: frndsnextdoor@gmail.com IG: @frndsnextdoor Dan: @therealdanchen Mia:…
Skepticism. What image comes into mind when you hear this word? Does it carry a positive or a negative connotation? And what about healthy skepticism.. does it change your perspective of whether this is something we need as we go about life? And most importantly, does it help you to not get scammed? As always, if you have a burning question, find us here: Email: frndsnextdoor@gmail.com IG:…
Trust the process. It's not about the destination, it's the journey. If you've heard some version of these advice, have you ever stopped and pondered how long you're supposed to be in the process? What are you supposed to learn in the process? What does the goal or destination look like? Wow, asking deep philosophical questions, are we? As always, if you have a burning question, find us here:…
Spoiler alert: if you haven't seen the movie and want to go see it, come back to this episode after! But if you're ready to discuss the classic question of 'do you choose love or money?', listen on. We go beyond the surface level of money and love, so hope you all enjoy this episode! As always, if you have a burning question, find us here: Email: frndsnextdoor@gmail.com IG: @frndsnextdoor Dan:…
As more 9-to-5ers are returning to office, commuting is becoming a bigger part of our life. You're then reminded of how commuting feels like a time and energy drain.. until you're hearing that there are benefits to it? Really? As always, if you have a burning question, find us here: Email: frndsnextdoor@gmail.com IG: @frndsnextdoor Dan: @therealdanchen Mia: @msmiaaa Thomas: @mundane_photos
If the word Labubu has come out of your mouth in a recent conversation, congrats, you're in on the latest trend all over socials. Trends come and go so fast these days it's hard to keep up! Are you one of those people who are always in the know? As always, if you have a burning question, find us here: Email: frndsnextdoor@gmail.com IG: @frndsnextdoor Dan: @therealdanchen Mia: @msmiaaa Thomas:…
Don't we just love acronyms? DINK (Double Income, No Kids) isn't a new concept, but this trend seems to be on the rise with our generation. As with anything trending online, the pros and cons are very much polarized but we can safely say that no matter which camp you're on, there's room for discussion. As always, if you have a burning question, find us here: Email: frndsnextdoor@gmail.com IG:…
Last but certainly not least on this Ask a Friend series.. Dan's hot seat episode! Interesting to see how there are STILL new things we learned about each other even after all these years. Would you try something like this with your friends? As always, if you have a burning question, find us here: Email: frndsnextdoor@gmail.com IG: @frndsnextdoor Dan: @therealdanchen Mia: @msmiaaa Thomas:…
Do you like doing nothing? How good are you at doing nothing? You would be surprised by how these seemingly simple questions may actually not be that simple. As you will probably hear in our discussion, not everyone has the same understanding of what doing nothing means for them. As always, if you have a burning question, find us here: Email: frndsnextdoor@gmail.com IG: @frndsnextdoor Dan:…
Part 2 of FND putting each other in the hot seat! It's Kuan's turn this time :) Catch up on Mia's turn in Episode 5! As always, if you have a burning question, find us here: Email: frndsnextdoor@gmail.com IG: @frndsnextdoor Dan: @therealdanchen Mia: @msmiaaa Thomas: @mundane_photos
Everyone deals with a sense of self doubt and not knowing if you're doing the right thing sometimes. Totally normal. How do you cope if it cripples you, though? Let's talk about it. As always, if you have a burning question, find us here: Email: frndsnextdoor@gmail.com IG: @frndsnextdoor Dan: @therealdanchen Mia: @msmiaaa Thomas: @mundane_photos
When you've known someone for years and years, how much do you really know about them? We'll find out as we decided to try something new this time - dedicating an entire episode on asking each other our burning questions. We'll take turns putting each other in the hot seat and Mia will kick us off! Hope y'all enjoy! As always, if you have a burning question, find us here: Email:…
Fresh off her wedding (catch up on this on our first episode this season!), Kuan is elaborating on her thoughts around maintaining a sense of self while forming a new unit - husband and wife. While this concept is often thought in this context though, this is also something we go through at work and in professional setting. How do we navigate between the two identities? As always, if you have a…
As social creatures, we all have the desire of belonging to a tribe, a community. Whether it is being surrounded by like-minded people, those with shared hobbies, or other fans of the same Kpop group (ehm). We like to be surrounded by "our people". But how do we find them? And how do we maintain those relationships once we do? As always, if you have a burning question, find us here: Email:…
Some people say that the rule to determining a socially acceptable age difference in relationships is to half your age and add seven. This goes both ways - up and down. Whether or not you believe in this is of course up to each individual, but let's talk about age gap in relationships and what that realistically means in terms of your compatibility with the other person. As always, if you have a…
After a long, long break... we're finally back in your ears! Lots of things happened in the last few months and we have so much to catch up on, but FIRST! One of us is a newlywed, so naturally we want to hear all about the process and how she (ehm, Kuan) decided to take the leap. As always, if you have a burning question, find us here: Email: frndsnextdoor@gmail.com IG: @frndsnextdoor Dan:…
Meet the Parents - now that sounds like a scary movie. To those who are natural charmers, lucky you. Those who are void of the social butterfly genes, don't worry because at least we can trade stories, and tips! And unfortunately, this will be our last episode of Season 5! We have to end the season earlier than usual because of personal circumstances (nothing crazy though), so we're saying…
You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. Have you heard of this saying before? Well, Mia hasn't until recently. Once she gave it a thought, there's some truth to it but to what extent? Let us know what you think once you give it a listen! As always, if you have a burning question, find us here: Email: frndsnextdoor@gmail.com IG: @frndsnextdoor Dan: @therealdanchen Mia:…
Is New York overrated or underrated? On this episode, we're just going to have a fun conversation on things that we think are underrated or overrated. And ooobviously, the things we say are highly subjective :). If you feel so inclined, though, feel free to share your thoughts if you disagree! As always, if you have a burning question, find us here: Email: frndsnextdoor@gmail.com IG:…
If you're an older millennial listener, would you agree that we're entering our midlife crisis era? It may not look the same as what we imagine a midlife crisis would look like, with a red sports car or anything, but some of the signs are hard to ignore. Regardless, we're not saying it's a bad thing, but let's talk about it. As always, if you have a burning question, find us here: Email:…
Ahh we sure do like to come up with a label for everything, don't we? In this case we think it is the best way of explaining the term in a succinct way, but in standard FND fashion, we'll dive into the concept, what we mean by that and why we think it is becoming normalized. As always, if you have a burning question, find us here: Email: frndsnextdoor@gmail.com IG: @frndsnextdoor Dan:…
If you could go back to your 14-year-old self, what advice would you give in order to thrive in social situations? As always, if you have a burning question, find us here: Email: frndsnextdoor@gmail.com IG: @frndsnextdoor Dan: @therealdanchen Mia: @msmiaaa Thomas: @mundane_photos
We're totally dating ourselves by asking this question, but do you think sorry is the hardest word to say? Are you the type to immediately apologize once you made a mistake? And if it's the other way around, how good are you at accepting an apology? Let's figure this out together. As always, if you have a burning question, find us here: Email: frndsnextdoor@gmail.com IG: @frndsnextdoor Dan:…
Let's talk about boundary - what are things that you're willing and not willing to do in social settings? Have they changed throughout the years? A simple example would be Mia, who never would've wanted to go to any horror-themed activity, risking her beauty sleep to go a haunted hotel themed escape room. Now that's what we call a real friend. As always, if you have a burning question, find us…
Is there such thing as a perfect formula for relationships? Or a way to figure out whether a relationship is bound to last? On this episode, we dive into how to create and maintain long-lasting relationships. As always, if you have a burning question, find us here: Email: frndsnextdoor@gmail.com IG: @frndsnextdoor Dan: @therealdanchen Mia: @msmiaaa Thomas: @mundane_photos
When you see people who make the things they do look easy and effortless (*cough* Steph Curry), what comes to your mind first? Do you think of the countless hours they spend on perfecting their craft? Probably not.. so let's take some time to discuss! As always, if you have a burning question, find us here: Email: frndsnextdoor@gmail.com IG: @frndsnextdoor Dan: @therealdanchen Mia: @msmiaaa…
Who here still remembers the early days of social media? How did we feel when we first used our social media accounts? Now compare those feelings to today - do you think they still serve as a social tool or have they transformed into something else? As always, if you have a burning question, find us here: Email: frndsnextdoor@gmail.com IG: @frndsnextdoor Dan: @therealdanchen Mia: @msmiaaa Thomas:…
What are some of the things you'll gladly pay for, even when they might be considered pricey? Conversely, what are things you'd refuse to pay based on your principle? Money is always an interesting topic, so this time we're diving into how each of us spend our hard-earned dollars. We understand this is a personal matter so please listen to the episode with that thought in mind! As always, if you…
We're living in a time when so many things can easily get hyped up (thanks social media!). When we see it all around us, do we easily buy into it? If not, how do we manage? As always, if you have a burning question, find us here: Email: frndsnextdoor@gmail.com IG: @frndsnextdoor Dan: @therealdanchen Mia: @msmiaaa Thomas: @mundane_photos
Whether you're a small fish in a big pond or a big fish in a small pond, both come with their own perks. Have you thought about what you'd rather be? As always, if you have a burning question, find us here: Email: frndsnextdoor@gmail.com IG: @frndsnextdoor Dan: @therealdanchen Mia: @msmiaaa Thomas: @mundane_photos **SUBSCRIBE TO OUR PODCAST** Spotify:…
Calling all job hoppers out there! We're joined by Thomas this time to discuss our experience with changing jobs as we advance our career, and we're definitely not the only ones strategically moving to another job as a way to keep growing professionally. What are the criteria do we use to determine if it's time to move on? What have our experiences been like? As always, if you have a burning…
