"$50 & a Tiger Balm: 40 Years in the US" - Excerpt from Upcoming Memoir by Joanne Z. Tan

"Is a Life Complete without Another?" - a short Poem; More writings, awards.

Aug 21, 2022

The hardest part of having an authentic personal brand, is to give a part of yourself to the world. It is NOT for the faint of heart!

It is hard for me too, to expose my personal life and tell my stories, even after branding so many others’ personal and business brands, and telling their stories.

I am daring myself to spill some guts, with an excerpt from my upcoming memoir 50 Dollars and a Tiger Balm: 40 Years in the US, AND one of the poems I wrote:

$50 & a Tiger Balm: 40 Years in the US

An excerpt from Joanne Z. Tan’s upcoming memoir

Last summer, my 30-second video to celebrate my 39th year of landing in the US was quoted by CNN’s news anchor Jim Acosta on Twitter.

This year, I’m writing my book “50 Dollars and a Tiger Balm: 40 Years in the US”.

In this newsletter and the next one, for my 40th anniversary of landing in the US from Beijing, I will tell some personal stories and spill some guts. As a private person, this is something that takes MORE courage than the courage to come to the US all by myself, even having “made it” here on my own. But what’s the use of living an extraordinary life, without sharing with others what I’ve learned? So, bear with me–you won’t regret it.

Read the Excerpt (4-min)

Is a Life Complete without Another?

A short poem by Joanne Z. Tan

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published

Alone, helpless, utterly dependent - we came to the world.
Alone, helpless, utterly dependent - we leave this Earth,
regardless of fame, fortune, power, position.
...
Is merging of two souls
the prerequisite for being whole?

Read the Poem (2-min)