218. The Hard Truth About Success from a Top Creator in Singapore (Aiken Chia)

Before Aiken Chia became one of Singapore’s most recognizable YouTubers and food content creators, he was a broke twenty-something who had spent years auditioning, collecting rejection after rejection, and was on the verge of quitting media altogether. It was that mix of setbacks, resilience, and the unwavering support of his community that shaped the creator he is today. From his breakout years through producing a popular series called Food King, to now building his own independent channel, Aiken has created a body of work that blends food and travel storytelling with raw, personal conversations - including one of his most talked-about videos, where he sat down with his mother to unpack her 18-year affair. In this episode, we revisit those early struggles, explore the turning points that gave him hope, and unpack the values that continue to guide his journey today. In this episode, we cover:    (00:00) Introduction (01:30) Character matters more than talent  (03:03) Being called fat (05:56) Aiken’s insecurities  (07:49) Being in survival mode  (09:23) People who see your potential  (11:57) The upwards trajectory  (13:29) Why do others support Aiken (16:12) Being sincere  (17:31) Executing your creative vision  (20:00) How creators create impact  (25:43) How Aiken is monetizing  (26:57) Breaking out of the “food creator” box (29:59) What Aiken is working on right now (32:32) Going through a rough patch (36:27) Aiken interviews his mom (42:15) Guiding values as a creator   (45:19) Actionable takeaways  Connect with Aiken Chia   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AikenChiaMing  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aikenchia TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aikenchia  Connect with Cheryl Lau   Website: https://cheryllau.com  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cheryltheory  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cheryltheory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cheryllau ANNOTATIONS - The Newsletter    The edits that got cut from the podcast. Every interview on EDIT HISTORY runs about 60 minutes. But less than 40 minutes makes it into the final cut. This newsletter is where the rest live. ANNOTATIONS is where I share the 33% I left behind — and the insights that came after we stopped recording. Subscribe at: https://cheryllau.com/email  Contact   Please email hello@cheryllau.com for business inquiries.