Spotlight on Asian American and Pacific Islander Creators: Meet Influencer & Small Business Owner, Anthony Khun
Anthony Khun is a content creator and owner of the small business AUDAE & CO based out of Los Angeles. As a first-generation Asian-American, at 22 Anthony found success with his first business which specializes in “Scientifically Preserved Luxury Roses.” His passion for photography accompanied by his gifted vision for creativity nurtured him into the triumphant influencer he is today with over 70,000 loyal Instagram followers.
Working with Social Native, Anthony is making waves partnering with brands including UNIQLO, Samsonite, Viator (a Tripadvisor company), and more.
Q: What led you to become a creator?
I’ve always been a creative individual even when I was growing up as a kid, and surely enough in middle school I was already adding digital photography to my list of hobbies. I loved taking photos of everything around me with my first DSLR camera, and from there it involved into posting photography on social media platforms, but now the only difference is that I try to incorporate myself in front of the camera as a content creator.
Q: What is your favorite part of the content creation process?
Hands down, my favorite part is being able to see things or have a vision that most people wouldn’t see at first when utilizing their resources or environment to create content. It honestly amazes me sometimes how photos/videos turn out once you get the perfect shot & edit it into the final product.
“I’d love for people to explore and do their own research on what other Asian cultures have to offer since we’re very rich in that category.” @ackhun
Q: What’s the most difficult thing you’ve encountered or had to overcome in your journey of being a Creator?
As someone who’s been on Instagram when it was strictly for iPhones, I’ve seen how the term “creator” was born and essentially how the style of content has evolved over the last decade. There was a huge transition of creators that were pushing out next level content and becoming extremely detailed in everything they post. My biggest challenge like everyone else, is simply being creative! Of course you feel as if there is a certain level of quality people expect, and also from brand collaborations or campaigns.
Q: Your business @audaeco is dedicated to scientifically preserved luxury roses, can you tell us what inspired you to start this business?
As corny as it sounds, I’ve always been the guy to gift flowers whether if it was for my mom or a special someone. I originally got the idea in 2015 when I was researching how to create a DIY beauty and the beast type rose online. I saw that there were ways to preserve flowers which I thought was almost impossible at first.
Q: How do you balance your life as a creator and a small business owner?
I legitimately try to figure this out everyday myself. I’m the type of person who’s always taking on more work than I should, and loves to be involved in a ton of different things/projects. For me, it’s important planning out your days or week with a to do list, a set schedule of which tasks you need to complete on which days. Overall, it’s about being organized so you don’t feel overwhelmed. Time management is everything.
Q: What is one thing you would like people to know/learn about the AAPI community?
There’s an endless amount of culture and history rooted in the AAPI community. Generally speaking, I feel like there are a lot of Asian countries or ethnic groups that aren’t typically in the spotlight or well known. Being Asian we grow up knowing that not all of us are the same, and we have such different cultures from one another even if we’re neighboring countries in the motherland. I’d love for people to explore and do their own research on what other Asian cultures have to offer since we’re very rich in that category.
Q: What was your favorite campaign that you have worked on with Social Native and why?
It’s pretty hard to pinpoint one specific campaign of all time, but this year I can definitely say my Viator campaign! I had the opportunity to book an experience that was local to me of my choosing, which was a helicopter tour of my hometown. That to me was way more exciting and different than most campaigns from brands that involve only a product shoot.
Q: Being a small business owner yourself, can you recommend three AAPI-owned small businesses that you would recommend?
100% yes! I’m lucky enough to be surrounded by fellow entrepreneurs who inspire me everyday that are AAPI-owned.
Açaí Joint (@acai_joint) — My friend Almon just opened up their 3rd location! They have locations in Rowland Heights, Baldwin Park, and Rosemead. I’ve been following his journey since location #1 opened.
SIP Boba Lounge (@sipbobalounge) — Your alcoholic boba fix that’s in their soft opening phase in LA which is operated by Arena Nightlife Group. The homie D. Ho is one of the most creative guys I ever met.
Tiny Totem (@tinytotem.official) — Josh is a mastermind full of original ideas. He’s currently in the works of perfecting his newest company, which is a compact but fully digital LED screen totem that you can upload any image/video to display on your music festival totem.
