Meet Regina Larko | Founder & CEO

We had the good fortune of connecting with Regina Larko and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Regina, what are you inspired by?

I am inspired by how my young children cope with setbacks. They are 1, 3 and 6 years old now and I am just in awe of their persistence. When they fall, they get back up, when they can’t figure something out right away, they look for other ways to find a solution. I think there is so much for all of us grown ups to learn from children. Their creativity and resilience inspires me greatly.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
When I started #impact I had set my mind on building an audio first platform, but I got lots of – well meant advice that I should start a video channel instead. I followed my heart as well as my gut. Personally, I always felt drawn to audio storytelling. One of my earliest childhood memories is listening to my favorite audio cassette on repeat. I loved how listening to stories made me, the listener, become part of the story, as I started to visualise what happened in the audio conversations. It’s magical and I keep advocating for allowing ourselves to use our own voices confidently to inspire others with our stories too. There were many hurdles when I first started out, teaching myself everything from scratch. My education background is not in journalism or broadcasting. I am actually a China Studies major and allowing myself – after a very fulfilling career as a China Researcher – to step something new entirely was daunting. I went on a search for how to make best use of my creativity, my talents and passions. It was a process of many years, oftentimes doubting myself and my abilities. But as I started to put myself out there with my Podcast, the feedback and reactions I received were so positive. The moment people started reaching out to get my advice on Podcasting, I knew I made the right choice. Now I support others as they are launching and growing their own Podcasts with my Podcasting Online course, Consultation, as well as 1:1 and Group Coaching Programmes on all things Podcasting. Helping them through hurdles I faced myself is so incredibly rewarding.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I am based in Hong Kong – a buzzing and vibrant city in Asia. What comes to mind first when thinking of Hong Kong? I remember what it was for me before I moved here – Skyrises! Lots of them! And yes, that’s true. But what most people don’t know before they arrive is that Hong Kong has so much nature to offer too. Amazing country parks and nature trails, beautiful beaches that just take your breath away. After a short ride with the subway you can find yourself in midst of pristine nature.

So that’s where I would take you first – on a hike to Tai Long Wan (https://droneandslr.com/travel-blog/hong-kong/tai-long-wan-sai-kung/) where we would take a dip in the ocean before heading for a seafood dinner to suburbian Sai Kung.

My favorite area in the city is an area called Sheung Wan. I used to live there for 4 years, so I am biased, but that area is just so vibrant. There you find lots of small boutiques and coffee shops just next to traditional mom and pop stores.

Heading towards Central, we would definitely stop by in one of my favorite restaurants MA Seeds for Life (https://marestaurant.com.hk) to enjoy delicious vegan treats and as we would exit the restaurant we could take a left turn to walk down a narrow alley with fruit stalls to pick up some healthy treats for later.

A ride on the legendary Star Ferry http://www.starferry.com.hk/en/Fares) across Victoria harbour is a must too, probably the cheapest and most spectacular way to admire the skyline and before jumping on the Star Ferry we could grab a tasty cake at Cafe 8, a Social Enterprise run by the Nesbitt Centre https://www.nesbittcentre.org.hk

These are just a few of my favorite spots that I always love to take visitors to but there is so much more to explore, a great way to find spots as well as their stories is the idiscover app here https://i-discoverasia.com/neighbourhoods/hong-kong/

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would not be where I am today if it wasn’t for these people that always believed in me, even before I did myself. My amazing family spread out across Europe, my supportive husband Peter, my incredible girlfriends who are always there for me, with a quick audio message when I need a motivation boost. When it comes to my Podcasting business I want to give a huge shout out to Sue Toomey, Executive Director at HandsOn Hong Kong. Not only was she the first guest on #impact – A Podcast about stuff that matters, coming on the show when I really had nothing to show for yet, and supporting, encouraging and mentoring me ever since. And last but not least I want to give credit to my brilliant business coach Kari Enge from Rank & File who always reminds me that if I just keep managing my mind and my calendar, I can achieve anything.

Website: https://www.hashtagimpact.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hashtagimpact/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/13285283

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Viper_Hashtagim

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hashtagimpact

Image Credits
Credits: #impact Podcast