This is the first personal post on this blog in a long time. It’s extremely personal and I hope you or your friends can help me with this. My best friend mysteriously went missing on October 4th. I’ve been desperately spending my days trying to find her when I learned she was in the hospital in LA. She has been very sick and unable to communicate with friends. Her family is finally with her and contacted me today (the 17th) and gave me an update.
I don’t know if she’s going to be ok. Her personal life was private although she was a very active member of the social media and San Francisco tech community. Me and Laura happily considered her our best friend. The recent events are so unfortunate that Laura and I will be going down to visit her. I’ve always wanted to go to LA but not on these conditions.
Here’s the problem with this situation. I worked for her part time as an assistant. She operated a Podcasting studio here in SoMa, San Francisco called Podango. She was over the day to day activities of the studio as the sole employee and I helped out. Well, she’s been missing for all of these days. We’ve lost every contract and we are 17 days behind on paying bills. I’ve spoken to the CEO of the company in Utah and here’s the deal. He’s going to close the studios on Monday and liquidate the nearly 50 thousand dollars in audio equipment. I pleaded with him and he told me that if I can get 4 grand in contracts for the space for this month then we can save the studio.
This is my friend’s livelihood and a place where our friends come to produce awesome content. We’re a proud member of the new media community by sponsoring events, taking part in barcamps and letting people use the space for free when they’re getting started. Our bread & butter is corporate contracts and now those are all gone. I have until Sunday to make this a reality and I think it’s a job that’s bigger than I am.
I’m begging for your help. Please contact me at adam@dailytechtalk.com and I’ll send your our fees for renting the space. If you live in the bay area and know someone that needs the space then I can even give them a first month’s discount but we need people here and we have to break even. I’m not making any money from this. We just have to save the studio because it would break my friend’s heart and she’s too sick with an unknown illness. I can’t even contact her right now so i’m doing all of this for her. THANKS!
You can contact me a few ways:
Email: adam@dailytechtalk.com
Twitter: adamjackson
Here are some of Liana’s social network spaces:
Friendfeed
blog
Flickr
Twitter1
Twitter2
Upcoming
Flickr photos tagged with lianalehua
[UPDATED]
I’m sending this email to friends. Feel free to pass it on.
Hi. This is Adam Jackson. I have emailed you to ask for a little assistance with something. My friend, Liana Lehua, mysteriously went MIA on the 4th. As you can see from her friendfeed account http://friendfeed.com/fittorrrent.
I’ve tried to contact her and get through to her family and friends for weeks. I was one of Liana’s best friends and she has been missing. Her sister contacted me today and said that she’s been in a hospital in LA for weeks with an unknown illness. The problem is. Liana operated a podcasting studio here in San Francisco in SoMa. Almost 50K in equipment, very professional and we even have a 30’ greenscreen at our disposal. It’s a fantastic space and she was running it prior to this horrible illness.
In the past 13 days since she went missing, the studio has lost all contracts and the funding partners have told me that they’re going to liquidate and shut it down on Monday. I need to prove to them that we can secure some contracts for the space to keep it up and running. I’m including the price sheets for the space. I’m one of the audio engineers here and can answer any questions. I don’t know when my friend will be back but I need to keep things going for the sake of her livelihood and this very community oriented studio space.
Please forward this if you can and hopefully we can get the business going in her absence. Thank you!
Here is a photo slideshow of our space:
[UPDATED 2X]
I’d like to clarify something in order to clear up things that I said earlier over Twitter and on Mashable.
Scott Bourne, who launched Podango Productions, actually enabled several incredible opportunities for Liana as host, producer and tech evangelist. He built an incredible podcasting studio and together with Liana, built several shows into viable properties. These include Girls Gone Geek, Apple Phone Show, and other great shows. Scott resigned from Podango Productions on July 31 to pursue his first love, photography and you can catch his This Week in Photography podcast and blog.
I shouldn’t have said Scott turned his back on her. He has indeed opted out of Podango, but not his friendship with Liana and it was a mistake for me to imply differently. Scott, Leo and Alex have also been incredibly supportive to Liana and what would the podcasting industry be without them. So I want to clarify that comment.
My reason for posting is to rally support for Liana who is fighting her way back to health. And Liana wants to find a way that the community might help us continue the great work at the studio here. I’m not an employee of Podango and my efforts here have been supportive of a dear friend.
If anyone reading this wants to see this podcasting studio continue as a community facility, then maybe there’s a chance we can raise the cash to acquire the assets and pay the rent.

23 Comments until now.
My thoughts are with Liana, and I hope she is OK. I am close with Liana (and Adam) so this is personal as well. Help Podango live!
The most important thing is Liana and her health. But I will try to spread the word on the business aspect of this situation as well – best of luck.
Adam, if I can do anything (either personally or via TUAW) please let me know. Sending good thoughts to Liana + her family.
Adam as as you and I spoke about, if there is anything I can to do organize a fund raiser to help Liana out (health or her passion for new media), let me know.
Mostly, my thoughts are with her and her family, praying for a speedy recovery.
I’ve only every heard of Liana when she was on TWIT, otherwise I really don’t know her. But I’d be glad to help. No one should have to lose their business when unexpected medical issues pop up. I’ve tweeted to TWIT, BOL and iJustine to see if they or anyone else is coordinating any kind of effort fans can donate to… But as no one of influence, I’ll never hear back from them. Can someone of influence try to contact them? PS: Thanks to TUAW for the tweet, I wouldn’t have known otherwise. Hoping for the best for Liana.
Sorry for your troubles. I warmly hope things take a strong turn for the better for all concerned.
[...] the company’s CEO has graciously offered a way to salvage the space. As Adam explains in a very personal blog post: My best friend mysteriously went missing on October 4th. I’ve been desperately spending my days [...]
I will pass the word on as I just met Liana earlier this year. Hope she recovers swiftly.
[...] the company’s CEO has graciously offered a way to salvage the space. As Adam explains in a very personal blog post: My best friend mysteriously went missing on October 4th. I’ve been desperately spending my days [...]
Are you for real? This doesn’t read right to me. Liana goes “missing” and then someone’s asking for 4K in contracts? You always “wanted to go to LA but not on these conditions”? I think someone needs to contact the police.
Liana has been a twitterpal for a very long time! She’s a wonderful woman and I didn’t know this was happening.
Sending tons of prayers and positive thoughts her way – and retweeting this. I wish I were in the Bay Area and in a position to do something.
But hoping she’s better soon!!!!!
Adam,
My thoughts go out to LL and her family. 4K doesn’t seem like that much… Maybe the tech community can do a “Gary Vaynerchuk”-ish fundraiser…. The one where people would pledge, shave head, etc, etc…
I’m on twitter as “wsellers”
[...] the company’s CEO has graciously offered a way to salvage the space. As Adam explains in a very personal blog post: My best friend mysteriously went missing on October 4th. I’ve been desperately spending my days [...]
[...] Liana has been sick since October 4th, and is currently in an LA hospital, unable to communicate with friends. With unpaid bills piling up, parent company Podango, Inc. is being forced to liquidate the SF office’s assets. Learning of the situation, her friend Adam Jackson (on the left in the photo above) is attempting to save the studio. Meanwhile, the company’s CEO has graciously offered a way to salvage the space. As Adam explains in a very personal blog post: [...]
how ’bout setting up a paypal account and button?
I thought Podango was owned by Scott Bourne, though maybe not. He’s listed as president of Podango, though someone else is listed as CEO. Anyway, has anyone contacted Mr. Bourne to get a clarification / second opinion?
Used audio equipment sells for pennies on the dollar, $4000 might replace that equipment outright.
Liana is ill and in the hospital, there is no need to go to the police. Adam has spoken to her sister, and I have been trying to get a hold of her at the hospital. Liana’s family is in LA, that’s why she is there, not in SF near the studio.
We are not asking for handouts, the studio needs clients and contracts to stay afloat. Donations would keep the studio alive for a week or so, clients and contracts would keep it alive for much longer, until Liana can get well enough to make a decision as to what she wants done.
Please help if you can! Liana is such a driving force in the new media community, and is a great friend.
Melissa Thiessen, co-host of Girls Gone Geek with Liana
I am a former employee of Podango. I am so sorry to hear that Liana is sick and I hope she recovers soon.
This is a sad and tragic end to something that should have never existed in the first place: Podango Productions.
What a mess. Too bad Scott Bourne won’t step up to the plate and help in some way. He created this problem and now he’s completely whiped his hands of it. The man has no integrity. And Doug Smith offering to keep it around of a guy, who isn’t even an employee, can get a bunch of bloggers to pull together four grand is stupid.
I think its time to let it go. Sell the equipment and call it a good learning experience.
I’m a full-time new media consultant and I know the financial stress you guys are feeling. I’m in the DFW area and can’t help directly, but I can guarantee you that I’m praying for LL and the studio situation.
I’ll also tweet and get the word out as best I can.
-Dave Curlee
RealcookN.tv
My thought’s are with Liana on recovering! She’s been a fantastic friend and I LOL her loads.. she’s a great presenter, producer, broadcaster, blogger and.. media genius!
I’ve written my support to her on my site: http://www.dsoundz.co.uk
as this is personal also to me too.
Adam’s a top friend too – and I wish that I can come and help keep Podango Studios / Productions going, while Liana is in Hospital.
I hope the Technology community can pull together on this! Please help a fantastic space, studio and production outfit in the heart of San Francisco..!
Sam Downie, Editor, Journalist & Broadcaster
BBC Radio
http://www.dsoundz.co.uk
http://www.bristol-sounds.com
I’m beginning to think that Scott Bourne is a real shit-head. At least wish Liana a return to good health. Get your podcasting buddies and wine swilling, globe-hopping, narcissistic fair-weather-friend-feeders to get some word out about Liana. Jeez, now I’m gonna cringe every time I hear you narrowcast your narrow, self-absorbed, concerns.
Hello;
I know of Liana thru a close friend from my days on the Central Coast of Ca, Frederick Johnson. I’m a Washington D.C. based Wedding Photojournalist, if there is anything, I mean anything I can assit with please let me know. You can contact me or my staff via e-mail or at 2403702877. This has us very concerned and we are here to help.
Andy John
Principal Photographer
Andy John Images
Adam, I do not know Liana personally other then online. I want to point out that she did tweet this on 10/2 @ 8:22AM:
I’m at UCLA Medical Center (200 Ucla Medical Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA) – http://bkite.com/01JPb 8:22 AM Oct 2nd from Brightkite
I think social networking is fine but when the chips are down you call your family and stop tweeting. Get well Liana!
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