Nanxi Liu moves between worlds that rarely overlap, from software and biotech to entertainment and storytelling, building companies and creative projects with the same instinct for clarity, speed, and purpose. A serial entrepreneur and producer, she has co-founded and led multiple ventures across technology and healthcare, while also stepping into film and television as a co-producer on Emmy-winning work like The Bay. Her career reflects a rare ability to translate vision across industries that operate on very different rules, yet are united by one core challenge: creating something people actually care about.
Photo Credit: Kenneth Medilo
You move between worlds that don’t often intersect, technology and storytelling. What connects those two spaces for you on a deeper level?
I’ve always been drawn to working in very different worlds. Learning about different industries has helped me be more creative. It’s been fun to be part of and lead organizations in software, entertainment, automotive, sports, and biotech. What connects technology and storytelling for me is the need to create both an excellent product and the ability to monetize it. I can build incredible software that solves big problems, but I won’t be able to sustain it if nobody knows it exists. Similarly, my show can be available on the biggest streaming platform, but if it’s not a good story, people won’t watch beyond the first episode or even the first few minutes. This dual challenge of product and monetization is what I love.
Winning an Emmy for The Bay marked a defining creative moment. How did that experience reshape your understanding of what impact-driven storytelling can be?
I have to give all credit to The Bay’s cast and crew, and especially Gregori Martin, the creator and director. I worked with Gregori on another project before The Bay, where I could see his grit and drive to create great stories. When The Bay came along, there were no fancy pitch decks or lofty financial projections. I got involved as a co-producer because I was making a bet on the leader and the team. When I met the cast and crew at one of our screening events, you could absolutely feel that every single person wanted to create a successful show. That kind of collective commitment is rare, and winning the Emmy was really a celebration of our team’s dedication.
As the CEO of Blaze.tech, you operate in a space defined by speed and innovation. How do you stay grounded while leading in an environment that never slows down?
Speed and innovation isn’t just how we operate, it’s the outcome Blaze.tech gives our customers. Blaze.tech is the AI-era app builder for healthcare organizations. Instead of spending months or years building software, our customers can launch a HIPAA-compliant app in minutes. To deliver that, our team has to be incredibly agile and stay on the cutting edge of AI. What keeps us grounded is that adapting and pivoting quickly has always been part of our culture and DNA. It’s not something we’re adjusting to, it’s who we’ve always been. Our leadership team takes on the heavy lifting of identifying ways to build and strengthen moats around our business, so that our team members can stay focused on their day-to-day responsibilities.
Photo Credit: Kenneth Medilo
Your career reflects both precision and creativity. Do you approach building a company the same way you approach producing a story?
Yes, largely the same way. It comes down to two things. First, I have to believe in and trust the people I’m working with. The single most important factor in anything I do is who my co-founders and co-creators are. Second, I have to see a credible path to achieving my objective. For a company, that means I can see it being highly profitable. For a story, it means I know there is an audience who will be entertained or moved. At the end of the day, if I trust the team and believe in the vision of what we’re building together, everything else can be figured out.
Travel seems to play an important role in your life. How has experiencing different cultures influenced the way you lead and create?
I love immersing myself in new places and cultures. It reminds me of the richness of our world, that people carry very different perspectives shaped by their own experiences. That awareness directly influences how I lead. It’s taught me that it’s not just about the content I’m sharing with my team, but the context each person brings when receiving that information. For example, if I tell my sales team that trade shows are an excellent place to find customers, but someone came from a company where that strategy didn’t work, I would communicate our plan differently. Meeting new people while traveling reinforces the importance of understanding someone’s context.
Being a mother while leading at a high level adds another dimension to ambition. How has motherhood shifted your perspective on success and legacy?
Six hours after coming home from the hospital after giving birth to my first child, I was co-hosting a founders and CEO dinner in full cocktail attire. Two hours after coming home with my second child, I was in an investor pitch meeting, and the investor invested. Motherhood has brought out the best in me and underscores my internal drive. All the years of juggling multiple companies were preparation for the ultimate time management challenge, making time for my family. Honestly, motherhood hasn’t changed my perspective as much as it has reinforced it. I’m on the same mission, which is to provide as much value as I can to the people and organizations I’m a part of. I feel even more of that passion for family, trying to be the best mother and wife I can be.
Photo Credit: Kenneth Medilo
You’ve worn a lot of hats across industries. Was there ever a moment where you had to let go of one version of yourself to grow into the next?
Ever since I was a kid, I loved testing my capabilities in different areas, whether it was music, science, or sports. I carried that curiosity into my career, but early on I worried that being involved in different industries would come across as unfocused. Over time, I’ve embraced that this is who I naturally am, and it’s a strength. But with that comes discipline. Every time I get involved in a new organization, I let go of the “successful” version of myself. I don’t come in assuming I’ll be correct or know the right strategy. I don’t want success in one industry to create overconfidence in another. I reset every time. I embrace being a student, asking questions, and learning as much as I can.
What’s your “Call Your Shot” moment, when did you decide to go after something and refuse to let uncertainty stop you?
Starting Blaze.tech. After the successful sale of my last company, I could have taken a break or accepted an offer to be CEO at an established company. Instead, I dove straight into the unknown, building a new company from scratch. I saw AI app builders emerging, but none of them were addressing the compliance, security, and enterprise complexity required to build real healthcare solutions. We believed we could be the better answer with a platform purpose-built for healthcare organizations to create revenue-driving, HIPAA-compliant applications. Now we work with some of the largest healthcare organizations and startups in the world. But when we started, it was all uncertainty, which I think is exciting.
Nanxi Liu
Photographed by Kenneth Medilo @kenmedilophoto
Styling + Creative Direction Benjamin Holtrop @benjaminholtrop at @thewallgroup
Hair & MUA Brittany T, Nikki L, Kelly T, Kahn at @KellyZhangAgency
Production Aleksandar Tomovic @alekandsteph
Socials Tesia Kuh @thefirstthree.co
Production Coordinator Chalisa Phiboolsook @chalisaphi
Talent Coordinator Isabella Nuqui @_snowdust_
Location BELLO Media Group x Maison Privée @BELLOmediaGroup @maisonpriveePR_LA
