Episodi

  • Rodney Wong is the CEO of Munchy's, one of the largest Malaysia-based snack food manufacturer with presence in over 60 countries globally.

    Which makes him the Willy Wonka of Malaysia!

    And he's had quite the varied career.

    From tobacco to Coca-Cola, Petronas and now the world of snacks and sweets, Rodney is testimony to the fact that we all need to take charge of our own career and personal development to get to where we want.

    The question is... how?

    While everyone's path is different, Rodney's shared his personal journey, highlighting the people who were significant in his journey, why paying forward is so important him, what it's like working with founders on their 'baby' and his vision for the future.

    Want to hear what one of Malaysia's top entrepreneurs has to say about building success career?

    Stick around and you'll find out!

    Highlights

    2:41 Rooted in family3:18 Being an archaeologist6:21 Structured way of working7:23 Connecting the dots8:45 Take charge of your own development11:41 What success looks like13:43 I have a hard rule15:05 Paying it forward16:28 Major learnings18:35 Gen Z23:31 Being in Shanghai25:11 KOLs27:07 Do you want to expand the market or improve the bottom line? 29:03 The challenge of working with founders31:58 We're going to sell...34:50 Progression & growth36:38 Personal growth42:35 Soka Gakkai44:38 How can people help you?48:53 Do you feel like you've found your why?48:54 What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind?50:47 What do you think are the most important qualities of a successful person?

    🙊 Want to support STIMY for as little as $0.10/day? https://www.sothisismywhy.com/support-stimy/

    🍿 YouTube: https://youtu.be/dx_ePevgoRU&list=UULFSZlcS5ooyCjj_MkrmH_WhQ

    🎙️Show notes/transcript for this episode: https://www.sothisismywhy.com/149

    💌 Subscribe to the weekly STIMY newsletter: https://sothisismywhy.ck.page/ebf231f605

  • We're back with Part 2 with Dato' Sri Idris Jala - the former CEO of Malaysia Airlines, Managing Director of Shell Sri Lanka and Senator & Minister in the Malaysian Prime Minister’s Office, and current Chairman of PEMANDU.

    In Part 1 of this So This Is My Why feature, we delved into his tribal origins, how becoming top of his class was a matter of life and death, and his journey to becoming the Managing Director in Shell Sri Lanka - still his toughest gig to date. Listen here: https://youtu.be/KekuCGZJYlk

    In Part 2, we go even deeper, exploring things like:

    🔸 If Dato' Sri Idris would act the same way if he had a chance to redo everything?

    🔸 How Shell moved Idris out of Sri Lanka because he was taking huge risks and they thought, “We should take you out before you kill yourself!”

    🔸 What he learned from Michael Black

    🔸 How he put Eddy Leong as the first CEO of Firefly because “he’s a bit crazy but he has the tenacity to push it”

    🔸 Why he gave up the job he really wanted - to be the Chairman of Shell - to become the CEO of Malaysia Airlines

    🔸 The advice he has for his sons

    Want to learn more?

    You’ll just have to tune in.

    Highlights:

    0:00 Introduction1:30 If you had a chance, would you redo anything?6:01 Shell was a fantastic school of management6:43 Why Michael Black left such an impact on him10:52 If you really want to do the real impossible stuff, you must put everything on the line12:06 The line between the impossible goal v being foolhardy14:54 The best way to tell you what you don't want to hear?15:39 Why did you reject your dream job?!16:46 Huge leap of faith - MNC to GLC18:46 Launching a budget airline, Firefly23:36 Common values of incredible people24:43 Making it sustainable29:07 Common issues35:27 Lessons from PEMANDU operating in other countries37:23 Check into Hotel California39:14 Having a soulmate44:16 SOW Club - Scared of Wife Club48:58 Advice to sons53:46 Legacy you want to leave behind?54:03 What do you think are the most important qualities of a successful person?

    🙊 Want to support STIMY for as little as $0.10/day? https://www.sothisismywhy.com/support-stimy/

    🍿 YouTube: https://youtu.be/lhIUOf7jSKs

    📍Show notes: https://www.sothisismywhy.com/148

    💌 Weekly STIMY Newsletter on the art of storytelling + building your personal brand (+snippets of STIMY behind-the-scenes): https://sothisismywhy.ck.page/profile

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  • When Dato Sri Idris Jala became the Managing Director of Shell Sri Lanka, he wasn’t expecting to hold the country on ransom.

    The Sri Lanka unit had already experienced 27 years of continuous losses when he took over. And on Day 1, what Idris had to handle was: bombs strapped to his depot, the kidnapping of his transport manager, a major labour strike and…

    Threatening letters sent by a professional sniper who knew where he lived, where he worked, when he left each place and the exact route he took each other.

    Tough doesn’t even begin to cover it.

    But Idris turned it around.

    And in the latest STIMY episode, he shares how, why he took on such a tough gig and what continues to drive him.

    There were so many gems in his 2-hour interview that it’s only right to have split it into two parts.

    This is Part 1.

    Which opens up with his childhood in the Borneo Highlands - where his dad would throw him into the pigsty when he misbehaved.

    And also insisted that they sleep on the floor of the stinky fish market - because they were travelling with neighbouring tribes who couldn’t afford a tribe and “they shouldn’t act different from others”.

    Education, for him back then, was a matter of life and death.

    His North Star then was to be the top of his class.

    So he asked his dad, a teacher, for advice.

    He was told, “Very simple, son. Find out who’s currently No. 1, be his or her best friend, and do exactly what he does but put it to the power of 10.”

    And so Idris just did. 😂

    Others highlights:

    🔸 Surviving ghostly encounters & treacherous rapids in the Borneo Highlands

    🔸 His spiritual awakening as part of the Bario Revival

    🔸 The concept of “ketuit” (which is kelabit for ‘kiasu’ or being very competitive)

    🔸 Why his cocky job application letters were successful - he began his letters with the words, “Dear Sir, I’m the man you’re looking for”!

    🔸 Why ‘the graveyard is full of indispensable people’

    🔸 The impossible game

    Highlights:

    3:15 Storytelling culture4:33 Thrown into the pigsty!7:06 Ketuit7:40 What does winning mean?8:26 My true north then & the trick to achieving it10:05 Becoming a lawyer15:48 Walking through the cemetery 17:19 The Bario spiritual revival21:50 Not quite from God? The Gestapo inquiry25:03 Post-Revival29:08 Not able to go to New Zealand31:55 The ‘magic’ in his cocky letters34:01 Wanting a free flight home42:28 Sense of curiosity47:02 Becoming Managing Director of Shell Sri Lanka & the game of the impossible51:49 He makes every big decision with his wife54:03 Never make the position become you55:22 Fear & holding the country at ransom?

    🙊 Support STIMY for as little as $0.10/day! - https://www.sothisismywhy.com/support-stimy/

    🎙️Show notes/transcript: https://www.sothisismywhy.com/148

    💌 Subscribe to weekly STIMY newsletter: https://sothisismywhy.ck.page/ebf231f605

  • When Arthur Kiong, CEO of Far East Hospitality, failed his A Levels, he thought his life was pretty much over.

    His dad even told him, "I’m sorry, you had your shot but you missed it" and in Arthur's own words, "I was lost and I was discouraged and I was in a great deal of pain and despair."

    Arthur ended up selling slimming products on the streets because it was the only job he could find before applying to Mediocorp to become a stage technician.

    Things took a turn when he was asked to take a voice test and he ended up with a celebrity radio DJ because he could pronounce "Thursday the Thirteenth”!

    Overnight, Arthur found himself rubbing shoulders with the who's who and celebrities of the world and you would’ve thought that this was where Arthur’s career was on a rapid trajectory upwards save that he gave it all up to work to become a greeter at Prego.

    People were astonished.

    Why would he take on such a 'demeaning' job?!

    But Arthur was adamant.

    And Prego signalled the first step that Arthur took into the world of hospitality, where you'll find that he's had more than his share of incredible luck, ingenuity and adventures.

    Including:

    Being 'saved' by a war and lauded as a geniusLanding his dream job (at Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong) because his dog, Silky, fell sick!Launching a successful marketing campaign straight after 9/11 (despite being in the thick of a fight between the head office & owner!)

    To find out more, you’ll just have to listen to this STIMY Ep 147 with Arthur Kiong. 😏

    Highlights:

    2:49 Adrian Tan3:52 You have to be on the right escalator6:18 Being in despair6:53 Selling Japanese slimming starch7:04 Becoming a celebrity radio DJ because he could pronounce ‘Thursday the Thirteenth’9:01 Giving it all up10:36 No future?12:17 Becoming a waiter at Prego12:55 Oh Lord, what have I done?!15:00 Sales wasn’t easy!15:26 First big breakthrough in hospitality16:33 Interesting initiatives19:39 Being saved by a war22:35 I found nothing!23:58 That scares me… I like being in control!25:21 The difference between knowing and knowing26:35 Landing the dream job at The Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong because of my sick dog!28:09 It was a spooky experience30:42 Returning to Singapore31:18 The significant career break that allowed him to get into the Ritz33:42 Superman in New York36:21 When the cucumber turns green, it means the time is ripe37:43 If things go south, will the corporate body defend me? 39:37 I wanted to architect my resume41:10 Why Singapore?42:11 Building a Singaporean Hotel Brand45:18 Living by Christian Values49:05 Challenges of a CEO (that most don’t see)50:23 Do you believe in God?51:32 The Second Act in your career?53:00 Biggest career advice54:23 Do you feel like you’ve found your why?55:18 What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind?55:37 What are the most important qualities of a successful person?

    Special thanks to Limpeh Studios for making this in-person interview possible!

    🙊 Want to support STIMY for as little as $0.10/day? https://www.sothisismywhy.com/support-stimy/

    📍Show notes: https://www.sothisismywhy.com/147

    🍿 YouTube: https://youtu.be/lJkY_8igcxQ

    📚 Download 5 Stones & a Sling: https://www.fareasthospitality.com/-/media/StayFarEast/Five-Stones-and-a-Sling

    💌 Weekly STIMY Newsletter on the art of storytelling + building your personal brand (+snippets of STIMY behind-the-scenes): https://sothisismywhy.ck.page/acd5bd1062

    *

    Official Biography

    Arthur Kiong is the Chief Executive Officer of Far East Hospitality, which is part of Far East Orchard Limited, a listed company under Far East Organization.

    Since Arthur joined the organisation in July 2012, he has been instrumental in growing the company’s hospitality management business through joint-ventures and acquisitions. Over the last nine years, Far East Hospitality's portfolio grew from 18 properties in Singapore to 105 hotels and serviced residences in nine countries – Austria, Australia, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, and Singapore, with more in its development pipeline.

    In more than 35 years of his career in the hospitality industry, Arthur has worked at prominent international hospitality brands including Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts, The Ritz-Carlton (Singapore and New York), Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group (Hong Kong), Hyatt Hotels Corporation and Westin Hotels & Resort.

    Arthur also plays an active role in championing change in the hospitality industry, and currently serves as First Vice President of the Singapore Hotel Association. In 2020, he was appointed as the hospitality representative in the National Jobs Council – a task force set up to establish jobs and upskilling opportunities during the Covid-19 pandemic.

    In Nov 2022, Arthur received the Executive of the Year – Hospitality & Leisure award from the Singapore Business Review Management Excellence Awards for initiating transformative changes to FEH’s operations and steered the group’s expansion in recent years despite the pandemic.

    Arthur was a recipient of the Special Recognition Award from Singapore Tourism Board in 2016 for having played a key role in rallying support for driving productivity and manpower development initiatives in the hotel industry.

  • “When people say it’s ok, I don’t need a family, I don’t need a partner, I say bullshit.”

    Woon Tai Ho is most known for being the founder of Channel News Asia & author of prolific books like the trilogy by George Yeo (Singapore’s former foreign minister).

    But has the success been worth it?

    What are some of his biggest regrets in life?

    In Part 1 (which you should listen to if you haven’t), we explored all of his big career achievements and the challenges that came with it, including being summoned by China to answer for their coverage of Falun Gong.

    But today, we cover something very different.

    Deeper.

    More personal.

    Starting with Tai Ho’s major pivot from broadcasting to author.

    Because nowadays, it’s common to make career pivots. It’s hard enough when it’s just jumping from one company to the next in the same industry, but Tai Ho has made that huge jump so…

    ❓ How did he do it?

    ❓ How does he think about the ‘Second Act’ of his career?

    ❓ How should people plan for their own Second, Third or even Fourth Act, especially when it comes to retirement?

    And is there such a thing as living for too long and just ‘waiting to die’?

    We also talk about some of his deepest regrets, his relationship with success and thoughts on relationships.

    His advice to people: Go marry, have kids, then go back to your career.

    We don’t have to be that woke. 😅

    Do you agree?

    Time to hear from Tai Ho again in the latest episode from STIMY!

    Highlights:

    3:14 Becoming a biographer by accident5:29 What makes George Yeo (Singapore’s ex-foreign minister) so special?6:56 Transparency & Lee Kuan Yew7:53 Is living to age 102 a blessing or a curse?9:35 “If I don’t have my second act, I don’t know what to do with my time”12:36 Is all of Tai Ho’s success worth it?15:40 Tai Ho’s biggest regret19:31 His biggest advice for people23:02 Why does Tai Ho collect bunnies?25:57 Do you feel like you’ve found your why?26:51 What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind27:05 What do you think are the most important qualities of a successful person?

    🙊 Want to support STIMY for $0.10/day? https://www.sothisismywhy.com/support-stimy/

    📍Show notes: https://www.sothisismywhy.com/146

    🍿 YouTube: https://youtu.be/U0_pVl_RsGM

    💌 Weekly STIMY Newsletter on the art of storytelling + building your personal brand (+snippets of STIMY behind-the-scenes): https://sothisismywhy.ck.page/acd5bd1062

    ✍🏻 Leave a review on STIMY: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/so-this-is-my-why/id1521191442

  • Growing up, Woon Tai Ho - Channel NewsAsia founder & Bestselling Author of books like the George Yeo trilogy, Soul of Ink, Riot Green- didn’t know he was poor.

    Until he invited his friends over and was asked questions like:

    ❓ Where’s your phone?

    ❓ Where’s your sofa?

    None of which he had.

    Which made him realise that actually, he was pretty poor. 😅

    But he was never ashamed of it.

    When his sister invited him to stay at the house she was working at as a domestic helper, that changed his world.

    “I couldn’t believe it, the way they stayed… these people had a dimension of luxury that I didn’t know about. So I told myself, I need to work very hard.”

    And work very hard he did.

    We know Channel News Asia as one of the preeminent TV news channels in Asia, but that wasn’t always the case. As Tai Ho shares, the earliest days of CNA was very much a ‘wait and see’ game.

    It was hardly easy too.

    “Television is a very, very hungry animal. A news channel is a very, very hungry animal. Every hour, every minute, every second needs content. Otherwise it's black.”

    ❓So how did Tai Ho build CNA from the ground up?

    ❓Position CNA amidst other giants like CNN & the BBC?

    ❓ Gain support from the likes of former Singapore foreign minister, George Yeo?

    ❓Handle challenges like when he was summoned to China for their coverage of Falun Gong?

    You’ll have to listen to Part 1 of this STIMY episode to find out. 😉

    Part 2 will come out next Sunday!

    Highlights:

    3:00 Would you consider yourself successful?6:34 Family8:27 Becoming a chef?11:00 Singapore is a pretty good place!13:29 “I never thought about being the best”14:20 “When I was a kid, I didn’t know I was poor”15:50 Mediacorp16:53 Founding Channel News Asia20:48 The reality of founding a news channel (that most people don’t know)23:09 How do you define “quality content”?24:28 Establishing the boundaries for quality26:01 Looking at competitors to figure out CNA’s value proposition28:33 No government support?!31:14 Pushing the Singapore government’s perspective?34:32 Getting into trouble with the Chinese government37:56 Knowing which stories and perspective to put forward40:51 Time to move on?

    🙊 Like STIMY? Buy us a ☕️?: https://beacons.ai/sothisismywhy

    📍Show notes: https://www.sothisismywhy.com/146

    💌 Weekly STIMY Newsletter on the art of storytelling + building your personal brand (+snippets of STIMY behind-the-scenes): https://sothisismywhy.ck.page/acd5bd1062

  • “Are you a masochist?”

    “Do you love books that much?”

    If you want to be a bookseller, than those are the questions you need to ask yourself - according to Kenny Chan, the former Senior Director at Kinokuniya Book Stores (Asia Pacific) - he spent ~20 years of his career there prior to his retirement!

    But prior to bookseller, Kenny was a foreign diplomat at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Singapore, where he was posted to London as their Trade and Culture Attache.

    He then switched to bookselling, first at Popular Holdings Limited, then MPH Bookstores Sdn Bhd, and back again at Popular when they launched their IPO!

    And finally interviewed for a position at Kinokuniya.

    The President & Chairman of Kinokuniya flew from Japan to Singapore to conduct the interview and asked Kenny just one question:

    “Do you love books?”

    As it turns out, Kenny gave me the exact answer he was looking for!

    And even after retirement, Kenny remains deep in the bookselling world.

    If you haven’t already guessed it, Kenny is the latest guest on STIMY!

    And we dive deep into all things books & the art of evangelising.

    ❓Why does Kenny not judge people by their educational level?

    ❓Why did he initially become a foreign diplomat?

    ❓What was it like opening bookstores throughout Asia Pacific, Dubai and New York?

    ❓What was it like working at his dream company?

    ❓What is the secret to buying books & why is bookselling a spiritual experience?

    ❓How can aspiring authors can get Kenny’s attention?

    Are you intrigued yet?

    The YouTube version is out now too. 😎

    Highlights:

    1:01 The Punisher1:50 Don’t judge people by their level of education2:59 Do your best in everything that you touch3:58 My education was a roller-coaster5:31 Didn't want to be a bookseller!7:56 Getting into foreign affairs9:51 Hunted down a book for Lee Kuan Yew & the power of connections11:35 Lee Kuan Yew was a hard task master14:54 Life isn't fair18:32 How to get rid of inventory/books for bookstores20:21 Leaving Popular for MPH21:00 Introducing comics & Sanrio (Hello Popular) to Singapore22:12 How Kenny knew it was time to bring Hello Kitty in24:07 Memorable stories26:43 What was it like working in his dream company?27:46 Becoming store manager of the MPH Stamford Bookstore28:22 You need to be a dictator32:22 A great success36:23 The IPO37:11 The secret behind buying books & working at Popular41:29 Moving to Kinokuniya43:03 Meeting 43:30 The 1 question asked by the President & Chairman of Kinokuniya from Japan44:44 Working with someone who doesn’t understand English46:09 The spiritual aspect of book selling47:01 Opening a store in Dubai48:16 Love of books49:13 The Kinovirus & training to become a great bookseller50:45 The Speech52:05 Biggest achievements while at Kinokuniya54:44 Kinokuniya isn’t a bookstore. It’s a lifestyle choice56:15 The importance of building a brand58:51 The Twin Lemons Act59:50 Getting Kenny’s attention1:00:25 Ask a bookseller, what questions should you ask yourself?

    🙊 Like STIMY? Buy us a ☕️?: https://beacons.ai/sothisismywhy

    🍿 YouTube: https://youtu.be/1uCeI8LOI5Y

    📍Show notes: https://www.sothisismywhy.com/145

    💌 Weekly STIMY Newsletter on the art of storytelling + building your personal brand (+snippets of STIMY behind-the-scenes): https://sothisismywhy.ck.page/acd5bd1062

    ✍🏻 Leave a review on STIMY: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/so-this-is-my-why/id1521191442

  • Gero DiMaria knows what it means to go truly viral.

    He's an Italian chef & owner of Kucina - Singapore's first authentic halal food restaurant.

    But he's also a bona fide Italian culinary superstar with over 500k followers on social media - 256k on Instagram & 252.6k on TikTok!

    He took the world by storm with his recent series of viral reels on choosing the best pasta/cheeses in grocery stores, and that had a real trickle down effect on his business.

    So we dig into all the juicy stuff, including:

    ❓ What does it mean to actually go ‘viral’?

    ❓ What kind of measurable impact has social media had on his business?

    ❓ What is his advice for leveraging social media for businesses?

    ❓ What have his toughest moments been?

    ❓ And who exactly is Gero?!

    The goal: To understand the role of social media today, what it really means to go viral & how one can leverage on that social media reach to build your own business.

    Highlights:

    1:55 Italian childhood4:11 What do Italians eat every day?5:38 People in Asia aren’t taught to think?!10:58 Entering the food industry12:13 Work hard to earn your money13:33 Your first job sets the bar14:49 That English breakfast shift 16:52 Knowing that the F&B world was for him 17:33 How to cook the perfect pasta20:04 Moving from London to Singapore21:58 First job at Pasta Fresca23:19 What’s an authentic halal Italian restaurant?25:59 Chefs can only be chefs, they can’t run a business29:43 Going into marketing & the lost $300031:22 The turning point32:39 Content strategy35:14 Going truly viral36:18 Acting debut37:58 Why accept collaborations?40:00 Separating his personal brand from his Kucina restaurant41:24 The content creation team42:48 Advice for entrepreneurs44:06 Do you feel like you’ve found your why?45:25 What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind?46:15 What do you think are the most important qualities of a successful person?

    📍Show notes: https://www.sothisismywhy.com/144

    💌 Weekly STIMY Newsletter on the art of storytelling + building your personal brand (+snippets of STIMY behind-the-scenes): https://sothisismywhy.ck.page/acd5bd1062

    ✍🏻 Leave a review on STIMY: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/so-this-is-my-why/id1521191442

  • Would you die for your passion?

    Most wouldn’t but for 58-year-old Swee Chiow, Singapore’s first professional adventurer, it’s a question he must face every day.

    And it all began when he caught a glimpse of Mount Everest from a plane.

    He was working in IT (Singapore Airlines) then, but he decided from that one glimpse that he wanted to climb Mount Everest - a dream that took him a mere 10 years to achieve!

    The journey was hard.

    He knew nothing. So he read many books & even went on a 10-day mountaineering course at Mt Cook that he flunked because he wasn’t fit enough!

    In 1998, he joined Singapore’s first Mount Everest expedition. It was a disaster at first because:

    ❌ Their tent collapsed during a freak storm

    ❌ Their first attempt at the South Pole failed as they didn’t have enough rope - the Singapore media hounded them & issued headlines declaring that the expedition had failed

    But they didn’t give up.

    Their second attempt was a success!

    But an exhausting one.

    In the midst of the media glory, Swee Chiow knew he had to take advantage of it so he immediately launched Singapore's first Antarctic expedition.

    Since then, he has:

    Climbed Everest x3 and K28,000km cycle from SG → Beijing (China) = 2003Swam 40 km across Malacca StraitsKayaked 3,000km across PhilippinesBroke his first Guinness World Records for the longest scuba submergence (220 hours)Rollerbladed 6,000km from Hanoi SG in 94 days (and broke the Guinness World Records in 2008)

    Highlights:

    3:34 Why Why Why?!4:12 Fear of heights5:00 Computer science in Kansas6:11 Saw Mount Everest from a plane6:51 Not giving up after 10 years7:24 The mountain is magical & spiritual?!9:06 Lessons learned10:27 Altitude sickness / AMS12:04 Pulling Singapore’s first Everest expedition together13:25 You can’t fail!14:19 What should people know about Everest?16:45 Quitting his day job17:45 Antarctica19:38 Commercialising his adventure business20:32 Swee Chiow’s value proposition?22:02 How he builds trust with his clients24:11 Risks & death25:11 Any trick to staying calm?25:24 Drifting to Taiwan & near certain death27:37 Never let your ego take over29:28 Dealing with the media30:55 Never doing K2 again32:19 The ghosts at Tibet’s Xishapengma36:12 Adventurers hogging the limelight37:04 Collaborating with AirAsia X40:16 How Swee Chiow decides on his adventures41:43 Advice for those in their 30s45:28 What’s next?46:26 The second act of his career?47:36 Leadership principles to be an effective guide for his team49:15 What drives you to push yourself to the extreme each time?50:23 Do you feel like you’ve found your why?51:06 What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind?51:27 What are the most important qualities of a successful person?

    Special thanks to Limpeh Studios (Hepmil Media) for the studio!

    🙊 Like STIMY? Buy us a ☕️?: https://beacons.ai/sothisismywhy

    📍Show notes: https://www.sothisismywhy.com/143

    💌 STIMY Newsletter on the art of storytelling + building your personal brand (+snippets of STIMY behind-the-scenes): https://sothisismywhy.ck.page/acd5bd1062

    ✍🏻 Leave a review on STIMY: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/so-this-is-my-why/id1521191442

  • Meet Lucas Lu - Head of Zoom Asia.

    And also a fellow Sarawakian!

    Lucas has had an illustrious career going from GM of Systems Technology Group at IBM Malaysia where they closed large deals within the first 6 months, leading to Lucas winning ASEAN Rookie of the Year - his first big recognition.

    He ended up staying at IBM for 10 years and won 2 Global Golden Circle Award before moving on to become:

    General Manager, AstroGM (Tech Sales Malaysia), OracleSenior Director (APAC Enterprise Commercial Sales & Industry), Microsoft

    Prior to his current role heading the Asian arm of Zoom, covering ASEAN, South Korea, Hong Kong SAR and Taiwan.

    While at first glance, Lucas appears to have had a very varied career, he has also been very intentional about every career move he’s made.

    And has had no zero regrets with how it has turned out.

    So we dive deep into this episode into all things career development:

    ❓ How has Lucas chosen the roles that he has?

    ❓ What is his secret sauce to climbing the corporate ladder?

    ❓ How should one find mentors/career sponsors?

    ❓ How does he plan his career & life (he has a plan for everything, including for his family members!!)?

    Please do listen & leave a rating & review!

    Highlights:

    1:50 My first 15 years2:27 Shell City4:22 No one leaves Shell, but I did…5:26 Getting the call from IBM6:05 Switching to tech6:59 Lucas’ unfair advantage over other people7:50 Lots of planning & reflections11:55 What should you do when you first take on a regional role?14:06 Career sponsors14:41 Secret to landing career sponsors15:22 The first time doors opened for Lucas?16:15 Moving on after 10 years17:14 Bringing a corporate mindset to the startup world?19:09 Measuring returns for media projects19:41 Moving to Oracle21:01 Kilimanjaro22:55 Element of luck24:16 Dealing with failure25:55 No regrets?27:37 Moving to Microsoft29:14 Takeaways from being fully immersed in a country 32:00 Did hiking change how he approaches sales and work?32:25 Why Zoom?33:43 Checklist for Lucas’ next career move (no compromise)34:24 How to determine if someone is the right person to work for?35:33 Most influential person in Lucas’ career37:28 Managing the strawberry generation39:15 What Lucas hopes to achieve at Zoom43:58 The second act in Lucas’ career46:45 What STIMY listeners can help Lucas with

    🙊 Like STIMY? Buy us a ☕️?: https://beacons.ai/sothisismywhy

    📍Show notes: https://www.sothisismywhy.com/142

    💌 STIMY Newsletter on the art of storytelling + building your personal brand (+snippets of STIMY behind-the-scenes): https://sothisismywhy.ck.page/acd5bd1062

    ✍🏻 Leave a review on STIMY: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/so-this-is-my-why/id1521191442

  • This episode is a compilation of 6 of the most powerful women featured on the So This Is My Why podcast, discussing the milestones that led them on their journey to success

    Ep 124: Jacqueline Novogratz

    Jacqueline is the founder & CEO of Acumen - a non-profit global venture capital fund that aims to use entrepreneurial approaches to address global poverty. As the OG of impact investing, she shares her experience in Rwanda and learning that the most important thing is to build something where you leave no footprint behind.

    And how there is no such thing as black & white. Everyone has an angel and demon within them that comes out at different times.

    📍 Listen to Jacqueline's full episode: https://www.sothisismywhy.com/124

    Ep 115: Lydia Fenet

    Lydia is the former Executive Director of Christie's New York and for 10 years, she thought it was a privilege to be working at Christie's. She never asked for more.

    Until she realised that you are just a number in the P&L, and you have to fight for what your worth. In one conversation, she managed to x3 her salary, obtain an international director designation and start a new department on strategic partnerships.

    📍 Listen to Lydia's full episode: https://www.sothisismywhy.com/115

    Ep 125: Tanya Zakowich

    Tanya has worked at NASA, Boeing and Hyperloop and shares her journey in making big career pivots which led to the creation of Pink Pencil Math with 2 million TikTok followers, 507k Instagram Followers & 99k YouTube followers.

    📍 Listen to Tanya's full episode: https://www.sothisismywhy.com/125

    Ep 79: Nicole Quinn

    Nicole is a General Partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners. She's known as the celebrity whisperer who's worked with the likes of Lady Gaga, Tom Brady, Gwyneth Paltrow and Jessica Alba.

    📍 Listen to Nicole's full episode: https://www.sothisismywhy.com/79

    Ep 77: Lily Wu

    Lily is a two-time 7 figure business founder who shares how she got started on her entrepreneurial journey in Australia as a teenager

    📍 Listen to Lily's full episode: https://www.sothisismywhy.com/77

    Ep 56: Lauren Hom

    Lauren is a California-born designer, illustrator & hand lettering artist with a 250k strong following on Instagram. She is known for her use of bright colour palettes & playful letterings and has worked for clients such as Starbucks, YouTube, TIME Magazine, Google and AT&T. She has also been recognised by Communications Arts, the Art Directors Club, the One Club, the Type Directors Club and the Webby Awards

    She shares how she's built her enviable artistic career including with Daily Dishonesty.

    📍 Listen to Lauren's full episode: https://www.sothisismywhy.com/56

    *

    🙊 Like STIMY? Buy me a ☕️?: https://beacons.ai/sothisismywhy

    🍿 YouTube: https://youtu.be/ncLfbdQ7XQA

    🌍 Website: https://www.sothisismywhy.com

    💌 Sign up for the weekly STIMY newsletter: https://sothisismywhy.ck.page/ebf231f605

    ✍🏻 Leave a review on STIMY: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/so-this-is-my-why/id1521191442

  • Sponsor: Descript - an AI-enabled software that makes it possible to edit weekly videos efficiently because it transcribes a 1.5 hour interview in 1 minute - and allows all editing to be done via the transcript! To find out more: https://www.descript.com/?lmref=sjT9JA

    *

    It’s not every day that you get to inherit a 100-year-old family business, but that’s exactly what Fong Wai Kheng has done.

    Fong is the fourth generation of his family to run Tong Heng - Singapore’s top confectionary shop most known for its trademark 💎 diamond-shaped egg tarts.

    Ask pretty much any Singaporean (I did), and it feels like 99% of them will have heard, eaten and love those egg tarts!

    So of course, I got curious.

    And asked Fong if he’d be up for a STIMY interview!

    After all, family businesses are tricky.

    There is:

    🍿 The legacy you’ve inherited & must now maintain

    🍿 The relationships you need to navigate (you can’t split family/work)

    🍿 The challenge of keeping your brand relevant (a huge issue for Tong Heng at one point until they went through a massive rebranding exercise)

    🍿 All the ups and downs of keeping a business alive.

    A business that first came about because of Fong’s great-grandfather who fled China in 1901 (end of Qing Dynasty) to work as a coolie in Singapore.

    His great-grandfather eventually earned enough to start his own pushcart coffee business but… the local “gangs” came around for protection money.

    The great-grandfather had none, but promised to have the money ready next time.

    Unfortunately, the gangsters won’t hear of it.

    And proceeded to beat him up.

    Or at least, they tried too.

    Because what they didn’t know was that Fong’s great-grandfather had been trained in martial arts by the soldiers in the Qing Court (+ he was also 1.87m tall!).

    So Fong’s great-grandfather beat up those gangsters instead. 🤣

    News spread.

    The community gathered and gifted him with a pistol before appointing him as its protector!!

    Want to know what happened thereafter? 😏

    You’ll just have to listen to this STIMY episode with Fong to find out.

    Highlights:

    2:54 Childhood 5:00 Expectations in joining the family business?6:32 Have you had enough fun?10:26 100-year-old confectionary shop - the origins of Tong Heng12:22 Tong Heng’s trademark egg tarts14:22 Gangs & protection money14:44 Martial arts16:50 After the war17:55 His two aunts20:24 Pulling a surprise25:06 A new shop27:38 Cracking thousands of eggs?!29:40 Massive rebranding exercise to appeal to the Gen Zs & Gen Alphas33:23 Tension in the family?34:41 Going viral35:00 Branding decisions behind Tong Heng’s trademark yellow packaging36:15 Tong Heng’s faithful customers - the grandmother & her grandson37:30 The future & staying in their own lane39:35 Advice for other family business owners?

    🌟 Special thanks to Limpeh Studios for making this recording possible! If you want to do any studio recordings while in Singapore, be sure to check out: https://www.hepmil.com/limpehstudios

    📍Show notes: https://www.sothisismywhy.com/141

    🍿 YouTube: https://youtu.be/kSXxRHrWWas

    💌 Weekly STIMY Newsletter on the art of storytelling + building your personal brand (+snippets of STIMY behind-the-scenes): https://sothisismywhy.ck.page/acd5bd1062

    ✍🏻 Leave a review on STIMY: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/so-this-is-my-why/id1521191442

  • Hey STIMIES!

    Welcome back to Part 2 of the So This Is My Why Podcast with Loh Lik Peng - CEO & Founder of Unlisted Collection.

    In Part 1, we covered Lik Peng’s journey from wanting to become a doctor (just like his parents) to becoming a commercial litigator and purchasing his first hotel property: Hotel 1929.

    The property that kickstarted his crazy career pivot.

    But the F&B industry is a tough place to be. You need a good dose of hard work, luck and… a talent for spotting F&B talent (which Lik Peng has!).

    In this episode, we dive into the intricacies of his international hospitality business, tackling questions like:

    Why does he give equity to his chefs? How does he identify and convince culinary talents like Rishi Naleendra to come on board?How does he work together with the chefs to ensure that they have everything they need to build a thriving business?How attaining a Michelin star flipped a switch within the chefs he works withWhat are his thoughts on brand building?When is it time to pull the plug? (His most painful failure was with One Leicester Square in London)His big passion with museums; and So much more

    If you haven’t heard Lik Peng’s origin story, listen to the previous STIMY Ep 140 Part 1 episode first.

    And if you have, then stick around for Part 2!

    Are you ready?

    Let’s go.

    Highlights:

    2:52 Lik Peng’s hands off approach4:20 Discovering Rishi Naleendra & being a good spotter of F&B talent5:51 Did Lik Peng conduct any due diligence on his potential talents?6:56 Building the infrastructure for an F&B business8:20 “I didn’t understand what P&L was before. If I knew, I would’ve never said yes.”9:06 Keep an eye on the numbers!10:12 Winning a Michelin star flipped a star switch…11:18 When are chefs ready to strike out on their own?12:05 Brand building13:30 Overcoming moments of blind panic14:46 When do you let go?15:33 Biggest failure 17:57 Passion for museums21:30 Do you still identify as a lawyer?21:43 Which pivot was the easiest and why?24:01 Finding your second & third act in your career25:14 What book are you reading now?25:14 Art of finding the right talent27:00 Any non-compete clause?27:38 Three key things that you’d attribute your success to30:14 One COVID casualty31:23 Luck

    📍Show notes: https://www.sothisismywhy.com/140

    🍿 YouTube: https://youtu.be/w22CAJupO48

    💌 Weekly STIMY Newsletter on the art of storytelling + building your personal brand (+snippets of STIMY behind-the-scenes): https://sothisismywhy.ck.page/acd5bd1062

    ✍🏻 Leave a review on STIMY: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/so-this-is-my-why/id1521191442

  • Want to know how a lawyer became a successful hotelier with 40 hotels & 9 Michelin-starred restaurants in Singapore, London, Ireland, Shanghai & Sydney?!

    Look no further than today’s STIMY guest: Loh Lik Peng, the founder of Unlisted Collection.

    Lik Peng grew up expecting to be a doctor, like his parents.

    But ended up practising as a commercial litigator for 3 years.

    During that time, the world was hit with the Asian Financial Crisis and a rundown property called Hotel 1929 came onto the Singapore property market.

    Hotel 1929 was located in Singapore’s red light district and Lik Peng saw potential in it, so he took a year off from law to develop the hotel with the full intention of going back to being a lawyer thereafter.

    But life didn’t turn out that way.

    He ended up opening his first restaurant at Hotel 1929, then another hotel and restaurant, and another and…

    In fact, he bought so many properties in the area that his friend once remarked that the street should be renamed “Peng Road”! 🤣

    Lik Peng has now become one of Singapore’s most established hoteliers (he struggled with imposter syndrome for a long time when people called him a hotelier!) despite starting out by taking projects “by the seat of his pants”.

    And his Michelin-starred restaurants include:

    ⭐️: Burnt Ends, Marguerite, Nouri

    ⭐️⭐️: Cloudstreet, Da Terre

    ⭐️⭐️⭐️: Zen

    So do you want to know how he did it?

    Let’s go!

    P/S: This is Part 1 out of 2 of Lik Peng’s episode (Part 2 is coming out this Weds).

    Highlights:

    2:32 Dad as the Chief Glutton3:24 Boarding school were the best years of the life4:42 Being a lousy doctor5:32 Learning important lessons from the Asian Financial Crisis7:14 Hotel 19298:24 The “Peng” Road?!9:15 Worried about being in the red light district?10:41 Family thought he was insane?!11:30 Turning the corner12:43 Being hit with SARS13:55 What crisis management looks like in a hotel14:52 Expanding to London17:54 Romanticism overruled my logic…20:57 The secret to getting things done22:35 Managing risks24:11 When Lik Peng thought he could call himself a “hotelier”25:43 The magic behind what he does (while being pragmatic?!)26:48 What properties interest him now30:24 Any regrets investing in Old Clare, Sydney?34:41 Navigating unsexy regulations & red tape35:46 Surprising things about the Australian hospitality market?36:45 Dr Stanley Quek40:37 Family friend to business partner?

    Special thanks to Limpeh Studios (Hepmil Media) for the studio!

    📍Show notes: https://www.sothisismywhy.com/140

    🍿 YouTube: https://youtu.be/w22CAJupO48

    💌 Weekly STIMY Newsletter on the art of storytelling + building your personal brand (+snippets of STIMY behind-the-scenes): https://sothisismywhy.ck.page/acd5bd1062

    ✍🏻 Leave a review on STIMY: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/so-this-is-my-why/id1521191442

  • It’s finally happening!

    The launch of STIMY’s special Singapore subseries.

    Where you’ll be hearing from a range of fascinating Singaporeans/Singapore-based tech leaders, entrepreneurs, and daredevil adventurers on how they’ve built their careers, their journey in finding their why and the legacy that they want to leave behind (if any!).

    We ran the whole gamut: the media broadcasting space, F&B (what it takes to build an empire of nine 1 - 3 Michelin Starred restaurants + inheriting a 100+ year confectionary brand), hospitality, tech and so much more.

    To whet your appetite, you’re getting snippets from some of the guests that you’ll be meeting over the next few weeks.

    Are you excited?

    I know I am! 😉

    *

    Also a special shoutout to Karl Mak (STIMY Ep 55) & his team at Hepmil.

    They’re the ones who made this subseries possible and generously allowed me to record all my interviews over a span of 4 days while in Singapore.

    I definitely couldn’t do it without them - thank you Hepmil!

    P/S: Let me know if you’re interested in doing a studio recording in Singapore! There’s plenty of space to do so at Hepmil’s Limpeh studios. 😉

    📍Show notes: https://www.sothisismywhy.com/139

    💌 Weekly STIMY Newsletter on the art of storytelling + building your personal brand (+snippets of STIMY behind-the-scenes): https://sothisismywhy.ck.page/acd5bd1062

    ✍🏻 Leave a review on STIMY: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/so-this-is-my-why/id1521191442

  • Steve Chao was just a kid from Toronto who loved reading encyclopaedias. Who later chose a career that would lead him to the middle of opium fields during harvest time surrounded by hundreds of Taliban fighters in Afghanistan.

    Just another “day in the life” of his career as a x2 Emmy-nominated and multiple award-winning investigative journalist and filmmaker who’s led programming for the likes of CNN, Al Jazeera, VICE, CTV (Canadian Television), CBC, ABC News, Tencent & Channel 4.

    Steve has also spent decades covering conflicts, including America’s longest war in Afghanistan, and produced programs and feature docs like HBO’s Traffickers, Netflix’s Midnight Asia, and Discovery Channels’ World’s Biggest Druglord.

    In STIMY Ep 138 - which was recorded in front of a live audience at KL Podfest last weekend! - we uncovered his journey as a war correspondent. Some things we talked about:

    ✅ Going undercover to report on the Honduran drug cartel, human trafficking rings, selling of Nepali ancient artefacts & a Chinese spy

    ✅ Being nearly crushed in Egypt during the Arab Spring

    ✅ Uncovering the UNCHR “mafia” & notorious wildlife traffickers in Malaysia (his feet was stuck in a fire ant hill for 5 minutes!!)

    ✅ The sacrifices he’s made & friends he’s lost

    ✅ Why Steve doesn’t believe in Prince & Princess journalists

    ✅ Why journalism is dying & the impact of cancel culture

    ✅ How he wants to raise the next generation of journalists and the vision behind his new production house, Signal Flare

    It’s an exciting episode so get ready for a wild 1 hour ride with Steve Chao!

    Highlight:

    2:10 Surrounded by Taliban fights in an Afghan opium field during harvesting season4:19 Suicide Alley8:49 Just a kid from Toronto10:33 His first big break uncovering a drug cartel from Honduras12:40 Gaining a global perspective14:56 Going undercover as a refugee trafficked by the Snakeheads in Vancouver15:55 You have to learn on the job18:03 The unsung heroes or ‘fixers’ like JoJo21:25 Broken trust23:24 PTSD25:13 How does Steve ensure he isn’t crippled by what he’s seen?26:44 Mentors like Ted Huang29:42 Has Steve ever regretted any sacrifices made to cover a story?32:29 Do these stories have an actual impact? The Chinese spy35:08 Malaysian reporting on the UNHCR Mafia & Anson Wong - the notorious wildlife poacher from Penang39:56 Identifying the stories he wants to work on42:11 The next step to crafting the story43:34 The keyword in reporter is ‘porter’44:26 The state of journalism today47:27 Cancel culture & its impact on Steve’s work50:11 What makes a great investigative journalist?51:48 Have you done enough?54:26 What does Steve need help with?55:35 Do you feel like you’ve found your why?56:15 What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind?57:11 What are the most important qualities of a successful person?

    📍Show notes: https://www.sothisismywhy.com/138

    🍿 YouTube: https://youtu.be/KnoMe-pTbJc

    💌 Weekly STIMY Newsletter on the art of storytelling + building your personal brand (+snippets of STIMY behind-the-scenes): https://sothisismywhy.ck.page/acd5bd1062

    ✍🏻 Leave a review on STIMY: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/so-this-is-my-why/id1521191442

  • Simon Alexander Ong grew up often feeling like he didn’t fit in.

    Which is weird when you look at his CV: He graduated from LSE before going to work at Lehman Brothers (until it fell into administration) then a hedge fund as a junior trader.

    Along the way, he attended a 2-day coaching seminar that transformed the way he saw coaching and kickstarted his journey into becoming a bestselling author, international keynote speaker and business strategist.

    His work has seen him invited onto Sky News and BBC to be interviewed, while he has been featured in the likes of Forbes and Harvard Business Review. He has also spoken at some of the planet's most successful organisations such as Barclays, Salesforces, Adobe, EY and Microsoft. And his debut book Energize, published by Penguin in 2022 became an instant bestseller, receiving endorsements from the likes of New York Times bestselling authors Simon Sinek, Marie Forleo and Marshall Goldsmith. In 2023, Energize was also awarded Book of the Year within the Wellness & Wellbeing category at The Business Book Awards!

    But… how did it all begin?

    ❓ Why does Simon believe that the best leaders are great coaches?

    ❓ How did he get big names like Simon Sinek and Marie Forleo to endorse his debut book?

    ❓ How has he built his coaching business?

    ❓ What gave him the confidence to take The Leap?

    ❓ What’s been the real game changer for his business?

    ❓ And why does he advise people to not wait because life has already begun?

    To find out, you’ll just have to listen to Simon’s episode on the So This Is My Why podcast. 😎

    And to all those celebrating - Happy Chinese New Year!

    Highlights:

    4:47 Not fitting in6:40 What am I going to do with my life?!8:18 Impact of mum passing away9:46 The toxic environment at Lehman Brothers11:36 Not stick to the same path?12:38 The exploration journey16:47 2 days to 2 years?!18:07 Landing clients19:41 Where Simon found the courage & confidence to take the leap25:09 The game changer26:46 How to decide on the right mastermind to join28:34 The importance of building a personal brand29:52 Defining good content31:36 Saying yes to every interview?!33:35 It was stupid to introduce myself as a coach!38:28 Storytelling frameworks43:04 Being open but not to open - how do you find the line?!44:38 Google says that the best leaders are great coaches?!48:40 The first session51:11 How to decide on the right coach52:17 Energy is everything53:39 Multiplying energy55:32 What is something that Simon wishes made it into the final edition of his book but didn’t?!57:14 The last time Simon faced coach 58:46 The measured way to handle chaos1:00:26 The strategy behind launching his bestselling book, Energize1:03:03 How he convinced Simon Sinek & Marie Forleo to give him raving endorsements1:04:36 Has a Penguin published book opened doors for Simon?1:04:55 Do epic stuff that will make your Netflix documentary compulsive viewing

    📍Show notes: https://www.sothisismywhy.com/137

    💌 Weekly STIMY Newsletter on the art of storytelling + building your personal brand (+snippets of STIMY behind-the-scenes): https://sothisismywhy.ck.page/acd5bd1062

    ✍🏻 Leave a review on STIMY: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/so-this-is-my-why/id1521191442

  • Prestine Davekhaw knows how much you earn.

    Thanks to a viral IG platform she launched called MalaysianPAYGAP, where she has Malaysians anonymously submit [payslip verified] details about their job, including:

    Their salary + benefits (if any)How they landed that jobThe realities of doing their jobAdvice for those wanting to do the same

    So you can see why people are obsessed with MPG. 😉

    But what about the person behind MPG?

    Well, Prestine grew up in a drug-infested home with her grandmother, who was her best friend.

    She was told that her father was a dangerous man and that it was good that he wasn’t in her life.

    When she moved to the US for studies, she found herself homeless for a period.

    She ended up doing all kinds of insane jobs to make ends meet, including grilling 100 chicken wings in the Chicago South Side where she was at risk of being shot at at any moment!

    She also spent her last $900 on a camera out of desperation - she only had 2.5 weeks to make rent!

    But as it turns out, it was the start of good things in her life.

    Clients came knocking & she was doing well but... something wasn’t quite right.

    In 2020, she had her first taste of going viral when she published an article sharing why she was unfollowing famous influencers on Instagram - many of her clients then were famous influencers and they were, as you can imagine, not happy.

    Prestine shares her life journey with remarkable candidness. Not just the highs but also the lows like how she bombed her Bvlgari campaign because she was “a cocky photographer”.

    And how MPG came to be.

    Want to learn more?

    Highlights:

    3:13 Grandmother as her best friend8:42 Life is a work of art - Wilde12:24 I can only learn by asking questions14:36 Being homeless19:44 Spending $900 to buy a camera off Amazon21:57 9 hours of sense22:38 Photography came out of desperation24:15 Going back25:49 Quitting without a plan26:40 Landing international clients - including in Shanghai!27:19 Going viral in 2020 through an article, “Why I Unfollow Famous Influencers on Instagram”29:24 The Bvlgari campaign32:48 The genesis behind MPG35:10 The launch37:16 Surprising submissions41:31 Information is power42:25 Becoming jobless46:11 Community building lessons49:21 Helpful advice52:45 MPG Summit 202454:28 Disappearing Jobs56:54 The controversy with the Side Hustlers IG page59:56 Hustling to meet the CEO of AirAsia1:01:33 Advice to others wanting to start side hustles

    P/S: Don’t forget to subscribe to the STIMY newsletter!

    I share the behind-the-scenes of running STIMY, personal branding, storytelling marketing and news on a personal branding course that I’m building so that others can also their own brands on their own terms.

    📍Show notes: https://www.sothisismywhy.com/136

    💌 Subscribe to STIMY Newsletter: https://sothisismywhy.ck.page/acd5bd1062

    ✍🏻 Leave a review on STIMY: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/so-this-is-my-why/id1521191442

  • It's the final day of 2023!

    So I'm doing a solo episode where I answer questions that you've sent in.

    I hope you enjoy this episode and find it helpful.

    Also, if you've been following STIMY and would like to support what's happening here, please do leave a rating and review.

    It truly makes a difference in spreading the word about this podcast!

    💌 Weekly STIMY Newsletter on the art of storytelling + building your personal brand (+snippets of STIMY behind-the-scenes): https://sothisismywhy.ck.page/acd5bd1062

    ✍🏻 Leave a review on STIMY: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/so-this-is-my-why/id1521191442

  • Welcome to STIMY Ep 134!

    Today, you have the pleasure of hanging out with me. 😉

    What we'll cover today:

    What I've been up to in October (8 STIMY in-person interviews in Singapore), November (first conference panel & personal branding client wins) and December (6 STIMY interviews)

    I'm also in the midst of prepping for a new course!

    Tentatively titled "Build Your Why".

    It's based off my learnings from working with my existing 1:1 personal branding clients, where I noticed that people often struggle with:

    People often think they're boring (when they're not)They're too shy to share their storyThey can't remember the interesting things that have happened to them (and don't know how to ask themselves the right questions to extract those stories from memory)They don't know how to angle those interesting stories once they have them, so that they align with their goals - e.g. gain new clients, new job opportunities or offers to sit on non-profit boards.

    The course aims to help professionals build their unofficial collection of stories aka autobiography, so that you can pick and choose the stories to tell in whatever situation you're in.

    Apart from the course, I also highlight some of my favourite moments in recent STIMY episodes!

    STIMY Ep 122: Peter Yong aka Mr Money - on launching a YouTube personal finance business, hiring and potentially publishing his revenue numbers on YouTube?!STIMY Ep 129: Fabien Riggall, founder of Secret Cinema - on how he went from running a £5 underground skate park event to epic Disney collaborations to bring Star Wars to lifeSTIMY Ep 131: Charlie Todd, founder of Improv Everywhere - on what it takes to run a prank collective & the principle of asking for forgiveness rather than permissionSTIMY 132: Terence Lee, Editor-in-Chief of Tech in Asia (just sold for $30 million) - on his takeaways from going through 2 layoffsSTIMY 133: Adlin Yusman (Managing Director, Endeavor Malaysia) - on rapid scaling & raising USD 500k in 2 days, the walk of shame and being open about sharing his failures, and why his investors don't regret a day of giving him money to work on his startup.

    To subscribe to the STIMY Newsletter: https://sothisismywhy.ck.page/acd5bd1062

    P/S: I'll be doing a mini beta launch of the Build Your Why Course and the special offer will be available only to newsletter subscribers. So keep your eyes peeled!