So This Is My Why

Would you break the law if it made you a multimillionaire?That's what happened with Ken Perenyi - one of the most “successful” art forgers in the world.His works have been sold all over the world, including in Christie's and Sotheby's, with one painting going for as high as $717,000!He was also close friends with Roy Cohn - the notorious lawyer who helped Trump enter the New York market. The Independent called him the evil master architect who mentored Donald Trump (to Ken, he was just a great friend and protector).Was hunted for decades by the Mafia and the FBI.And got away with it all without even a slap on the wrist.When the statute of limitation passed for his “crimes”, Ken then published a book telling everyone exactly how he did it.

Imagine growing up in a hair salon.Being thrown out of the house and sleeping in an abandoned cupboard.Being bullied in school and almost failing SPM.But knowing deep down inside that you love storytelling.You just… don't know what that means.And how to make that dream a reality.That was Jared Lee - one of Malaysia's most famous YouTubers and the founder of the award-winning production house, Grim Film.Jared started his journey in an event company, while also freelancing as a storyboard artist and production assistant.Being passionate about storytelling, he decided to create a short film called The Long Distance Relationship. A film that, for him, he had to make happen, no matter what.And it blew up.✨ Within a day, it hit 10k views. ✨ Within a week, it hit 70k views✨ Within a month, it hit 1 million viewsThis short film opened doors and led to the creation of his production house, The Grim Film.Which has since bagged multiple awards, including Best Drama at America's Soul 4 Reel International Film Festival 2013 for The Long Distance Relationship and Best Pilot and Best Special Effects at the 2018 Vancouver WebFest in Canada for The Last 7.His most recent piece of work, Horologist, even won Best Animation at the San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) Film Festival 2023 and USA Film Festival! It was also a finalist for Poland's Animator Film Festival (Best Animation & Audience Choice Award) and nominated for the 2024 Eisner Award in the Best Single Issue/One-Shot category.Proving how Jared's wild gamble has paid off.Although… life wasn't easy. In 2018, Jared was diagnosed with stage 1 testicular cancer. And he later found out that he could not have children.But in spite of these challenges, Jared is someone who has always believed in pursuing his dreams and hustling against the odds. Which is why I'm so thrilled to share his story as the latest guest on STIMY!If you've ever wondered what it's like to triumph against all odds and pursue your passion, what it takes to go from being a YouTuber to a legitimate film producer, and the personal struggles with cancer and childlessness, then this episode is for you.So are you ready?Let's go.Highlights:2:02: Growing up in a single mum household3:45 Finding escape in storytelling5:18 Liking things that other boys don't like7:40 Worst year of my life8:52 Getting kicked out 9:40 Finding his calling11:13 A Kingdom of Paos11:55 The Long Distance13:42 YouTube14:37 Going viral17:19 There was no money!20:16 Burning bridges21:10 What it's like to run a production company24:54 Second-guessing himself27:02 There is no joy in production?!29:34 Making the switch & losing fans32:58 The most successful work Jared's done34:30 Diagnosed with cancer41:34 Do awards matter?44:34 Any regrets?45:07 Is your work acknowledged more overseas?47:20 What kind of work has influenced your style?50:39 What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind?51:07 What are the most important qualities of a successful person?51:28 Sharing your private life in public

Jonathan Mildenhall is the former Managing Director of TBWA, SVP of the Coca-Cola Company, first CMO at Airbnb and Independent Board Member at Peloton Interactive, Co-Founder of TwentyFirstCenturyBrand and current Chief Marketing Officer at Rocket Companies.And we are back this week with Part 2 of our interview with Jonathan.Last week, we dove deep into his childhood growing up & how everything was stacked against him: he was the only black person in his family and community, was working class and grew up in a housing estate, attended a polytechnic, experienced blatant racism and physical abuse and also had zero connections in advertisingThe very industry that he rose to the very top in.In Part 2, we delve deep into his career. What it means to join Coca-Cola when it was creatively bankrupt, the stories behind some of his biggest and most successful advertising campaigns including have two ads being featured at the same Superbowl, why he gave it all up for a then unknown startup called Airbnb, what it takes to ‘make it' in his team and so much more.And in case you didn't know, this interview is also available on Youtube. Check it out via the links below.Now are you ready?Let's go!Highlights:2:17 Coca-Cola was creatively bankrupt?!7:31 Being Coca-Cola's poster child for diversity - 2014 Super Bowl [America the Beautiful]15:35 The only CMO to have 2 Super Bowl ads play at the same time16:14 How Brian Chesky convinced Jonathan to commit career suicide22:10 Building an Olympic marketing team26:08 Why 25% of people don't make it in Jonathan's team27:17 Who is Jonathan Mildenhall the leader?29:25 Launching his own company37:12 A Colourful View from the Top41:52 Advice to any aspiring CMO before they take the seat?44:20 Brand marketing or customer marketing?

Jonathan Mildenhall is the former Managing Director of TBWA, Senior Vice President of the Coca-Cola Company, first CMO at Airbnb and Independent Board Member at Peloton Interactive, Co-Founder of TwentyFirstCenturyBrand and current Chief Marketing Officer at Rocket Companies.In other words, someone at the very top of the marketing industry. Who was once treated as an experiment.Growing up in Leed, Jonathan faced tremendous physical and racial abuse. It got so bad that he once ran to his mum, telling her that he didn't want to be black!But his mum responded by saying, “Unfortunately, there are ignorant people who will always be frightened because you look different. And they're going to say hurtful things and sometimes they will do hurtful things. You can't change your packaging but they can never ever damage what's inside of your packaging.” Eventually, Jonathan found his calling - in marketing!Even though the odds were stacked against him: he was from a polytechnic, grew up in a council estate, was black and had no family name to fall back on.But as it turns out, he had a spark.And that spark was what drew people to him.Allowed him to rise to the top of the London marketing scene and dominate the global scene later as he became a Senior Vice President at the Coca-Cola Company and the first CMO at Airbnb.If ever there was a story of someone who has triumphed against all odds, it would be Jonathan. So are you ready to learn how he did it?Let's go.Highlights3:23 The 8-year-old Jonathan8:08 Keeping a childlike wonder12:01 Show a bit of leg!15:51 Protecting his mum's independence19:12 Advertising is NOT for you?!22:03 The awkward “oh my goodness, you're a black guy”24:22 The energy of the 80s advertising industry26:17 You're an experiment30:43 Meeting John Hegarty of BBH (Bartle Bogle Hegarty)35:35 Cindy Gallup dragged him out of the closet!43:47 Living authentically45:10 I was shit scared50:10 Phil Mooney - Director of Heritage Communications for 40+ years at the Coca-Cola Company

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!Highlights2:41 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?

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/KekuCGZJYlkIn Part 2, we go even deeper, exploring things like:

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.

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.

“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.

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.

“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.

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?

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 failedBut 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!

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), MicrosoftPrior 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

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 successEp 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.

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

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 moreIf 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

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”!

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!

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 FlareIt'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?

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.

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 sameSo you can see why people are obsessed with MPG.

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!

Welcome to STIMY Ep 134!Today, you have the pleasure of hanging out with me.

Adlin Yusman, Managing Director of Endeavor Malaysia, will work for anyone he's hired.A huge contrast to when he began his entrepreneurial journey with the mentality of, “I pay you a salary, you work for me and you do as I say.”Which, as you can imagine, created quite a lot of issues.That said, Adlin has had an eventful life. One that's sprinkled with a generous serving of failures and spooky occurrences (e.g. receiving a 3am call from a female ghost?!).He's founded several startups that failed, but managed to stay friends with his former employees and investors, who don't regret a single day of giving money to him.And has held past positions as: Director (Travel) of GrouponPrincipal at Digi TelecommunicationsSAVP at AstroCOO at MaxMoney.com  CEO at Payfo.So how did Adlin go from featuring a Maybach in the first edition of his luxury automobile publication to:➡️ Making major hiring mistakes (e.g. hiring a wimp) ➡️ Hunting for 100 cockroaches➡️ Raising USD 500k in 2 days ➡️ Working at Endeavor Malaysia, where he helps the likes of Bryan Loo of Loob Holdings in the startup ecosystem?!You'll have to listen to the latest STIMY episode to find out!Highlights:2:04 A 3am call from a female ghost?!4:59 What “real success” has Adlin even gotten to be featured in the media?!

Who's got the juiciest gossip on startups these days?Well.The journalists, of course!And today, we have Terence Lee - Editor-in-Chief at Tech in Asia - to share the inside scoop on their organisation (TIA just sold for a reported $30 Million to Singapore Press Holdings!).Fun Fact: Terence Lee really didn't want his position. He's an introvert & does not consider himself a natural leader.❓So what changed?❓How has he adapted to his leadership role & navigated through 2 brutal layoffs at Tech in Asia?❓How does journalism work for them, e.g. determining the stories to cover, the verification process required and also balancing objective reporting with friendships with the people in the space?So are you ready?Let's go!Highlights:2:38 Writing as a career?!5:14 Working at many different media publications6:58 Joining Tech in Asia in 2013 as its Managing Director8:26 Being pushed out of his comfort zone11:11 Relationship between Editor/Journalist v Startup Founders12:14 What people tend to not understand about what they're doing15:03 Perceived biases?16:11 The due diligence process18:05 Defamation law21:26 Monetisation tactics21:42 Going through TIA's first layoff25:19 Internal transparency in (almost) everything?!29:18 2nd round of layoffs & the best way to conduct retrenchment33:05 How did TIA rebuild the shattered morale of its staff & pivot to its subscription model?35:45 Big events in Indonesia37:25 The future39:02 Journalists are mini media empires?40:36 Peter Cowan - If you were to launch your own non-media startup, what would it be?

Meet Charlie Todd - a professional prankster & also the founder of Improv Everywhere (a New York City-based prank collective with a twist!).Rather than pranks that embarrass people, Improv Everywhere organises large-scale pranks that create chaos & lots of joy in public.The kind of thing that'd make you go, “You'll never believe what just happened!”E.g. ✨ A bunch of strangers ride the subway - without pants!  ✨ 200 people freezing in place for 5 minutes in NYC's Grand Central Terminal - with 37 million views on YouTube! ✨ A man going to work in his socially distanced office - located in the middle of the East River in NYC! ✨ Thousands of people putting on headphones and following the narrator's every word: Walking backwards, freezing, slow dancing, wrapping themselves in toilet paper etc.  ✨ Turning the NYC subway into a spa, complete with complimentary water, sauna station, hot stone massage & a steam room misting station...You get the picture

Meet Alvin Wee: Grammy, CAS & Golden Horse Award winning music mixer from Kuching (now based in LA)!You might've heard some of his work:

What does it take to bring a movie to life & have the general public participant as actual characters in said movie?!You need only ask Fabien Riggall - founder of Future Shots and Secret Cinema.Fabien has always loved films and began his career working as a runner before becoming an assistant producer of short films.In 2003, he set up Future Shorts: A series of mini pop-up film festivals that took off in 2003.That eventually evolved into the creation of a skate park under London Bridge, where around 400 strangers showed up to become part of the skating community & be part of the murder mystery story!Secret Cinema is premised on the idea that films can be turned into large-scale real life, cultural experiences in abandoned spaces.The location and details of each World are never reveled and the film title is often kept secret (the reason for this was that it was entirely by accident!).Secret Cinema grew into such a phenomenon that it eventually sold to TodayTix in 2022 for £89 million!And some of its most famous works include: The Great Gatsby, Star Wars The Empire Strikes Back, Blade Runner and Moulin Rouge.If you're curious in learning what it takes to build a whole movement & transform the way people see and use abandoned spaces while bring film to life on an epic scale, then this is certainly the episode for you!Highlights:4:31 Morocco6:41 Becoming a farmer and an actor?!7:43 I don't want permission!11:23 Running festivals12:13 Soul-destroying work15:45 Leveraging the internet16:57 Selling out a murder mystery event at a secret skate park under London Bridge19:47 Finding the right people23:45 Pushing the boundaries30:14 Building trust via newsletters?!32:59 A limit to provocation36:54 Maintaining your voice39:28 Biggest battles waged & won43:32 Stepping away from Secret Cinema?!47:01 Achieving everything that Fabien wanted?

Imagine spending 30 years working as an architect.Then deciding to uproot your entire life from the UK to move to Bali to work in a new field of architecture - bamboo!Because that's exactly what Ewe Jin Low.When he made the big move to Bali, he worked as Lead architect at IBUKU covering buildings like the Green School and in 2018, began his own bamboo journey by founding his own bamboo architecture firm TENTEN and Better Bamboo Buildings in 2020 - a platform that shares information and insights on bamboo design.Ewe Jin's bamboo journey to date has included designing and  building more than 80 bamboo buildings in many different regions.  In 2022 he published a bamboo architecture book titled ‘Bamboo Ark 1'. He continues the journey to give talks, run courses and  workshops and to create more buildings and installations in bamboo. So if you're like to learn more about this relatively new form of architecture, this is the episode for you!Highlights:2:23 Bamboo groves4:24 Architectural practice7:15 The only Asian guy in the room8:41 Battles fought10:32 Prejudice against colour of skin12:01 Moving to Bali15:02 How bamboo has transformed his life & attitude16:31 Letting go of everything18:45 Assimilating into the real Bali culture22:20 Learning about bamboo as a material33:48 Common questions36:30 Maintenance43:36 Bamboo pioneers46:09 Green School Bali52:05 The SWAT Team of Bamboo Workers56:50 Is it actually green architecture?1:00:49 Is bamboo cheaper?1:05:00 Construction bamboo forests?

Whoops. We've been gone for the past few weeks.It's been hectic here at STIMY - securing new guests in Singapore while prepping for 2 exciting guests that we'll be recording in person this week.So rather than a new episode, I'm experimenting with this new, short solo episode where you'll get updates from me on what it's like running STIMY the podcast & STIMY the personal branding company, as well as takeaways from some conversations that take place off air.In today's mini episode, I provide 4 main learnings from my recent Singapore trip (+ 40 appointments altogether!). They include:Hard workLuckImportance of ReinventionAlways stay CuriousDon't view your relationships as replaceable.Two upcoming STIMY guests that we'll be recording with:Prestine Davekhaw: Founder of MalaysianPAYGAP & Disappearing JobsDominic Puthucheary: Founding member of Singapore's PAP turned lawyer who grew up as a family friend of Lee Kuan Yew's family before later being detained, shuffled between multiple prisons in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur and ultimately banished from Singapore by... Lee Kuan Yew himself.If you'd like to submit your question for either Prestine or Dominic, or just want to drop a note to let me know what you think of this episode & whether you'd like me to continue doing them (+ topics to cover), just email me at sothisismywhy (at) gmail (dot) com.Have a great week!P/S: Dominic was the subject of my first viral LinkedIn post, which you can read here: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/lingyah_reflection-activity-6972349532596576256-pD-N

Alejandro Navia is the co-founder and President of nft now, the premier source of NFT content and analysis. As an advisor, coach, and early supporter of web3 and the creator economy, Alejandro has helped numerous founders and creators scale their communities and raise over $92MM in funding.Prior to NFT Now, he held leadership positions at startups and enterprises in AI, aerospace, and media, including Verizon, where I led Strategy and Acquisitions, and Elite Daily, which I helped lead to a $50MM acquisition.This is a story where Alejandro transparently shares some of his lowest moments, e.g.:being suicidal at age 16;being kicked out of Harvard; andscoring a $4.5 million deal only to lose $125k two days later due to a huge mistake!Highlights:2:26 A rupture in his life8:49 Being suicidal14:41 Turning point21:13 From getting kicked out of Harvard to becoming the Director of Innovation and Culture at Elite Daily29:02 Losing potentially $250,00036:09 Worthy of receiving love39:17 Building company culture41:43 Best hire & hiring process43:48 Identifying rug pulls

How do you: 

It takes guts to quit your job.But what if it was NASA? BOEING? Or Elon Musk's Hyperloop One?!Because that's exactly what Tanya Zakowich did.Tanya grew up with a fascination for space & like most kids, she wanted to be an astronaut.But unlike many, that fascination held even when she grew up, which is why she ended up studying mechanical engineering at Columbia.An internship in India helped her land a job at NASA, but she soon left for BOEING! Only to realise that at BOEING, she was just a cog in the wheel. She wasn't being challenged.Hence her third role at Elon Musk's Hyperloop One, where she lived the ultimate startup life.That is, until she realised that what she truly loved & cared about was her family and home in Singapore.So she gave it all up to return home.Now if you listen to this STIMY interview, you'll soon realise that Tanya is quite the go-getter!During the pandemic, she strategically launched a new TikTok channel where she teaches maths in a fun and interesting way. Within 6 months, she hit 1 million followers! Then quit for 2 months because of the toll it took on her mental health.She now stands at 1.9 million followers.

Jacqueline Novogratz is the founder & CEO of Acumen - a non-profit global venture capital fund that aims to use entrepreneurial approaches to address global poverty. She was also born for crisis.As the OG of impact investing, her impressive list of accolades include:One of the World's 100 Greatest Living Business Minds 2017 by ForbesForbes 400 Lifetime Achievement Award for Social Entrepreneurship, 2016The Resolution Project Champions Circle Award, 2016Bloomberg Markets 50 Most Influential in Global Finance, 2014Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2008She also sits on the board of: Aspen Institute board of trusteesPakistan Business Council Centre of Excellence in Responsible Business (CERB)]Advisory Councils of the Harvard Business School Social Enterprise Initiative, the Oxford Saïd Global Leadership Council and UNICEF.When she graduated from the University of Virginia, she described herself as someone who was "excited, idealistic & had dreams in your head of changing the world and didn't have a clue how to start”.That start ended up being at Chase Manhattan Bank - despite telling the interviewer that she had no interest in banking & was only there because her parents told her to!She did so well, the then COO, Tony Triciano, wanted to fast track her career and have her be his right hand person.She said NO. She wanted to change the world.And left for Africa. There, she suffered failure after failure after failure.She learned that while she had gone to try & save the African continent, Africa neither wanted nor needed saving.But those lessons were invaluable and led her down the path of founding Acumen.Even when building Acumen felt like - in the words of Acumen's first COO, Dan Toole - “Standing at the 5th floor of a brick building & we're trying to build a terrace brick by brick with no safety net underneath!”So:❓ What is it like to live a life of such purpose?❓ Who are the people (+ life partner!) that you need to surround yourself with to keep the mission alive?❓ Why did her mentor, John Gardner, use to say that “the key to life is to be interested. Not interesting”?Well.You'll just have to listen to STIMY Ep 124 to find out!

Dr. Giovanna Graziosi Casimiro has had a unique career. She is the current Head of Production at Phygicode and former Metaverse Producer at Decentraland Foundation and Head of Metaverse Fashion Week. She has more than a decade of experience in digital design and the XR industry and also serves as a mentor at MIT during their Hacking Arts 2016-2018, and as a Senior Professor at SENAC University Centre, a renowned public federal University in Brazil.For Giovanna, she believes that life is a short experience. She wants to have a portfolio of experiences that really enriches her soul and mind and would rather regret what she's tried, then over what she's given up on.It's ok to fail. Just don't give up.Bearing in mind this principle, this episode digs into Gigi has led her life and the career choices she's made to date.Maybe it'll inspire you to take the unconventional step too?

Yesterday, we lost the King of Singapore.I never had the privilege of meeting him, but a year ago, I sent a cheeky email to Adrian Tan asking if he'd share his life story on the So This Is My Why podcast.In a true spirit of generosity, he said yes.And we spoke for over 2 hours!

Welcome to a special Questions from the Audience episode with Peter Yong aka Mr Money TV - one of the top personal finance YouTubers in the region.In this episode, we feature questions that came from you! Which include Peter's own co-founders & staff.If you haven't done so already, do check out Episode 122 Parts 1 & 2 to learn more about Peter's journey from being a replacement child to abandoning his lucrative career (+ selling his BMW!) to go in to his YouTube business and all things entrepreneurship.Highlights:1:21 What should my net worth be if I want to retire ASAP?2:47 What was it like giving up everything to start your own business?3:51 Advice for young entrepreneurs in a similar position5:10 Ever received any extreme threats?6:18 Peter's many tattoos9:10 How do you see yourself in 5 years?10:13 Will MrMoney become an MNC?10:24 Coughing?!

What does it take to build a 7-figure YouTube business on personal finance?Peter Yong aka Mr Money TV spills the tea on STIMY Episode 122 Part 2.That includes telling us:Why he tells all his staff, "I am not your father!"Why he hires 5, works 10 & pays 8;How he creates a moat around himself;How he's built his personal brand;Why his staff actively tell him to NOT hire more staff!Why his entire team knows the financials behind Mr Money TV;Working for free & getting equity?!His dream of building a Hershey town.And that's just some of juicier takes.

Hey STIMIES!It's time to meet the Replacement Son who refuses to drive a Porsche: Peter Yong aka Mr Money TV.One of Malaysia's most beloved personal finance YouTubers with 153k subscribers!It's one thing to start another YouTube channel; quite another to turn it into a thriving 7-figure business in Southeast Asia, but Peter has done just that. And today, we dive deep & personal, touching on things like how:

❓What is it like becoming a Deputy Minister in a government that's never been in power before?❓What was the relationship really like between Malaysia's then Prime Minister & Deputy Prime Minister, Mahathir & Anuar?❓How does one pick a constituency and why even politics in the first place when you can make good money as a BCG consultant?If you haven't already guessed it, today's STIMY guest is Dr Ong Kian Ming aka imokman.He went from being a BCG consultant to a lecturer and policy analyst at UCSI University and director of the Malaysian Electoral Roll Analysis Project (MERAP). He then entered politics and eventually became the Deputy Minister, Ministry of International Trade and Industry of Malaysia in July 2018!If you don't know anything about Malaysian politics, here's a heads up: Kian Ming (legitimately) thought he would always be in the opposition. The then incumbent government had been in power since Independence Day for the past 60+ years!So as you can imagine, today's conversation focuses on politics. A lot. Touching on things like why Kian Ming chose to enter politics, what it was like becoming a Deputy Minister, what went so wrong (e.g. the Sheraton Move!), why he's setting up a PPE course and so much more.Highlights:2:07 imokman3:32 Wanting to be rich4:22 Being an ASEAN scholar6:44 Seeking a “higher purpose” in BCG?!9:14 Make your boss look good (not your client!)10:29 Public policy15:06 How his PhD in political science helped his career19:24 Meeting Tony Pua & blogging20:50 Sacrifices we don't know?22:32 “The Talk” with the wife24:18 Only 2 terms?!26:21 Preparing for his first election29:51 Deciding who to help32:40 Managing expectations from his constituents33:32 Giving safe financial support34:49 I'll be in opposition forever?!37:06 The manifesto38:29 Managing the euphoria40:34 Building trust41:47 The legacy he inherited at MITI from Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz44:56 Industry 4.047:23 That $70 billion investment from China49:24 The realities of running trade investment missions50:50 How does China see Malaysia?53:36 The Sheraton Move - what really happened?55:49 What could've been done differently?57:05 The relationship between Mahathir & Anuar58:56 No reelection1:00:17 How do we know if constituents are actually doing the work?1:01:11 Wishing he'd worked better with his minister1:03:31 Who's a lifelong politician?1:04:43 When is it time to leave?1:05:26 Building Malaysia's first PPE Course (and future Malaysian Prime Ministers?!)

Apolo Ohno has won 8 Olympic medals & 21 World Championship medals, which makes him the most decorated US Winter Olympian in history!He was the state champion swimmer at age 13 & national speed skating champion at age 14, but it was short track speed skating that really caught his eye.Because to him, they were like Superman!After 6 months of training, Apolo won the 1997 US Championships. He was a shoo-in for the 1998 Winter Olympics but then... Apolo grew complacent. He self-sabotaged & threw away his training, finishing last in the Olympics trials.His father was so upset, he sent Apolo to an isolated cabin at Copalis Beach and said: "You'll stay here for as long as it takes for you to figure out what you want to do with your life!"That was traumatic.Apolo decided he would give this sport a real shot & that's when everything changed. But there was a price to pay for such "psychotic obsession".He was ruthless to everyone, including himself.In this STIMY Episode, we talked about how he finds FLOW, sports psychology, self-sabotage, the importance of recovery, and being obsessive without being "mindlessly handcuffed to it".So if you want to live your life to the fullest the way an Olympic champion does, then this is the episode for you!Highlights:3:27 Survival7:23 Why did this happen?10:35 Blowing up toilets?!12:25 Joining the Superman sports15:33 Sleeping with his skates16:48 Sacrifice22:01 Not being handcuffed to failure24:39 Self-sabotage30:57 The darker side to obsession39:31 Finding the FLOW state42:50 The power of introspection45:25 The controversial Salt Lake City Olympics win49:20 Turin Olympics50:46 Why Apolo turned away from Hollywood52:30 A lion is most dangerous when it knows it's near its end56:11 Psychotic obsession outside of sports57:31 Not returning to sports + Michael Phelps58:51 The Great Divorce1:02:37 What do you say yes to?1:05:07 Building his personal board of directors1:08:31 Who are you? Who are you? Who are you?

Entrepreneurs must be ruthless, obsessive and willing to cut corners.Something that Justin Byam Shaw, Chairman of ESI Media, would know.He co-owns (alongside Evgeny Lebedev) the Evening Standard & the Independent, and also co-founded the Felix Project - one of the biggest food redistribution charities in the UK!If you've ever been in London, you'll notice the Evening Standard lying around Tube stations. It's a 100% free quality newspaper and I'd always wondered - what does it take to run it? How do you manage to keep a newspaper free on such a scale?Well today, Justin shares it all.He takes us through his decision to:

Not everyone has to be a Steve Jobs.The charismatic, big picture, visionary leader that everyone gravitates towards.We also have (and need) those who execute.Who double down on the nitty gritty and ensure that things actually get done. And wellWhich brings me to today's STIMY guest: Chen Chow Yeoh.Speak to anyone in the Southeast Asian startup scene and they'll likely have heard of Chen Chow and have a tremendous amount of respect for him.He's an OG in the space:Co-Founder of Fave - one of the fastest growing fintech platform in Southeast AsiaCo-Founder of KFit.com - which revolutionised how people approached fitness in Asia PacificRegional Operations Director in APAC & COO (Malaysia) for GrouponBut he never had a plan.

Former US Congressman Barney Frank has been described by the New York Times as "one of the people most responsible for overhauling financial regulation after the 2008 economic crisis".Little surprise, given that this acerbic politician was:

John-Son Oei's EPIC social enterprise was born out of guilt.This former Rain oppa lookalike (time to check out his photos!

Lydia Fenet is the most powerful woman in the room.She has sold over $1 billion dollars for nonprofits globally alongside Elton John, Jason Bourne (aka Matt Bourne), Bruce Springsteen & every other big-name superstar you can think of.In 2018, she became Christie's Global Managing Director of Strategic Partnerships and has also:Been named one of New York's most influential women by Gotham magazine;Appeared in Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Vanity Fair and Town & Country;Published 2 books (her first book was optioned by Netflix in Feb 2022!); andRuns the Claim Your Confidence podcast featuring Glenn Close, Candace Nelson, Stephanie Horton, and Courtney Dauwalter.All while leading multiple benefit auctions for the biggest names in the industry. Including Elton John's 2023 AIDS Foundation Oscar Party!Lydia is now living the life she has always wanted.But it wasn't.When young, she wanted to be a lawyer just like her father. Unlike she came across a Vanity Fair article & discovered the exclusive world of Christie's.She convinced the Matriarch of Christie's to let her join Christie's internship program.But for the first 10 years, was told (and believed!) to not talk about money. And that "she was lucky to work there".If you want to learn how Lydia later managed to triple her salary + gain a global title + lead a new department at Christie's, you'll have to listen to the episode!Highlights:2:47 Why Lydia is a "life in motion"3:32 Network or die5:30 Learning about Christie's7:13 Not Sotheby's?8:01 Convincing the Matriarch of Christie's, Mary Libby, to let her join the internship program12:51 How Lauren Short influenced her14:33 How Lydia became Christie's benefit auctioneer16:27 Why Lydia did 500 mediocre auctions but never wanted to quit18:20 The breakthrough22:31 Leading the auction at Elton John's 2023 AIDS Foundation Oscar Party25:58 Where Lydia gets her energy from30:01 When Lehman Brothers collapsed but Lydia managed to save her colleague34:49 Ask for what you're worth, because you're just a number on a P&L41:44 How being a published author has opened doors

Alvin Chiong's father was an opium addict.And as for Alvin:Age 7: Alvin's mother abandoned the familyAge 9: Started sniffing glue & joined the secret society to avoid being bulliedAge 14: Left school to follow his leader Age 18: Became hooked on heroin & couldn't hold down a job.Things came to a head in Thailand, where Alvin realised he needed to change his life around. But opium addiction, while a choice, is not so easy to kick.And it took many, many halfway houses & attempts before Alvin came clean, turned his life around (after prison!!) and became the person he is today: giving back to society, helping his former brothers find their feet & holding down jobs as a chef as tour guide at Triad Trails.Alvin's story, like Notle Chew's story in STIMY Episode 102, is an unusual STIMY story, but one that I really want to have shared.Because there is a lesson to be learned from everyone's life journey. And the biggest takeaway is this: It's all about mindset & attitude. If we insist on blaming the world & everyone else in it for our troubles, no matter how 'justified', then you will continue to be held back. Now Alvin tells his story best, so are you ready?Let's go!Highlights:2:53 Dysfunctional family4:54 Joining the secret society10:34 Fighting12:57 Thailand14:56 The "price" for leaving the secret society gang19:04 Being friends with brothers20:35 Being in prison23:51 Safeguards to avoid temptation26:17 Going back to prison to help30:24 God31:56 Common misconceptions about drug addicts32:49 The secret to change35:13 Knowing when a convict is telling you the truth38:55 Are Singaporean laws too harsh?41:41 Common struggles for members of the secret society 43:02 Spiritual journey & finding God46:43 What Alvin is grateful for this year

Everyone wants to start a community while Bryan Pham (with his co-founder, Maggie Chui) has grown a global community from 0 to 200,000+ in 3 years!

We've heard from Eric Sim all week.In Part 1, we learned about his journey from working at his father's prawn noodle hawker stall to becoming the Managing Director at UBS Investment Bank.In Part 2, Eric explains why he left it all behind, the importance of building a portfolio career, why LinkedIn & his secret to building a 2.9 million following on LinkedIn!In today's special episode, we asked Eric questions that came from YOU, the STIMY listeners!YOUR Questions to Eric:1:10 Framework to evaluate opportunities [Lily Wu]4:10 What is Eric Sim's life purpose? [Sam Huen]5:12 What does the creator economy look like in 3 years & what's 1 action that people can take to best position themselves for it? [Lester Chng]8:36 Lessons learned after writing his book, Small Actions Leading Your Career to Big Success [Craig Davis]

Eric had the world at his feet.He had gone from selling prawn noodles at his father's hawker stall in Singapore to becoming the Managing Director of UBS Investment Bank.So why did he throw it all away?