Part Two. This episode—and the last—are for the introverts, the ADHDers, those on the autism spectrum, trauma survivors, strategy-brained square pegs, frustrated change-makers, rebelutionaries (that’s rebels and revolutionaries combined), and thinker-doers. Why? Because our guest today, Sara Lobkovich, is part of these groups. And she’s not holding back anymore. In fact, she’s spent months writing two books that bring together her life lessons and business strategy experience to help us all wake up our inner strategist and achieve big goals—no BS. In the last episode, part 1, we looked into who Sara is, what she’s been through, and how her past has shaped her purpose today. In this episode, part 2, we’ll dig into the book—her why, her audience, her objectives, and her vision. Key Highlights of Our Interview: A Love Letter To Square Pegs Who Don't Fit In "This book is a love letter to me earlier in my career. I know I'm not alone. I know there are so many other people who are having experiences like I did. If I had written this earlier in my life, if I had somehow had the capacity to write this earlier in my life, I would have written a book to people who are strategically wired and feel like they don't fit in a world that's really focused on tactics to people who feel like square pegs in their careers, like we're always a square peg trying to fit into a round hole and just don't fit in." Two Books, One Mission: Simplifying Strategy and Goal Setting “I realized I had two books: one is the No BS OKRs workbook, and the other is about modernized, human-centered strategic planning.” The Moment ‘You Are a Strategist’ Became the Book Title I Had to Write “I knew the title had to be ‘You Are a Strategist.’ I rewrote the book to deliver on that title.” Empowering Your Inner Strategist: No Matter What Job You Do “You might be a dishwasher, noticing things in the restaurant—there’s strategy in everything we do.” Connect with us: Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Sara Lobkovich Chief Change Officer: Make Change Ambitiously. A Globally Modernist Community for Growth Progressives Highest Rankings On Apple Podcasts Charts in Careers #1: US, CAN, MEX, IRE, HUNG, AUST and SWTZ #2-5: GRBR, FRAN, SWDN, GER #2-5: TUR, IND, JPN, SING 1.2 Million+ Downloads 50+ Countries

Part One. This episode—and the next—are for the introverts, the ADHDers, those on the autism spectrum, trauma survivors, strategy-brained square pegs, frustrated change-makers, rebelutionaries (that’s rebels and revolutionaries combined), and thinker-doers. Why? Because our guest today, Sara Lobkovich, is part of these groups. And she’s not holding back anymore. In fact, she’s spent months writing two books that bring together her life lessons and business strategy experience to help us all wake up our inner strategist and achieve big goals—no BS. In this episode, part 1, we’ll dive into who Sara is, what she’s been through, and how her past has shaped her purpose today. In the next episode, part 2, we’ll dig into the book—her why, her audience, her objectives, and her vision. Key Highlights of Our Interview: The Milk Activist: Chocolate Milk Equality at Age Nine “I successfully petitioned the cafeteria ladies for milk equality… so that the bag lunch kids could also have chocolate milk on Friday.” Job Hopping or Scanning? Redefining a Nonlinear Career “They called it job hopping, but my career coach reframed it as being a ‘scanner’ with lots of interests. Turns out, I wasn’t hopping, I was just too excited to make things better!” The Burnout Chronicles: From Always-On-the-Go to Needing a Why “I was that guy on the plane, always on the go. My dog lived with my parents for way too long. That lifestyle led me to burnout, and I realized I needed to do things differently.” Curiosity as a Cure: How Staying Curious Helped Me Avoid Feeling Stuck “Curiosity is an antidote to stuckness and anxiety. Later in my career, I developed the ability to always have a playground in my brain—something to learn.” Turning a Job Disappointment into an MBA in Enterprise Politics “Instead of feeling frustrated, I reframed my experience as a mini MBA in navigating large political organizations with resistance to change.” Strategy Isn’t About Being the Smartest in the Room—It’s About Asking the Right Questions “Being a strategist is not just being the smartest person in the room. It’s having a toolkit of questions that uncover facts, spark insight, and develop ideas.” Connect with us: Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Sara Lobkovich Chief Change Officer: Make Change Ambitiously. A Globally Modernist Community for Growth Progressives Highest Rankings On Apple Podcasts Charts in Careers #1: US, CAN, MEX, IRE, HUNG, AUST and SWTZ #2-5: GRBR, FRAN, SWDN, GER #2-5: TUR, IND, JPN, SING 1.2 Million+ Downloads 50+ Countries

This isn’t just a corporate chat! I’m joined by Jason Bloomfield, Global Head of Change and Experience Design at Ericsson. With 20+ years of experience across companies like M&G PLC, Prudential Financial, and MetLife, Jason’s been in the trenches of M&A integration, direct-to-consumer strategies, and organizational transformation. Jason opens up about some real-life disruptions—like how his parents’ separation shaped his resilience and how he’s learned to turn big challenges into meaningful change. Whether you’re dealing with personal or professional transformation, Jason’s stories will hit home and keep you hooked. Episode Breakdown: 0:36—It's All About Giving Back 4:02—From Upper Middle Class to Crash Course in Adulting: Why Unwanted Life Experiences Can Be Your Best Teachers “I was in the middle of high school, where focus on study really needs to ramp up. Instead, I was learning home economics by necessity and dealing with my parents’ rapidly deteriorating relationship.” 14:04—Building Resilient Relationships: Navigating Anxiety and Fear During Mergers & Acquisitions 17:26—Being human: How is it possible to scale empathy to 100,000 people across 180 countries? 24:44—Navigating Company Pride: When Heritage Turns into Hurdles “It’s quite a thing to come into a company that has 140, 150 years behind it. Pride can at times obscure a line of sight on the way forward.” 31:11—Asking the Right Questions: The Surprising Reasons Retirees Didn’t Want to Go Paperless “We thought retirees were less digitally comfortable, but it turns out it was a trust issue—without something physical, they feared companies might alter their records behind the scenes. Connect with us: Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Jason Bloomfield Chief Change Officer: Make Change Ambitiously. A Globally Modernist Community for Growth Progressives Highest Rankings On Apple Podcasts Charts in Careers #1: US, CAN, MEX, IRE, HUNG, AUST and SWTZ #2-5: GRBR, FRAN, SWDN, GER #2-5: TUR, IND, JPN, SING 1.2 Million+ Downloads 50+ Countries

Part Two. Jennifer Selby Long, who has spent the last 30 years helping tech leaders navigate the waves of tech evolution, leading and managing organizational change. In recent years, her focus has been on cybersecurity, digital transformation, and user experience. But don’t tune out just yet if you’re not in those fields—what Jennifer shares is relevant to anyone looking to thrive in today’s fast-changing world. This episode (and the last one) is all about how to guide yourself through personal transformation and step into your next opportunity. A leader can’t successfully drive organizational change without first mastering their own personal transformation. So, we’ll dive into why understanding the natural process of personal change can help you fast-track your transformation, how to manage self-doubt, avoid sabotaging your own progress, and how to make career moves that truly work in your favor—instead of simply running away from one undesirable situation to the next. Episode Breakdown: 2:52—Taming Your Inner Saboteur: How to Outsmart Self-Doubt Like a Ninja “When you start to feel yourself self sabotage, that’s not you. That’s the saboteur neural networks in your mind firing up.” 7:03—Carrie Bradshaw Says, “We All Judge”—But Are We Our Own Worst Critics? “You can weaken that judge in so many different ways. One is to gently make a little fun like you would with a little kid. Ah, I see you. I caught you. I found you. Hide and seek.” 20:08—Freeze, Change, Unfreeze: A Throwback to Kurt Lewin’s Classic 3-Step Change Model 27:26—Career Jumps or Career Jumbles? How to Leap Toward Success Instead of Another Bad Boss 39:53—Office Politics Unplugged: Is It a Leadership Problem or Just People Being… People? “Politics can exist for extremely unhealthy reasons in all seriousness, because you have a leader at the top, Who literally has a personality disorder. Another situation that is much more common is that politics exists because people have different needs.” Connect with us: Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Jennifer Selby Long Chief Change Officer: Make Change Ambitiously. A Globally Modernist Community for Growth Progressives Highest Rankings On Apple Podcasts Charts in Careers #1: US, CAN, MEX, IRE, HUNG, AUST and SWTZ #2-5: GRBR, FRAN, SWDN, GER #2-5: TUR, IND, JPN, SING 1.1 Million+ Downloads 50+ Countries

Part One. Jennifer Selby Long, who has spent the last 30 years helping tech leaders navigate the waves of tech evolution, leading and managing organizational change. In recent years, her focus has been on cybersecurity, digital transformation, and user experience. But don’t tune out just yet if you’re not in those fields—what Jennifer shares is relevant to anyone looking to thrive in today’s fast-changing world. This episode (and the next) is all about how to guide yourself through personal transformation and step into your next opportunity. A leader can’t successfully drive organizational change without first mastering their own personal transformation. So, we’ll dive into why understanding the natural process of personal change can help you fast-track your transformation, how to manage self-doubt, avoid sabotaging your own progress, and how to make career moves that truly work in your favor—instead of simply running away from one undesirable situation to the next. Episode Breakdown: 2:54—When Opportunity Knocked, I Answered! The Accidental Rise of a Coaching Guru for Cybersecurity, Digital Transformation, and UX 11:27—Even Coaches Need a Coach: How Being Coached Turned Jennifer into a Top-Tier Guide 15:53—Change Is Inevitable, So Own It! The Secret Sauce to Becoming a Superstar "You go through a period of transition, as if you're on a ship and you look back, suddenly you can no longer see the shore. But you're looking out ahead and all you can see is water. When my clients get impatient, their teams get a little uncomfortable with that impatience." 23:19—Battling the Inner Critic: Conquering Self-Doubt and Sabotage Like a Pro "When you start to feel yourself self sabotage, that's not you. That's the saboteur neural networks in your mind firing up." Connect with us: Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Jennifer Selby Long Chief Change Officer: Make Change Ambitiously. A Globally Modernist Community for Growth Progressives Highest Rankings On Apple Podcasts Charts in Careers #1: US, CAN, MEX, IRE, HUNG, AUST and SWTZ #2-5: GRBR, FRAN, SWDN, GER #2-5: TUR, IND, JPN, SING 1.1 Million+ Downloads 50+ Countries

Would you return to office 5 days a week? Author of The Long Distance Leader, Wayne Turmel and I dive into a crucial topic: long-distance leadership in an era where communication technology is rapidly evolving for both workers and leaders. Yes, you read that right—long-distance leadership, not long-distance relationships. Just like with any relationship, maintaining, nurturing, and fixing long-distance leadership is far from straightforward. This conversation couldn’t be more timely. When we recorded this episode, Amazon’s CEO had just announced their RTO (Return to Office) policy for 2025, and so far, the media narrative surrounding it hasn’t been exactly positive. How can Wayne and his team provide solutions as remote and hybrid work models continue to change shape? Episode Breakdown: 2:30—From performing on stage to helping leaders perform at work 4:54—Long-Distance Leadership: More Than Just a Long-Distance Relationship 8:06—From Pagers to Zoom: How Tech’s Evolution Transformed the Way We Lead and Manage Teams 13:51—New Challenges, New Solutions: What’s Different in the 2024 Edition Since the 2018 Release? (Book Link) 25:16—Amazon’s 2025 RTO Shuffle: How to Make the Office Comeback a Win for All Connect with us: Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Wayne Turmel Chief Change Officer: Make Change Ambitiously. A Globally Modernist Community for Growth Progressives Highest Rankings On Apple Podcasts Charts in Careers #1: US, CAN, MEX, IRE, HUNG, AUST and SWTZ #2-5: GRBR, FRAN, SWDN, GER #2-5: TUR, IND, JPN, SING 1.1 Million+ Downloads 50+ Countries

Part Two I’m joined by none other than Erika Ayers Badan, the current CEO of Food52—a leading innovator in the food, cooking, and home space. Before her time at Food52, Erika was the first-ever CEO of Barstool Sports, and her career spans across media, marketing, and tech, with roles at companies like Fidelity, Microsoft, AOL, and Yahoo. On my show, I bring on guests who are willing to share real, lived stories. And Erika has no shortage of those. In fact, she’s gathered so many lessons along the way that she decided to write her first book, titled No One Cares About Your Career. When I saw that title, I knew I had to develop a two-part series featuring Erika. In the last episode, we dove into the book—why she wrote it, why now, and why this title. Plus, we’ll unpack some key nuggets of wisdom, including five simple things anyone can do to succeed at work. In this episode, Erika will open up about her life and career experiences—her upbringing, her parents, her leadership approach, and even her thoughts on toxic work cultures. And here’s something you won’t hear in other interviews: What career advice would Erika give her own two middle and high school-aged kids, especially in today’s rapidly changing world? Episode Breakdown: 2:42—Blame It on the Parents? How Childhood Shaped a Love for Teaching and a Struggle with Authority “I really love to teach. I think my parents, who were in education, gave me that. I also have a fairly strange relationship with authority. I think that also comes from my childhood.” 7:57—Do Titles Really Matter? Confessions of a CEO Who Once Cared A Lot “I don’t really care about titles. It’s a little bit hypocritical because the CEO is a great title. I did care a lot about titles in the hustle years where I was really trying to advance. You should always endeavour to take on more than you had six months ago. Are you doing the same exact thing you did six months ago, without learning, or growing, or tripping on yourself, or taking on something you didn’t know exactly how to do?” 11:51—Why Failure Is a Good Thing: Tripping Over Yourself Is Part of the Plan 14:47—What’s Your Leadership Style? Finding the Balance Between Boss and Buddy 17:07—Toxic Workplace or Just a Bad Day? Getting Real About Fixing Office Culture “I think that people throw the term toxic workplace around a lot. I’m not sure what it means anymore. I would try to spend as much time as I can to get specifics – what’s going on?” 20:55—Career Advice for My Teenage Kids: Balancing Business and Life Lessons 25:16—What’s Next After ‘No One Cares’? Teasing the Next Passion Project Connect with us: Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Erika Ayers Badan Chief Change Officer: Make Change Ambitiously. A Globally Modernist Community for Growth Progressives Highest Rankings On Apple Podcasts Charts in Careers #1: US, CAN, MEX, IRE, HUNG, AUST and SWTZ #2-5: GRBR, FRAN, SWDN, GER #2-5: TUR, IND, JPN, SING 1 Million+ Downloads 50+ Countries

Part One I’m joined by none other than Erika Ayers Badan, the current CEO of Food52—a leading innovator in the food, cooking, and home space. Before her time at Food52, Erika was the first-ever CEO of Barstool Sports, and her career spans across media, marketing, and tech, with roles at companies like Fidelity, Microsoft, AOL, and Yahoo. But let me be clear—this isn’t about interviewing someone with big titles. On my show, I bring on guests who are willing to share real, lived stories. And Erika has no shortage of those. In fact, she’s gathered so many lessons along the way that she decided to write her first book, titled No One Cares About Your Career. When I saw that title, I knew I had to develop a two-part series featuring Erika. In this episode, we’ll dive into the book—why she wrote it, why now, and why this title. Plus, we’ll unpack some key nuggets of wisdom, including five simple things anyone can do to succeed at work. In the next episode, Erika will open up about her life and career experiences—her upbringing, her parents, her leadership approach, and even her thoughts on toxic work cultures. And here’s something you won’t hear in other interviews: What career advice would Erika give her own two middle and high school-aged kids, especially in today’s rapidly changing world? Episode Breakdown: 0:38—A special 2-part series on Erika’s book, career, life, and more 4:40—Revisiting the Roots: A Walk Down Memory Lane to Discover the Past’s Impact on the Present 8:25—The Brutal Truth Behind ‘No One Cares About Your Career’—How Did Erika Land on That Mic-Drop of a Title? "Nobody's coming to help you. It's up to you to save yourself, grow yourself, push yourself, teach yourself." 12:04—What Sparked the Inspiration Behind Writing the Book? 18:17—What Makes This Book a Game Changer in a Sea of Career Guides? 21:36—Who Is This Book Really For? Unpacking the Audience Behind the Pages "Just because you went to Princeton doesn't mean you have to go work in finance. A lot of times people get caught up in what everyone else thinks they should do. That's the lore. What everyone else thinks they should be and the reality is that nobody's really thinking about you that much. You should do what makes you happy and tell everyone else to jump off a cliff." 25:45—30 Years, 5 Simple Lessons: How to Succeed at Work Without the Overwhelm Connect with us: Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Erika Ayers Badan Chief Change Officer: Make Change Ambitiously. A Globally Modernist Community for Growth Progressives Highest Rankings On Apple Podcasts Charts in Careers #1: US, CAN, MEX, IRE, HUNG, AUST and SWTZ #2-5: GRBR, FRAN, SWDN, GER #2-5: TUR, IND, JPN, SING 1 Million+ Downloads 50+ Countries

Gallup’s “State of the Global Workplace” estimates that low employee engagement costs the global economy a staggering $8.9 trillion. That’s 9% of global GDP—basically, the price of fixing our collective mood. So, how do we boost engagement? Greg Morley says it’s all about fostering a sense of belonging and inclusion. Greg, one of our early guests in Season One (Episode Ten), has been a long-standing leader in HR and DEI at powerhouses like Moet Hennessy, Disney, and Hasbro. Now, with his debut book “Bond: Belonging and the Keys to Inclusion and Connection,” he shares his battle-tested insights on building engaged, thriving teams and cultures in multicultural organizations. Episode Breakdown: 2:25—From Season One to Season Three: Is Greg Aging Like Fine Wine or Just Getting More Engaging? 5:35—Belonging in the Workplace: Why It’s Easier to Find a Unicorn Than Foster Connection These Days "Individuals are more and more isolated because of social media. Social media has this double edged way of impacting people; it makes us much more connected, but much less connected." "Many people don't have safe places outside of work, and it's a responsibility of employers to create a place that's a safe place to work." 13:02—The Domino Effect of Disconnection: How Losing Belonging Hurts Everyone (Even Your Coffee Breaks) 19:07—Greg’s Take on DEI: Leading Like a Maestro in the Symphony of Work "It's a matter of appreciating the differences in the workforce. Trying to get the best out of the people so that they feel included." 23:00—Ideas Are Cool, But Leadership Involvement Is Where the Magic Happens 32:50—DEI in the Age of “Woke”: Navigating the Cultural Rollercoaster 36:41—East vs. West in DEI: Same Symphony, Different Instruments "What I found in Asia is, it is a more collective environment with a collective culture. We really do need to start with the stories of people in the organization rather than starting with the KPI that we want to achieve." "If it's Hong Kong culture, or it's Japanese culture, then build out from that versus saying, we're gonna have 50 percent target on gender. And then we cascade that to the whole organization, which is more of a Western way of approaching something." Connect with us: Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Greg Morley Chief Change Officer: Make Change Ambitiously. A Globally Modernist Community for Growth Progressives Highest Rankings On Apple Podcasts Charts in Careers #1: US, CAN, MEX, IRE, HUNG, AUST and SWTZ #2-5: GRBR, FRAN, SWDN, GER #2-5: TUR, IND, JPN, SING 1 Million+ Downloads 50+ Countries

Every day, it seems like you can’t escape news of layoffs, corporate downsizing, or restructuring. Today’s guest, Benedikt Oehmen, has been directly impacted by it. Benedikt spent 17 years with Blizzard, a market leader in creating epic gaming experiences. In today’s workplace, loyalty to employers—or even employers’ loyalty to employees—feels like a relic of the past. So, how was that experience for him? For the most part, it was positive and enjoyable. But then, things shifted. Hearts were broken. Hopes were shattered. Now, Benedikt is turning that experience into something powerful. He’s built a full-time practice to help others navigate similar challenges of layoffs and downsizing, offering a shift in mindset and sharing the principles from his book, where he lays out his “Big Three” strategies for stepping out of the shadows and moving on—better, faster, and stronger. Episode Breakdown: 2:53—From Physicist to Gamer at Blizzard 5:13—From 17 Years of Loyalty to Facing Layoffs: When Blizzard Prioritized Profit Over People “I started with Blizzard in 2005, and by 2018, after 13 years, the focus had shifted from creating epic experiences for gamers to just making more money.” 13:51—Breaking Free from the Corporate Overlord: Coaching Passionate Geeks on Their Own Terms “Bound to a corporate overlord who tells me what to do and where my priorities are. And all my efforts basically go towards making rich people even richer in a sense." 19:38—From Panic to Possibility: How to Flip Career Transitions into Exciting New Opportunities 24:21—Learning in Disguise: How the “Big Three” Turns Mistakes into Milestones “Being kind to me is all about self-acceptance, embracing the good things in our life and not looking at what we think we are missing.” 29.38—From Five Minutes a Day to a Finished Book: How Tiny Steps Lead to Big Wins 35:47—From Kindness to Saving the World: An Elevator Pitch for a Life-Changing Book (tiny.cc/Big-Three-Goodies) -- "the Art of Meaningful Change" is freely available for download “It’s like a tabletop that we built ourselves with different aspects, and we choose how we want to play our game of life on top of that tabletop.” 39:37—Self-Compassion Isn’t Selfish: Why You Need to Put On Your Oxygen Mask First “It is in a sense egotistical, but egotistical in service of helping others.” 43:54—Nuggets of Wisdom for Navigating Layoffs: From Setback to Bounce Back “Be aware of that mindset. If you’re in the mindset of ‘this is the end of the world,’ then that’s where your reactions and thoughts will lead you.” Connect with us: Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Benedikt Oehmen Chief Change Officer: Make Change Ambitiously. A Globally Modernist Community for Growth Progressives Highest Rankings On Apple Podcasts Charts in Careers #1: US, CAN, MEX, IRE, HUNG, AUST and SWTZ #2-5: GRBR, FRAN, SWDN, GER #2-5: TUR, IND, JPN, SING 1 Million+ Downloads 50+ Countries

Our youngest guest is in the house today! I started this show in Hong Kong, and I run this show in Hong Kong. I’m originally from Hong Kong, talking to guests from every corner of the world. Yet, so far, I haven’t interviewed any guest from right here in Hong Kong. Today, that changes. I’m excited to bring a local guest to the studio—May Yeung, founder of the charity Art of My Family, a teaching artist, a cancer survivor, a mother to a 11-month-old cute boy. May has experienced many life changes over the years, and she’s determined to use the power of art, in her own way, to change lives and create an environmentally sustainable, mentally healthy, and socially inclusive society here in Hong Kong. Hong Kong is not just about business, finance, and money. May has chosen a different path to do well and do good. And as a side note: we’ve got our youngest guest ever—May’s 11-month-old son—joining us on the show, so don’t go away! Episode Breakdown: 3:17—From Wall Scribbles to Ceramics: A Childhood Steeped in Art “From the time I was around two years old, I would draw on walls before I could even write my name. By five, my father and I were creating ceramics together. At age 12, my fascination with dadaism and pop art gave me the conviction to become an artist.” "I met Professor Jeff Oppenheimer who gave a lecture on integrating art into daily life, and daily life into art, and the contents of this lecture really helped to form the framework and direction of my art to this day." 6:00—Where Art Meets Music: How Music Has Influenced Her Art Creation 8:41—From Crunching Numbers to Crafting Impact: How Finance Led May to Art and Social Change 11:20—Faith Over Fear: How Battling Cancer Transformed a Perfectionist into a Celebrator of Life’s Small Wins "I think the cancer experience really let me feel a greater sense of conviction to serve the underprivileged" 16:25—Art for Archer: How Motherhood and Heritage Shape Her Creations 18:09—Dim Sum and Chinese Checkers: Weaving Hong Kong’s Culture into Every Piece of Art 21:34—Memorable Art Pieces “What If” and “Blossom Love”: Sculpting Bridges Between Cultures and Endless Possibilities 23:19—From Corporate CSR to Creative Compassion: The Birth of Art of My Family 30:00—May’s Life Mission to Inspire the Next Generation: The Three C’s of Art Education and the Role of a Teaching Artist Connect with us: Host: Vince Chan | Guest: May Yeung Chief Change Officer: Make Change Ambitiously. A Globally Modernist Community for Growth Progressives Highest Rankings On Apple Podcasts Charts in Careers #1: US, CAN, MEX, IRE, HUNG, AUST and SWTZ #2-5: GRBR, FRAN, SWDN, GER #2-5: TUR, IND, JPN, SING 1 Million+ Downloads 50+ Countries

Christopher Quek wants to be his own man. In this episode and the last, I talk to Chris, a third-generation member of a well-established family business in Singapore. Against his father’s expectations, he left the family business and his home country to pursue entrepreneurship in Malaysia, where he became an e-commerce entrepreneur. Upon returning to Singapore, he sold his inheritance to raise the setup capital for his venture capital firm TRIVE. We explore his journey of transformation in two parts. Last episode focuses on his pursuit of his own identity—his desires, his actions, the why and the how. In this episode, we’ll dive into his current work as a VC investor, building up the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Singapore and Southeast Asia. We’ll discuss the legacy he hopes to create for his country and the region; and we’ll explore his expectations for his children as a father at age 46. Episode Breakdown: 0:34—Setting the stage and the tone for this and the next episode 2:23—Kicking off with a big question: Is Singapore still relevant after 50 years? Here's an entrepreneurial view "In 2015, when Singapore celebrated its 50th birthday as a nation. Singapore evolved itself out of necessity where it built a whole nation, a workforce of engineers, scientists, bankers, lawyers, doctors, specialists. We started losing a whole generation of entrepreneurs." 7:11—Bridging the Generation Gap: How to Turn ‘Parents’ Old Ways’ into a Future-Proof Family Business "I actually have a network of over 300 family business owners across Southeast Asia. And there's always this common themes that starts first. Number one, how do I talk to my parents? How do I have a good working relationship with my parents and a family relationship back at home? Number two, I don't like the way that my parents are doing things and I need to transform this business. How do I convince my parents that I can transform this business as well?" 11:04—Turning Spare Millions into Family Business Magic: The Synergy Cycle of Tech, Money and Southeast Asian Economy "Everyone gets to have food on the table. What we didn't realize that what this family business did was that it took that technology, have more food, more quantity, and decided to sell it cheaper to a poorer province, where those villagers were now able to obtain more quantity of food for their families." 21:35—Breaking the Patriarchal Mold: How Self-Development Earned Me My Father’s Respect "My father has been an Asian patriarch with an iron fist. He now talks to me about the side businesses that he's doing. He asks me as his advisor and no longer sees the son on whom he used to look down." 25:41—Still Figuring It Out: The Never-Ending Saga of Self-Discovery "I still believe that I'm evolving. I'm still learning more in terms of understanding my identity." 28:27—Fatherhood and Fortune: What’s the Game Plan for Your Next Generation, Chris? "Anybody who wants to help the next generation is to be a mentor of values rather than a mentor of processes." Connect with us: Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Christopher Quek Chief Change Officer: Make Change Ambitiously. A Globally Modernist Community for Growth Progressives Highest Rankings On Apple Podcasts Charts in Careers #1: US, CAN, MEX, IRE, HUNG, AUST and SWTZ #2-5: GRBR, FRAN, SWDN, GER #2-5: TUR, IND, JPN, SING 1 Million+ Downloads 50+ Countries

Christopher Quek wants to be his own man. In this episode and the next, I’ll be talking to Chris, a third-generation member of a well-established family business in Singapore. Against his father’s expectations, he left the family business and his home country to pursue entrepreneurship in Malaysia, where he became an e-commerce entrepreneur. Upon returning to Singapore, he sold his inheritance to raise the setup capital for his venture capital firm TRIVE. We’ll explore his journey of transformation in two parts. This episode focuses on his pursuit of his own identity—his desires, his actions, the why and the how. In the next episode, we’ll dive into his current work as a VC investor, building up the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Singapore and Southeast Asia. We’ll discuss the legacy he hopes to create for his country and the region; and we’ll explore his expectations for his children as a father at age 46. Episode Breakdown: 0:34—Setting the stage and the tone for this and the next episode 3:13—Father’s Furious Expectations: When a Third-Gen Heir Sneaks Out of the Family Business "I couldn't stand all the pollution that the manufacturing plant was producing. And finally, after three days, I sneaked back to Singapore and my father saw me. He got angry. He shouted at me." 7:35—Family Education 101: Learning P&L Over Dinner with Dad, Where Burgers Come with a Side of Calculating Profits "He would take me out to restaurants. And he forced me to start calculating out the revenues. He will start telling me like, what do you think is the expenses behind this? And I had to start learning a profit and loss statement just by that very visible conversation itself." 10:36—Beyond the Textbook: How Mentorship Shaped Chris' Evolution "I'm a product of my mentors in my life. So I'm the number two and number three mentors were also very successful businessmen." 16:30—Owning My Identity: Mr. Quek or Just Mr. Quek’s Son? "There was already a trigger point in my value system that was I going to continue as a the next generation of business owners to continue polluting, just to make money for the sake of money." 20:59—Finding My Way: From Circumstances to Self-Fulfilment "It was more of circumstances and situations and opportunities that just appeared. If you ask me like some certain crossroads in my life, for example, heading off to Malaysia instead of China I felt that was the right thing to do." 23:14—The Adventure of Self-Discovery: Uncovering Hidden Layers of Yourself at Every Stage "Give you a little bit of the element of what at every stage is about really discovering yourself, which is really an exciting journey. You don't realize that you have actually a lot of things about yourself that you haven't discovered. " Connect with us: Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Christopher Quek Chief Change Officer: Make Change Ambitiously. A Globally Modernist Community for Growth Progressives Highest Rankings On Apple Podcasts Charts in Careers #1: US, CAN, MEX, IRE, HUNG, AUST and SWTZ #2-5: GRBR, FRAN, SWDN, GER #2-5: TUR, IND, JPN, SING 1 Million+ Downloads 50+ Countries

A one-of-a-kind, Double Vince episode is here! Vince Chan hosting Vince Jeong from Sparkwise. Vince J takes us on a wild ride—from navigating the immigrant experience at 12, to shaking up the corporate training world with an edtech revolution. From discovering a passion for people development to scaling the unscalable in adult learning. Whether it’s cracking the code on real human connections in a digital age or bringing McKinsey-level training to your fingertips, this episode is packed with hard-won wisdom and sharp insights that will leave you inspired to level up your own journey. Episode Breakdown: 1:53—Immigrant Experience 101: Learning English and Rediscovering Myself at Age 12 3:50—Learning by Doing: The Best Way to Discover What You Really Want. Why Theorizing Only Gets You So Far. “I’ve often found that you can only really discover and learn your true preferences by gaining first-hand experience. Theorizing only gets you so far.” 13:14—Bringing McKinsey’s Gold Standard to Everyone: The Spark Behind Creating an EdTech for Live Group Learning “At McKinsey, people fought to get onto training programs. It was interactive, engaging, and team-based. I thought that’s what corporate training looked like everywhere—until I saw the difference in other organizations.” 17:09—From TV Host to Startup Boss: The Founder-Market Fit of Live Group Learning “Throughout my life, I’ve just been involved in a lot of things that involve live groups. I used to be on TV in Korea, hosting live shows and facilitating conversations.” 18:55—Differentiation Value to Create: Scaling the Unscalable "What we're doing is we're taking that experience that today can only be accessed by really privileged settings and making it much more accessible to many more people through technology." 23:04—Rebuilding Stronger Community: Foster Real Connections Beyond Social Media’s Shallow Bonds “We create an environment where people solve problems together that are realistic but fictitious, which helps them engage deeply without having to be vulnerable from the get-go.” 27:24—Partners in Crime: Those Who Crave Rich Interactions or Scale Quality Learning at a Bargain 30:24—Turning Idle Content into Action: Beating AI with Human-to-Human Engagement for Deeper Learning “There’s a lot of idle content out there today, and simply reading is rarely the best way for people to actually understand those concepts.” Connect with us: Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Vince Jeong Chief Change Officer: Make Change Ambitiously. A Globally Modernist Community for Growth Progressives Highest Rankings On Apple Podcasts Charts in Careers #1: US, CAN, MEX, IRE, HUNG, AUST and SWTZ #2-5: GRBR, FRAN, SWDN, GER #2-5: TUR, IND, JPN, SING 1 Million+ Downloads 50+ Countries

If you were the host of this show, how would you define the following guest? Our first guest from Belgium: Sihame El Kaouakibi. She’s a Moroccan immigrant, a burnout and bankruptcy survivor, a parliamentarian, a champion of diversity and inclusion, the creator of Women Leaders OS, and a women’s leadership coach. She is all of these and more. But beyond these identities, what truly captivates me are the experiences that have shaped these transformations. Some people thrive in politics, others in stability. Sihame thrives in adversity. She describes herself as more than resilient—she’s anti-fragile. I see Sihame as someone who has learned, over time, to turn adversity into an advantage. It’s not an inborn talent; it’s something nurtured and developed. How? Tune in and find out now. Episode Breakdown: 02:15—Burnt Out, Bankrupt, and Back in Business “I went from being burnt out, confused, overwhelmed, and even bankrupt to now being in the best shape of my life—physically, mentally, and professionally.” 5:56—Validation Detox: Kicking the Need for External Approval “Without success, without my work, without external validation and recognition, I felt like nothing. I felt nobody.” 11:42—Politics 101: When Ego Meets Reality “I made an ego-driven decision, and it was a messiah complex, believing I had everything—like potential and talents to drive change.” “I wasn’t aligned with my values and beliefs anymore. So my lesson is if you feel you have to give up on your principles, quit.” 21:59—Thriving vs. Surviving: Why “You’re Not Stuck, You’re Just in the Wrong Pot” Applies to Your Career “The most liberating decision can be to move on and find your tribe, find your environment where you can thrive.” “Sometimes it’s better to accept the rejection than feeling stuck. Rejection can be redirection, and it’s sometimes better to just leave.” 25:41—Operating System for Women Leaders: How to Handle Life’s Curveballs Without Crashing “My mission is to help 1 million women turn life challenges into life changes for the better. These women want to break through in their careers, but they want to do it without the burnouts.” “Women still lack internal beliefs and also support systems. So it starts really with women deciding that they are worthy and willing to change.” 43:46—Success Isn’t Always Instagram-Pretty: The Ugly Side of the Hustle “There’s so much about glamorized success, but there is always another side. People you envy might be in deep pain, even if they are millionaires or have social status.” Connect with Us: Sihame El Kaouakibi and Vince Chan Chief Change Officer: Make Change Ambitiously. A Globally Modernist Community for Growth Progressives Highest Rankings On Apple Podcasts Charts in Careers #1: US, CAN, MEX, IRE, HUNG, AUST and SWTZ #2-5: GRBR, FRAN, SWDN, GER #2-5: TUR, IND, JPN, SING 1 Million+ Downloads 50+ Countries

What happens when sports stars hang up their jerseys and dive into the business world? James Hilovsky believes franchising is the perfect play for athletes’ second acts. A former baseball player, James has 35 years in the franchise game, especially in the restaurant world. Now, he’s a franchise matchmaker, pairing retired NFL and NBA athletes with their ideal franchise ventures. James sees athletes and franchisees as kindred spirits: both thrive on rules, take calculated risks, and turn failures into lessons. In this episode, he shares his playbook for helping athletes and everyday folks make successful business transitions. Plus, he dishes out advice for anyone eyeing the franchise field. Episode Breakdown: 00:32—Introduction: Rundown of today’s episode 02:47—From Baseball Dreams to Business Teams “When I was growing up, I was a baseball player. I was actually in the minor leagues for the Philadelphia Phillies. And unfortunately, my career was very quick—I got hurt and then was done.” 10:02—Playing by the Playbook: Franchising and Sports Parallels “The franchisor is going to give you the playbook. Here’s the playbook. Here’s how to set up the business. Here’s the equipment you need. Athletes are especially good at following the playbook.” 15:53—From Super Bowl Glory to Mental Health Advocacy “I had a former NFL player, a Super Bowl winner, who transitioned from his own wine business to a mental health franchise, aiming to help those with addiction issues and concussions. His goal was to put one in every NFL city.” 22:11—Winning Traits: Risk-Taking, Coachability, and Leadership in Athletes “They are able to take that risk, take that coaching, and then they’re also able to lead their team or their employees into the franchise system.” 27:25—Ego Check: Navigating Passion and Pride in Franchising “Ego is definitely one that has to be held in check. The great thing about a franchisor is they’re looking out just for the business.” 32:36—Failing Forward: Athletes’ Tolerance for Failure in Business “Athletes are used to failure. Not every athlete succeeds at every game. In baseball, if you’re a 300 hitter, that’s outstanding. That means you failed 7 times out of 10.” 37:20—Key Advice for Non-Athletes: The Importance of a Good Franchise Broker “Always look for a franchise broker. Talk with them, see if they’re a fit for you, and check their website and LinkedIn posts to understand the type of person they are.” 43:21—The Joy of Matchmaking: Guiding Clients to Their Perfect Franchise “Knowing that they’re on this new journey and I just feel so good knowing that I’ve helped them in a small bit of finding that right match.” Connect with Us: James Hilovsky and Vince Chan Chief Change Officer: Make Change Ambitiously. A Globally Modernist Community for Growth Progressives Highest Rankings On Apple Podcasts Charts in Careers #1: US, CAN, MEX, IRE, HUNG, AUST and SWTZ #2-5: GRBR, FRAN, SWDN, GER #2-5: TUR, IND, JPN, SING 1 Million+ Downloads 50+ Countries

What happens when higher education is plagued by competition and a lack of collaboration? Ever wondered what would happen if higher education was more like a reality TV show? In this episode, we tackle the “Higher Ed Hunger Games,” where universities are too busy competing to work together. Dr. Bridget Burns, the CEO of the University Innovation Alliance (UIA) and the host of The Innovating Together Podcast, takes us from her small-town roots in rural America to the front lines of educational reform. She’s on a mission to turn these academic rivals into allies. Bridget’s goal? To boost graduation and employment rates for low-income students by transforming higher education into a more cooperative and innovative field. Forget the drama, we’re talking real change here—no politics is needed, just good old-fashioned teamwork that is centered on humanity. Episode Breakdown: 00:35—Introduction: Rundown of today's episode 03:20—Overcoming Adversity: Bridget's Journey from Isolation to Empowerment “I grew up in a cul de sac of racism, homophobia, misogyny—very rural America—and getting out was super important.” 06:33—Problem in Universities: Unveiling the Diffusion of Innovation Problem “We don’t know if what we’re doing is any good, or how to scale it.” 10:59—Higher Ed Hunger Games: Tackling the Cutthroat Competition "Higher education is highly competitive, hierarchical, set up to pit you against others, which leaves very little space to share about shared problems." 16:03—Real Change or Just for Show? Scouting for True Innovators in Academia "We need to figure out who else is a worker bee, who's interested in doing the really hard stuff and not just drawn to the image." 18:48—Who Actually Likes Change? Spoiler: No One “Everyone who says they like change is a liar. You only like change that is your idea and that you actively participate in creating.” 30:07—Mending Hearts in the Office: When Leaders Turn into Heartbreakers "There are a lot of people walking around with broken hearts because they’ve had a leader who’s betrayed them." 33:39—The AI Rat Race: Why Can’t We All Just Get Along? "This natural tendency to compete with each other. There’s like an arms race and that’s what’s happening with AI.” 38:41—From Cap and Gown to Capable and Grown: Reinventing the Grad-to-Gig Highway "There should be coaches for faculty to embed career readiness into every single classroom, starting from the first class a student takes." Connect with Us: Dr. Bridget Burns and Vince Chan Chief Change Officer: Make Change Ambitiously. A Globally Modernist Community for Growth Progressives Highest Rankings On Apple Podcasts Charts in Careers #1: US, CAN, MEX, IRE, HUNG, AUST and SWTZ #2-5: GRBR, FRAN, SWDN, GER #2-5: TUR, IND, JPN, SING 1 Million+ Downloads 50+ Countries

What words would you use to describe a recruiter? Holly asked this question to a focus group before she started Facet. She said, “bloodsucker, selfish, high commission. You name it. They were just not good. Someone even compared recruiters to canned goods in a pantry. They said recruiters will reach into the back, grab an old can of beans, dust it off, present it to the client, and if the client doesn’t want it, they put it back and you never hear from them again.” In this episode, Holly shares how her prior experience as a recruiter helped her transform the headhunting business from a transaction mindset to a people-first platform—bringing back humanity to one of the most human-centric businesses. Episode Breakdown: 01:25—Full Circle: Holly’s return to recruiting and her plans to do it differently this time. 05:40—Recruitment Woes: Putting a price tag on tears? The absurdity of valuing deeply personal moments in headhunting. 07:33—Focus Group Fiasco: Holly’s hilarious and grim findings from focus groups, where recruiters were compared to bloodsuckers and old cans of beans in a dusty pantry. 09:27—Life-Changing Calls: Recruiters can flip your world like a pinball game! One call can turn a dull job into a dream career. Holly shares how making interviews fun can change lives. 11:33—Sharp Eyes for Talent: Recruiter’s superpower in spotting potential. Holly’s story of convincing a woman in her 60s she’s perfect for a role, proving age is just a number. 14:32—AI’s Blind Spot: AI can’t spot empathy and creativity in cross-industry talents. Holly explains how AI would have missed her entirely—she’s not even in the data pool! 20:16—Million-Dollar Career Advice: Holly’s top tips for job seekers—be authentic, build real connections, and network like it’s your job. Reciprocity is core to every relationship. 30:36—Bonus: Podcast Therapy. Holly shares why being interviewed here is a therapeutic experience. Connect with Us: Holly Bond and Vince Chan Chief Change Officer: Make Change Ambitiously. A Globally Modernist Community for Growth Progressives Highest Rankings On Apple Podcasts Charts in Careers #1: US, CAN, MEX, IRE, HUNG, AUST and SWTZ #2-5: GRBR, FRAN, SWDN, GER #2-5: TUR, IND, JPN, SING 1 Million+ Downloads 50+ Countries

Would you keep pushing for a university degree if it took you four times as long to finish? Holly did. It took her 17 years to achieve her university degree because it was her dream. Her life motto: Always finish what you start. It’s never too late to reach the finish line. Join us as we delve into the extraordinary story of Holly Bond, a remarkable Canadian entrepreneur and president of a headhunting firm. From motherhood to building a successful franchise and eventually transitioning into the headhunting business, Holly’s journey is truly inspirational. Episode Breakdown: 00:33—Holly Unplugged: Dive into the life of a Halifax local juggling degrees, diapers, and dumbbells. 12:56—Tick-Tock Motivation: Holly shares the poignant reason she pushes so hard: “My mother died at the same age I am now. I have so many things I want to do. I’m afraid of one day dying or reaching 85 and regretting not trying today.” 16:50—Franchise Fever: From a concerned mom to an international franchise sensation overnight. It all started when Holly’s son was 13 and overweight. After a TV interview, she received 103 emails from around the world inquiring about franchising. 25:40—The Humble Entrepreneur: “Don’t let your ego get inflated and always listen to genuine advice from people who care about you.” Holly reflects on how she nearly lost everything—both personally and professionally—without this mindset. Connect with Us: Holly Bond and Vince Chan Chief Change Officer: Make Change Ambitiously. A Globally Modernist Community for Growth Progressives Highest Rankings On Apple Podcasts Charts in Careers #1: US, CAN, MEX, IRE, HUNG, AUST and SWTZ #2-5: GRBR, FRAN, SWDN, GER #2-5: TUR, IND, JPN, SING 1 Million+ Downloads 50+ Countries

Is financial independence a realistic goal or just a marketing myth? Join us as Gagan Sandhu, a mechanical engineer turned fintech founder, challenges conventional wisdom alongside host Vince Chan in a spirited Chicago Booth-style debate. Gagan Sandhu emigrated from India to the States 20 years ago. Just two years ago, he launched a fintech company called Xillion aimed at empowering millennials and Gen Zers to achieve financial independence—a concept he and Vince will vigorously explore and debate. Expect to hear Gagan’s unique insights on navigating career paths, prepared meticulously despite his busy schedule. His dedication to understanding the show’s scope, seeking examples, and sharing his experiences in advance promises an enriching dialogue. Stay tuned for the next 45 minutes—you’re in for some serious learning. Episode Breakdown: 02:29—Meet Gagan Sandhu: Indian Immigrant Who Believes in the Power of Determined Change 08:00—Thirst for Knowledge: The Secret Sauce Behind Career Makeovers 14:59—Financial Independence: What is Gagan's definition? 25:54—Devil’s Advocate: Vince Probes Human Psychology and the Reality of Financial Independence 28:16—Debate Club: Gagan Makes His Case for the Liberating Power of Financial Planning 32:57—Who’s on Gagan’s Help List? Unpacking His Mission 37:45—FinFluencer Frenzy: Gagan Weighs In on the Social Media Buzz 41:05—Career Curveballs: Gagan’s Guide to Navigating Layoffs and Skill Shifts 45:40—Merit Over Age: Gagan’s Hiring Philosophy at Xillion Connect with Us: Gagan Sandhu and Vince Chan Chief Change Officer: Make Change Ambitiously. A Globally Modernist Community for Growth Progressives Highest Rankings On Apple Podcasts Charts in Careers #1: US, CAN, MEX, IRE, HUNG, AUST and SWTZ #2-5: GRBR, FRAN, SWDN, GER #2-5: TUR, IND, JPN, SING 1 Million+ Downloads 50+ Countries