

BRAVE Southeast Asia Tech: Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand & Malaysia Startups, Founders & Venture Capital VC (English)
Jeremy Au
Learn from Southeast Asia's best tech leaders. Build the future, learn from our past & stay human in between. No B.S on success. Southeast Asia's #1 startup & venture capital podcast with 80,000+ listeners.
Hosted by Jeremy Au. VC & serial founder. Harvard MBA & UC Berkeley. Sci-fi nerd & dad of two daughters. Growth and personal growth solves all problems. The best feeling is coaching good humans to be great leaders.
Published on Monday & Thursday. Weekly tech news debates, changemaker interviews & listener Q&As.
Community of listeners and guests across Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia & the Philippines. Global top 10% podcast.
"Learned a lot from the journeys. Must-listen for anyone seeking advice to be a leader" @lindatangxy
"Refreshing to hear from distinguished founders what they learned, both the good & bad" @seanojw
"Incredibly useful in kickstarting my thought process around customers as an entrepreneur" @klowetan
"After tuning into a couple of episodes, this is now my weekly routine. Keep it up!!" @joshrodes8
Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.comWhatsApp Weekday Insight: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakR55X6BIElUEvkN02eSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4TnqkaWpTT181lMA8xNu0TYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@JeremyAuApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/brave-southeast-asia-tech-singapore-indonesia-vietnam/id1506890464Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyauInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauzTwitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyauLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea
Hosted by Jeremy Au. VC & serial founder. Harvard MBA & UC Berkeley. Sci-fi nerd & dad of two daughters. Growth and personal growth solves all problems. The best feeling is coaching good humans to be great leaders.
Published on Monday & Thursday. Weekly tech news debates, changemaker interviews & listener Q&As.
Community of listeners and guests across Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia & the Philippines. Global top 10% podcast.
"Learned a lot from the journeys. Must-listen for anyone seeking advice to be a leader" @lindatangxy
"Refreshing to hear from distinguished founders what they learned, both the good & bad" @seanojw
"Incredibly useful in kickstarting my thought process around customers as an entrepreneur" @klowetan
"After tuning into a couple of episodes, this is now my weekly routine. Keep it up!!" @joshrodes8
Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.comWhatsApp Weekday Insight: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakR55X6BIElUEvkN02eSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4TnqkaWpTT181lMA8xNu0TYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@JeremyAuApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/brave-southeast-asia-tech-singapore-indonesia-vietnam/id1506890464Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyauInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauzTwitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyauLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea
Episodes
Mentioned books

Sep 5, 2023 • 35min
Leanne Robers: She Loves Tech, Founder-VC Gender Feedback Dynamics & Entrepreneur Psychology - E312
Leanne Robers, Cofounder of She Loves Tech, and Jeremy Au talked about three major highlights:
1. Foundational Journey: Leanne shares her personal journey from working at Siemens, to building multiple ventures like The Hedge Club and Comish, and how those cumulative experiences helped build She Loves Tech, first as a passion project, and eventually becoming the world's largest startup competition and acceleration program for women in tech. she aims to address the unique challenges that women tech founders face by providing them with tools, resources, and exposure to influential figures like Arianna Huffington, Reid Hoffman, and Tim Draper.
2. Gender Dynamics & Supportive VC Relationship: They talk about the nuances of gender dynamics in the startup ecosystem, highlighting the challenges female founders often face when seeking and internalizing feedback from VCs. Leanne advises female founders to proactively seek feedback, not taking it personally, and using it positively. She also underscores the responsibility of male VCs to be empathetic and thoughtful in their approach, ensuring their feedback is both constructive and empowering.
3. Integrating Psychology into Entrepreneurship: Drawing from her profound respect for psychology and the role models in her life, especially her father, Leanne explains how understanding psychological concepts can be a game-changer in entrepreneurship. She says that understanding human behavior, motivation, and cognition has equipped her with unique insights into the challenges and opportunities women face in tech entrepreneurship. Integrating these principles has helped her tailor She Loves Tech's initiatives, ensuring they resonate on a deeper level with female founders, and providing them not just with business insights, but also with personal growth tools and strategies.
They also touched on the significance of mental well-being for founders, the importance of building relationships in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, the courage to leave a stable job to pursue a passion project, and the role of communities in fostering innovation and growth.
Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/leanne-robers
Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com
WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakR55X6BIElUEvkN02e
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4TnqkaWpTT181lMA8xNu0T
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JeremyAu
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/brave-southeast-asia-tech-singapore-indonesia-vietnam/id1506890464
Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZC5jby9icmF2ZWR5bmFtaWNz
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea
Learn more about Ringkas here: https://www.ringkas.co.id

Sep 3, 2023 • 30min
Down Rounds & Recapitalizations, Startup Failure Patterns and Founder Persevere vs. Pivot vs. Shutdown - E311
Shiyan Koh, Managing Partner of Hustle Fund and Jeremy Au discuss three main topics:
1. Down Rounds, Recaps, & the Psychological Implications: Jeremy and Shiyan talk about the complex dynamics startups face when fundraising expectations aren't met. Shiyan shares that startups consider accepting down rounds, which might come as an ego blow, or considering recap, rewriting the cap table to accommodate new investors and ensure the incentive for existing stakeholders. Jeremy explains that it’s pivotal for management teams to exhibit their adaptability and lessons learned, both at a company and personal level, while making actionable changes, such as cost-cutting or strategic shifts, that validate their readiness for the next phase.
2. Failure Patterns in Southeast Asia: They explore common failure patterns that often result in down rounds and recapitalizations, such as market saturation, lack of product differentiation, and rapid, uncontrolled expansion. Shiyan notes that many startups in Southeast Asia share these failure patterns due to a mix of hyper-competition, immature ecosystems, and differences in consumer behavior across countries in the region. Jeremy adds that external economic factors and regulatory changes, especially in diverse markets like Southeast Asia, can also lead to such scenarios. They advise founders to keep a close watch on market trends and be agile in their strategies.
3. The Role of the Founder and Investors on the Board: They stress the pivotal roles that both founders and investors play during challenging times and highlight the necessity for founders to maintain open lines of communication with their investors, sharing both good and bad news. Investors should also offer guidance and support. They share that effective boards can facilitate difficult but necessary conversations about layoffs and pivoting and that the founder's role also shifts from being a visionary to being a crisis manager, which is crucial for the survival of the startup.
They also discuss the significance of customer segmentation for maximum business impact, mental resilience, and emotional intelligence for founders during tumultuous times, strategies to generate revenue such as lending and SaaS models, and the importance of concentrating on a single product or offering before expanding.
Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/downturns-and-recaps
Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com
WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakR55X6BIElUEvkN02e
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4TnqkaWpTT181lMA8xNu0T
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JeremyAu
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/brave-southeast-asia-tech-singapore-indonesia-vietnam/id1506890464
Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZC5jby9icmF2ZWR5bmFtaWNz
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea
Learn more about Ringkas here: https://www.ringkas.co.id

Aug 31, 2023 • 12min
Q&A: Junior VC Performance & Investment Metrics - E310
“Don’t worry too much about your individual metrics per se. If I look at you today as a junior associate versus what I expect a general partner to look like, I want to see charisma. I want to see that you are someone that founders respect and able to support, and that you are somebody who understands their mistakes and you’re able to learn from them. Coaching mindset is much more important. If you have that mindset, then you know it becomes a marathon rather than a sprint about how you can improve yourself as a VC, not just at that one fund, but across multiple funds, andmultiple roles. You can be a junior VC who becomes an operator, who does an MBA, and then, it goes back to being a VC. There are different paths to get there, and so don't limit yourself to that static snapshot of the metrics of the month.” - Jeremy Au
Jeremy Au and Adriel Yong talk about performance metrics and expectations for junior VCs and investors. Throughout the conversation, three primary themes emerge:
1. Understanding Performance at the Fund Level: Jeremy breaks down performance at the fund level, discussing five essential tasks that a fund should excel in: raising capital, sourcing companies, making judgment calls on investments, aiding companies in their growth, and deciding on the right time to exit an investment. The focus is not only on the outcome metrics but also on the process and understanding of the entire lifecycle of an investment.
2. Coaching vs. Measurement Perspective: For junior VCs, it's not merely about meeting certain benchmarks. The more important aspect is their growth trajectory. Jeremy emphasizes the difference between the measurement perspective, which is about hitting certain KPIs, and the coaching perspective, which is about personal and professional growth. The goal should be to grow in capabilities across all dimensions of venture capital, ensuring that the individual is well-prepared for more senior roles in the future.
3. Time Lags and Learning in VC: Jeremy explains that Venture Capital involves long time horizons, and outcomes of investments can take years to manifest. This poses a challenge for both junior VCs trying to learn and for their mentors attempting to teach. A decision that seems right today might not bear fruit for several years, and the lessons to be learned from that decision might take even longer to become apparent. Jeremy points out that while some aspects of VC, like raising capital and sourcing companies, can be measured relatively quickly, others such as judging the potential of a company, helping it grow, and deciding when to exit, are subject to these time lags.
Jeremy and Adriel also touch upon the role of cognitive biases in decision-making, the unpredictable nature of the venture capital landscape, and the importance of continuous learning and adaptability in this fast-paced environment.
Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/junior-vc-performance
Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com
WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakR55X6BIElUEvkN02e
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4TnqkaWpTT181lMA8xNu0T
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JeremyAu
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/brave-southeast-asia-tech-singapore-indonesia-vietnam/id1506890464
Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZC5jby9icmF2ZWR5bmFtaWNz
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea
Learn more about Ringkas here: https://www.ringkas.co.id

Aug 29, 2023 • 41min
Daan van Rossum: Navigating Career Shifts, Vietnam Work Culture Landscape & Entrepreneurial Persistence and Trade-Offs - E309
Daan Van Rossum, Founder and CEO of FlexOS, and Jeremy Au discuss and reflect on three major themes:
1. Career Navigation to Entrepreneurship: Daan's journey began with founding Cyberfood, a food delivery startup all the way back in 2000 using fax machines. He went on to become a marketer at Media Highway for 7 years, worked with Ogilvy for 9 years, and moved from Chicago to Singapore to Vietnam. He then founded Bright and later spearheaded the growth of Dreamplex, Vietnam’s top coworking space, and FlexOS, an HR service platform that provides tools, guides, and community events to remote teams. He shares the decision-making process behind each career move and underscores the value of prioritizing goals, understanding risks, and embracing change as an integral part of the entrepreneurial journey.
2. Southeast Asian Work Landscape: Daan shares his insights on the productivity and cultural aspects of Southeast Asian work environments. He explains the stark contrast between working models, such as Singapore's mostly hybrid approach, and Vietnam's strong return to full-time office work due to factors like evolving job markets and trust dynamics. Daan acknowledges the gradual convergence of work trends globally, yet points out that certain regions are not yet ready for hybrid or remote models due to their recent transition from manufacturing to knowledge-based industries and the need for foundational structures like trust and KPIs.
3. Personal Trade-offs and Growth: Daan’s personal experience of facing challenges and making trade-offs to prioritize family time stresses the importance of aligning personal and professional values. He talks about the toll his work was taking on his well-being, took time to delve into underlying issues, and made transformative changes for a more fulfilling life.
They also delve into the challenges and opportunities in remote work, the evolving landscape of co-working and office spaces, and the impact of market differences on these models.
Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/daan-van-rossum
Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com
WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakR55X6BIElUEvkN02e
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4TnqkaWpTT181lMA8xNu0T
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JeremyAu
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/brave-southeast-asia-tech-singapore-indonesia-vietnam/id1506890464
Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZC5jby9icmF2ZWR5bmFtaWNz
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea
Learn more about Baskit here: https://baskit.app/

Aug 27, 2023 • 25min
Listener Q&A: Founder-Investor Trust, Buy-Now Pay-Later Credit Models & USA SEC Regulatory Impact on SE Asia VC - E308
Shiyan Koh, Managing Partner of Hustle Fund and Jeremy Au answer some listeners’ questions. They discuss three major themes:
1. Founder-Investor Trust Dynamics & Reality Checks: Shiyan and Jeremy underscore the importance of cultivating transparent relationships between founders and investors. Founders often hesitate to reveal business setbacks to investors, but transparency is vital and investors can assist better when they're kept in the loop. They discuss that perfection is unattainable and not believable, and it’s more credible for founders to admit when they don't have answers and share their approach to resolving uncertainties. They also advise founders to confront the reality of their business, whether to pivot to a small business model, return the remaining capital to investors, or pursue an alternative route.
2. Buy Now, Pay Later Credit Policies: Shiyan highlights that successful BNPL models extend credit at the point of sale based on quality underwriting, especially in emerging markets with underdeveloped credit scoring systems. Jeremy also talks about how certain products, like Peloton in the US, are well-suited for BNPL due to the high price point and the creditworthiness of its typical consumers, but there’s a challenge in finding products that align with the BNPL model in markets where transaction volumes may be low, and the costs of underwriting could outweigh the benefits.
3. US SEC Impact on SEA VC Landscape: They discuss how SEC guidelines, particularly those affecting investments in China, pose challenges for US LPs looking to diversify into Asia. They highlight the significant shift of Chinese founders and global investment teams and their consideration to move to Singapore as a reaction to the current investment climate. They also share that the trend of decoupling between the U.S. and China is unlikely to improve in the near future, prompting both investors and founders to strategize accordingly for the long term.
They also talk about venture debt as a financing option, how founders can deal with emotional ups and downs and the value of seeking advice, and the significance of devising a contingency plan.
Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/listener-qna
Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com
WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakR55X6BIElUEvkN02e
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4TnqkaWpTT181lMA8xNu0T
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JeremyAu
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/brave-southeast-asia-tech-singapore-indonesia-vietnam/id1506890464
Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZC5jby9icmF2ZWR5bmFtaWNz
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea
Learn more about Baskit here: https://baskit.app/

Aug 24, 2023 • 55sec
WhenThe Egg Is Broken From The Inside, Life Begins - E307
“True change comes from within. Greatness awaits outside.” - Jeremy Au
Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/personal-transformation
Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com
WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakR55X6BIElUEvkN02e
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4TnqkaWpTT181lMA8xNu0T
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JeremyAu
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/brave-southeast-asia-tech-singapore-indonesia-vietnam/id1506890464
Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZC5jby9icmF2ZWR5bmFtaWNz
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea
Learn more about Baskit here: https://baskit.app/

Aug 22, 2023 • 36min
Wai Hong Fong: Malaysian Dream, Gamer Founder Mindset & Point-of-Sale (POS) Industry Deep Dive - E306
“So much transition is happening. Southeast Asia needs many people to solve as meaningful problems as possible. It’s not just chasing the highest ROI problem, but chasing the hardest problems to solve. My hope is for us to solve meaningful problems because they’re incredibly hard but they’re not just about gaining profits. They’re also about serving the specific needs of people who are marginalized, underserved, and those who are on the fringes.” - Wai Hong Fong
“A lot of founders underappreciate the value of execution. I still see a lot of founders overstating the idea and the value of the idea. The appreciation is around the journey itself. Some founders only see the outcome. If your goal or outcome is to make money, don't be a founder. You can be an IB or something else with a more secure way to get there. Being a founder is about the journey. It is the most valuable thing about being a founder and I don't think that’s appreciated enough.” - Wai Hong Fong
“In every genre of games, there is an element that is incredibly meaningful toward understanding and making decisions as an entrepreneur. If you think about StarCraft, it’s all about timing and knowing your power spikes and when to and not to expand. If I had taken out the original phrase, you have thought I would be talking about business. It's really quite interesting that these things we practice so heavily in games influence our decision-making.” - Wai Hong Fong
In this engaging conversation between Jeremy Au and Wai Hong Fong, the founder of StoreHub, listeners gain valuable insights into the world of entrepreneurship and the complexities of building a successful business. The discussion covers three key topics:
1. The Accidental Journey to Entrepreneurship: Wai Hong shares his unexpected path to becoming a founder, starting a business in his uncle's garage, and the challenges he faced in scaling StoreHub.
2. Deep Dive into the Point of Sale (POS) Industry: Wai Hong provides a comprehensive analysis of the POS industry's evolution, discussing different waves and common mistakes made by others in the field.
3. The Intersection of Gaming and Business Strategy: The conversation delves into how Wai Hong's gaming experiences influenced his decision-making as an entrepreneur and how gaming strategies can be translated into effective business strategies.
Throughout the dialogue, Wai Hong emphasizes the importance of open and honest conversations, especially during challenging times, to shape the company's future and make meaningful decisions. This candid and informative discussion offers valuable insights for aspiring entrepreneurs and those interested in the dynamics of the tech industry.
Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/wai-hong-fong
Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com
WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakR55X6BIElUEvkN02e
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4TnqkaWpTT181lMA8xNu0T
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JeremyAu
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/brave-southeast-asia-tech-singapore-indonesia-vietnam/id1506890464
Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZC5jby9icmF2ZWR5bmFtaWNz
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea
Learn more about Baskit here: https://baskit.app/

Aug 20, 2023 • 29min
Sea Group Stock Price 29% Drop, Digital Bank Strategy Synergy & Fintech Underwriting Quality - E305
“With fintech, people over-index on the math of why someone should do something. They forget about the psychology of someone buying that financial product. There are a lot of considerations that go into purchasing a financial product, and they're not all math. Most people are emotion-driven, not math-driven. Founders forget to talk to their customers about their considerations. They go straight to the numbers and the math, and a lot of people don't enjoy that because it doesn't resonate. They don't engage with it well.” - Shiyan Koh
“Neobanks were a huge category that got funded, but the report indicates only about 5% of them are profitable. This is where they run into that problem, which is you can go out and get a lot of users, but if you're not disciplined about how you underwrite and monetize them, it can be a money-losing proposition. It's on the neobanks and incumbent banks to improve the product experience and make customers stay even if other places offer slightly more interest.” - Shiyan Koh
“People tend to focus a lot on the cost of acquisition because that seems to be a more straightforward go-to-market. A lot of aspiring fintech founders end up getting shocked by the cost of capital, especially since there's been a lot of change over the past three years. So a lot of models that seem to work don’t work at different levels of cost of capital. I've seen some fintech founders fail when they don’t think about how each of these factors could change over time.” - Jeremy Au
Jeremy Au and Shiyan Koh, Managing Partner of Hustle Fund, discuss three pivotal topics:
1. Sea Group's Strategy: They talk about the Sea Group’s 30% stock drop despite its profitability since Q4 of the previous year. The contraction is attributed to increasing competition from Alibaba (Lazada) and Bytedance (TikTok) across Southeast Asia, the decision to focus on growth to compete and the US public markets pricing in their assessment of the situation. 2. Digital Banks and Underbanked Market: They discuss the under-banked segment in emerging markets, where incumbent banks often focus on high-end customers. New players like Sea, Grab-Singtel, and Standard Chartered with NTUC Fairprice are entering the banking scene to target this underbanked segment and leverage their vast distribution networks. They also share the challenge of identifying the right financial services to offer to ensure profitable operations.
3. Southeast Asia's Fintech Models: They talk about the importance of founders having a clear understanding of their business model, especially on net interest margin. They underscore the value of knowing the cost of capital, acquisition costs, and the quality of underwriting early on to allow the business to be proactive rather than reactive.
They also delve into the rise of neobanks, benchmarking in the fintech realm, the essence of humility in founders, the crucial aspect of aligning with market realities, and how understanding underwriting accurately can shape the success trajectory of a FinTech startup.
Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/digital-bank-strategy
Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com
WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakR55X6BIElUEvkN02e
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4TnqkaWpTT181lMA8xNu0T
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JeremyAu
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/brave-southeast-asia-tech-singapore-indonesia-vietnam/id1506890464
Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZC5jby9icmF2ZWR5bmFtaWNz
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea
Learn more about Baskit here: https://baskit.app/

Aug 17, 2023 • 2min
Founder Etymology Paradox: Building, Sinking & Audacity - E304
"This is the profile paradox that sums up the life of a founder. To be a brave captain setting sail on the vast sea of the unknown, to build a ship armed with nothing but a vision. The journey is filled with seas that are treacherous, the winds that are fickle, and the ever-present threat of foundering, of sinking beneath the waves. Yet every founder knows that to reach new horizons, they have to take this risk. Failure isn't as possible. It's probable. It's likely. Yet it's only true in the prospect of foundering that true resilience emerges as the strength to rise from the depths of failure." - Jeremy Au, Host of BRAVE Southeast Asia Tech Podcast
Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/founder-etymology
Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com
WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakR55X6BIElUEvkN02e
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4TnqkaWpTT181lMA8xNu0T
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JeremyAu
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/brave-southeast-asia-tech-singapore-indonesia-vietnam/id1506890464
Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZC5jby9icmF2ZWR5bmFtaWNz
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea
Learn more about Baskit here: https://baskit.app/

Aug 15, 2023 • 50min
Triston Francis: Advice for Harvard MBA Admits, 120 Alumni Reflections & Crafting Your Life - E303
“You can meet a lot of people in the HBS MBA program. What you want to do is identify people that have a similar set of values and interests because those are the individuals that you really have the most potential to build with. The sooner that you can start getting to know your classmates, the better. It takes the nerves out because you start to realize that you and the other 929 people that are showing up on campus the same day have no idea what to expect. As I was talking to people that started, it normalized it for me and made me feel more comfortable.” - Triston Francis
“Therapy is a resource that was helpful. It's an opportunity to really sit and spend a concentrated hour with somebody who is trained at helping you unpack the things that you're thinking through. It doesn't have to be focused around areas that are negative. I view therapy as no different from going to the gym and working out to maintain a healthy body as opposed to fixing it when there's something wrong.” - Triston Francis
“I was a research associate of Organizational Behavior Professor Leslie Parlow. If it weren’t for that, I probably would've come out of HBS overly focused on the professional side of the equation. If you go to a place like HBS, things will work themselves out on the professional front for the most part. That doesn't mean that you're going to found the next unicorn. It means you'll be able to find good jobs that will allow you to provide for yourself and your family. The bigger variability I saw after interviewing 120 alumni was around how things shook out on the personal side of the equation. That's the bigger driver in people's satisfaction with how their life unfolded. There's a lot of value and importance in there that unfortunately gets overshadowed by the professional component.” - Triston Francis
This conversation between Jeremy Au and Triston Francis, who leads People & Organizational Strategy at Sea and former HBS Student Body Co-President, gives advice to incoming Harvard MBA students. The discussion highlights three main takeaways:
1. Thoughtful Planning: Triston emphasizes the importance of having a well-defined plan before starting the MBA program. He draws an analogy to being a DJ with a playlist and highlights the importance of setting clear goals and priorities to effectively utilize time and resources.
2. Veteran Stories and Nostalgia: Both Jeremy and Triston share their experiences and reflect on their time at HBS. Their anecdotes on social events, planning, and relationship building showcase the diversity of paths and opportunities available during the MBA program.
3. Embracing Experience and Uncertainty: They share the value of cherishing experiences, no matter how small. They encourage potential students to build deep connections with professors, administration, and peers and to be kind to themselves as they navigate the challenges they will face during this career inflection point.
They also discussed the significance of personal relationships and building communities, therapy as a helpful resource, and the creation process of the course Crafting Your Life, which aims to help MBA students live with greater intentionality.
Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/triston-francis
Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at www.bravesea.com
WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakR55X6BIElUEvkN02e
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4TnqkaWpTT181lMA8xNu0T
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JeremyAu
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/brave-southeast-asia-tech-singapore-indonesia-vietnam/id1506890464
Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZC5jby9icmF2ZWR5bmFtaWNz
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeremyau
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea
Learn more about Baskit: https://baskit.app/