Stories of Asia Podcast
By Stories of Asia
The SOA podcast covers stories from all across Asia where we chat with EXPERTS from the region to uncover insights and practical tips that can help you grow your career.
Tune in and subscribe to our channel now!
Stories of Asia PodcastSep 03, 2021
How A Tragedy Helped Her Find Her Purpose In Life: Dealing With The Death Of A Child
About ten years ago, Lesli Berggren was making her home in Singapore. She had two beautiful twins, a fulfilling business where she created jewellery, and she felt like the world was her oyster.
But when her doctor told her ten years later that her 12-year-old boy had a type of rare cancer, she gave up her life as she knew it to take care of him.
What followed was a lot of emotional pain and suffering, but Lesli discovered that despite all the devastating things that happened, she was able to find her purpose and become the person she needed to be.
This is Lesli's #10YearChallenge.
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Welcome to the #10yearchallenge podcast by Stories of Asia, hosted by Sara Mahendran. In this podcast, we talk to Asians from all walks of life about their life journeys in the last ten years, so we can learn and grow together.
Follow us on social media:
Instagram, Facebook & LinkedIn: @storiesofasiaco
Sara Mahendran:
Instagram - @saras.take
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/saramahendran/
Support Lesli in her campaign to shine a light on Childhood Cancer by visiting https://www.lovenils.org/
From A $40,000 Debt As A Part-Time Receptionist, To An Award Winning Photographer
About ten years ago, Ashley Low took on a $40,000 loan to be educated in professional photography. But after graduation, she found herself working part-time as a receptionist because it was hard to find photography work.
Today, she's an award winning photographer with her own studio, and she's one of the best in the field.
But trust us, it was not an easy journey to get there.
She had to deal with family issues, an abusive boyfriend, and it took hundreds of photoshoots, where she earned a pittance, before she could use that money to launch herself to bigger projects.
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Welcome to the #10yearchallenge podcast by Stories of Asia, hosted by Sara Mahendran. In this podcast, we talk to Asians from all walks of life about their life journeys in the last ten years, so we can learn and grow together.
Follow us on social media:
Instagram, Facebook & LinkedIn: @storiesofasiaco
Sara Mahendran:
Instagram - @saras.take
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/saramahendran/
Swapping Luxury Travel For 3rd World Countries: Life An Edutech Social Entrepreneur
Janine had been travelling half a million miles a year, working in the hotel industry, until she asked herself what her 'why' in life was. That was about 10 years ago.
Today, Janine works at Solve Education!, an edutech startup she co-founded, to help make education accessible for children in poverty, all over the world.
Welcome to the #10yearchallenge podcast by Stories of Asia, hosted by Sara Mahendran. In this podcast, we talk to Asians from all walks of life about their life journeys in the last ten years, so we can learn and grow together.
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Follow us on social media:
Instagram, Facebook & LinkedIn: @storiesofasiaco
Sara Mahendran:
Instagram - @saras.take
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/saramahendran/
From $0 to $2M in Profits: How a Struggling Entrepreneur Family Raised The Life They Dreamed Of
Imagine you and your partner are trying to start a new business. This is the crucial period, and you've both quit your former business to make this work. However, you also have a new child to take care of, and there's no money coming in. One day, you get an offer for a full time job. This means you don't have to worry about buying baby milk powder, meals, paying the bills, and so on. But it also means you don't get to work on your startup during this crucial period. So what do you do?
Dason & Fanny were in this situation and decided to reject the job offer to focus on their startup. Ten years later, they are making it with their logistics tech startup Detrack, which makes delivery tracking easy for everyone. This Singaporean-grown startup had a lot of hurdles to overcome. But today, they have worked with over 700 companies in more than 50 countries and have raked in 2 million dollars of profit in the last year.
Welcome to the ten year challenge podcast by Stories of Asia, hosted by Sara Mahendran. In this podcast, we talk to Asians from all walks of life about their life journeys in the last ten years, so we can learn and grow together.
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Follow us on social media:
Instagram, Facebook & LinkedIn: @storiesofasiaco
Sara Mahendran:
Instagram - @saras.take
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/saramahendran/
What To Do When Life Doesn’t Go As Planned?
10 years ago, Tess Charng always felt an extreme urgency in life. "I felt like I had to do everything now, I wanted to accomplish all my dreams now," she said.
And to some extent, she was doing well. She was excelling at her studies from a young age, and was even chosen to be the spokesperson for Kumon!
However, as she grew, she started to realise that she shouldn’t try to take control of everything. She decided to follow her heart and that led her to travel all over the world. It wasn’t all easy though. She had plenty of hard experiences, and once, she had only $6 in her bank account. The surprising thing was, she was okay with it, and happy through it still.
How did someone who was obsessed with control become a person who is not afraid of change? Listen to Tess' incredible ten-year journey on the #10yearchallenge podcast now.
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Find Stories of Asia at @storiesofasiaco on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Follow our host Sara Mahendran on LinkedIn, and on Instagram at @saras.take
S2E10: Why You Need To Start Thinking About Your Reputation
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲?
For some people, it may be, “adventurous” or “candid” but for Teresa Norton, someone commended her for being “very good and very expensive”.
Kavita says, “It’s not an overnight success but it takes years of commitment and consistency, hard work and being humble enough to know that sometimes you get it wrong.”
In this episode, we invited Kavita Hans, General Manager of Diageo Philippines and Teresa Norton, Founder of STARMAKERS HK to share their views on personal branding.
Tune in to this episode to gain insights from their personal branding journey!
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This is the second parts of the Tell Your Story, Inspire A Journey workshop.
Find Stories of Asia at @storiesofasiaco on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
For more insightful content that helps you build your career, follow Sam Neo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samneo/
S2E9: Here’s How You Can Ace Your Next Interview Without Feeling Fearful
𝗜𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝗖𝗘 𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗙𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗙𝗨𝗟?
There is no doubt that interviews are scary for most people but you can ace it with the right mindset!
In this episode, we invited Kavita Hans, General Manager of Diageo Philippines and Teresa Norton, Founder of STARMAKER HK to share their seasoned tips for interviews and the mindset you should carry when going for your next interview.
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This is the first of two parts of the Tell Your Story, Inspire A Journey workshop.
Find Stories of Asia at @storiesofasiaco on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
For more insightful content that helps you build your career, follow Sam Neo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samneo/
S2E8: The Unspoken Rules When Switching Career Paths: 7 Things You Need To Take Note Of
In this episode, Sam shares some of his key takeaways from his conversation with Kanchan Porta-Panjabi, a Plant-Based Chef at Masalas and Olives and a Serial Entrepreneur with her business, La Taula.
When we think about leadership tips and tricks, we usually think of tips like, “listen and communicate”. However, it is equally important to learn things like self-care and coping with burnout.
Tune in to this episode as Sam shares his perspective and some practical tips on coping with burnout, switching careers and slowing down in life and more!
Find Stories of Asia at @storiesofasiaco on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
For more insightful content that helps you build your career, follow Sam Neo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samneo/
S2E7: Is Switching Industry Easy?
In this episode of the Stories of Asia podcast we chat with, Kanchan Porta-Panjabi, a Plant-Based Chef at Masalas and Olives and a Serial Entrepreneur with her business, La Taula.
We discuss how Kanch gathered all her courage to make the switch from the fashion to food industry. What were some of the challenges and what kind of mindset does she have now?
Listen to her unpack these stories and insights in our brand new season of the Stories of Asia Podcast.
Find Stories of Asia at @storiesofasiaco on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
For more insightful content that helps you build your career, follow Sam Neo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samneo/
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This episode is in partnership with Diageo Southeast Asia. We are dedicating this season of the Stories of Asia podcast to inspiring women and allies across Asia, in celebration of International Women’s Day.
S2E6: The Parallel Between Parenthood and Leadership
In this episode, Sam shares some of his key takeaways from his conversation with John Paul Guzman, who calls himself a full-time Dad and a part-time Supply Chain Director of Diageo Philippines.
He talks about the lessons we can learn from parenthood and how we can apply these things back into our leadership. Tune in to this episode to learn more.
Find Stories of Asia at @storiesofasiaco on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
For more insightful content that helps you build your career, follow Sam Neo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samneo/
S2E5: Caretaking Is Not Just For Women
In this episode of the Stories of Asia podcast we chat with, John Paul Guzman, who calls himself a full-time Dad and a part-time Supply Chain Director of Diageo Philippines.
We discuss about, supporting women in caretaking, paternity leave and being a hands-on dad.
Listen to him unpack these stories and insights in our brand new season of the Stories of Asia Podcast.
Find Stories of Asia at @storiesofasiaco on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
For more insightful content that helps you build your career, follow Sam Neo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samneo/
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This episode is in partnership with Diageo Southeast Asia. Stay tuned for more, as we dedicated this season of the Stories of Asia podcast to inspiring women and allies across Asia, in celebration of International Women’s Day.
S2E4: What Are Some Qualities I Need To Become A Successful Leader?
In this episode, Sam shares some of his key takeaways from his conversation with Mailyn Borillo, President of OSM Maritime Services.
He talks about the mindset of a leader, humanity, staying focused and being present and more! Tune in to this episode to learn more.
Find Stories of Asia at @storiesofasiaco on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
For more insightful content that helps you build your career, follow Sam Neo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samneo/
S2E3: I’m A Woman Thriving in A Male-Dominated Industry
𝗜𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗳𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗲-𝗱𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆? 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗶𝘁?
In this episode, we invited Mailyn Borillo, President of OSM Maritime Services.
We discuss her journey in the maritime industry, leadership philosophy, mentorship, and work-life balance!
Listen to her unpack these stories and insights in this episode of the Stories of Asia Podcast, sponsored by Diageo Southeast Asia.
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In partnership with Diageo Southeast Asia, we’ve dedicated this season of the Stories of Asia podcast to inspiring WOMEN across Asia, in celebration of International Women’s Day.
We are featuring inspiring women with powerful stories and lessons with regards to overcoming challenges, biases and growing their career across various industries.
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Find Stories of Asia at @storiesofasiaco on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
For more insightful content that helps you build your career, follow Sam Neo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samneo/
S2E2: This Is The Mindset You Need To Become A Senior Leader
In this episode, Sam shares with us some of his key takeaways from his conversation with Preeti Razdan, Managing Director of Diageo Southeast Asia.
He shares about the spirit of survival, taking the road less travel, capacity and more! Tune in to this episode to learn more.
Find Stories of Asia at @storiesofasiaco on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
For more insightful content that helps you build your career, follow Sam Neo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samneo/
S2E1: Taking The Road Less Traveled Made Her The Leader She Is Today
A brand new season of the Stories of Asia podcast is here. This season, we're dedicating it to inspiring WOMEN across Asia, in celebration of International Women’s Day this month.
We'll be featuring powerful stories and lessons with regards to women overcoming challenges, biases and growing their career across various industries.
In this first episode, we have invited Preeti Razdan, Managing Director of Diageo Southeast Asia.
We discuss about her career journey, having the right mindset when leading a team, mentorship, being a full-time mother and managing director at the same time.
Listen to her unpack these stories and insights in our brand new season of the Stories of Asia Podcast, sponsored by Diageo Southeast Asia.
Find Stories of Asia at @storiesofasiaco on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
For more insightful content that helps you build your career, follow Sam Neo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samneo/
S1E9: Pursuing Your Passion
In the episode, we invited Laura Cho, the Founder of Laura Cho International.
She helps millennials find their life purpose and get their dream careers — grooming them to be more driven and ambitious in the process.
Tune in to this episode to hear Laura shares with us her coaching journey!
SEASON 2 of the Stories of Asia podcast is coming out in MARCH! Stay tuned and be sure to subscribe to our channel on Spotify, Apple Podcast, or wherever you’re listening right now.
S1E8: The Big Switch
In this episode, we have Alex Loh, previously a professional athlete and an education teacher, he is now the Founder of Aviary & Co, a consultancy to businesses and individuals in the health and wellness space.
He shares with us how we can move towards another career that we feel more passionate about.
“Being good at something need not necessarily be something you’re good at.”
Tune in to this episode to glean some wisdom from Alex!
New episodes are coming soon! You won't want to miss this episode so check it out now. Subscribe to our channel on Spotify, Apple Podcast, or wherever you’re listening right now.
S1E7: The Power of Mentoring
In this episode, Lawrence Young shared the importance of mentoring. When COVID-19 came in February 2020, Lawrence decided to switch it’s focus to mentoring as he felt that he could be a meaningful support to the work environment.
He said in the interview, “Mentoring brings out the heart side of culture is…” Want to hear more about the power of mentoring? Tune in now to Episode 7 of Stories of Asia’s podcast.
New episodes are coming soon! Subscribe to our channel on Apple podcast, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening right now.
S1E6: Overcoming Self-Doubt in a Career
In this episode, Jan Philippe shared a struggling period in his HR career where he had to take on multiple roles to become a HR Business Partner. But things took a turn when he received a call from a headhunter for a well known technology company. He shared how he dealt with feelings of inadequacy and why he believes in transparency in communication. New episodes are coming soon! You won't want to miss this episode so check it out now. Subscribe to our channel on Apple podcast, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening right now.
S1E5: Growing a Business in COVID-19
In this episode, Richard Xia shared how his business in e-commerce for sneakers turned upside down due to COVID-19. Before the pandemic struck, as CEO of the business, he and his team had ambitious growth plans. But those plans had to be thrown out of the window as lockdown measures threatened the logistic operations of his business. He shared the lessons learnt and how he is prepared to face the next crisis in his business. New episodes are coming soon! You won't want to miss this episode so check it out now. Subscribe to our channel on Apple podcast, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening right now.
S1E4: Finding My Purpose
In this episode, Daniel Lim shares his struggles of finding his purpose as a millennial. He is passionate about entrepreneurship and ventured into several social projects. It wasn’t easy for him when others would dismiss him for appearing too young or inexperienced. He shares some tips on the process of finding his purpose. New episodes are coming soon! You won't want to miss this episode so check it out now. Subscribe to our channel on Apple podcast, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening right now.
S1E3: Stop Constant Worries
In this episode, Alexander Trost was constantly worried throughout his career, even though he had a comfortable expat career, which many would consider successful by many measures. Yet, he missed out on several key moments in his career because he worried too much about things that actually didn’t happen. He managed to overcome this stress by finding his purpose. New episodes are coming soon! You won't want to miss this episode so check it out now. Subscribe to our channel on Apple podcast, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening right now.
S1E2: Finding a Job in a Crisis
In this episode, Dr. Fermin shared the biggest struggle he encountered in his corporate career. In 2008, in the midst of the global financial crisis, he shared how he overcame the shock of being fired as the Head of HR at an MNC. He picked himself up again to find another job and managed to do so in the middle of a crisis. New episodes are coming soon! You won't want to miss this episode so check it out now. Subscribe to our channel on Apple podcast, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening right now.
S1E1: Juggling Family and Startup as Dadpreneur
In the first episode of the Stories of Asia (SOA) podcast, we invited SOA's CEO and founder, Sam Neo, to share his thoughts on work-life balance. As a young dad and founder of two startups, how does he balance his time effectively? What are some practical tips and interesting stories? New episodes are coming soon! You won't want to miss this episode so check it out now. Subscribe to our channel on Apple podcast, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening right now.