Happy to share that the BRAVE Podcast has continued to grow, and that we’ve hit 1000 followers on our new TikTok channel! Feel free to see Jeremy channel his “Gen Z soul”.
We are hosting our second Phoenix virtual offsite, a curated offsite for founders who are departing their startups and transitioning into the next stage of their professional careers. We will be journaling as a group and hearing an off-the-record panel of former founders who went on to found again, invest or become an executive. Confidential, virtual and pro bono. June 10, 10am-12pm SGT. Feel free to share this event with them on Eventbrite.
Manage Your IT Needs with Esevel, this month’s newsletter sponsor!
Do you manage your own IT for distributed teams in Asia? You know how painful it is. Esevel helps your in-house team by taking tough tasks off their hands and giving them the tools to manage IT effectively. Get help across eight countries in Asia Pacific, which includes onboarding, procurement, device management, real-time IT support, offboarding, and more. Gain full control of all your IT infrastructure in one place with our state-of-the-art platform. Check out www.esevel.com and get a demo today. Use our referral code "BRAVE" for three months free!
Popular Interviews
- David Yin: Random Walk to Career (Journalist to VC Partner), Finding Yourself at Stanford & Harvard, & Drinking From Firehoses Startups: David's experience as a tech reporter at Forbes and Head of Strategy at a fintech unicorn gave him a broad foundation to become a VC partner at GSR Ventures. He recognizes the challenges non-local founders face when entering the Southeast Asian market, and views the region as an area of opportunity in light of the geopolitical tensions between the US and China. He covers the challenges in VC, including the learning curve's speed, surrender fatigue, and the importance of bravery in decision-making.
- Shao-Ning Huang: Angel Investor Economics & Mistakes, Women Founder & Investor Representation & Cut Off Toxic Relationships: Shao-Ning shares her personal investing experiences in Southeast Asia and advises investors to focus on areas that align with their values and interests. She talks about how women founders need to adapt to a masculine-language coded fundraising environment and how women investors can support representation in the local tech ecosystem.
- Robert Huynh: Google Moonshots to Vietnam YC Founder, Harvard MBA Dropout & Sea Turtle and Product Market Fit Iteration: Robert discusses his journey from working at Microsoft and Google Moonshot, dropping out of Harvard Business School to becoming a founder in Vietnam, marking his cultural transition as a “sea turtle”. He shares his approach to product-market fit, including his failed attempt at localizing a US-based construction tech idea and pivoted to build Nook, a labor marketplace that matches construction workers with on-demand projects.
- Evan Heng: Building $6.7M Revenue Startup During University, 99.9% Focus Student Founder (Sacrificed Love) and the Power of Education: Evan started his entrepreneurial journey in primary school and eventually founded a successful edtech startup during his university years. He shares about what he sacrificed in order to succeed as a student founder and reflects on the importance of continuous learning even for himself.
- Vikram Bharati: Facing Loneliness To Be Your Own Best Companion, Building One Million Businesses and Extreme Difficulty vs. Real Need: Vikram's transition from documentary filmmaking to banking and his 2-year backpacking journey taught him self-reliance. He founded Draper Startup House, a VC that aims to build one million new businesses worldwide by 2030, and opted to go global rather than start small. Going against the grain paid off and their unconventional strategy led to swift growth despite the initial challenges.
Deep Dives
- Shiyan Koh, Managing Partner of Hustle Fund, and Jeremy
- Shared the most common "lost in translation" misunderstandings between VCs and founders
- Reviewed the Philippines as a startup market (positives, insights and needed reforms). Thanks to Foxmont Capital Partners & BCG for the report! Mark Sng, Partner of Gentree Fund, joined us in the discussion.
- Reviewed the region’s tech talent insights: salary arbitrage, skill gaps, equity differences, bonus structures and hybrid vs. remote vs. office. Thanks to Monk’s Hill Ventures for the report!
- Debated how we would raise our families in the age of AI, local education gaps and our contrarian parenting beliefs
Community News
The BRAVE founder community had another great hike at the Macritchie Tree Top Walk! We got utterly soaked in the rain on our way back. If you’re a founder who’s interested in applying to join us on our next hike on Sunday, May 28th, please let us know via email.
Congratulations to Milan Reinartz for iVS’ acquisition by ShowHeroes Group! Check out his episode on founder growth, flipping cars and on-the-job CEO learnings.
Ling Yah was on Tech in Asia and talked about her experiments with generative AI as a full-time lawyer and podcaster. Check out her episode on podcast learnings and reflections as a lawyer.
We’d like to congratulate Jane Peh for Pawjourr’s expansion to the US market and being featured on The Straits Times. Check out her episode on marketing misconceptions and founder spousal support.
Quote
“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.' You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” Eleanor Roosevelt, You Learn by Living: Eleven Keys for a More Fulfilling Life
(Thanks to Sina Meraji for sharing this)
Share the BRAVE Monthly Newsletter
Know anyone who wants to stay in the loop on Southeast Asia tech’s top insights and leaders? Please forward them this monthly newsletter!
Stay Brave!
Jeremy Au
BRAVESEA.com / WhatsApp / Spotify / YouTube / Apple Podcasts / TikTok / Instagram / LinkedIn