BRAVE Southeast Asia Tech: Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand & Malaysia Startups, Founders & Venture Capital VC (English)

“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/

"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/

“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/

“I'm incredibly optimistic about this ecosystem. There's a lot of macro stuff that is really pushing us along that I don't think we could've imagined five years ago. Some of it is geopolitical, but in terms of what we, as an ecosystem, can do to help move it along further, there's this notion around information exchange and community building. Helping each other is really important. We want to encourage people to do that, to connect more, create more moments of this serendipity, and then, we can all prosper together.” - Shiyan Koh “We need to get more comfortable sharing imperfect things and works in progress. Not everything is shiny and perfect. That's how we progress as an ecosystem. We have to show what we got, be transparent about where we’re struggling, and ask for help. That's how we're going to progress together. That's a point that we are still immature in this ecosystem. We want perfection, and we like to exalt people too early. We hold them up and be like, ‘This is a paragon of entrepreneurship.’” - Shiyan Koh “Founders are generally more reticent in the region. I had a founder conversation recently. He didn't really want to show weakness to his investors. That's something we want to change. We want people to ask for help more. Everyone is figuring it out. It is okay not to know. It is normal, and you are going to know faster by asking, not pretending. We should be open about helping each other progress.” - Shiyan Koh Jeremy Au and Shiyan Koh, Managing Partner of Hustle Fund, discuss the Southeast Asia startup ecosystem and the key considerations for fostering growth. The conversation covers three key takeaways: 1. Biden Administration VC Investment Ban: Jeremy and Shiyan discuss that the ban is a progression in curtailing investments in Chinese semiconductors, quantum computing, and certain AI applications. This prompts VCs to reevaluate strategies and diversify into other regions due to concerns over reporting requirements and potential long-term legislative changes. 2. Ecosystem Density & Serendipity: They talk about entering Singapore's tech ecosystem, especially in regards to getting access to local communities and information asymmetry. They also talked about how Singapore is small yet the benefit is a dense ecosystem that allows for serendipity, interaction, and high-velocity networking. 3. Information Asymmetry vs. Sharing: They highlight the tension between sharing knowledge and keeping ideas secret. Shiyan believes that true value comes from unique execution rather than just knowing the concept. Jeremy points out that market players do benefit from information asymmetry especially incumbents and emerging market leaders, and has been weight against other pros and cons. They agree that fostering an environment of open collaboration is key to the growth of the region’s startup ecosystem. Also, they talked about the challenges of reentering the Singapore ecosystem as a sea turtle, sharing imperfect work, and the role of media in highlighting startup success stories while acknowledging that fundraising announcements do provide a market signal of validation from gatekeepers. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/china-investment-ban 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/

“For me, the purpose is very important. Everyone deserves to be helped. Some moments of conscientious crisis are situations when assessing if the leaders are being purposeful. Are they being selfless or self-interested? Sometimes, things can get a little bit political. Most leaders give their best, do things for the right reasons, try to rise to the occasion, and uncover something very powerful within themselves. I could continue every day to do what I do, and I love the privilege of witnessing these light bulb moments. I have a lifetime goal of helping at least a million people to uncover their true selves and channel that toward better decisions and more positive influence.” - Huijin Kong “The principle I learned from reading a lot of books during my soul-searching era is awareness. It’s the process of metamorphosis. Something in you is dying and then your true self is emerging. Awareness means not being afraid to face it. It makes you mobilize different parts of your brain and your heart to guide you to what to do with it. It’s not practical to repress it.” - Huijin Kong  “I quit McKinsey and knew that the road had come to an end. I was learning some things, but not at the rate that I wanted to, and I was afraid I’d get stuck in the exploration. I quit without having any alternatives. I went through three to four years in my own pursuit of trying to find myself and be a person that I could only vaguely, intuitively feel. People felt sorry for me saying I’ve really lost it. They said I had so much potential, but they didn’t know what's going become of me. Some people thought I was depressed. The whole process of letting go of an old self and birthing the true self is a very tumultuous, emotional one. It's almost like dying and renewing yourself.” - Huijin Kong In this conversation between Jeremy Au and Huijin Kong, Principal at LinHart Group and co-author of Positive Influence: The First and Last Mile of Leadership, they discussed personal evolution, leadership, and positive influence. The discussion illuminates three primary themes: 1. The Unveiling of Self-Identity: Huijin opens up about her dynamic personality, portraying herself as an energizer bunny, compass, and challenger. From her academic star student beginnings to her time at McKinsey, she candidly shares her evolution and passion for helping others become better leaders and influencers. 2. The Metamorphosis of Identity: Huijin delves into the complexities of identity transformation, sharing her own shift from old identity death to new identity rebirth. She offers poignant advice for those undergoing similar shifts, emphasizing the importance of confronting uncomfortable feelings. 3. Positive Influence and Purposeful Leadership: Huijin discusses her co-authored book 'Positive Influence.' She fervently articulates the need for more positive influences in our society, particularly in leadership roles, despite the prevalence of negative influences. Throughout the conversation, they also talked about Huijin’s learnings from her soul-searching journey, the significance of self-awareness in personal growth, and balancing productivity and caring for other people’s well-being.  Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/huijin-kong 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/

“For us sitting in the pre-seed stage, we really haven't changed our pace, but for the portfolio companies who are raising seed and plus, we've definitely noticed a slowdown in processes. Public market valuations are coming down and that cascades all the way down through the different private stages. Normally, it's a six-month lag. We're starting to see that kick in. We're also in the lull of summer where things tend to slow down a little bit on the deal-making side, so this is consistent with what we're seeing in the market.” - Shiyan Koh “The general rule is things always take longer than you think. If you're going to raise, you need to start sooner and you need a plan B. You need to figure out if there’s a way you can get to cashflow breakeven faster in order to take control of your own destiny. We're seeing that in good and bad ways. In good ways, people have been cutting a lot and some companies are finding out they’re running a little too fast and can achieve similar results on a much lower opex space. The bad thing is that some people won't cut in time and they're not going to make it.” - Shiyan Koh “A lot of protectionist policies have started to come out. India recently did an export ban on rice, which also has a net transfer of wealth and consumer surplus dynamic. Who benefits and who doesn’t? The winners at the top of my head are the small medium manufacturers in Indonesia and the domestic workforce that's associated with it. Another thing I think about is that there could be some e-commerce enablers or middlemen who basically are buying these goods in the right regulatory licensing. These middlemen would benefit to some extent because the demand will still be there.” - Jeremy Au In this conversation, Jeremy Au and Shiyan Koh discussed the ever-evolving Southeast Asia startup landscape. The discussion covers three main themes: 1. Startup Funding Decline: They discussed the significant 56% decline in startup funding in the first half of 2023, as reported by DealStreetAsia. This sheds light on the complexities entrepreneurs face in securing financial support and the need for strategic planning, timeboxing, and adaptability in uncertain times. 2. Indonesia's E-commerce Law: They talked about Indonesia's decision to ban imported goods below $100 on e-commerce platforms and have digital marketplaces seek permits and pay taxes like small businesses. They explored the implications of this move for businesses and those who will benefit (small, medium manufacturers, e-commerce enablers & middlemen) and those who won’t (ByteDance’s TikTok, Chinese manufacturers & e-commerce platforms selling cheap items).  3. Globalization and Protectionism: They shared their insights on the pros and cons of protectionist policies adopted by some countries. They discuss how these measures can impact local companies' growth and competitiveness, raising questions about finding a balance between protecting domestic industries and fostering global trade. They also shared valuable tactics for founders aspiring to raise, India’s legislation on regulating low-cost, low-value cross-border products and the resurgence of deal volume in Vietnam. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/startup-funding-decline 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/

“These days, we have so many labels around. Some say they have a short attention span, that they have an addictive personality, or they’re not good at time management. We use these labels that are really self-defeating. If you believe in these labels, you will act accordingly, so choose a good label. The best label is to become indistractable. I chose that title because it sounds like indestructible. It's meant to be a moniker that you can use to say that’s who you are.” - Nir Eyal “There's no such thing as overnight success in business, even the fastest growing companies. It takes consistent effort. That's really the secret to a life well-lived. It's putting in the time in the right places in your life according to your values. So many people are cheap with their money, but when it comes to their time, they give it away to whoever wants it. It should be actually the opposite because you can always make more money, but you can't make more time. We should be stingy with our time and generous with our money.” - Nir Eyal “Most people would say the opposite of distraction is focus. That's not exactly right. Based on the word’s entomology, the opposite of distraction is traction, which means any action that pulls you towards what you said you were going to do. Both words have the same Latin root ‘trahere’, which means to pull. Traction is any action that pulls you towards what you said you were going to do and distraction is any action that pulls you away from what you plan to do. Distraction is an action that we ourselves take. It depends on the intent.” - Nir Eyal This conversation between Jeremy Au and Nir Eyal, the bestselling author of “Hooked” and "Indistractable," shares insights into mastering focus and avoiding distractions. The discussion revolves around three key themes: Understanding the Psychology of Distraction: Nir explains the internal and external triggers that lead to distraction and emphasizes the importance of mastering emotional discomfort as the first step to becoming indistractable.Time Management and Calendar Control: He highlights the significance of planning time for traction, aligning one's schedule with personal values, and using schedule syncs to prioritize tasks and prevent distractions.Building Consistency and Identity: He also shares his personal journey towards becoming indistractable and advocates for adopting the identity of an indestructible person to make focused choices consistently. Throughout the conversation, they talk about the power of intentionality in one’s personal and professional life, implementing the strategies outlined in his book. They also discussed the impact of technology in creating habits, the challenges of writing a book and achieving personal growth through consistent effort. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/mastering-indistractability 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

“A lot of social science research reinforces the idea that changing your context helps you change your behavior. Imagine if there was a bot that makes everyone more active. It can egg you on and make the passive dynamic a little bit more active to remind you where your goals are. These are not technically complex and you could see them becoming ubiquitous. These little voices are trying to nudge you in a specific direction.” - Shiyan Koh “Generative AI is really helpful because there's a trust component. If you have multiple accounts, you traditionally need an agent or representative to support you. There's also a privacy component. I can tell them everything. To some extent, you could trust an AI a little bit more because it's not talking to a human who could potentially talk about the topic over dinner, no matter their NDA. So yeah, that's a really interesting idea. I think that's a good idea. Especially because you know, you can do all the things right? It can be like a real wealth advisor.” - Jeremy Au “What’s interesting about the things people wish existed is that they weren't that crazy. There were a bunch of requests for things that are not that far off but the challenge is not the technical execution. We’ve seen various versions of these but they've never really taken off because of distribution or monetization challenges.” - Shiyan Koh In this insightful conversation between Jeremy Au and Shiyan Koh, the Managing Partner of Hustle Fund, they talk about entrepreneurship and forward-thinking perspectives on innovative ventures. The discussion highlights three pivotal areas: Language Model Advancements: The conversation highlights the potential of exploring Large Language Model (LLM) technology for Bahasa Indonesia, Vietnamese, and Tagalog. The applications of LLM in these languages could revolutionize communication and accessibility, opening up new opportunities for businesses in diverse markets.Community Unbundling and AI: They introduce the concept of community unbundling, where AI-driven platforms can empower individuals to navigate personal finance and health decisions independently. The idea of a personal financial advisor powered by AI that analyzes individual spending patterns is particularly intriguing.AI Applications in Health and Wellness: The conversation delves into the possibilities of AI applications in the health and wellness space. Shiyan Koh and Jeremy Au discuss the potential of AI health assistants, capable of nudging individuals toward their fitness goals and providing personalized feedback on nutrition and exercise choices. The discussion provides a unique perspective on the intersection of AI and personal management systems, from finance to health, making it a must-listen for entrepreneurs, and anyone interested in the future of AI applications. Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/request-for-startups 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 Esevel here: https://esevel.com/it-services-carepacks/

“Trust makes teams efficient because you don't have to fact-check and feel anxious about what someone else is doing. Everyone knows what’s going on so the flow of information is hyper-fast. We’re not like separate brains trying to figure out what each other knows at certain points in time. We're operating with a hive mind and are all collectively in the same context. This is not always perfect, so it's something that we really strive for because execution is not just about yourself but the team as well.” - Sherry Jiang  “Most of the time, what you think is a brilliant idea for your company isn't what comes out. When you start executing it, meeting real potential users, and building the product, it evolves and changes to something that you may have not even imagined in the beginning. A startup should figure out a way to experiment and test what can work in the cheapest way possible. You should be hypotheses-driven and find a way to test and validate the idea. Once you have the inkling that you’re potentially right, narrow down your space, double down in that area, and soon, you will realize that there are a million more ideas related to what you're doing that you have to solve.” - Sherry Jiang “The idea of things going well feels so foreign because we’re used to the bear market right now. You always have to manage risks. When cataclysmic events happen, you don’t want to be caught on the wrong end of things. We are a company born out of a market where being prudent and cautious is better than being aggressively growth-oriented. We are able to learn the lessons about risk management without suffering as many consequences.” - Sherry Jiang In this engaging conversation between Jeremy Au and Sherry Jiang, the cofounder of Bluejay Finance, they delve into the world of cryptocurrency entrepreneurship and the challenges faced in the Web 3.0 era. Sherry shares her journey from tech leadership roles at Google and Amazon to founding her own crypto startup, providing practical lessons on risk management and asset diversification. She emphasizes the significance of execution and teamwork in the startup landscape, and how her company fosters efficient communication and builds trust within the team. Sherry's personal growth as a founder shines through as she discusses overcoming stage fright and embracing vulnerability to thrive in entrepreneurship. Key Topics Discussed: • The evolution of Sherry's career from tech giants to founding Bluejay Finance • Challenges and lessons learned during the collapse of FTX and the importance of risk management and diversification • The value of efficient execution and teamwork in startup success • Balancing strategic planning with rapid execution in the fast-paced crypto space • Sherry's personal journey and growth as a founder, embracing vulnerability and bravery Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/sherry-jiang 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 Pollen here: https://www.pollen.tech

“There are a lot of requests from people wanting to break into the VC space. I encourage people to start thinking about the VC processes like sourcing, picking, helping, exiting, and demonstrate their competence by writing about it. Show a record of your thinking because that's essentially what investing is. It's thinking and making a decision. I don't encourage people with pure finance backgrounds to go straight into early-stage VC where it’s pretty hands-on and operational and you won't have a lot of context or empathy for that stage. I always encourage people that if you've only done two years banking or you’re fresh grads, go work at a company first instead of trying to get straight into VC.” - Shiyan Koh "You have to meet and believe in the founder, but you also have to do the math on the market size, the product market fit, and the acquisition costs. If you do the math, you're better than a good chunk of investors out there. You have to be thoughtful about putting the numbers in writing and ask yourself if you believe it. There's a huge value added to the founder when you have that conversation with them openly, and it's also a great way for you to better differentiate between good and great companies” - Jeremy Au “We strive for an unbiased, open application process and if it's someone we know personally, we try to ask someone else on the investment team to evaluate it. We try to remove bias from all parts of the system, and that's our part of the universe that we're trying to make as fair as possible. That goes back to what is the zone that you can control. We want to promote other women, suggest them for speaking spots, and make introductions for them, but at the end of the day, there are other things that we’re not going to be able to control.” - Shiyan Koh In this insightful conversation between Jeremy Au, and Shiyan Koh, the Managing Partner of Hustle Fund, they discuss various aspects of venture capital and investing. They highlight the importance of diversity and representation in the VC industry, the need to address biases, and a fair and unbiased approach to the investment process. They also delve into the challenges faced by women and minorities in the field, along with the significance of mentorship and support in breaking into VC. Jeremy and Shiyan share advice for aspiring VCs, emphasizing the importance of understanding companies deeply and demonstrating competence in sourcing and picking. They discuss the indeterminate nature of venture investing and the need to enjoy the process, despite its uncertainty. Reflecting on their experiences, they offer insights into the journey of a VC and the value of continuous learning. Key Topics: • Importance of diversity and representation in the VC industry • Addressing biases in the investment process • Challenges faced by women and minorities in VC • Significance of mentorship and support in breaking into VC • Understanding companies deeply and demonstrating competence • Embracing the uncertainty and enjoyment of the venture investing process • Continuous learning and growth as a VC Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/women-vc-representation 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 NodeFlair here: https://www.nodeflair.com/