The Adrian Tan Show

Someone is going to get retrenched today — and they have no idea. After 11 years inside recruitment and hundreds of conversations with blindsided professionals, I can tell you retrenchment is almost never actually a surprise. The signals show up weeks or months early. Most people just don't know what they're looking for. This video names all 9 — and the 4 quiet moves to make before you ever need t...

I'm an introvert. Small talk drains me, and walking into a room of strangers is the last thing I want to do — so for years my "networking strategy" was finding the food table and looking busy with my coffee. And yet people still walk up to me at events (and once, at a night market) already knowing who I am. That's not luck. It's reputation infrastructure — 8 specific moves that put your name into...

My former CEO stood in front of the whole team and said: no side hustles. Too distracting. The company needs your full commitment. He had three board directorships, two committee seats, and multiple rental properties. He wasn’t lying to be cruel. He was protecting what he’d built — and hoping you wouldn’t notice the gap between what he said and what he did. I noticed too late. I went all-in on one...

After my CNA article on fractional work went live, I received many LinkedIn DMs, so I’m answering the most common questions in this video. 00:00 Intro 00:37 What is Fractional Work? 01:58 Can It Work Financially? 03:14 Handling Dry Spells 05:24 Do You Need a Big Network? 05:59 Set Up a Company or Operate Individually? 06:29 How to Land Your First Client 07:35 What If a Client Wants You Full-Time?...

I reflect on Charlie Munger’s wish for more time and share three ideas from Bill Perkins’ Die With Zero that changed how I think about money and life. First, you don’t retire with money—you retire with memories, and some experiences have real physical expiry dates, so postponing them can mean missing them forever. Second, I reframe retirement planning by treating net worth peak as a date, not a nu...

I'm back after a six-month hiatus to discuss the origin of his podcast, his experiences with imposter syndrome, and his journey in content creation. I reflect on the evolution of content creation from blogging to contemporary practices involving AI, and emphasise the importance of maintaining authenticity in one's tone of voice. Also, a shout-out to ⁨ Typeless :⁩ to help you align spoken a...

In this revealing episode, Florence Foo shares her incredible journey of quitting her corporate job while pregnant with her second child to launching four successful businesses. From starting a boutique digital marketing agency to organising large-scale events, introducing sunscreen dispensers on demand, and exploring groundbreaking LED technology, Florence navigates the rollercoaster ride of entr...

In this eye-opening episode, Eric Tan , a seasoned entrepreneur and chartered accountant, reveals the staggering realities and misconceptions of starting your own business. From the relentless grind and overwhelming stress to the illusion of having more control over your time, Eric shares his journey from working for Pricewaterhouse to running his own successful accounting and consulting firms. Tu...

Join Shawn Lim as he opens up about his transformative journey from being arrested as a teenager to becoming a successful content creator and podcaster. Discover why he prefers the term 'content creator' over 'influencer' and learn about his platform, Human Algorithm, which aims to promote authenticity in the age of AI. In this eye-opening podcast, Shawn shares deeply personal stor...

In this captivating episode, Adrian and Amanda Cua discuss her unexpected decision to skip college and embark on an entrepreneurial journey during the pandemic. Amanda shares how she utilised a gap year to create a successful newsletter company, BackScoop, in Southeast Asia. She delves into the challenges she faced, the strategies she used to grow her subscriber base, her thoughts on the media lan...

In this special in-studio episode of The Adrian Tan Show, I sit down with Sarah Wong , a former Silicon Valley professional, now a podcast host, a consultant, and a mom of two. Sarah shares her personal journey from experiencing career burnout, transitioning to motherhood, and shifting to a portfolio career. She also talks about her podcast ⁨@makeitwork.podcast⁩ which focuses on inspiring stories...

In this episode, Adrian brings you an unmissable conversation with Jason Ong , a Singaporean who has been living and working in China for the past 18 years. Tune in as Jason shares his captivating journey from studying in the United States to navigating the corporate world in China. Hear about the jaw-dropping tale of firing a Deputy GM while dealing with the local mafia, and the rigorous challeng...

In this episode of The Adrian Tan Show, we dive deep into the world of creativity and imposter syndrome with acclaimed creative director turned conversation director, Jorge Thauby . Jorge has worked with global brands and won prestigious awards like the Lion Award, yet he still struggles with feeling 'not good enough.' Watch as Jorge shares his journey from Chile to Dubai and finally Singapore, di...

In this special episode of The Adrian Tan Show, I sit down with Michael Chua ⁩ - a seasoned technologist and award-winning actor. Michael shares his unique journey from studying civil engineering in Australia, working as a programmer in London, to becoming a consultant in cybersecurity across 19 countries. Along the way, he discovered a passion for acting which led him to win multiple awards and c...

Join us as we dive into the fascinating journey of Gareth Llyod , a former global DJ turned entrepreneurial powerhouse. Discover how he transitioned from spinning records in 17 countries to revolutionising the garlic and Brazil nut industries in Peru. Gareth shares insights into overcoming major setbacks, like losing a container down a 500-meter ravine, and the importance of innovation and disrupt...

In this episode, we welcome Jaslyin Qiyu , a spiritually driven entrepreneur empowering others, especially women, by exploring fractional work opportunities. Jaslyin shares her journey from climbing the corporate ladder, working at major companies like Citibank and JLL, to navigating the challenges of a remote work environment during the pandemic. She outlines her definition of fractional work and...

In this episode, we delve into the incredible journey of Julie Lee , a former corporate HR director who faced three retrenchments over her 30-year career. Julie shares her challenging yet inspiring story of how she transitioned from a software engineering career to HR, only to be retrenched multiple times. Despite these setbacks, she launched her own business offering fractional CHRO services and...

In this episode, we dive deep into Ratna Juita 's transformative journey from battling burnout to becoming the founder of a successful business. Ratna shares her struggles with childhood trauma, fear of public speaking, and the mental toll of her corporate job. Learn how mindfulness and personal branding were pivotal in her recovery and entrepreneurial success. Ratna also offers valuable insig...

In this episode, we dive into the inspiring story of Daniel Sim , a former Army Major who transitioned into a successful property investor specializing in the UK market. Daniel shares his motivations and challenges in climbing the corporate ladder and discusses his decision to leave the military for a career that offers more flexibility and fulfillment. He reveals key insights into building a pass...

Sugasini Kandiah is the founder of Hidden Gems Talent, a platform that helps Singapore startups tap into top-tier remote talent from Malaysia and Indonesia. She is passionate about helping young professionals across the region build rewarding careers while enabling startups to scale with the right people. Before launching Hidden Gems Talent, Suga spent a decade in private equity and impact investi...

Benjamin Loh is an award-winning professional speaker, executive coach, and the founder of Flare Communications Coaching. Recognized as one of Asia’s youngest Certified Speaking Professionals (CSP)—a distinction held by the top 12% of professional speakers worldwide—Benjamin has empowered over 55,000 executives, leaders, and entrepreneurs across nine countries to communicate with impact and authen...

Loh Kai Ying is an Ontological and Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP) coach and co-host of The Curious Co. Podcast. Over the past 8 years, she held roles in organisational development (OD), L&D, investment facilitation and geopolitical research in various ministries and statutory boards in Singapore's public sector. As a coach, Kai Ying has a wide clientele of all ages and professions, from...

Mark Mullinix is a former American Express corporate executive. He has been following a less conventional career path since 2013. After founding a loyalty consulting company, which was acquired in 2018, he has been focused on working with startups as a growth advisor and fractional executive. In 2024, he founded the Fractional Directory Singapore, a resource connecting fractional leaders and compa...

Audrey Low is the Producer and Co-Host of The Curious Co. Podcast , an ICF—PCC Performance Coach, and the Founder of Designing Trust . With a decade of facilitation experience, she helps high-performance teams and managers elevate trust and strengthen relationships at home and at work. This episode is brought to you by Deel⁩ , the all-in-one platform simplifying global team management with payroll...

Wong Su-Yen is a distinguished international leader who serves as a Non-Executive Director and Chairman in various global public, private, and not-for-profit organisations. She has held directorial roles in Australia, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Singapore, and the United States, spanning industries such as telecommunications, media, professional services, agriculture, real estate, education, and Fi...