The Financial Coconut Podcast

What do you get when two actors — one of them a former Green Power Ranger — decide they’re done waiting for scripts and start writing their own story… in tech? Sit down with Christian Lee and Jason Chan, co-founders of Cinewav , a world-first platform changing how audiences experience sound in films and live events. From life on film sets and struggles in the media industry to the “yes, and” rule...

Balancing career and family — can you really have both? Can stepping back from your career ever mean moving forward in life? Explore the real trade-offs behind choosing family over work — and whether it truly means falling behind. Joining two women who’ve lived it out in very different ways: 👩‍💼 Sarah Wong — Healthtech leader, venture partner, and podcaster who took time off to rediscover her pu...

What would you do if your 12-year-old started making his own money — and then told you how he wants to invest it? That’s exactly what happened in this week’s episode. Host Reggie sits down with Alex Lee, better known as Familee Dad, and his son Daken from Familee.sg — one of Singapore’s most popular family creator. They open up about: Turning family content into a full-fledged business. How parent...

Think Europe is out of reach for Asian businesses? Think again. We’re joined by Mr Péter Martonosi , Head of Trade, Embassy of Hungary in Singapore, to explore how Hungary is opening unexpected doors for investors and entrepreneurs across Asia. Find out: - The surprisingly low tax rate turning heads. - Why major car brands and tech firms are already there. - How Hungary acts as a launchpad into Eu...

Imagine it’s Friday at 4 p.m. — your boss calls you in. By 5, your access card stops working. What would you do? Learn what most professionals overlook until it’s too late, and how to protect your rights when job security is at risk. Unpack how you can prepare - legally, financially, and emotionally - before retrenchment happens. Featuring: - Amarjit Kaur, Head of Employment Law, Withers SG - shar...

What if your journey to financial freedom started in a small Malaysian town and ended in one of the world’s priciest cities? Reggie sits with Boon Tee — a finance professional who quietly built his wealth, moved countries, and hit FIRE by betting big on tech stocks. In this episode: - How he went from earning in ringgit to investing in USD. - The mindset shifts that helped him build conviction — a...

What really powers Singapore after dark? Beyond the parties and bright lights lies a thriving ecosystem of creativity, culture, and commerce. Our guests: - Danny Loong, CEO, Timbre Group, a veteran shaping music and entertainment in the city - Kent Teo CEO, INVADE, the festival agency championing thousands of micro-businesses and creatives Together, we uncover: - How Singapore’s night economy is c...

Ever wondered how life stacks up for working professionals in the UK versus Singapore? From student loans and taxes to housing, healthcare, and retirement — we’re breaking down what financial life really looks like on both sides. Joining us is Ali Zafar, Founder of LifeSmart Financial Literacy, who flew in from the UK to study how Singaporeans handle money. Unpack: - What everyday financial life f...

The F&B game in Singapore has never been tougher — soaring costs, demanding diners, and trends that change overnight. So how do you stay relevant when everyone’s fighting for the same customer? Reggie and Amir sit down with two industry powerhouses who’ve built and rebuilt success from scratch: Meet the Guests: - Sarissa Rodriguez-Schwartz – CEO, SJS Group, a New Yorker-turned-Singaporean rest...

Thinking about quitting your job… but without a backup plan? 🤔 Before you take the leap, you’ll want to hear this. We sat with Pui Wah Loh, Former Director of the NTU Career & Attachment Office (CAO) , a veteran with over 40 years of experience in employability, higher education, and career consulting. He has worked with thousands of graduates and professionals and now runs his own consultanc...

What does retirement really look like? For many, it’s slowing down. But for today’s guest, life only started getting more vibrant after she retired. 👉 From leaving a high-pressure corporate career in her 40s... 👉 To experimenting with side hustles and running her own café... 👉 To becoming a senior model and launching a fashion movement with a cause... She’s proving that retirement doesn’t mean...

What if your next big business move wasn’t in Singapore… but in Borneo? But what it is really like on the ground? In this episode, we’ll unpack: - Why Borneo might just be the next big space for entrepreneurs. - The everyday hurdles — from supply chains to staffing — that outsiders rarely see. - How to grow without losing the “human touch” in a tech-driven world. - Why sustainability isn’t just a...

Ever wondered if building your career overseas is really worth it—or if staying closer to home could actually give you more? Join us with two remarkable guests who’ve lived the global career life, then made the bold decision to return home. Here’s what you’ll hear: The real trade-offs between global roles abroad and regional success at home How family, identity, and balance shape major career deci...

SSB rates are down. T-bills are down. Your cash is losing its mojo. So, what’s the next move? Everyone’s asking the same question: “Where can I park my cash to get a better yield, without taking on huge risk?” Join us as we crack the code on a smarter alternative. We’re talking about a fund designed for one job: to consistently beat cash. Learn about: - The exact trade-off: How much more risk for...

Can popping a pill really make you feel like you’ve upgraded from a mid-tier phone to the latest flagship model? In this episode, one of us is skeptical… the other swears by it. We unpack the booming longevity supplement space with two guests who are right in the thick of it: - Dr. Eugene He – biotechnologist, naturopath, and CEO of Qurio Pte Ltd, on why he’s betting big on living beyond 120 (with...

Thinking about switching careers, but unsure if leaving the stability of an MNC for a startup is the right move? In this episode, we dive into: - Why some mid-career professionals are pivoting to deep tech startups - The surprising opportunities in Singapore’s growing innovation scene - What it really takes to thrive in a startup environment compared to a corporate giant - How structured training...

What would you do if you walked away from a six-figure corporate job in your 20s to completely reimagine your life? We sit with Asher Chua , a former workaholic who traded quotas and endless sales calls for something entirely different. He’s experimented with side hustles, built his own consultancy, and even made some bold life decisions while juggling a wedding and buying a home. Here’s a taste o...

Ever used a card to pay for your morning kopi, tapped for your MRT ride, or scanned a QR code at a hawker centre? There's one name behind it all, a true legacy company that powers a huge part of Singapore's daily life. But what happens when a giant is no longer the cheapest option? We go behind the scenes of Singapore's payment infrastructure. We’re sitting down with the man steering the ship of o...

Ever thought of quitting your stable job to chase a dream? Meet Cheng Chai Hong, Director, Writer, & Producer, and Martin Loh, Co-Producer and Head of Marketing of the local film ‘We Can Save the World.’ They share: - Why they left stable careers to dive into filmmaking - How they navigated financial uncertainty without grants or product placements - The real struggles behind pursuing a creati...

Ever thought investing in small-cap stocks was just too risky? What if the biggest myths about them are hiding the biggest opportunities? We sit down with James Yeo, Investor and Trainer, Investkaki.com shares how he went from a five-figure wipeout to building a mid six-figure portfolio What you’ll hear: - The painful mistake that shaped his investing framework. - How he pivoted from trading...

What if the biggest problems in business and education could be solved… by playing a game? Forget everything you think you know about games being just for fun. We're diving into the multi-billion dollar world of serious games—where play is a powerful tool for training, change, and solving complex corporate challenges. You’ll discover: - How businesses are using games to train staff more effectivel...

Law is one of the most prestigious and traditional careers in Asia — but what happens when the dream job comes at a cost you didn’t expect? We speak with *Lalitha Rajah* (former lawyer turned yoga teacher & mom of two) and *Iman Ibrahim* (former divorce lawyer, now a burnout coach). 🔹 What sacrifices lie behind the glamour of the profession? 🔹 Why do so many lawyers quietly walk away after y...

What if you could retire… in your 30s? Not at the end of your life, but right now? What would you do with that time, and who would you become? Meet Ho Ming Xia, a former chronic workaholic from the high-stakes world of global entrepreneurship, now taking a bold leap into living life on her own terms. Sneak peek: - Why Xia decided to take a "retirement year" at the peak of her career. - How she sim...

Remote teams aren’t just a trend—they’re the backbone of modern businesses. But how do you really build one that works—especially in the Philippines, one of the world’s most dynamic talent markets? Joining us is Nicolas Bivero, CEO & Co-Founder of Penbrothers, a veteran expat with over 22 years in Asia. He moved to the Philippines in 2011 and co-founded a company that now employs over 1,300 pe...

Can you break into cybersecurity without a tech degree? The answer might surprise you. We unpack the myths, the must-have skills, and the real pathways into one of today’s hottest industries. What you’ll hear: The many roles in cyber beyond coding The biggest hurdles for mid-career switchers The soft skills that matter most How AI is reshaping the field With guests: James Lim, Co-founder of the Ce...