On My Own Terms: Career Change | Life Pivot | Success Redefined

What happens when you walk away from a successful 10+ year corporate career to start over — as a student, in a new country?Meet Janissa Ng — a former Senior Account Director from Singapore who took a bold leap to rebuild her career in sustainability. After over a decade in corporate communications, she left everything behind to pursue a Master’s degree in Germany, eventually crafting a remote, purpose-driven portfolio career on her own terms.In this episode of On My Own Terms, Janissa opens up about her journey of starting over, finding freedom through flexibility, and redefining what success means in your 30s and 40s. If you’re feeling stuck, burnt out, or wondering whether it’s too late to start over — this conversation is your permission slip to rethink what success looks like.💬 In this episode, we talk about:What inspired Janissa to leave her corporate career and move to GermanyHow she managed studying abroad debt-free in mid-careerThe challenges of starting over and finding purpose againBuilding a remote, portfolio-style career in sustainabilityThe reality of burnout and how to create meaningful work-life balanceWhy it’s okay to stop chasing titles and start designing your own pathThis is an honest, heartfelt story for anyone in their 30s or 40s who’s questioning their path, craving change, or looking for meaning beyond the 9-to-5.🎧 Watch till the end for Janissa’s lessons on freedom, identity, and building a career that feels truly yours.Chapters:00:00 Introduction03:01 Meet Jan: Sustainability Communications Consultant04:34 What Made Jan Leave Singapore to Start Over in Germany?05:25 How Do You Turn Passion for the Planet Into a Real Career?13:54 Was Going Back to School After 10 Years Worth It?34:35 Is Singapore Really Ready for Sustainability and ESG?35:53 How ESG Really Works Inside Companies38:05 Can Startups Solve What Big Corporates Can’t?40:10 Building ‘Human and Heard’ — A Venture Rooted in Purpose51:13 Lessons on Burnout, Freedom, and Redefining SuccessWhere to find Janissa:Website: https://bit.ly/4nYc3N5 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janissang/*Executive branding sprint (ideal for people in career transitions) at exclusive rate for podcast audience (YOU) → Quote “Podcast Executive Branding” when you contact Janissa🎯Find practical tools and resources to guide your journey:Check out: https://bit.ly/3CTMZRW📩 Follow us on:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onmyowntermspodcastLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/on-my-own-terms-podcast/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OnMyOwnTermsPodcastEmail: johnlimcy@gmail.comSupport the podcast here: https://buymeacoffee.com/onmyownterms📌 References (AI):ChatGPT (OpenAI): Conversational AI platform for idea generation and workflows. https://chatgpt.comWWF (World Wide Fund for Nature): Environmental organization where Janissa previously worked, focused on wildlife conservation and sustainability. https://www.worldwildlife.orgAbout the host John Lim:Born and bred in Singapore, John is a husband, father and a curious business and tech enthusiast. John began his career in banking, co-founded Singapore’s largest indoor laser tag events company, led regional business development for a tech startup, and took a leap into e-commerce just before the Covid pandemic hit. Just when he thought he was crushing it at his dream company, he got laid off in the tech winter. In his journey, he's embraced uncertainty, growth, and reinvention—and he’s on a mission to help others do the same.#CareerTransition #Sustainability #RemoteWork #MidCareerChange #SingaporePodcast #WomenInWork #OnMyOwnTerms #Germany #Singapore

In this episode of On My Own Terms, I sit down with Mohd Rizuan, founder of Rice Labs, to talk about career pivots, building a business around AI and automation, and what the future of work means for everyday professionals.Rizuan’s journey is anything but typical:From marketing & sales to tinkering with AI tools before they were mainstreamTaking a $13/hour part-time job just to buy himself time to build his startupHelping agencies and SMBs scale without hiring more headcount through automationBusting the myth that AI is instant — and why it takes real work to make it reliableSharing how patience with results and impatience with action became his formula for growthWe also dive into:Real-world examples of automation that save hours every weekThe hidden effort behind good AI prompts & why “prompt engineering” mattersWhat it means to stay “lean” as a business in the AI eraRizuan’s perspective on Agentic AI and why we’re still early in adoptionIf you’ve ever wondered how to future-proof your career, use AI effectively, or make the leap from corporate life into entrepreneurship — this conversation will give you both practical takeaways and a dose of inspiration.Takeaway Quote“The three most harmful addictions are heroin, carbohydrates, and a monthly salary.” – Nassim Nicholas TalebChapters:00:00 – Introduction: The AI Shift We’re Not Ready For04:08 – Welcome to OMOT06:38 – The Hardest Decisions Every Founder Faces11:25 – Automation & AI Explained Without the Hype17:28 – Finding the Right Clients for AI Solutions30:00 – Claude vs ChatGPT: Why Rizuan Made the Switch30:12 – n8n: The Automation Tool You Should Know31:03 – Leaving a Stable Job for the Unknown34:49 – The Future of Work: What AI Adoption Really Looks Like44:48 – Final Lessons: Rizuan’s Advice for EntrepreneursWhere to find Rizuan:Website: https://bit.ly/4gGMtcw LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mohd-rizuan/🎯Find practical tools and resources to guide your journey:Check out: https://bit.ly/3CTMZRW📩 Follow us on:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onmyowntermspodcastLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/on-my-own-terms-podcast/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OnMyOwnTermsPodcastEmail: johnlimcy@gmail.comSupport my work here: ⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/onmyownterms📌 References (AI & Automation Tools)Make (formerly Integromat)Clay: A modern data enrichment and workflow automation platform. https://www.clay.comZapier: Workflow automation connecting apps and services. https://zapier.comApify: Web scraping and automation platform. https://apify.comRapidAPI: API marketplace and hub for developers. https://rapidapi.comAgentic AI: AI systems capable of autonomous actions in the real world (overview). https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/blog/introducing-agentic-ai/Linda: AI personal assistant for workflow automation. https://www.linda.aiPinecone: Vector database for AI-powered search and recommendations. https://www.pinecone.ioClaude (Anthropic): A next-generation AI assistant. https://claude.aiOpenAI: Research company developing AI systems and tools. https://openai.comChatGPT (OpenAI): Conversational AI platform for idea generation and workflows. https://chatgpt.comn8n: A powerful workflow automation tool that lets you connect apps, APIs, and AI with custom logic. https://n8n.io#AI #Automation #FutureOfWork #CareerPivot #SME #AItools #AgenticAI #PromptEngineering #Productivity #tech #OpenAI #ChatGPT #ClaudeAI #WorkflowAutomation #FounderJourney #millennials #Singapore #CareerTransition

#CareerPivot #BurnoutRecovery #RedefiningSuccessFeeling stuck in your career or battling burnout? 💡Shu Yi “Shuyi” Goh is a Gallup‑Certified CliftonStrengths coach and founder of The Strengths Co, specializing in helping mid‑career professionals discover their innate talents and build fulfilling careers. With over 16 years in technology and leadership roles at Accenture, Standard Chartered Bank, and Salesforce, she now blends strategic business frameworks with positive psychology to guide individuals through bold career transformations.In this episode, Shuyi shares her personal journey from corporate burnout to launching a strengths‑based coaching practice, and provides actionable insights on career pivots, playing to your strengths, and leveraging AI tools for personal and professional growth.In this conversation, you’ll learn:How Shuyi turned corporate burnout into a purposeful career pivot.Why CliftonStrengths (Gallup StrengthsFinder) is key to unlocking career growth.Practical strengths-based coaching strategies to break free from feeling stuck.How to use AI like ChatGPT as a tool for personal and career development.Essential lessons for solopreneurs on finances, business setup, and resilience.Chapters:00:00 Introduction03:42 Who is Shuyi Goh?04:53 Why I Walked Away from a “Successful” Career07:26 The Breaking Point13:17 Starting Over Isn’t Easy — Here’s How I Did It26:05 How to Build Authentic Connections27:59 Career Growth Strategies That Work31:05 What Most People Get Wrong About Career Growth41:17 Can AI Really Replace a Career Coach?45:35 Key TakeawaysWhere to find Shuyi Goh:Website: https://www.thestrengthsco.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shuyigoh/Take the Career Fit Scorecard: https://bit.ly/4gjc8aY 🎯Find practical tools and resources to guide your journey:Check out: https://bit.ly/3CTMZRW📩 Follow us on:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onmyowntermspodcastLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/on-my-own-terms-podcast/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OnMyOwnTermsPodcastEmail: johnlimcy@gmail.comSupport my work here: ⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/onmyowntermsReferenced:• CliftonStrengths (Gallup): The strengths‑based development framework behind strengths coaching. https://www.gallup.com/home.aspx• ChatGPT (OpenAI): The conversational AI platform Shuyi uses for idea generation https://chatgpt.com• Claude (Anthropic): A next-generation AI assistant https://claude.ai/Keywords(career pivot stories, burnout recovery journey, mid-career change inspiration, career coaching tips, AI in personal development, how to deal with burnout at work, career transition motivation)#CareerChange #MidCareerChange #CareerTransition #PersonalGrowth #OnMyOwnTerms #SelfDiscovery #millennial #Singapore #AI

“I lost my job… and it changed everything.”In this raw and inspiring episode, Michael Foo reveals how being let go from a top tech company at age 49 forced him to question his identity, confront cultural shame, and completely redefine what success means.Instead of letting the setback break him, Michael turned it into the greatest opportunity of his life — to build a career filled with purpose, not just titles.If you’ve ever felt stuck in your job, scared of a career change, or lost after a layoff, Michael’s story will show you that rock bottom can be the start of something greater.🔥 What you’ll discover in this episode:The emotional truth about being laid off (that no one talks about)Why so many of us tie self-worth to our jobs — and how to break freeThe 3 powerful questions Michael asked himself to rebuild his lifeHow to turn setbacks into stepping stones for a meaningful career👉 Whether you’re going through a career transition, recovering from a layoff, or searching for purpose beyond your paycheck, this episode will give you the clarity and courage to take the next step.💡 If you’ve ever asked yourself “What should I do after being laid off?” or “Am I more than my job?” — this conversation is for you.Positive Minds: https://positivemindscoaching.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelfoo-mindsetcoach/Subscribe to newsletter for bonus content on career change and growth: http://bit.ly/3Em887U  ⏱️ Chapters00:00 Introduction04:06 Cracking the Confidence Code05:12 How Michael Found His Mission07:16 When the Tech World Crashed10:51 After the Layoff: What Comes Next?29:38 Looking Back to Leap Forward30:29 Starting from Zero33:49 The Hard Lessons No One Warns You About43:45 How to Stay Grounded When Life Gets Loud47:00 Mentor or Coach? Knowing Who You Need and When👉 Book your appointment with Michael: https://bit.ly/4oYXKZy👉 Connect with Michael Foo:Positive Minds: https://positivemindscoaching.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelfoo-mindsetcoach/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michaelfoo.mindsetcoach/🎯Find practical tools and resources to guide your journey:Check out: https://bit.ly/3CTMZRW📩 Follow us on:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onmyowntermspodcastLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/on-my-own-terms-podcast/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OnMyOwnTermsPodcastEmail: johnlimcy@gmail.comSupport my work here: https://buymeacoffee.com/onmyownterms✅ 📢 Support the Channel & Stay Connected📤 Share this episode with a friend or colleague who might need that little nudge to take the next step in their life or career. It really helps us grow and reach more people who need to hear stories like this.(career transition, life after layoff, what to do after being laid off, finding purpose after job loss, career change success stories, laid off from tech job, stuck in my job what to do, how to reinvent yourself after job loss, redefining success, purpose beyond paycheck, career advice for millennials, how to bounce back after being laid off, self-worth and career, meaning of success career change, is my job my identity)#OnMyOwnTerms #LayoffRecovery #CareerTransition #CareerChange #FindingPurpose #LifeReset #career #CareerGrowth #Singapore #RedefiningSuccess #Millenial #StartOver #WorkLife #Jobs #RealTalkPodcast

🎧 Feeling Stuck in Your Career? This Is What Starting Over Actually Looks LikeSubscribe to newsletter for bonus content on career change and growth: http://bit.ly/3Em887U  Are you stuck in a job that no longer excites you? Wondering what it would take to finally make that career pivot — or move to a different country, city, or life altogether?In this episode of On My Own Terms, I speak with Pamela, a Singaporean who made a bold move early in her career: she left her job, bought a $350 one-way ticket to New Zealand, and figured things out from scratch.What started as a gap year turned into 14 years of building a life abroad — raising kids, returning to work in a company she once left, and now, launching a new passion project that combines gardening, cooking, and sustainability.We often hear about bold career moves — but what’s it really like to leave your job without a plan, move to a new country, and start over from scratch?In this episode, I sit down with Pamela to unpack the real side of reinvention:Navigating a career change when the timing feels all wrongMoving abroad without a job, roadmap, or safety netShifting from burnout and hustle to purpose and balanceReconnecting with yourself when you finally slow downTaking career risks in your 30s — and why it’s never too lateReturning to work on your own terms after years awayBuilding a lifestyle that aligns with your values, not just your resumeIf you’ve ever felt stuck in your 9-to-5, dreamed of living differently, or questioned what success really means — Pamela’s story will give you the clarity (and courage) you didn’t know you needed.🎯 Find practical tools and resources to guide your journey:Check out: https://bit.ly/3CTMZRW📩 Follow us on:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onmyowntermspodcastLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/on-my-own-terms-podcast/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OnMyOwnTermsPodcastEmail: johnlimcy@gmail.com⏱️ Chapters00:00 – Beyond the Script: Can You Truly Live Life "On Your Own Terms?"01:00 – Was it a "Gap Year" or Destiny?06:30 – From burnout to breakthrough: Why she left Singapore10:45 – Starting Over Abroad: What It Really Takes15:10 – Is Singapore's Work Ethic a Virtue or a Trap?18:26 – Raising children away from pressure and hustle26:23 – Returning to Her First Company — With a Bigger Mission34:09 – Is Growing Your Own Food the Ultimate "Nurturing" Escape?42:00 – What If the Life You Dream Of is Just One Leap Away?47:07 – What Does "Living Life On Your Own Terms" Truly Mean✅ 📢 Support the Channel & Stay Connected👍 If you found this video helpful, don’t forget to LIKE it and SUBSCRIBE to the channel!🔔 Hit the bell icon to get notified whenever we drop new episodes — especially if you're navigating a career shift or feeling stuck in your job.📤 Share this episode with a friend or colleague who might need that little nudge to take the next step in their life or career. It really helps us grow and reach more people who need to hear stories like this.

👋 Hey everyone! It’s been a while… but I’m back.After a long pause, I’m relaunching On My Own Terms - a podcast created for people navigating career change, layoffs, pivots, and reinvention.The past year taught me a lot. And now feels like the right time to restart these conversations - honest, practical, and real.New episodes drop every Thursday - with fresh conversations, honest stories, and inspiring guests.👉 Don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss what’s coming.🎯 Find practical tools and resources to guide your journey:Check out: https://bit.ly/3CTMZRW📩 Follow us on:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onmyowntermspodcastLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/on-my-own-terms-podcast/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OnMyOwnTermsPodcastOnMyOwnTermsPodcastEmail: johnlimcy@gmail.com(podcast, career change, How to use AI, AI, job, transition, lay offs, millennials, SG, Singapore)#OnMyOwnTerms #CareerChange #MillennialCareers #CareerPivot #EntrepreneurJourney #NewSeason #sg #Layoffs #AI

This is Part 3 (and final part) of special conversation episode between John Lim and Aaron Wong, guest from Ep 1. At time of recording, John has been actively job hunting for several months.  Some topics covered include:- You need permission to be employed- Crafting a good CV - Anxiety of an unemployed sole breadwinner with 2 young children- Job vs income- How to reduce probability of being laid off again- Know your triggers and keep a routineSupport the showSubscribe to bonus podcast content and career resources via ✉️ email newsletter.About the host John Lim:John Lim has had an unconventional career by Singapore / Asian standards - with several career switches. He started his career in banking before co-founding a laser tag events company. After building the business from ground-up, growing the team to 20+ and running Singapore's largest indoor laser tag center, he joined an early-stage tech startup to lead business development across Southeast Asia. In 2019, he took a leap of faith to join the e-commerce industry, seemingly unknown sector, until a few months later when Covid-19 pandemic brought the world to its knees.While John finds himself lucky to have 'survived' the career switches relatively unscathed, he has never forgotten how it feels like to be at the crossroads of your career and life. Now, he has started this podcast - to provide the resources and perspectives he wished he had - and to help you make the most of your career to live your best life.Join him as he speaks with unconventional career changers and risk-takers, taps into their experiences and perspectives and discusses all things career. Together, they will provide you nuggets of wisdom, inspiration and actionable insights to start living life on your own terms.

This is Part 2 of 3 of special conversation episode between John Lim and Aaron Wong, guest from Ep 1. At time of recording, John has been actively job hunting for several months.  Some topics covered include:- Dealing with news of ex-employer's extravagant spending - What could have been done differently - Building skills and network- How to deal with recruiters- Red flags - Career coaches- Most things in life are reversibleSupport the showSubscribe to bonus podcast content and career resources via ✉️ email newsletter.About the host John Lim:John Lim has had an unconventional career by Singapore / Asian standards - with several career switches. He started his career in banking before co-founding a laser tag events company. After building the business from ground-up, growing the team to 20+ and running Singapore's largest indoor laser tag center, he joined an early-stage tech startup to lead business development across Southeast Asia. In 2019, he took a leap of faith to join the e-commerce industry, seemingly unknown sector, until a few months later when Covid-19 pandemic brought the world to its knees.While John finds himself lucky to have 'survived' the career switches relatively unscathed, he has never forgotten how it feels like to be at the crossroads of your career and life. Now, he has started this podcast - to provide the resources and perspectives he wished he had - and to help you make the most of your career to live your best life.Join him as he speaks with unconventional career changers and risk-takers, taps into their experiences and perspectives and discusses all things career. Together, they will provide you nuggets of wisdom, inspiration and actionable insights to start living life on your own terms.

This is Part 1 of 3 of special conversation episode between John Lim and Aaron Wong, guest from Ep 1. At time of recording, John has been actively job hunting for several months.  Some topics covered include:- Getting laid off- What's interest rate got to do with anything- Tech companies- Work vs identity- What's a good layoff exercise Support the showSubscribe to bonus podcast content and career resources via ✉️ email newsletter.About the host John Lim:John Lim has had an unconventional career by Singapore / Asian standards - with several career switches. He started his career in banking before co-founding a laser tag events company. After building the business from ground-up, growing the team to 20+ and running Singapore's largest indoor laser tag center, he joined an early-stage tech startup to lead business development across Southeast Asia. In 2019, he took a leap of faith to join the e-commerce industry, seemingly unknown sector, until a few months later when Covid-19 pandemic brought the world to its knees.While John finds himself lucky to have 'survived' the career switches relatively unscathed, he has never forgotten how it feels like to be at the crossroads of your career and life. Now, he has started this podcast - to provide the resources and perspectives he wished he had - and to help you make the most of your career to live your best life.Join him as he speaks with unconventional career changers and risk-takers, taps into their experiences and perspectives and discusses all things career. Together, they will provide you nuggets of wisdom, inspiration and actionable insights to start living life on your own terms.

Winnie Wong (her LinkedIn) is the author of Amazon #1 New Release - You Don't Have to Look the Part: How East Asian Women Thrive as Entrepreneurs (link). Winnie is also a business leader, educator, researcher, investor, and philanthropist. She has over a decade of corporate experience working with start-ups, scale-ups, and big tech companies. An advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in entrepreneurship, Winnie has mentored foreign domestic workers in entrepreneurship and advised social impact funds in granting $1 million to female-led start-ups. She is a speaker on women, entrepreneurship, and technology. Winnie holds an MBA from INSEAD, where she was a Forte Fellow, and was named a Rising Talent by the Women’s Forum for the Economy & Society. A Canadian-born Chinese, Winnie has lived in Canada, the United Kingdom, France, China, and Singapore. In this conversation, we spoke about:- The different expectations of men vs women in the workplace- Why is her book important and why East Asian women- How Covid19 has affected women at work- Why it is important to support female entrepreneurs - What's one lesson for women (and men) considering a career changeConnect with Winnie via LinkedIn. Check out her book You Don't Have to Look the Part: How East Asian Women Thrive as Entrepreneurs (link). About the book:You Don’t Have to Look the Part: How East Asian Women Thrive as EntrepreneursWomen-led start-ups get only 2% of venture capital funding, even though women own 1 in 3 businesses globally. Of that percentage, East Asian women-led startups only receive a small sliver of that 2%. Despite this disparity, women-founded businesses return more than twice as much per dollar invested than those founded by men. In the book, you’ll learn the: Lessons from the stories of East Asian women entrepreneurs who have built some of the world’s biggest companies, like Coffee Meets Bagel, Canva, and Grab Innovative solutions to support diversity in the start-up industry, starting with government legislators, educators, and investors And so much more... Support the showSubscribe to bonus podcast content and career resources via ✉️ email newsletter.About the host John Lim:John Lim has had an unconventional career by Singapore / Asian standards - with several career switches. He started his career in banking before co-founding a laser tag events company. After building the business from ground-up, growing the team to 20+ and running Singapore's largest indoor laser tag center, he joined an early-stage tech startup to lead business development across Southeast Asia. In 2019, he took a leap of faith to join the e-commerce industry, seemingly unknown sector, until a few months later when Covid-19 pandemic brought the world to its knees.While John finds himself lucky to have 'survived' the career switches relatively unscathed, he has never forgotten how it feels like to be at the crossroads of your career and life. Now, he has started this podcast - to provide the resources and perspectives he wished he had - and to help you make the most of your career to live your best life.Join him as he speaks with unconventional career changers and risk-takers, taps into their experiences and perspectives and discusses all things career. Together, they will provide you nuggets of wisdom, inspiration and actionable insights to start living life on your own terms.

In this episode, we have a special guest - a career change coach who has helped numerous individuals successfully navigate their career transitions. If you're a millennial in Singapore looking to make a career switch, this episode is for you. Former VP at BlackRock, career change coach Jennifer Ong (www.ongjennifer.com) shares her own personal career change story, insights on career and career change and provides the breakdown of her 1:1 career coaching program which has successfully helped her students from Google, Microsoft, Stripe, Accenture pivot careers.We also discuss the reasons why millennials are frustrated with their corporate jobs, the self-limiting beliefs that hold millennials back from a successful career transition and the importance of investing and betting on yourself. Jennifer provides practical tips and strategies that you can implement immediately to jumpstart your career switch journey.Whether you're feeling stuck in your current job, looking to pivot to a new industry, or simply curious about the world of career coaching, you won't want to miss this insightful conversation. Ready to take ownership of your life and explore what a fulfilling career could look like for you?  Sign up for a free 45-min  1:1 coaching call with Jennifer here: http://bit.ly/3yxcjKP. This podcast episode was recorded in Jan 2023.Support the showSubscribe to bonus podcast content and career resources via ✉️ email newsletter.About the host John Lim:John Lim has had an unconventional career by Singapore / Asian standards - with several career switches. He started his career in banking before co-founding a laser tag events company. After building the business from ground-up, growing the team to 20+ and running Singapore's largest indoor laser tag center, he joined an early-stage tech startup to lead business development across Southeast Asia. In 2019, he took a leap of faith to join the e-commerce industry, seemingly unknown sector, until a few months later when Covid-19 pandemic brought the world to its knees.While John finds himself lucky to have 'survived' the career switches relatively unscathed, he has never forgotten how it feels like to be at the crossroads of your career and life. Now, he has started this podcast - to provide the resources and perspectives he wished he had - and to help you make the most of your career to live your best life.Join him as he speaks with unconventional career changers and risk-takers, taps into their experiences and perspectives and discusses all things career. Together, they will provide you nuggets of wisdom, inspiration and actionable insights to start living life on your own terms.

During a career switch, it is common to assume that one needs to take a pay cut when joining a completely different industry to "start from scratch".  Or in job hunting, the candidate with the most relevant job experience should be the most obvious choice.  Both not necessarily true.If you're currently in the service industry looking to pivot to a corporate job or if you feel like your current career is stuck, this episode is for you.  Jasper Lim is currently the Assistant Vice President, Head of E-commerce at Primer Group of Companies, a distribution and retail company with operations in 10 countries and relationships with over 150 leading brands in the outdoor, travel, action sports and urban lifestyle spaces. Some of these brands include Quiksilver, Billabong, The North Face, Hydro Flask and Reef.Before that, he has had wide-ranging experiences in his career - he started his career 14 years ago as a Flight Steward at Singapore Airlines. He then did marketing at Far East Organization, one of the biggest real estate developers in Singapore. He went on to be a Constituency Manager at People’s Association, a government-linked statutory board which promotes racial harmony and social cohesion in Singapore.Jasper then joined ONE Championship, Asia’s largest global mixed martial arts sports media platform with a global broadcast to over 150 countries. Jasper then did a career switch to a completely different industry- e-commerce, joining AceCom Technologies, a regional e-commerce enabler and multichannel distributor. He started out as the Head of Marketing and Partnerships before becoming the General Manager.This podcast episode was recorded in Sep 2022.Support the showSubscribe to bonus podcast content and career resources via ✉️ email newsletter.About the host John Lim:John Lim has had an unconventional career by Singapore / Asian standards - with several career switches. He started his career in banking before co-founding a laser tag events company. After building the business from ground-up, growing the team to 20+ and running Singapore's largest indoor laser tag center, he joined an early-stage tech startup to lead business development across Southeast Asia. In 2019, he took a leap of faith to join the e-commerce industry, seemingly unknown sector, until a few months later when Covid-19 pandemic brought the world to its knees.While John finds himself lucky to have 'survived' the career switches relatively unscathed, he has never forgotten how it feels like to be at the crossroads of your career and life. Now, he has started this podcast - to provide the resources and perspectives he wished he had - and to help you make the most of your career to live your best life.Join him as he speaks with unconventional career changers and risk-takers, taps into their experiences and perspectives and discusses all things career. Together, they will provide you nuggets of wisdom, inspiration and actionable insights to start living life on your own terms.

In this solo episode,  I share the 3 lessons I learnt during my time at Lazada Nov 2019 - Jan 2022. I had front row seat watching the world rushing to pivot to e-commerce when Covid19 brought the world to its knees in early 2020.Lazada is one of the biggest e-commerce operators in Southeast Asia. They were founded in 2012 and they currently operate in six countries: Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines.Opinions expressed in this podcast are solely my own and do not express the views or opinions of Lazada, past, current or future organizations that I am part of.Subscribe to bonus podcast content and career resources via ✉️ email newsletter here.Support the showSubscribe to bonus podcast content and career resources via ✉️ email newsletter.About the host John Lim:John Lim has had an unconventional career by Singapore / Asian standards - with several career switches. He started his career in banking before co-founding a laser tag events company. After building the business from ground-up, growing the team to 20+ and running Singapore's largest indoor laser tag center, he joined an early-stage tech startup to lead business development across Southeast Asia. In 2019, he took a leap of faith to join the e-commerce industry, seemingly unknown sector, until a few months later when Covid-19 pandemic brought the world to its knees.While John finds himself lucky to have 'survived' the career switches relatively unscathed, he has never forgotten how it feels like to be at the crossroads of your career and life. Now, he has started this podcast - to provide the resources and perspectives he wished he had - and to help you make the most of your career to live your best life.Join him as he speaks with unconventional career changers and risk-takers, taps into their experiences and perspectives and discusses all things career. Together, they will provide you nuggets of wisdom, inspiration and actionable insights to start living life on your own terms.

It is one thing to have a career change. It is another to do it while you're uprooting your life to move to another country with no social network. It is one thing to start a business. It is another to start a social enterprise where you're chasing other outcomes other than just financial sustainability. Simon Lieberum has done all of the above.  If you are curious about sustainability and social enterprises, this episode is for you. And if you love local Singaporean kopi, you're in for a treat (scroll down).Simon Lieberum is the Founder and CEO of No Harm Done, a social enterprise which sells Nespresso-compatible coffee pods which are biodegradable. What makes No Harm Done and their coffee pods unique is that the coffee pods are organic, vegan and 100% plastic-free. The coffee pods and packaging are compostable and the coffee beans are sourced from sustainable partner farms around the world.But what I really love is that No Harm Done does the Singapore local coffee - the Kopi O - so damn good! Kopi-O refers to black Singapore local coffee (also known as Nanyang coffee) with no milk.Before Simon started No Harm Done, he led a jet-setting career in Europe being a Management Consultant at Accenture. And from flying around Europe suited up and carrying a laptop with beautiful powerpoint slides, he landed in Singapore and ended up working in a family-owned business which sells plastic packaging to FnB brands.This podcast episode was recorded in Nov 2022.Use special promo code ONMYOWNTERMS on No Harm Done (click on the link) to receive a special 20% discount. Limited time offer.Timestamps:(02:08) Well-kept secret(06:14) No Harm Done(13:44) Why make it organic and plastic free(22:31) Management Consulting(26:16) From Europe to Yishun in Singapore(29:11) No technical background(29:59) The hardest part(34:02) Lessons learnt(35:50) Hiring 65 years old and above(39:04) Kopi for a CauseDisclosure: When you purchase through links on the podcast, I may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting this podcast.Support the showSubscribe to bonus podcast content and career resources via ✉️ email newsletter.About the host John Lim:John Lim has had an unconventional career by Singapore / Asian standards - with several career switches. He started his career in banking before co-founding a laser tag events company. After building the business from ground-up, growing the team to 20+ and running Singapore's largest indoor laser tag center, he joined an early-stage tech startup to lead business development across Southeast Asia. In 2019, he took a leap of faith to join the e-commerce industry, seemingly unknown sector, until a few months later when Covid-19 pandemic brought the world to its knees.While John finds himself lucky to have 'survived' the career switches relatively unscathed, he has never forgotten how it feels like to be at the crossroads of your career and life. Now, he has started this podcast - to provide the resources and perspectives he wished he had - and to help you make the most of your career to live your best life.Join him as he speaks with unconventional career changers and risk-takers, taps into their experiences and perspectives and discusses all things career. Together, they will provide you nuggets of wisdom, inspiration and actionable insights to start living life on your own terms.

Not everyone can easily and/or necessarily need to make drastic career changes immediately to get more fulfilment. You can start a side hustle or passion project  while keeping your day job. This episode is about side hustles and hustling. Bethia Wee is the Sales Development Lead for small and medium businesses at Aspire. It is self-described as the all-in-one finance operating system for businesses in Southeast Asia. Aspire was founded in 2018 and so far it has raised nearly $200M from venture capital firms including the famous Y-Combinator.Before Aspire, our guest was at Fave Group, where she spent collectively 5.5 years at. Her roles included leading business development and partner operations.If that doesn’t sound like a lot on her plate, Bethia has also been busy starting her own fashion brand Whakamana, which blends work-appropriate attire with activewear elements and materials.Bethia is also the co-founder of ‘Ello, a mobile pop-up bar service for events. She has also been a freelance personal trainer. She is a wine drinker, a passionate fan of dancing and fitness and is at the grand age of just 26.This podcast episode was recorded in Sep 2022.Use special promo code ONMYOWNTERMS on Whakamana (click on the link) to receive 15% off till end of Feb 2023, 10% thereafter. Limited time offer.Timestamps:(11:24) Joining a startup(19:24) How to gain confidence(28:37) Starting work appropriate activewear fashion brand Whakamana(33:02) Investing in property in early 20s(38:51) How to think about money(41:38) Failures and lessons(45:02) Should you get a degree?(50:14) How to start a side hustleDisclosure: When you purchase through links on the podcast, I may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting this podcast.Support the showSubscribe to bonus podcast content and career resources via ✉️ email newsletter.About the host John Lim:John Lim has had an unconventional career by Singapore / Asian standards - with several career switches. He started his career in banking before co-founding a laser tag events company. After building the business from ground-up, growing the team to 20+ and running Singapore's largest indoor laser tag center, he joined an early-stage tech startup to lead business development across Southeast Asia. In 2019, he took a leap of faith to join the e-commerce industry, seemingly unknown sector, until a few months later when Covid-19 pandemic brought the world to its knees.While John finds himself lucky to have 'survived' the career switches relatively unscathed, he has never forgotten how it feels like to be at the crossroads of your career and life. Now, he has started this podcast - to provide the resources and perspectives he wished he had - and to help you make the most of your career to live your best life.Join him as he speaks with unconventional career changers and risk-takers, taps into their experiences and perspectives and discusses all things career. Together, they will provide you nuggets of wisdom, inspiration and actionable insights to start living life on your own terms.

Hi everyone, this is another special solo episode. This is a recording for a presentation I did for Singapore Management University (SMU) students in Jan 2022. It consists of three main parts:Brief summary of my career journey so far (skip this if you’ve heard Ep 12)My experience interviewing and getting my current role at ShopifyMy 4 Advice / takeaways on careerAlthough the recording was prepared for SMU students, most of the career takeaways are still very relevant for early to mid career folks. To receive more career content and resources like these, do consider subscribing to our email newsletter here https://bit.ly/3vxbD6I. Timestamps:(02:14) Career Summary (skip this if you have heard Ep 12)(03:54) How I joined Shopify(06:24) Takeaway #1(08:05) Takeaway #2(09:36) Takeaway #3(10:00) Takeaway #4 (I regret not doing this)Social Media:Kindly rate and review this podcast on social media / Apple Podcast. Your 2 mins spent will mean the world to us and will make the hundreds of hours spent producing this podcast all worthwhile. Consider subscribing and following the podcast wherever you are listening or watching from so you won't miss out on new episodes. You can find and connect with us on our 🌐 website, Linkedin, Instagram, Facebook and watch (parts of) the conversation on YouTube.Support the showSubscribe to bonus podcast content and career resources via ✉️ email newsletter.About the host John Lim:John Lim has had an unconventional career by Singapore / Asian standards - with several career switches. He started his career in banking before co-founding a laser tag events company. After building the business from ground-up, growing the team to 20+ and running Singapore's largest indoor laser tag center, he joined an early-stage tech startup to lead business development across Southeast Asia. In 2019, he took a leap of faith to join the e-commerce industry, seemingly unknown sector, until a few months later when Covid-19 pandemic brought the world to its knees.While John finds himself lucky to have 'survived' the career switches relatively unscathed, he has never forgotten how it feels like to be at the crossroads of your career and life. Now, he has started this podcast - to provide the resources and perspectives he wished he had - and to help you make the most of your career to live your best life.Join him as he speaks with unconventional career changers and risk-takers, taps into their experiences and perspectives and discusses all things career. Together, they will provide you nuggets of wisdom, inspiration and actionable insights to start living life on your own terms.

Yaohong Ch’ng is the Head of Data and Engineering at January Capital, a venture capital (VC) firm based in Singapore. He is responsible for building data-driven solutions that will complement January Capital’s investment process. Before that, he was the Head of Data at StashAway, a digital wealth manager that has assets of more than USD $1 billion under management. As employee #2, he helped build the company’s flagship product since day one as team lead and later on, as an engineering manager.In this episode, you will learn how Yaohong transitioned his career from $700 / month to joining a VC, why having transferable skills and being a “cockroach” is important and why you should look at yourself internally first when considering career switch.This podcast episode was recorded in Sep 2022. Subscribe to email newsletter for bonus content.Timestamps:(00:00) Intro(11:45) Robo-Advisor(18:23) Risk of joining early stage startup(21:02) Why skills are important(23:43) Switching from finance to tech(41:14) Building transferable skills(45:26) Advice for career switch(49:23) Career optionalities(58:34) Framework for hiring(01:09:00) What does success look likeSocial Media:Kindly rate and review this podcast on social media / Apple Podcast. Your 2 mins spent will mean the world to us and will make the hundreds of hours spent producing this podcast all worthwhile. Consider subscribing and following the podcast wherever you are listening or watching from so you won't miss out on new episodes. You can find and connect with us on our 🌐 website, Linkedin, Instagram, Facebook and watch (parts of) the conversation on YouTube.Support the showSubscribe to bonus podcast content and career resources via ✉️ email newsletter.About the host John Lim:John Lim has had an unconventional career by Singapore / Asian standards - with several career switches. He started his career in banking before co-founding a laser tag events company. After building the business from ground-up, growing the team to 20+ and running Singapore's largest indoor laser tag center, he joined an early-stage tech startup to lead business development across Southeast Asia. In 2019, he took a leap of faith to join the e-commerce industry, seemingly unknown sector, until a few months later when Covid-19 pandemic brought the world to its knees.While John finds himself lucky to have 'survived' the career switches relatively unscathed, he has never forgotten how it feels like to be at the crossroads of your career and life. Now, he has started this podcast - to provide the resources and perspectives he wished he had - and to help you make the most of your career to live your best life.Join him as he speaks with unconventional career changers and risk-takers, taps into their experiences and perspectives and discusses all things career. Together, they will provide you nuggets of wisdom, inspiration and actionable insights to start living life on your own terms.

Sean Goh  is the co-founder of UglyFood, Singapore-based food startup whose mission is to eliminate food waste and revamp the food ecosystem. UglyFood aims to make sustainability a part of people’s everyday lives. They operate in the fruits and vegetables space by selling excess or ugly produce, their own branded products, and sustainably sourced goods.Before UglyFood, Sean spent 12 years across various role at Shell, a multinational oil and gas company. In between his time at Shell, Sean took a gap year to do his MBA in Hong Kong. In this episode, you will learn how a senior executive in a big stable MNC like Sean transitioned his career switch out to building a sustainability-focused startup, Sean's advice for career switch and young folks starting out, value add of his MBA (Master of Business Administration) and which starting role in his career where he learnt the most from. This podcast episode was recorded in July 2022.Subscribe to bonus podcast content and career resources via ✉️ email newsletter.Timestamps:(00:00) Intro(06:59) From Shell to Uglyfood(08:17) How much does age gap between co-founders matter(09:31) Strengths vs Weaknesses(10:59) Builder, Opportunity and Timing(12:33) Execution is everything(16:18) One advice for career switch(17:41) Age old question on passion(18:30) How did MBA value add(20:28) Learnt the most at this role (22:51) Advice for young folks starting out(27:20) How to find mentorSocial Media:Kindly rate and review this podcast on social media / Apple Podcast. Your 2 mins spent will mean the world to us and will make the hundreds of hours spent producing this podcast all worthwhile. Consider subscribing and following the podcast wherever you are listening or watching from so you won't miss out on new episodes. You can find and connect with us on our 🌐 website, Linkedin, Instagram, Facebook and watch (parts of) the conversation on Support the showSubscribe to bonus podcast content and career resources via ✉️ email newsletter.About the host John Lim:John Lim has had an unconventional career by Singapore / Asian standards - with several career switches. He started his career in banking before co-founding a laser tag events company. After building the business from ground-up, growing the team to 20+ and running Singapore's largest indoor laser tag center, he joined an early-stage tech startup to lead business development across Southeast Asia. In 2019, he took a leap of faith to join the e-commerce industry, seemingly unknown sector, until a few months later when Covid-19 pandemic brought the world to its knees.While John finds himself lucky to have 'survived' the career switches relatively unscathed, he has never forgotten how it feels like to be at the crossroads of your career and life. Now, he has started this podcast - to provide the resources and perspectives he wished he had - and to help you make the most of your career to live your best life.Join him as he speaks with unconventional career changers and risk-takers, taps into their experiences and perspectives and discusses all things career. Together, they will provide you nuggets of wisdom, inspiration and actionable insights to start living life on your own terms.

Hi everyone, this is a solo episode where I will share my career journey thus far. I will tell you why and focus on the 3 career transition chapters:From banking 🏦 to laser tag 🔫From employer to startup employeeFrom untimely departure to ecommerce industry in Covid19Let me know what you think / contact me directly at johnlimcy@gmail.com. Do kindly let me know your thoughts of such solo episodes - and what other topics you'd like me to cover. Subscribe to bonus podcast content and career resources via ✉️ email newsletter here.Timestamps:(00:00) Intro(00:47) Why I am sharing my career journey(02:10) My 3 career transition chapters (03:15) Chapter 1(07:22) Chapter 2(09:36) Put Numbers on your CV(14:18) Chapter 3(15:14) One of the lowest points of my life(20:13) Motivation behind this podcastSocial Media:Kindly rate and review this podcast on social media / Apple Podcast. Your 2 mins spent will mean the world to us and will make the hundreds of hours spent producing this podcast all worthwhile. Consider subscribing and following the podcast wherever you are listening or watching from so you won't miss out on new episodes. You can find and connect with us on our 🌐 website, Linkedin, Instagram, Facebook and watch (parts of) the conversation on YouTube.Support the showSubscribe to bonus podcast content and career resources via ✉️ email newsletter.About the host John Lim:John Lim has had an unconventional career by Singapore / Asian standards - with several career switches. He started his career in banking before co-founding a laser tag events company. After building the business from ground-up, growing the team to 20+ and running Singapore's largest indoor laser tag center, he joined an early-stage tech startup to lead business development across Southeast Asia. In 2019, he took a leap of faith to join the e-commerce industry, seemingly unknown sector, until a few months later when Covid-19 pandemic brought the world to its knees.While John finds himself lucky to have 'survived' the career switches relatively unscathed, he has never forgotten how it feels like to be at the crossroads of your career and life. Now, he has started this podcast - to provide the resources and perspectives he wished he had - and to help you make the most of your career to live your best life.Join him as he speaks with unconventional career changers and risk-takers, taps into their experiences and perspectives and discusses all things career. Together, they will provide you nuggets of wisdom, inspiration and actionable insights to start living life on your own terms.

Hi everyone, this is a special episode (more of such to come) - to give everyone a quick review for 2022 and let everyone know what to expect in 2023. We launched an email newsletter - click to subscribe !3 things to do after listening to this episode:Rate and review this podcast wherever you are listening or watching from - go ahead, don’t be shy and leave us a 5 star review :)Spread the word for us - please share our content with your friends out there - and follow us on Linkedin and Youtube.Subscribe to our newsletter. It’s one great way for us to get direct feedback and suggestions from you - so that we can serve you better. And what’s best is that it’s free - at least for now. And, at anytime you no longer find value in the newsletter, you can always unsubscribe.2023 is looking to be another tough and uncertain year for the jobs market.  The team and I look forward to provide more relevant content to help you in a more holistic way and also, to help more people who are in different stages of considering career switch.  If career change is not on your mind and you simply enjoy content on personal and career growth, we want to be here for you too. If you think this will help your friends, family, colleagues - please do share this podcast with them. we’d really appreciate it.Thank you once again for your listenership and support in 2022. Don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter! Disclaimer: Podcast stats on this episode refer to only episodes downloaded/streamed on Spotify - they do not include episodes consumed on other platforms like Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts. Support the showSubscribe to bonus podcast content and career resources via ✉️ email newsletter.About the host John Lim:John Lim has had an unconventional career by Singapore / Asian standards - with several career switches. He started his career in banking before co-founding a laser tag events company. After building the business from ground-up, growing the team to 20+ and running Singapore's largest indoor laser tag center, he joined an early-stage tech startup to lead business development across Southeast Asia. In 2019, he took a leap of faith to join the e-commerce industry, seemingly unknown sector, until a few months later when Covid-19 pandemic brought the world to its knees.While John finds himself lucky to have 'survived' the career switches relatively unscathed, he has never forgotten how it feels like to be at the crossroads of your career and life. Now, he has started this podcast - to provide the resources and perspectives he wished he had - and to help you make the most of your career to live your best life.Join him as he speaks with unconventional career changers and risk-takers, taps into their experiences and perspectives and discusses all things career. Together, they will provide you nuggets of wisdom, inspiration and actionable insights to start living life on your own terms.