In this episode of The Generalists, hosts Michael Smith Jr. and Razko Kotler welcome Mimi Nicklin, Empathy Advocate, to discuss:

• Transforming leadership through empathy—drawing on frameworks from her bestselling books and training over 16,500 leaders
• Tackling workplace loneliness via the OpenRoom initiative and comparing Southeast Asia’s evolving business ecosystem to Europe
• Operationalizing empathy across organizations, including the generalist-versus-specialist debate and practical steps for building empathetic cultures

Hosts:

• Michael Smith Jr.: https://www.linkedin.com/in/smittysgp/
• Razko Kotler: https://www.linkedin.com/in/razko282/

Guest:

• Mimi Nicklin – Empathy Advocate: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miminicklin/

Resources & Links:

• Empathy Everywhere: https://www.empathyeverywhere.co/
• Softening the Edge – Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Softening-Edge-Mimi-Nicklin/dp/9948340094
• Empathy at Work – Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Empathy-At-Work-Using-Change/dp/811972643X
• The MiMi YouYou Show (Apple Podcasts): https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-mimi-youyou-show-creating-empathy/id1687806240

In this episode of The Generalists, hosts Michael Smith Jr. and Razko Kotler welcome Paul Hadjy, VP APAC Cybersecurity Services at Bitdefender and co-founder & former CEO of Horangi, to discuss:

• Building and scaling a cloud security startup in the APAC region

• Navigating an eight-year journey to acquisition by Bitdefender

• Leveraging AI and vast endpoint data for next-generation cyber defense

Hosts:

• Michael Smith Jr.: https://www.linkedin.com/in/smittysgp/

• Razko Kotler: https://www.linkedin.com/in/razko282/

Guest:

• Paul Hadjy – VP APAC Cybersecurity Services (Bitdefender; ex-Horangi): https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-hadjy-316a026/

Resources & Links:

• Horangi: https://www.horangi.com/

• Bitdefender: https://www.bitdefender.com/
• Palantir: https://www.palantir.com/

• Landman (TV series on Paramount+): https://www.paramountplus.com/shows/landman/
• Yellowstone (TV series on Paramount+): https://www.paramountplus.com/shows/yellowstone/
• Sicario (film): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3397884/
• Billions (TV series): https://www.sho.com/billions
• Succession (TV series): https://www.hbo.com/succession
• The Hard Thing About Hard Things – Ben Horowitz: https://www.amazon.com/Hard-Thing-About-Things-Building/dp/0062273205
• The Psychology of Money – Morgan Housel: https://www.amazon.com/Psychology-Money-Timeless-lessons-happiness/dp/0857197681

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In this special solo episode of The Generalists, hosts Michael Smith Jr. and Razko Kotler celebrate one year of podcasting and share the lessons learned from building their show as a product.

You’ll discover:

• How content creation challenges led to unexpected rewards
• The role of analytics and listener feedback in driving growth
• Tips for maintaining work-life balance and finding a natural on-air flow

Hosts:

Michael Smith Jr.: https://www.linkedin.com/in/smittysgp/

Razko Kotler: https://www.linkedin.com/in/razko282/

Resources & Links:

• Poddster: https://singapore.poddster.com
• Studio Direction: http://www.studiodirection.com
• Hot Ones (First We Feast): https://www.youtube.com/c/FirstWeFeas
• DaVinci Resolve: https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/davinciresolve
• ChatGPT: https://chat.openai.com/
• YouTube Studio: https://studio.youtube.com/

In this episode we sit down with Hian Goh—founder of Openspace Ventures (US $800 M AUM) and one of Southeast Asia’s most influential early-stage VCs. A former Salomon Smith Barney tech-banker who built and sold the Asian Food Channel, Hian now backs companies such as Gojek, Love Bonito, MAKA Motors and Lucence. We unpack his hunt for a “post-NVIDIA” hardware champion, how he bridges A*STAR research to market, and why a home-built pizza oven teaches him more about founders than term sheets ever could.

Hosts:

Michael Smith Jr: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/smittysgp/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Razko Kotler: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/razko282/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Guest:

Hian Goh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hiangoh/

Links Mentioned:

• Openspace Ventures: https://openspace.vc
• Asian Food Channel: https://www.asianfoodchannel.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hiancancook
• Plunge: https://theplunge.club/
• A*STAR: https://www.a-star.edu.sg/

Books & Media Mentioned:

• Zero to One by Peter Thiel & Blake Masters: https://www.amazon.com/Zero-One-Notes-Startups-Future/dp/0804139296/
• Monocle: https://monocle.com/magazine/
• Blinkist (short-form book summaries): https://www.blinkist.com/
• Vito Iacopelli YouTube (Pizza craft): https://www.youtube.com/@vitoiacopelli

In this episode, we sit down with Sina Meraji — a self-described polymath and deep tech founder reshaping education and societal structures. Sina is the Founder & CEO of Integral HQ, a personalized app for online social communities. We unpack his journey across Southeast Asia’s startup ecosystems, his polymath mindset, and his long-term mission to create universal systems for education, justice, and healthcare. From his early struggles as an immigrant in Malaysia to his aspirations for billion-dollar impact, Sina shares raw, unapologetic insights on resilience, ambition, and systems change.

Hosts:

Michael Smith Jr: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/smittysgp/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Razko Kotler: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/razko282/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Guest:

Sina Meraji: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sinameraji/

Links Mentioned:

• Learning Loop: https://www.learningloop.ai/
• Integral HQ: https://integralhq.com
• Entrepreneur First: https://www.joinef.com/
• Mindvalley: https://www.mindvalley.com/
• WeGoWhere: https://www.wegowhere.io/

Books & Media Mentioned:

• Thinking in Bets by Annie Duke: https://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Bets-Making-Smarter-Decisions/dp/0735216355/
• How to Solve Tough Problems by Adam Kahane: https://www.amazon.com/Solving-Tough-Problems-Adam-Kahane/dp/1576754642/

In this episode, we sit down with one of Singapore's most iconic power couples in tech — Der Shing Lim and Shao-Ning Huang, Co-Founders of AngelCentral. From meeting at the University of Michigan to bootstrapping JobsCentral (which they later sold to CareerBuilder), raising four boys, and then founding AngelCentral — their journey has been nothing short of incredible. We go deep into building businesses as a couple, bootstrapping during the dotcom era, becoming active angel investors, and reflecting on how Singapore's startup ecosystem has evolved. Also: what’s tougher — startups or parenting?

Hosts:

Michael Smith Jr: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/smittysgp/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Razko Kotler: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/razko282/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Guests:

Shao-Ning Huang: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaoning/

Der Shing Lim: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dershing/

Links Mentioned:

• AngelCentral: https://www.angelcentral.co
• JobsCentral (now part of CareerBuilder): https://www.careerbuilder.com.sg/
• Grab: https://www.grab.com
• Carousell: https://www.carousell.sg
• ShopBack: https://www.shopback.sg
• PatSnap: https://www.patsnap.com
• Entrepreneurs First: https://www.joinef.com
• JobStreet (now SEEK): https://www.jobstreet.com.sg
• JobsDB: https://www.jobsdb.com
• Duolingo: https://www.duolingo.com

Books & Media Mentioned:

• Squid Game: https://www.netflix.com/title/81040344
• The Substance: https://www.variancefilms.com/project/the-substance
• The Expats: https://www.amazon.com/Expats-Season-1/dp/B0CMHG544V

Nicole Lee left the safety of UBS, a top-tier bank where she climbed the ladder from Associate Director to Executive Director, to embrace the unknown. Now the founder of You Never Know and host of her own podcast, Nicole is helping others transform through authenticity, vulnerability, and soul-driven leadership. In this episode, she opens up about walking away from structure, finding her voice through adversity, and creating space for Singaporean professionals to redefine success on their own terms.

Hosts:

Michael Smith Jr: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/smittysgp/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Razko Kotler: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/razko282/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Guest:

Nicole Lee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicoleleethisisme/

Links Mentioned:

• You Never Know (YNK) with Nicole Lee: https://youneverknow.co
• YouTube: YouTube.com/@nicoleleethisisme
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5uRGujeye6cPVvaIGsAt7p?si=M5hKPV4iQoyKOK7TMB83bA
• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/you-never-know-with-nicole-lee/id1789080795

• ADDX : https://www.addx.co
• UBS : https://www.ubs.com

Books & Media Mentioned:

• Higher Self Podcast by Danny Morel
  https://www.youtube.com/@DannyMorel
• Diary of a CEO by Steven Bartlett
  https://www.youtube.com/@TheDiaryOfACEO

In this episode, we welcome Rob Bier, a leadership coach, founder, investor, and author of Smooth Scaling: 20 Rituals to Build a Friction-Free Organization. Rob has coached over 40 scale-ups, including several unicorns and a decacorn, and brings deep insight into what makes organizations scale effectively. We dive into rituals, team dynamics, and frameworks like the Productivity & Positivity 2x2. Rob also discusses the limits of OKRs, the myth of training, and why great dialogue is more valuable than great systems. A must-listen for founders and leaders serious about smooth scaling.

Hosts:

Michael Smith Jr: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/smittysgp/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Razko Kotler: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/razko282/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Guest:

Rob Bier: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robbier/

Links Mentioned:

• Rob Bier Official Site / Smooth Scaling Book: https://smoothscalingbook.com
• Trellis Partners: https://www.trellis.partners
• MoneySmart: https://www.moneysmart.sg
• OnLoop: https://www.onloop.com
• Waggle (AI for Better Meetings): https://www.waggle.team

• Athletic Brewing Co. (non-alcoholic beer): https://athleticbrewing.com
• Lightspeed Southeast Asia Report: https://www.lsvp.com/research/southeast-asia-startup-ecosystem

Books & Media Mentioned:

• Smooth Scaling: 20 Rituals to Build a Friction-Free Organization by Rob Bier
  https://www.amazon.com/Smooth-Scaling-Rituals-Friction-Free-Organization/dp/1739158807
• Occupied (TV Series, Norway): https://www.netflix.com/sg/title/80092654
• Go Ahead Brother (TV Series, Poland): https://www.netflix.com/sg/title/81613239