Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast The Quinntesssential Questions Podcast with Paul Quinn

On this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, we shine a spotlight on young talent on the rise. Meet Madelin Lock: Singapore's premier young female basketball player, about to leave home for Spain to chase her dream of turning professional.What makes Madelin's story remarkable is that she hasn't just represented Singapore in one sport: she's represented her country in two: basketball and football. At the same time, she's carried the academic rigours of Hwa Chong Institution. Academics, basketball, and football: three demanding worlds, all at once, all at the national level.Host Paul Quinn first met Madelin as his daughter's basketball coach. She became a mentor to his family, and now a dear friend of the show.At just 19, her résumé speaks for itself:🏀 Basketball — Singapore National Team (FIBA U21 3x3 Nations League, FIBA Asia U16 World Cup Qualifiers), NBA Rising Stars International, NBA Basketball Without Borders Asia⚽ Football — Singapore's U17 National Team, Women's Premier League with Lion City Sailors🎓 Starting in September, Madelin heads to Universidad Europa in Valencia, Spain, to pursue a double degree in Business Entrepreneurship and Marketing: a move chosen specifically to help advance her basketball careerIn this conversation, we unpack how she juggled two national sporting careers alongside her studies, the courage behind this leap, and what it takes to go pro.SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES: Madelin and her family are now open to sponsorship for the first time. If you or your business want to back a genuine rising star, DM us and we'll connect you directly with her and her team.Thank you, Madelin, for everything you've given the Quinn family's basketball journey and for your invaluable friendship. We are so happy for you and so proud of you. 🇸🇬WATCH OUR OTHER PODCASTS: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjbRIxrGYDGUA9niiF7U0IOMXBMeDf81bMADELIN LOCK Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mad.elin_21/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madelin-lock-515b39392/LISTEN ON SPOTIFY & APPLE Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5x98T8QSRo01reQOGVGavq Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-quinntesssential-questions-podcast-with-paul-quinn/id1764230785FOLLOW PAUL QUINN Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulquinnofficial/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulquinnofficial/FOLLOW OUR SOCIALS: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_questions/ Website: https://www.paulquinnofficial.com/episodesCAREER COACHING Website: https://quinntessential-coaching.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westport-partners-career-coaching/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_careers/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Westport-Partners-Career-Coaching/61558129585059/TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Introduction (01:21) Who is Maddie Lock(02:09) Growing up Eurasian in Singapore (04:04) From martial arts to tennis, football, and basketball (05:01) Called up to the national football team at 12 (08:38) "There's no such thing as balance" (10:37) Balancing elite sport with school (11:54) The unprecedented path — going pro overseas (13:24) Self-coaching: "80% of the work is done by myself" (14:00) Training alone during COVID's circuit breaker (16:11) Physical conditioning without a private coach (33:20) Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, and her basketball idols (34:40) The book that changed her — Relentless by Tim Grover (38:14) Turning her height into an advantage (40:17) Training and recovery on a self-funded budget (41:52) On sponsorship (42:28) What's next: moving to Spain (44:16) Visualising the future — goals and building an academy (48:39) NBA Rising Stars (50:21) Closing thoughtsDisclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.

In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, Paul Quinn sits down with Ned Phillips, Founder of The Sales Movement and former Founder & CEO of Bambu. From cold-calling door to door in a commission-only insurance job to raising $22 million for a wealthtech startup that worked with HSBC, Standard Chartered and Franklin Templeton, Ned shares his transformation journey and the moment his company liquidated after eight years.

He discusses why "talent" isn't real, why sales scripts only work until you throw them away, why content is the new cold call, and why energy and resilience matter more than raw ability. Ned also opens up about watching Bambu fail and rebuilding his career and identity from there, sharing powerful lessons on listening, personal branding, and closing without selling.

Whether you're a founder wondering if you should keep going, a salesperson who hates the word "sales," or anyone who's had to rebuild after a public failure, this conversation offers hard-won wisdom on resilience, reinvention, and what it actually takes to sell for 37 years straight.

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NED PHILLIPS

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ned-phillips/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nedphillips2/

Website: https://thesalesmovement.co/

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YouTube: https://youtube.com/@quinntessentialquestions

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/the-quinntesssential-questions-podcast-with-paul-quinn/id1764230785

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FOLLOW PAUL QUINN

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Website: https://www.quinntessentialquestions.com/

CAREER COACHING

Website: https://quinntessentialca.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westport-partners-career-coaching/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westportpartnerscareercoaching/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Westport-Partners-Career-Coaching/61558129585059/

TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 Introduction

1:15 Catching up before the show

1:44 Ned's 37 years in B2B sales across Asia

3:08 How Ned and Paul actually connected

5:03 Why "sales" is a dirty word in private banking

5:47 The story behind Ned's move to Singapore

8:29 Do sales scripts actually work?

13:14 Be interested, not interesting

15:17 Ned's sales methodology

22:58 The 18K "stockbroker" job that was actually a boiler room

27:42 Selling horse manure over the phone

31:02 Building Bambu: from $400K to a $22M raise

39:45 Meeting Jack Ma and building tech for Kevin O'Leary

43:51 When Bambu liquidated - and why banks still run on its code

46:33 Why talent isn't real

57:59 Why content is the new cold call

1:19:08 What drives Ned today

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.

In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, Paul Quinn sits down with Mark Nacey, operations manager at a manufacturing company, volunteer lieutenant with the Country Fire Service, and founder of Dropz, a chauffeur business in South Australia's Barossa Valley. From starting his boilermaker apprenticeship without knowing what a grinder was, to hand-cutting a 1.2 tonne steel sculpture over nine months, Mark shares a working life built on saying yes first and working it out afterwards.

He discusses learning a trade, backing yourself without a safety net, and why the fear of looking foolish stops more people than failure ever does. Mark also opens up about the wake-up call that reset his priorities, the night he and his wife Cath decided over a bottle of red to start a business from scratch, and what happened when he swapped watching bushfires on television for fighting them.

Whether you are working a job you have outgrown, sitting on an idea you have not moved on, or wondering whether it is too late to start something new, this conversation offers hard-won wisdom on craftsmanship, courage and having a go. Let's explore the working life of a tradesman, firefighter and business owner.

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MARK NACEY

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-nacey-5897b0120/

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YouTube: https://youtube.com/@quinntessentialquestions

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/the-quinntesssential-questions-podcast-with-paul-quinn/id1764230785

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FOLLOW PAUL QUINN

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Website: https://www.quinntessentialquestions.com/

CAREER COACHING

Website: https://quinntessentialca.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westport-partners-career-coaching/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westportpartnerscareercoaching/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Westport-Partners-Career-Coaching/61558129585059/

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Introduction

(02:02) The Barossa red he brought: Z Wines and a world's best Shiraz

(04:19) Born in Rotorua, New Zealand

(04:58) Moving to Papua New Guinea at eleven

(07:24) Queensland, high school and sprinting

(10:20) Starting his trade: "What's a grinder?"

(11:34) The steel sculpture that took nine months

(15:04) London, Old Scotland Yard and Dagenham

(17:41) Darwin and a chocolate shop

(18:25) Oil and gas and the $100,000 goal

(29:56) Meeting Cath and learning red wine

(32:21) The Gentleman's Table

(38:18) Experiences over things

(40:57) How Mark met Kath

(46:05) Dropz: starting a chauffeur business over a bottle of red

(52:32) Thirteen weeks in and booked out

(59:59) The US opportunity: thirteen flights in ten days

(01:10:21) Country Fire Service and going up the ranks

(01:12:11) Advice for anyone thinking about starting something

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.

In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, Paul Quinn sits down with Lim Yao Xiang, athlete, coach, teacher, and co-founder of Grid Yard. From learning to swim at nine years old to representing Singapore across three different sports at the SEA Games, Yao Xiang shares his remarkable reinvention story and the five-year mental block that nearly derailed everything.He discusses the psychology of fear in elite sport, the transferability of discipline across swimming, fin swimming and water polo, and why being athletic is a concept, not a person. Yao Xiang also opens up about the brutal realities of self-funded athletic pursuits in Singapore and shares hard-won lessons on longevity, mind-body connection, and building a gym business from the ground up with his brother.Whether you're an athlete navigating a career pivot, a professional chasing peak performance, or someone who wants to move and feel better for the long haul, this conversation delivers honest, grounded wisdom on resilience, reinvention, and what it really takes to keep showing up. Let's explore the world of an elite multi-sport athlete turned coach and entrepreneur.WATCH OUR OTHER PODCASTS: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjbRIxrGYDGUA9niiF7U0IOMXBMeDf81bLIM YAO XIANG LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lim-yaoxiang-774582bb/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/limyaoxiang/ Website: https://www.grityard.com/LISTEN ON SPOTIFY & APPLE Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5x98T8QSRo01reQOGVGavqApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-quinntesssential-questions-podcast-with-paul-quinn/id1764230785FOLLOW PAUL QUINNInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulquinnofficial/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulquinnofficial/FOLLOW OUR SOCIALS: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_questions/ Website: https://www.quinntessentialquestions.com/CAREER COACHING Website: https://quinntessential-coaching.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westport-partners-career-coaching/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_careers/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Westport-Partners-Career-Coaching/61558129585059/TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Introduction (2:30) How Sport Found Him — Growing Up in Singapore (4:08) National Youth Setup in Two Years (5:08) The Five-Year Mental Block (8:06) Discovering Fin Swimming — First Place in 24 Hours (8:49) SEA Games Gold & The Water Polo Pivot (11:47) Teaching at Raffles Institution * (17:14) Leaving Teaching — The Entrepreneurial Decision (20:08) Building Grid Yard with His Brother (30:40) Longevity & Training After 40 (33:16) Mind-Body Connection & Intentional Training (40:49) The Reality of Self-Funded Athletics in Singapore (46:07) How to Win Sponsorships as an Athlete (49:18) When the Door Opens, Walk Through It (52:22) Which Athletes Would You Train With in Their Heyday? (55:24) The Best Athletes Think About the Goal Once (56:43) The Work Is Done in the Shadows (1:02:18) Grid Yard — Building a Business on GritDisclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.#Singapore #EliteAthlete #SportsPerformance #MindsetCoach #Finswimming #SEAGames #AthleteLife #Longevity #GridYard #PaulQuinn

In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, Paul Quinn sits down with Rupert Thomson, founder of Set Maker. From a first job in a windowless call centre to founding Artistic Director at Summerhall in Edinburgh and four years programming performance and dance at London's Southbank Centre, Rupert shares his transformation journey and the decision to leave a world he had already mastered and start again on the other side of the planet.

He discusses verbal branding, creative leadership, career reinvention, and why he believes the most underrated skill in branding today is stupidity. Rupert also opens up about the frustration with expensive developers that led him to build his own no code platform, and how a conversation with comedian Kumar became the emotional heart of a National Heritage Board commission in Little India.

Whether you are considering a career change into tech, building a creative team, or working out how to make your brand stand out, this conversation offers hard won wisdom on creative leadership and the power of language.

WATCH OUR OTHER PODCASTS:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjbRIxrGYDGUA9niiF7U0IOMXBMeDf81b

RUPERT THOMSONLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rupert-thomson-43504314/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/setmakerhq/Website: [SET MAKER URL — NEEDED]

LISTEN ON YOUTUBE, APPLE & SPOTIFYYouTube: https://youtube.com/@quinntessentialquestionsApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/the-quinntesssential-questions-podcast-with-paul-quinn/id1764230785Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5x98T8QSRo01reQOGVGavq

FOLLOW PAUL QUINNInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntaipan/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-quinn-wp1/

FOLLOW OUR SOCIALS:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_questions/Website: https://www.quinntessentialquestions.com/

CAREER COACHINGWebsite: https://quinntessentialca.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westport-partners-career-coaching/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westportpartnerscareercoaching/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Westport-Partners-Career-Coaching/61558129585059/

TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Introduction(01:42) Meet Rupert Thomson(02:02) Manchester, Edinburgh and the Festivals That Shaped Him(04:21) How the Arts Found Him at 14(07:03) English Literature, a Gap Year and Reading Tolstoy in Mongolia(10:37) A First Job in a Call Centre With No Windows(11:19) Becoming a Magazine Editor Within Months(11:56) Southbank Centre and the Legacy of the Festival of Britain(14:35) Theatre, Riverside Studios and a Seven Hour Play(17:28) The Decision to Move to Singapore(18:04) Bringing Reed Words to Asia(19:50) The Onboarding Process Every Company Should Copy(22:22) Building a Network From Scratch in a New Country(26:28) The Genesis of Set Maker(27:30) The Frustration With Coders That Started It All(28:52) Building the Platform and Finding the Right Developers(35:42) The Two Revenue Strands Behind the Business(36:56) Kumar, Little India and the Story That Built an Experience(42:31) Race, Identity and Being a Minority in Singapore(50:19) Primal Scream, Shallow Grave and Meeting Sean Connery(52:03) Why Stupidity Is the Most Underrated Skill in Branding(53:24) The Three Qualities He Looks For When Hiring Creatives(59:50) What Business Leaders Can Learn From the Arts(1:05:55) What Actually Kills Creativity in Organisations(1:09:44) Vision vs Execution(1:10:20) Where AI Helps and Where It Doesn't(1:11:21) Raising a Pre-Seed Round

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.

In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, Paul Quinn sits down with Paul Foster, Singapore-based host, actor, and wellness advocate. From his early days in modeling and the 2000s reality show "The Big Unknown" to becoming one of Asia's most recognisable faces, Paul shares his transformation journey and the moment that changed everything: losing his father to cancer at just 18.

He discusses grief, breathwork, and two decades of building homes across Asia, and why true healing means going deep into shadow work. Paul also opens up about the heart scare that nearly killed him, the breathwork session where he felt his late father in the room, and shares powerful stories about purpose, service, and backing yourself when no one else does.

Whether you're navigating loss, searching for purpose beyond your career, or curious about the wellness and breathwork space, this conversation offers hard-won wisdom on grief, healing, and living with intention. Let's explore the journey of Paul Foster.

WATCH OUR OTHER PODCASTS: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjbRIxrGYDGUA9niiF7U0IOMXBMeDf81b

PAUL FOSTER

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-foster-707b5a31/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulfosterrr/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paulfosterrr/

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Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-quinntesssential-questions-podcast-with-paul-quinn/id1764230785

FOLLOW PAUL QUINN

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Website: https://www.quinntessentialquestions.com/

CAREER COACHING

Website: https://quinntessential-coaching.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westport-partners-career-coaching/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_careers/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Westport-Partners-Career-Coaching/61558129585059/

TIMESTAMPS:

(0:00) Introduction

(3:33) The 100 pushup challenge

(4:46) Mum's pioneer generation story

(7:18) Eurasian heritage and mixed identity

(8:10) Dad's oil and gas career and OPEC

(14:46) National Service and University of Melbourne

(15:05) Breaking into entertainment - The Big Unknown

(30:01) Losing his father at 18

(36:45) First acting gigs - Red Thread and Polo Boys

(43:59) The hosting craft - staying authentic on stage

(1:02:37) Discovering breathwork

(1:05:11) The heart scare that nearly killed him

(1:13:35) Buried grief by helping others

(1:15:10) The session where he felt his dad

(1:22:06) Habitat for Humanity - 20 years of builds

(1:23:20) Building in Cambodia - Siem Reap

(1:24:47) Wellness summit and upcoming projects

(1:27:46) Shadow work and going deep

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.

#PaulFoster #Breathwork #GriefHealing #WellnessJourney #HabitatForHumanity #Singapore #ShadowWork #MensMentalHealth #PaulQuinn #QuinntessentialQuestions

In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, Paul Quinn sits down with Chris Morris, Co-Founder and CEO of W.M. Cockpit. From building products at Yahoo and Facebook to being impacted by the 2022 global tech layoffs, Chris shares his transformation journey from corporate technologist to award-winning fintech founder.He discusses building lean against 500-employee competitors, the psychology of leaving a stable paycheck behind, and why sales — not product — is the real key to survival as a founder. Chris also opens up about overcoming his introverted nature to get comfortable pitching in person, and shares powerful insights on hiring for grit over pedigree, the most overrated startup metric, and what private banks need to do to retain the next generation of ultra high net worth clients.Whether you're considering leaving corporate life to start your own business, building a lean startup against entrenched competitors, or trying to figure out where AI fits into a relationship-driven industry, this conversation offers hard-won wisdom on resilience, sales, and discipline. Let's explore how Chris Morris built W.M. Cockpit from a leap of faith into an award-winning company.WATCH OUR OTHER PODCASTS: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjbRIxrGYDGUA9niiF7U0IOMXBMeDf81bCHRIS MORRISLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrism092/Website: https://www.wmcockpit.com/LISTEN ON SPOTIFY & APPLESpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5x98T8QSRo01reQOGVGavqApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-quinntesssential-questions-podcast-with-paul-quinn/id1764230785FOLLOW PAUL QUINNInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulquinnofficial/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulquinnofficial/FOLLOW OUR SOCIALS:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_questions/Website: https://www.quinntessentialquestions.com/CAREER COACHINGWebsite: https://quinntessential-coaching.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westport-partners-career-coaching/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_careers/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Westport-Partners-Career-Coaching/61558129585059/TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Introduction(01:34) Welcome to the show(02:08) Who is Chris Morris & W.M. Cockpit(03:56) Winning industry awards(05:59) Growing up across New Zealand, Sweden & Switzerland(09:15) King's College London & discovering tech through gaming(12:44) First job at Yahoo & the Marissa Mayer era(15:11) Moving to Facebook's VR team(20:22) Life inside Facebook's culture(22:47) The 2022 tech layoffs(23:36) How W.M. Cockpit was born(28:07) The humbling reality of year one(32:03) Looking into the abyss(37:34) Why sales is everything(46:19) Dinner with Musk, Ackman & Jensen Huang(48:09) The most underrated leadership skill(50:03) The most overrated startup metric(53:54) The one quality every entrepreneur needs(59:19) What private banks need to rethink(01:01:22) Can AI replace private bankers?Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.#Fintech #PrivateBanking #Entrepreneurship #StartupJourney #WealthManagement #FounderStory #SmallBusiness #ScaleUp #TechLayoffs #QuinntessentialQuestions

In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, Paul Quinn sits down with Dr. Cheryl Kam, Functional Medicine Doctor, Burnout Recovery Coach, and Founder of CALM Supplements. From Singapore's top schools to King's College London — the largest medical school in Europe — to nearly two decades in clinical medicine, Cheryl shares the moment conventional medicine stopped being enough.

She discusses the silent epidemic of burnout in high-performing women, why your chronic condition may already be your body's cry for help, and the root-cause approach that led her to walk away from retail medicine entirely. Cheryl also opens up about building a clean supplement brand from scratch — starting with her most chemically sensitive patients — and why most people are walking around magnesium-depleted without knowing it.

Whether you're a high-performing woman running on empty, a parent trying to protect your family's health, or someone who's tried everything and still can't sleep, this conversation offers hard-won wisdom on burnout recovery, functional nutrition, and building health from the inside out.

WATCH OUR OTHER PODCASTS:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjbRIxrGYDGUA9niiF7U0IOMXBMeDf81b

DR. CHERYL KAMLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drcherylkam/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drcherylkam/Website: https://www.drcherylkam.com/

CALM SUPPLEMENTSInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/i.want.calm/Website: https://www.iwantcalm.com/

LISTEN ON YOUTUBE & APPLEYouTube: https://youtube.com/@quinntessentialquestionsApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/the-quinntesssential-questions-podcast-with-paul-quinn/id1764230785

FOLLOW PAUL QUINNInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulquinnofficial/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulquinnofficial/

FOLLOW OUR SOCIALS:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_questions/Website: https://www.quinntessentialquestions.com/

CAREER COACHINGWebsite: https://quinntessentialca.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westport-partners-career-coaching/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westportpartnerscareercoaching/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Westport-Partners-Career-Coaching/61558129585059/

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.

(0:00) Introduction
(1:30) Who Is Dr. Cheryl Kam
(14:56) King's College London
(23:26) Homeschooling 5 Kids
(26:41) Building Health vs Fighting Disease
(30:17) Why Women Normalise Fatigue & Hormone Chaos
(37:22) PMS, Perimenopause & Menopause
(44:06) The Coaching Business
(48:55) CALM — Pharmaceutical Grade Magnesium
(51:04) 90% of Patients Are Depleted
(52:42) The Deep Sleep Stack
(56:26) How She Became an Entrepreneur
(1:00:15) Fertility & IVF — Generational Toxicity
(1:02:45) Migraines, Eczema & The 6-Step System
(1:05:05) Food as Medicine — BBC Twin Study
(1:10:45) TRT, HRT & Looking Upstream
(1:15:43) Most Underrated Nutrient: Magnesium
(1:17:31) NMN, Ozempic & Overrated Trends
(1:21:36) Most Misunderstood Hormone in Women's Health
(1:22:49) Symptoms Women Normalise
(1:25:10) Walking, Nature & The Greatest Gift
(1:27:24) Lab Markers — Vitamin D & Ferritin
(1:31:59) Wellness in Your 40s & 50s
(1:40:20) Where to Find Dr. Cheryl Kam

In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, Paul Quinn sits down with Rishi Khare, Founder and CEO of Thrymr Software. From being fired twice by large corporations to building a 100-person software company over 14 years, Rishi shares his transformation journey and the rock bottom moment when seven of his nine core leaders walked out.

He discusses why he chose peace over profit, how therapy and the Stanford Seed program restructured not just his business but himself, and why fixing your company starts with fixing you. Rishi also opens up about quitting his job without telling a single person, a co-founder showing up at his door two days later with nothing but the words "I'm here, let's work", and the decade of chaos that followed. He shares powerful lessons about building businesses that last, leading through crisis, and what it really means to rewrite your own character.

Whether you're stuck in a corporate role that doesn't fit, building a company through its most painful chapter, or questioning what you're actually chasing, this conversation offers hard-won wisdom on entrepreneurship, identity, and the business of building yourself. Let's explore the mind of a builder who chose peace over a paycheck.

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RISHI KHARE LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rishikhare?originalSubdomain=sg Thrymr Software: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thrymr-software/

LISTEN ON SPOTIFY & APPLE Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5x98T8QSRo01reQOGVGavq Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-quinntesssential-questions-podcast-with-paul-quinn/id1764230785

FOLLOW PAUL QUINN Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulquinnofficial/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulquinnofficial/

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CAREER COACHING Website: https://quinntessential-coaching.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westport-partners-career-coaching/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_careers/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Westport-Partners-Career-Coaching/61558129585059/

TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Introduction (01:31) Rishi's Background & Thrymr Software (06:14) Is Terminator Going to Happen? AI & the Future (10:34) Growing Up in India — The Stability Generation (19:05) How Brutal Is It to Get Into IIT? (25:46) The Uncle Who Planted the Entrepreneurship Seed (27:29) Aerospace Engineering — Flying Planes at IIT (31:24) Getting Fired Twice (32:19) Quitting With No Plan in His Early 30s (33:05) The Co-Founder Who Knocked on His Door (35:46) Working Two Shifts for 10 Years to Bootstrap (36:24) Turning Down Acquisitions — Peace Over Profit (43:52) The Logistics Client That Raised $200M From SoftBank (45:19) Stanford Seed, Business Coaching & Therapy (49:45) When 7 of 9 Core Leaders Walked Out (53:43) Why Growth at All Costs Will Kill Your Business (1:02:52) Working Across Global Cultures — Germany, India, Singapore (1:09:18) Rewriting Your Character (1:12:04) 5 Takeaways for Every Entrepreneur

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.

#Entrepreneurship #FounderStory #SoftwareDevelopment #PersonalDevelopment #Leadership #CareerPivot #BuildingBusiness #MindsetShift #PeaceOverProfit #StartupLife #BusinessCoaching #SelfDevelopment #SingaporeBusiness #TechFounder #PaulQuinn #QuinntessentialQuestions

In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, Paul Quinn sits down with Dinah Poehlmann, Founder of Your Finance Mind and Finance Mindset Coach. From living paycheck to paycheck as a child to spending 14 years across investment banking and private banking, Dinah shares her transformation from banker to entrepreneur — and the accidental WhatsApp group that started it all.She discusses money mindset, overcoming financial fear, self-directed investing, and why the number you're chasing for retirement is totally irrelevant. Dinah also opens up about leaving a high-powered banking career to become a stay-at-home mom, and how a single message to 30 people became the foundation of a coaching business that helps everyday professionals and entrepreneurs take control of their finances.Whether you're stuck in a scarcity mindset around money, unsure how to start investing, or simply want to build a healthier relationship with your finances, this conversation offers hard-won wisdom on money psychology, wealth building, and what it actually means to live a truly rich life.WATCH OUR OTHER PODCASTS: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjbRIxrGYDGUA9niiF7U0IOMXBMeDf81bDINAH POEHLMANNLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dinah-poehlmann/LISTEN ON SPOTIFY & APPLESpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5x98T8QSRo01reQOGVGavqApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-quinntesssential-questions-podcast-with-paul-quinn/id1764230785FOLLOW PAUL QUINNInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulquinnofficial/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulquinnofficial/FOLLOW OUR SOCIALS:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_questions/Website: https://www.quinntessentialquestions.com/CAREER COACHINGWebsite: https://quinntessential-coaching.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westport-partners-career-coaching/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_careers/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Westport-Partners-Career-Coaching/61558129585059/TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Introduction(04:53) Starting in Credit Management During 9/11(08:29) The Move Into Private Banking: "I'm Not a Salesperson"(10:04) Standing Out Without an Ivy League Pedigree(12:23) Visibility, Human Connection, and the AI Threat to Careers(15:05) Why Most People Never Ask — and What It Costs Them(18:05) Living Abroad: The Discomfort That Makes You Grow(20:05) The WhatsApp Group That Accidentally Started a Business(24:24) Scaling From One-on-One to Group Coaching(29:13) Unpacking Your Money Stories and Why They Block You(33:18) How Couples Handle Money Differently — and Why It Matters(38:15) Why Even Bankers Don't Manage Their Own Money(39:43) What Living Abroad Does to Your Mindset(44:53) The Collapse of Private Banking and the Rise of AI(51:01) Killer Instinct: The Pattern Behind Every Successful Person(54:43) Fight Your Fear and Ask for What You Want(56:39) A Rising Tide Raises All Ships: Building Teams That WinDisclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.#FinanceMindset #MoneyMindset #WealthBuilding #PersonalFinance #Investing #FinanceCoach #WomenAndMoney #MoneyStories #FinancialFreedom #SelfDirectedInvesting #PaulQuinn #QuinntessentialQuestions #Podcast #SingaporePodcast #CareerChange

In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, Paul Quinn sits down with Nikki Müller, presenter, keynote speaker, and life-transitions authority. From hosting MTV Asia at 15 and interning at ABC News Primetime with Diane Sawyer, to serving at the United Nations headquarters in New York, to becoming one of Asia's most recognised corporate hosts and moderators — Nikki shares her remarkable nonlinear journey and the moment she walked away from it all to begin again in Switzerland without a plan.She opens up about the psychology of life transitions, the grief that comes with every ending, and why most people fail by skipping the hard middle. Nikki also shares her experience as a mixed-race third culture kid, the compounded grief that comes with an upbringing built on constant disruption, and the science-backed framework she now uses to help organisations and individuals navigate change — through her podcast Safe PassageWhether you're navigating a career pivot, leading a team through disruption, or sitting in that uncomfortable in-between where nothing feels certain yet, this conversation is a masterclass in identity, resilience, and what it really means to begin again. Let's explore what's "Inside the mind of a Life Transitions Authority."WATCH OUR OTHER PODCASTS: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjbRIxrGYDGUA9niiF7U0IOMXBMeDf81bNIKKI MÜLLERLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikki-muller-381867123/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikkimullerfly/Website: https://www.nikki-muller.com/LISTEN ON SPOTIFY & APPLESpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5x98T8QSRo01reQOGVGavqApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-quinntesssential-questions-podcast-with-paul-quinn/id1764230785FOLLOW PAUL QUINNInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulquinnofficial/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulquinnofficial/FOLLOW OUR SOCIALS:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_questions/Website: https://www.quinntessentialquestions.com/CAREER COACHINGWebsite: https://quinntessential-coaching.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westport-partners-career-coaching/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_careers/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Westport-Partners-Career-Coaching/61558129585059/TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Introduction(01:37) Nikki's First Taste of TV — MTV Asia at 15(03:36) Disney, Broadcast Journalism & Life in the US(11:36) Working at the United Nations in New York(13:21) Interning at ABC News with Diane Sawyer(15:03) "Holy Crap, This Is My Life" — The UN Wake-Up Call(17:17) The Cab in Times Square — The Moment Everything Changed(19:50) Growing Up as a Mixed-Race Third Culture Kid(35:50) Something Was Off — Exploring the TCK Experience(37:28) Compounded Grief & the Cost of Unsupported Transitions(42:37) Why She Moved to Switzerland With No Plan(44:43) Change vs. Transition — Why Most People Skip the Hard Part(48:06) Executive Dysfunction & Transition Stress(51:04) The Goodbye Concert — Two Nights Sold Out(52:26) What Success in a Life Transition Actually Looks Like(01:05:20) Boris Becker — Getting the Interview by Namedropping Edberg(01:12:26) Roger Federer — Swiss German & Finesse On and Off the Court(01:20:58) Leading Through Disruption — The Division Head Story(01:33:49) What Leaders Should Ask Before Asking for Performance(01:35:02) The Truth She Took the Longest to AcceptDisclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.#LifeTransitions #ThirdCultureKid #CareerPivot #NikkiMuller #PersonalGrowth #Leadership #Resilience #SafePassage #Reinvention #PaulQuinn #QuinntessentialQuestions #MindsetShift #CareerChange #Grief #Identity

In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, Paul Quinn sits down with Cheryl Lau, a podcast producer, podcaster, and soon-to-be owner of Studio Analog, a boutique podcast studio in Singapore. From navigating a multicultural upbringing across the US, Canada, and Hong Kong to making the bold decision to quit law school, Cheryl shares the self-discovery required to carve out her own non-traditional career path.She opens up about the pivotal moment she realized a legal career wasn't for her, the internal pressure she faced to chase external credentials, and the profound shift in perspective when navigating her doctor parents' strong reaction to her quitting. Cheryl also gets candid about the realities of working three different jobs simultaneously to stay afloat, how a random post from a YouTuber gave her the courage to start creating content, and why she believes curiosity and genuine presence are the ultimate core skills for any podcaster.Whether you're struggling with the weight of family expectations, looking to pivot away from a path that no longer serves you, or seeking inspiration to follow your creative passions, this conversation offers an unfiltered look into the mind of one of Singapore’s emerging podcasting voices.WATCH OUR OTHER PODCASTS: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjbRIxrGYDGUA9niiF7U0IOMXBMeDf81bCHERYL LAUInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/cheryltheory/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cheryllau/Website: https://cheryllau.com/LISTEN ON SPOTIFY & APPLEYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@QuinntessentialQuestionsApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-quinntesssential-questions-podcast-with-paul-quinn/id1764230785FOLLOW PAUL QUINNInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulquinnofficial/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulquinnofficial/FOLLOW OUR SOCIALS:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_questions/Website: https://www.quinntessentialquestions.com/CAREER COACHINGWebsite: https://quinntessential-coaching.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westport-partners-career-coaching/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_careers/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Westport-Partners-Career-Coaching/61558129585059/TIMESTAMPS(00:00) Introduction(01:46) Introducing Cheryl: Podcast Producer & Studio Analog Owner(02:30) A Multicultural Upbringing Across the US, Canada, and Hong Kong(06:37) The Internal Pressure to Follow Her Doctor Parents(07:55) Chasing External Credentials & The Desire to Look Good(09:33) The Turning Point: Quitting Law School in Hong Kong(11:29) Navigating Her Parents' Strong Reaction and Redefining Success(14:20) Working Three Jobs and Dabbling in New Paths(15:03) How a YouTuber Inspired Her to Start Creating Content OnlineDisclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.#CherylLau #Podcasting #CareerPivot #StudioAnalog #ContentCreator #QuittingLaw #PaulQuinn #QuinntessentialQuestions

In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, Paul Quinn sits down with Amanda Lim, a national swimmer for Singapore of 20 years who simultaneously works full-time as a Senior Consultant in EY's People Consulting practice. From pushing through 10 grueling swim sessions a week as a teenager to setting the Singapore women’s 50m free national record at the age of 33, Amanda shares the relentless dedication required to balance an elite sporting career with the intense demands of the corporate world. She opens up about the pivotal moment her father gave her a decisive ultimatum to attend the Singapore Sports School, how she broke into Big 4 consulting with zero corporate HR experience, and the profound grief of navigating her father's stage-four cancer diagnosis just as she relocated to Australia to train for Olympic qualification. Amanda also gets candid about the realities of seeking athletic sponsorships in Singapore, managing her frustration on bad training days by literally screaming underwater, and why she feels her journey in the pool is still far from over. Whether you're struggling to balance a demanding career with personal ambitions, looking to optimize your own high-level performance, or seeking inspiration on resilience through grief, this conversation offers an unfiltered look into the mind of one of Singapore’s most enduring athletes. WATCH OUR OTHER PODCASTS: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjbRIxrGYDGUA9niiF7U0IOMXBMeDf81b

AMANDA LIMInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/limxqamanda/?hl=en

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FOLLOW PAUL QUINN

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Website: https://www.quinntessentialquestions.com/

CAREER COACHING

Website: https://quinntessential-coaching.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westport-partners-career-coaching/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_careers/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Westport-Partners-Career-Coaching/61558129585059/TIMESTAMPS(00:00) Introduction(01:07) Amanda's Dual Life: National Swimmer & EY Senior Consultant(05:00) Breaking into Big 4 Consulting with a Sports Science Degree(08:06) The Ultimatum: Choosing the Singapore Sports School(11:12) The Grueling Reality of 10 Swim Sessions a Week(17:15) Setting the National Record & Hitting a Personal Best (24.94s) at 33(24:39) Stress, Weight Loss, and the Impact of a Major EY Project(28:53) Training in Australia During Her Father's Cancer Diagnosis(31:08) The Realities and Struggles of Athletic Sponsorships in Singapore(35:12) Changing Her Training Philosophy: Finding Rhythm and Flow(46:47) Dedicating Her SEA Games Gold to Her Late Father(51:25) Future Ambitions: Expanding Sports Consulting at EY(56:50) Balancing Two Demanding Lives: The "Half-Year" Priority Rule(58:36) Dealing with Frustration and Screaming Underwater(01:04:37) Embracing a Strong, Muscular Female Physique(01:07:29) Role Models, Ambitions, and What's Next for Amanda Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.#AmandaLim #SingaporeSwimming #NationalRecord #DualCareer #EYConsulting #HighPerformance #Resilience #AthleteMindset #CorporateLife #PaulQuinn #QuinntessentialQuestions

In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, Paul Quinn sits down with Paola Segura, Partner and Head of APAC & Middle East at Markets Group. From dreaming of a career at L'Oréal Paris to building a powerhouse investor relations business across Asia and the Middle East, almost entirely without a roadmap. Paola shares the unconventional journey that took her from Colombia to Paris, London, New York, Singapore, and Dubai.She opens up about walking away from her dream job at 26 with no plan, landing in finance by accident through a job interview conducted half in French, and building Markets Group's entire APAC presence from scratch as a single woman in a brand new city. Paola also gets candid about the real confidence gap between men and women in business, why she refuses to separate selling from relationship-building, and the leadership lessons she only learned the hard way.Whether you're navigating a career pivot, building a business development muscle, or trying to find the balance between ambition, motherhood, and identity, this conversation offers hard-won wisdom on resilience, relationships, and the art of selling without selling. WATCH OUR OTHER PODCASTS: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjbRIxrGYDGUA9niiF7U0IOMXBMeDf81bPAOLA SEGURALinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/segurap/LISTEN ON SPOTIFY & APPLESpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5x98T8QSRo01reQOGVGavqApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-quinntesssential-questions-podcast-with-paul-quinn/id1764230785FOLLOW PAUL QUINNInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulquinnofficial/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulquinnofficial/FOLLOW OUR SOCIALS:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_questions/Website: https://www.quinntessentialquestions.com/CAREER COACHINGWebsite: https://quinntessentialca.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westport-partners-career-coaching/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_careers/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Westport-Partners-Career-Coaching/61558129585059/TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Introduction(01:31) Paola's Background: Partner at Markets Group & APAC/Middle East Role(02:19) Growing Up as a Diplomat's Daughter: Colombia, Paris & London(06:48) UCLA, L'Oréal & Walking Away from Her Dream Job at 26(10:07) How She Accidentally Landed in Finance(12:28) Moving to New York & Joining Markets Group(13:41) Building the French Market from Zero — First Event, Standing Ovation(16:58) Moving to Singapore: "I Said I'd Never Move Here"(20:07) The Women & Money Gap: Only 7% of Women Ask for More(24:03) Leading a 25-Person Team: Men Who Over-Promise vs. Women Who Over-Deliver(28:58) Ambition as a Woman: Leading by Results(31:49) The Middle East: You Cannot Sell Without Relationships(36:52) The Art of Selling Without Selling(42:56) Fire Faster & Succession Planning: The Alex Ferguson Method(48:56) Sales as a Science: Scripts, Objections & Listening(57:09) Energy Management, Pilates, Horse Riding & Sleep(01:04:11) Protecting Family Time & Communication Across Time Zones(01:06:50) Closing RemarksDisclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.#InvestorRelations #WomenInFinance #CareerPivot #BusinessDevelopment #SalesStrategy #LeadershipDevelopment #AssetManagement #GlobalCareers #RelationshipSelling #PaulQuinn #QuinntessentialQuestions

In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, Paul Quinn sits down with Ben Quinlan, Founder & CEO of Quinlan & Associates, a financial services strategy consultancy headquartered in Hong Kong. From burning out as a road warrior consultant to then starting his own firm in his 30s with no clients, no track record, and no safety net, Ben shares his unfiltered journey of building something from scratch.

He discusses entrepreneurial resilience, building a global brand through content rather than marketing spend, and the leadership philosophy that has defined his firm's culture across 30 countries. Ben also opens up about the moment he nearly threw in the towel, and shares hard-won lessons on business development, sales, and what it takes to get the Financial Times and Bloomberg to treat you as the authority in your space.

Whether you're navigating burnout, thinking about going out on your own, or building a boutique firm trying to compete with the global giants — this conversation offers battle-tested wisdom on resilience, authority building, and entrepreneurial identity. And yes — he's also a stand-up comic who has performed alongside Russell Howard, Kevin Bridges, and Tom Segura. Let's explore what's inside the mind of a boutique CEO who has served clients in 30 countries, all out of Hong Kong.

WATCH OUR OTHER PODCASTS: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjbRIxrGYDGUA9niiF7U0IOMXBMeDf81b

BEN QUINLAN

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminquinlan

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bbquinlan/

Website: https://www.quinlanandassociates.com/

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FOLLOW PAUL QUINN

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CAREER COACHING

Website: https://quinntessentialca.com

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_careers/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Westport-Partners-Career-Coaching/61558129585059/

TIMESTAMPS:

(0:00) Introduction

(3:38) Stand-up comedy — how it all started

(4:00) The 2013 sabbatical — burnt out and working himself to death

(9:06) Early career — PwC, UBS, and the reverse engineering of consulting

(12:07) Burnout — five cities in one week, lost track of where he was

(13:55) Day 1 induction — the sinking feeling that changed everything

(15:32) Taking the plunge — no clients, no track record, no anything

(19:26) Best idea wins — the leadership philosophy ingrained every day

(23:47) Zero paid marketing — how the FT and Bloomberg became his strategy

(26:10) The art of selling without selling

(28:24) The best salespeople came from hospitality

(31:29) The absolute best salespeople sell feelings and emotions

(32:04) Starshots glamour photography — where it all began

(36:40) 30 countries, all out of Hong Kong

(39:00) There are no shortcuts — you are going to eat it all the time

(39:37) Every entrepreneur wants to throw in the towel — the Miami conference

(47:34) Comedic heroes — Russell Howard, Kevin Bridges, Tom Segura, Ricky Gervais

(53:30) Current projects — central banks, CBDCs, stablecoins, digital assets

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.

#Entrepreneurship #FinancialServices #HongKong #BusinessStrategy #Leadership #Consulting #StartupLife #CareerPivot #StandUpComedy #Resilience

Paul Quinn sits down with long-time friend and industry veteran Mark Collins to uncover the "machine-like" discipline required to reach the top of the recruitment world. From his days as a competitive long-distance swimmer to his 30-year career leading executive search in the UK and Singapore, Mark shares how a high-performance sports background translates into professional resilience and long-term career success.Why you should watch:Recruitment is shifting. In an era of AI and rapid market changes, Mark discusses why "average is not good enough anymore". We dive deep into the evolution of talent acquisition—moving from the "mass recruitment" of the 90s to the strategic, relationship-heavy executive search of today.Key Topics & Trending Insights:- The "Athlete Advantage": Why the most successful recruiters often come from competitive sports backgrounds.- Adapting to Change: How to navigate career pivots from blue-collar recruitment to education and high-level strategy.- Resilience in a Shifting Market: Strategies for surviving economic downturns and the "rat race" without losing your authenticity.-The Power of Loyalty: A moving look at a 30-year friendship and the importance of a core network in the professional world.- Recruitment "Old School" Hustle: Hilarious and gritty stories from the 90s recruitment scene—from building timesheets on construction sites to the "sixth sense" needed to read a room.WATCH OUR OTHER PODCASTS: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjbRIxrGYDGUA9niiF7U0IOMXBMeDf81bMARK COLLINSLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markcollinsretail/LISTEN ON SPOTIFY & APPLESpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5x98T8QSRo01reQOGVGavqApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-quinntesssential-questions-podcast-with-paul-quinn/id1764230785FOLLOW PAUL QUINNInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulquinnofficial/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulquinnofficial/FOLLOW OUR SOCIALS:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_questions/Website: https://www.quinntessentialquestions.com/CAREER COACHINGWebsite: https://quinntessentialca.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westport-partners-career-coaching/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_careers/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Westport-Partners-Career-Coaching/61558129585059/TIMESTAMPS:(0:00) Introduction and the 24-year reunion in Singapore(1:05) The "Messi vs. Ronaldo" debate: Discipline vs. natural talent in sales(3:40) Why modern recruitment can no longer be purely transactional(6:12) The "Beer Test" and the "24-hour flight" rule for cultural fit(9:45) Building a 15-year career lifecycle and long-term mentorship(13:18) The strategy arena: Recruiting high-IQ talent from Oxford and Cambridge(16:55) Memories of 2001: The phone call that changed everything(19:40) Joining Robinson Smart and the "London Boys" energy in Singapore(23:12) Blunt advice from family and taking the leap of faith(28:44) Navigating the 90s recruitment scene: Gritty stories and construction sites(34:15) The evolution of the Singapore business landscape over two decades(39:50) Cultural fluency: Business card etiquette and professional respect(44:10) The power of honest feedback: Being brave enough to tell the truth(52:30) Resilience through market crashes and the "fragile extrovert"(1:02:15) Why the most successful recruiters stay in one sector for life(1:08:40) The importance of legacy and turning candidates into hiring managers(1:14:32) The "Machine" mindset: The legendary 10-mile walk from Sudbury Hill(1:15:18) 30 years of friendship and concluding reflectionsDisclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.

In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, Paul Quinn sits down with Eric Piras, Founder of Cigraal and Creator of Confidenciaal cigars. From growing up in Bordeaux with a father in the army, to boxing at 16, to arriving in Hong Kong in 1993 with nothing but ambition Eric shares his remarkable journey through three decades of building one of Asia Pacific's most respected cigar distribution empires.He discusses democratising the cigar experience, the parallels between the boxing ring and the business arena, and why cashflow is the single most important thing any entrepreneur needs to protect. Eric also opens up about working alongside his wife, building a team from the ground up, and the artisanal craft behind every cigar from seed to smoke, three years in the making.Whether you're an entrepreneur building your first company, a cigar enthusiast looking to go deeper into the culture, or someone who's ever written off a market too soon, this conversation offers hard-won wisdom on resilience, building with integrity, and knowing when to make your move. WATCH OUR OTHER PODCASTS: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjbRIxrGYDGUA9niiF7U0IOMXBMeDf81bERIC PIRAS

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eric.piras/ | https://www.instagram.com/bertie.hk/ | https://www.instagram.com/bertie.pnh/Cigraal's Website: https://www.cigraal.com/Bertie's Website: https://www.bertie-hk.com/LISTEN ON SPOTIFY & APPLESpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5x98T8QSRo01reQOGVGavqApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-quinntesssential-questions-podcast-with-paul-quinn/id1764230785FOLLOW PAUL QUINNInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulquinnofficial/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulquinnofficial/FOLLOW OUR SOCIALS:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_questions/Website: https://www.quinntessentialquestions.com/CAREER COACHINGWebsite: https://quinntessentialca.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westport-partners-career-coaching/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_careers/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Westport-Partners-Career-Coaching/61558129585059/TIMESTAMPS:(0:00) Introduction(2:22) Tour of Berti Hong Kong, the humidor walk(12:49) Eric introduces himself and Cigraat Limited(13:52) Why Cambodia? The contrarian market bet(15:57) Growing up in Bordeaux, father in the army(16:26) Boxing at 16 and the lessons it taught him(17:25) Eric's first cigar, Paris, age 28(19:17) Arriving in Hong Kong in 1993(19:44) Meeting David DeVito and entering the cigar world(23:31) Democratising the cigar experience(29:17) Advice for entrepreneurs, cashflow, cashflow, cashflow(31:02) Building a great team and working with his wife(34:57) Why you can never write Hong Kong off(39:24) The masterclass, from seed to smoke, 3 years in the making(41:52) Favourite boxers, Muhammad Ali, Tyson, the Fabulous Four(42:20) What's next, taking Confidenciaal to the US market(44:16) The Paul Eric Quinn / Eric Paul coincidenceDisclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.#Cigars #CigarCulture #Entrepreneurship #LuxuryLifestyle #HongKong #FounderStory #CigarLounge #BusinessMindset #Confidenciaal #CigarLife

In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions, Paul Quinn sits down with his long-time friend and former business partner, Khush, to recount a 25-year journey through the high-stakes world of executive recruitment. From the high-pressure "rat race" of 2001 Singapore to building a dominant search firm from a tiny cubbyhole, this conversation is a masterclass in professional resilience, integrity, and the "Founder’s DNA".Khush shares the powerful story of the 9/11 market crash, a day when 20 people were fired in a single afternoon. While others headed to the pub, Paul stayed at his desk, securing 21 interviews in 24 hours. We dive into the "Maturity Gap," the ethics of a "Clean Exit," and why being "average" is a career death sentence in 2026.Key Takeaways:- Immediate Reclamation: How to turn a professional crisis into a strategic pivot within minutes.- The Maturity Catalyst: Why personal responsibility (family and risk) is the ultimate performance enhancer.- The Ethical Exit: How to resign with honor to maintain a 25-year network.- Value-Based Positioning: The art of reframing redundancy to maintain executive presence.WATCH OUR OTHER PODCASTS: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjbRIxrGYDGUA9niiF7U0IOMXBMeDf81bKhush Ahmedlinkedin.com/in/khush-ahmed-2932072LISTEN ON YOUTUBE & APPLEYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@QuinntessentialQuestionsApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-quinntesssential-questions-podcast-with-paul-quinn/id1764230785FOLLOW PAUL QUINNInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulquinnofficial/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulquinnofficial/FOLLOW OUR SOCIALS:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_questions/Website: https://www.quinntessentialquestions.com/CAREER COACHINGWebsite: https://quinntessentialca.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westport-partners-career-coaching/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_careers/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Westport-Partners-Career-Coaching/61558129585059/Episode Timestamps:(00:00) - The Cold Open: Turning a mass firing into 21 interviews(04:55) - The First Meeting: Detecting a Leicester accent in Singapore(06:15) - The Maturity Gap: Why responsibility is a professional engine(09:19) - The 9/11 Office "Massacre": Choosing the phone over the pub(13:50) - "The Best Sales Guy You Never Hired": Reframing failure(14:56) - The Ethical Exit: Starting a firm with honor and transparency(22:15) - Building the Team: The cubbyhole era and the legacy of first hires(42:20) - Financial Crisis Survival: The "Recession-Proof" mindset(55:15) - The "Sixth Sense": Reading CEOs and identifying A-Players(01:12:10) - Leading with Inspiration: From Top Biller to Business Builder(01:31:05) - Evolving Relationships: Turning 20-year clients into friends(01:38:40) - The Full Circle: The ROI of the hustle for the next generationDisclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.#entrepreneurship #resilience #hustle

In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, Paul Quinn sits down with Alia Ballout, Founder of Beît Ballout, Singapore's first olive oil brand and processing facility. From quitting a career in law to filling olive oil into badly packaged bottles at market fairs, Alia shares her transformation journey and the moment a video call from her mother picking olives in Lebanon changed everything.She discusses entrepreneurial resilience, the fear of being seen, authentic brand building, and why she believes the only protection you have in this world is economic. Alia also opens up about why her mother became the face of the brand, and the delusional mindset that turned a product nobody wanted to look at into a million dollar vision.Whether you're building a brand from scratch, navigating corporate environments that try to dim your light, or searching for the courage to be seen, this conversation offers hard-won wisdom on entrepreneurship, identity, and turning fear into fuel. WATCH OUR OTHER PODCASTS: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjbRIxrGYDGUA9niiF7U0IOMXBMeDf81bALIA BALLOUTLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alia-ballout/?originalSubdomain=sgInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/aliaaaballout/BEÎT BALLOUTInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/beitballout/Website: https://beitballout.com/LISTEN ON SPOTIFY & APPLESpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5x98T8QSRo01reQOGVGavqApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-quinntesssential-questions-podcast-with-paul-quinn/id1764230785FOLLOW PAUL QUINNInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulquinnofficial/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulquinnofficial/FOLLOW OUR SOCIALS:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_questions/Website: https://www.quinntessentialquestions.com/CAREER COACHINGWebsite: https://quinntessentialca.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westport-partners-career-coaching/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_careers/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Westport-Partners-Career-Coaching/61558129585059/TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Introduction(00:56) Who is Alia Ballout?(04:42) A Family of Main Characters(07:30) Growing Up in Oman(25:51) The Fear of Being Seen(26:57) Imposter Syndrome Isn't Real(28:43) Law School at SMU(38:15) Lebanese Resilience and Fearlessness(41:36) The Olive Oil Origin Story(49:16) Selling Alone at Fairs(49:44) The $1 Million Product Mindset(53:12) Tatler, Straits Times, and Going Viral(1:04:36) Building Singapore's First Olive Oil Brand(1:09:08) At a Certain Level Everything is Spiritual(1:19:52) Supermarkets Take 50% of Your Profit(1:21:10) If Temasek Invested in South LebanonDisclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.#Entrepreneurship #OliveOil #Singapore #Lebanon #StartupLife #BrandBuilding #FoodBusiness #WomenInBusiness #MiddleEast #Resilience

In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, Paul Quinn sits down with Maurice Gravier, Group Chief Investment Officer for Wealth Management at Emirates NBD, Dubai's largest bank. From breaking a three generation family tradition of doctors in the French Alps, to interning at Paribas Asset Management in Paris because he thought bankers had nice suits, to becoming one of the most respected CIOs in the Middle East, Maurice shares his full transformation journey and the investment philosophy he has built over 25 years across Paris, Geneva, and Dubai.

He discusses short term trading myths, the future of private banking, leadership under pressure, and why intelligence will soon become a commodity. Maurice also opens up about the moment he knew it was time for a reset, what it really means to be accountable as a CIO, and why judgment, trust, and stability will always be worth more than intelligence alone.

Whether you are navigating a career in finance, building a business in the Middle East, or simply trying to understand how the world's best investors think, this conversation offers hard won wisdom on long term thinking, investment philosophy, and what it takes to lead at the highest level. Let's explore what's "Inside the mind of a CIO."

WATCH OUR OTHER PODCASTS: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjbRIxrGYDGUA9niiF7U0IOMXBMeDf81b

MAURICE GRAVIERLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maurice-gravier-6591252/

LISTEN ON SPOTIFY & APPLE

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5x98T8QSRo01reQOGVGavq

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-quinntesssential-questions-podcast-with-paul-quinn/id1764230785

FOLLOW PAUL QUINNInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulquinnofficial/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulquinnofficial/

FOLLOW OUR SOCIALS:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_questions/Website: https://www.quinntessentialquestions.com/

CAREER COACHINGWebsite: https://quinntessentialca.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westport-partners-career-coaching/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_careers/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Westport-Partners-Career-Coaching/61558129585059/

TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Introduction(02:04) Who is Maurice Gravier(02:27) Born in the French Alps and breaking family tradition(08:25) First steps into the corporate world and falling in love with asset management(25:17) Moving to Geneva and the Switzerland chapter(29:04) Cultural differences across Paris, Geneva and Dubai(29:21) What makes Dubai different(31:03) The move to Emirates NBD and building the CIO office(51:13) The myths of private banking and short term trading(53:19) UAE's ambition to be the world's number one wealth management hub(54:48) Intelligence as a commodity and what will always give you value

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.

#WealthManagement #PrivateBanking #CIO #Investing #Dubai #EmiratesNBD #Leadership #InvestmentStrategy #HighPerformance #LongTermThinking

In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, Paul Quinn sits down with Dr. Shireen Henry, Physician & Director of Operations at MATTER, Singapore. From growing up between apartheid South Africa and Scotland, to fighting her way into medical school against the odds, to leading Covid emergency response for thousands stranded in Kazakhstan, Dr. Shireen shares her extraordinary journey and the philosophy that drives everything she does.She discusses the realities of being a trailing spouse in Singapore, losing the right to practise medicine, and the identity crisis that followed. Dr. Shireen also opens up about her own mental health struggles, her experience in palliative care and what dying patients taught her about what truly matters, and why she made it her mission to build something that changes the way people think about their health.Whether you're navigating a career pivot, questioning your identity in a new country, or simply looking to take ownership of your health and longevity, this conversation offers hard-won wisdom on resilience, reinvention, and the science of thriving. Let's explore what's "Inside the mind of a Longevity Physician."WATCH OUR OTHER PODCASTS: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjbRIxrGYDGUA9niiF7U0IOMXBMeDf81bDR. SHIREEN HENRYLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shireen-henry/Website: https://www.matterlife.co/LISTEN ON SPOTIFY & APPLESpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5x98T8QSRo01reQOGVGavqApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-quinntesssential-questions-podcast-with-paul-quinn/id1764230785FOLLOW PAUL QUINNInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulquinnofficial/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulquinnofficial/FOLLOW OUR SOCIALS:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_questions/Website: https://www.quinntessentialquestions.com/CAREER COACHINGWebsite: https://quinntessentialca.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westport-partners-career-coaching/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_careers/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Westport-Partners-Career-Coaching/61558129585059/TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Introduction(02:17) How Paul & Shireen First Met(07:01) Growing Up Between Apartheid South Africa & Scotland(08:50) Shireen's Father - The First Nonwhite South African Cricketer(17:10) Why She Wanted to Become a Doctor From Age 5(22:19) Observing Postmortems at 16 (26:03) Fighting Her Way Into Medical School (40:20) Life in Sumatra (50:56) What Dying Patients Taught Her(58:39) Losing the Right to Practise Medicine in Singapore(1:04:58) Being Cut From Hockey at 12 & What It Taught Her(1:09:10) Covid Emergency in Kazakhstan (1:35:40) Why She Joined MATTER & The Broken GP System(1:43:27) Health Optimisation, Hyperbaric Therapy & Cold PlungeDisclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.#PreventiveMedicine #HealthOptimisation #Longevity #WomensHealth #HyperbaricOxygenTherapy #Resilience #CareerPivot #Singapore #Apartheid #ExpatLife #TrailingSpouse #MindsetMatters #PaulQuinn #QuinntessentialQuestions #MATTER

In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, Paul Quinn sits down with Eleonore Dachicourt, CFA, Head of Sustainable Investments, Asia at a major private bank. From not knowing what a hedge fund was to raising Billions across asset classes and building sustainable investment platforms that grew 800%+, Eleonore's journey spans elite finance, alternative investments, and the evolution of ESG.

But this conversation goes beyond portfolio construction. Eleonore reveals how she protected client capital during the Global Financial Crisis, built a hedge fund platform from zero to $2.5 billion, and why she's now applying the same optimization principles to human performance, through longevity science, biohacking, Muay Thai, and precision nutrition.

From Paris to Detroit to London to Singapore, she discusses why banks took shortcuts on greenwashing, what three longevity experts agreed is non-negotiable, and how food choices impact investment decisions. She also opens up about why you can't build a sustainable world if you're not sustaining yourself.Whether you're building wealth, health, or legacy, this episode offers hard-won wisdom on elite finance, sustainable investing, and holistic performance from someone who's proven you don't have to choose.

WATCH OUR OTHER PODCASTS: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjbRIxrGYDGUA9niiF7U0IOMXBMeDf81bELEONORE DACHICOURT, CFALinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleonore-dachicourt-cfa-a367743LISTEN ON SPOTIFY & APPLE

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5x98T8QSRo01reQOGVGavqApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-quinntesssential-questions-podcast-with-paul-quinn/id1764230785FOLLOW PAUL QUINNInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulquinnofficial/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulquinnofficial/FOLLOW OUR SOCIALS:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_questions/Website: https://www.quinntessentialquestions.com/CAREER COACHINGWebsite: https://quinntessentialca.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westport-partners-career-coaching/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_careers/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Westport-Partners-Career-Coaching/61558129585059/TIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Introduction00:02:21 Born in Paris - Early life and American accent00:02:46 Moving to London - Breaking into finance00:03:42 First job at UBS - Not knowing what hedge funds were00:03:50 Studying the pitch book all weekend00:04:48 Meeting Citadel and Millennium investors00:07:02 Moving to research - Deep dive into hedge funds00:08:18 Getting the CFA - "It's not easy"00:08:24 INSEAD MBA - Sustainability evolution00:11:34 Biohacking and foundations - Sleep, diet, training00:13:08 Precision nutrition - How food impacts decisions00:14:17 Sustaining yourself to sustain the world00:16:59 Joo Chiat, Singapore - Amazing studios and lifestyle00:17:15 Starting Muay Thai - "It's tough but energy is so high"00:19:35 Pilates instructor - Reformer at home00:21:45 Being a woman in finance - Maximizing competence00:40:42 Catherine Deneuve comparison - Elegance in finance00:56:10 Wellness routine - Muay Thai, Pilates, resistance training00:58:00 Oura ring and sleep optimization01:00:30 Diet and supplements - Omega-3, creatine, red light therapy01:06:45 Longevity panel - Sleep is non-negotiable01:14:30 Wellness coach and longevity passion01:16:00 BBC documentary - Nutrition's impact on stress01:18:30 Energy is the number one thing01:20:00 Best advice - "If you don't ask for it, you won't get it"Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.

In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, Paul Quinn sits down with Jessica Patel, Transformational Coach. From growing up in the UK to 15 years in London finance, to a life-changing 28-day Ayurvedic retreat in Sri Lanka, Jessica shares her transformation journey and the moment she realized her successful career was no longer aligned with who she'd become.She discusses why she walked away from 15 years of financial crime expertise, the courage it took to move to Dubai with no plan, how everyone noticed "your face lights up when you talk about coaching," and why parental support enabled her to make the leap deep into adulthood. Jessica opens up about the Sri Lanka retreat that shifted her entire perspective, the side hustle that became the main hustle, and the power of choosing alignment over ambition.Whether you're feeling stuck in a successful career, contemplating a major life change, or searching for work that truly sparks joy, this conversation offers hard-won wisdom on transformation, courage, and trusting your evolution. WATCH OUR OTHER PODCASTS: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjbRIxrGYDGUA9niiF7U0IOMXBMeDf81bJESSICA PATELLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesspatelcoreshiftalign/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/j355abelle/LISTEN ON SPOTIFY & APPLESpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5x98T8QSRo01reQOGVGavqApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-quinntesssential-questions-podcast-with-paul-quinn/id1764230785FOLLOW PAUL QUINNInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulquinnofficial/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulquinnofficial/FOLLOW OUR SOCIALS:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_questions/Website: https://www.quinntessentialquestions.com/CAREER COACHINGWebsite: https://quinntessentialca.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westport-partners-career-coaching/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_careers/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Westport-Partners-Career-Coaching/61558129585059/TIMESTAMPS:(0:00) Introduction(4:35) Meet Jessica Patel: 26 Years Later(5:06) Growing Up: Jessica's Early Years(5:49) Parents' Story: India to Kenya to England(6:03) Moving to Harrow at Age Seven(6:08) Cultural Identity & The Patel Community(6:27) High School Memories: Staying Under the Radar(6:46) School Friendships: Mita, Kerry, and Reconnecting Through Facebook(7:32) The Weald High School & College Years(8:29) GCSE Science & Being Pushed Toward Medicine(10:11) Film Class & Mr. Barrett(10:18) High School Friends: Still Connected After 26 Years(13:32) Sonia Patel: From London to Dubai(13:43) Reconnecting in Dubai & Long-Distance Friendships(17:09) After High School: Greenhill College(17:17) Biology, Physics & Changing Career Plans(26:09) Cultural Expectations & Dating Outside Your Community(26:57) Questioning Religion: From Hindu to Big Bang Theory(27:24) Navratri & Cultural Memories(37:46) First Visit to Dubai: Partying vs Purpose(39:57) Being an Only Child: Family Considerations(40:15) The Decision to Try Dubai(48:04) The Sri Lanka Retreat: 28 Days That Changed Everything(53:13) Panchakarma & Shirodhara: Life-Changing Ayurvedic Treatments(55:57) Post-Retreat: "I Felt a Million Dollars"(58:36) Seeing Dubai with a Different Lens(1:01:51) Moving to Dubai: Three-Month Trial Period(1:02:14) Parental Support: "They Are Absolutely Beautiful"(1:26:19) The Side Hustle Became the Main Hustle(1:26:34) "Your Face Lights Up When You Talk About Coaching"Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.#CareerTransformation #TransformationalCoaching #FinancialCrime #Dubai #SriLanka #AyurvedicRetreat #CareerChange #Entrepreneurship #SelfDiscovery #Coaching #PaulQuinn #QuinntessentialQuestions

In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, Paul Quinn sits down with Aditi Nair, Head of HR, Barclays Asia-Pacific. From growing up across 9 schools as an Indian Army daughter to leading HR for one of the world's most prestigious banks, Aditi shares her unconventional journey and reveals the uncomfortable truth: hard work alone won't get you promoted.She discusses why she got the role before she was ready, the SODES Model for strategic networking, and why 60-70% of HR professionals are women but most HR heads are men. Aditi opens up about the visibility trap women face in business, the power of advocacy over merit, and the structured approach to building influence that took her from compensation specialist to regional HR leader.Whether you're navigating corporate politics, building your professional network, or trying to break through the glass ceiling, this conversation offers battle-tested wisdom on career advancement, strategic relationships, and what it really takes to succeed in Asia-Pacific's competitive business landscape.WATCH OUR OTHER PODCASTS: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjbRIxrGYDGUA9niiF7U0IOMXBMeDf81bADITI NAIRLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aditi-mahadevan-nair-a7762a4/LISTEN ON SPOTIFY & APPLESpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5x98T8QSRo01reQOGVGavqApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-quinntesssential-questions-podcast-with-paul-quinn/id1764230785FOLLOW PAUL QUINNInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/paulquinnofficial/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulquinnofficial/FOLLOW OUR SOCIALS:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_questions/Website: https://www.quinntessentialquestions.com/CAREER COACHINGWebsite: https://quinntessentialca.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westport-partners-career-coaching/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_careers/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Westport-Partners-Career-Coaching/61558129585059/TIMESTAMPS:(0:00) Introduction: The Truth About Getting Promoted(1:53) Meet Aditi Nair: Head of HR, Barclays Asia-Pacific(3:39) Growing Up in the Indian Army: 9 Schools, Adaptability & Resilience(7:13) Choosing Accounting Over Engineering: Going Against the Grain in India(9:56) The MBA That Found Her a Career and a Husband(12:44) Who You Marry Is Your Most Important Career Decision(13:05) First Job: Joining an Indian Telecom Giant(13:42) Joining Citibank: 17.5 Years at the Best Training Ground in Banking(15:37) What Citi Really Taught Her: Risk, People & Accountability(17:28) First Role at Citi: HR Business Partner for Consumer & Wealth(19:13) Engagement & Retention: It's Not Just About Keeping People Happy(19:59) Stay Interviews: Why Exit Interviews Are Already Too Late(21:48) Sponsorship vs Mentorship: The Critical Difference Nobody Talks About(28:05) Moving to Singapore: Leading 50+ Nationalities(30:39) Heading Global Markets HR: She Got the Role Before She Was Ready(31:54) Build Visibility & Influence First: The Pay Rise Will Follow(32:20) The SODES Model: A Structured Approach to Building Your Networks(33:00) The Five Networks: Strategic, Operational, Developmental, External & Social(46:51) The Three E's: 70% Experience, 20% Exposure, 10% Education(48:53) How to Network Internally Without Breaking Rank and File(51:21) Women in HR: Why 60-70% Are Women But Most Heads Are Men(53:19) The Visibility Trap: Being Too Loud vs Being Invisible(1:06:16) What Separates Good From Great HR: Moral Courage & GritDisclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.#HR #Leadership #CareerDevelopment #WomenInBusiness #Networking #Sponsorship #Barclays #Citibank #AsiaPacific #PaulQuinn #QuinntessentialQuestions

In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, Paul Quinn sits down with Tim Alden, Founder of SingCoast Yachts and 35-year veteran of the Asian luxury yacht industry. From learning the trade in Hong Kong to surviving the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis that destroyed his business overnight, Tim shares his transformation journey from a letter at boarding school age 9 to building a yacht empire across Southeast Asia.He discusses resilience through market crashes, dealing with ultra-high-net-worth clients, navigating dangerous waters in Malaysia, and why UHNI are often easier to work with than middle managers. Tim also opens up about his experience as a Ferretti dealer, the Monaco boat show circuit, and the realities of maritime operations across Asia.Whether you're in luxury sales, navigating a business crisis, or building relationships with high-net-worth clients, this conversation offers hard-won wisdom on resilience, sales psychology, and building authority in competitive markets. Let's explore what's "Inside the mind of a yacht industry veteran."

WATCH OUR OTHER PODCASTS: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjbRIxrGYDGUA9niiF7U0IOMXBMeDf81b

TIM ALDEN

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothyalden/

Website: https://www.singcoastyachtcharters.com/

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FOLLOW PAUL QUINN

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CAREER COACHING

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TIMESTAMPS:(0:00) Introduction(2:01) Meet Tim Alden - 35 years in Singapore(3:01) British Army childhood - Germany to Hong Kong(4:01) The boarding school letter that started everything(5:49) Choosing Hong Kong over boarding school(7:21) Hong Kong - The best boating destination(9:26) Early apprenticeship and learning the trade(11:34) Red Sea delivery adventure(15:44) Breaking down in the Suez Canal(20:26) Navigating the Red Sea crisis(23:43) Pirates and dangers at sea(26:26) Land sales in North America - Texas and Arizona(29:31) 1997 Asian Financial Crisis - Everything collapses(33:00) Rebuilding after the crash(36:40) Fort Lauderdale boat show and recovery(40:27) Death of Tim's father and family reflections(46:23) Paul's father's unfulfilled American dream(52:51) Dealing with ultra-wealthy clients(54:50) Why UHNI are easier than middle management(56:58) Yacht ownership costs - Why chartering makes sense(59:28) COVID charter experience(1:02:14) Philippines rescue decision at sea(1:05:47) The importance of doing the right thing(1:07:11) SingCoast Yachts - The future vision(1:08:08) White glove concierge service model(1:09:02) World-class service standards(1:11:03) Montblanc pens and celebrating wins(1:13:21) The Omega Speedmaster - 25 years of memories(1:15:53) Closing thoughtsDisclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.#LuxuryYachts #Entrepreneurship #AsianFinancialCrisis #Singapore #HighNetWorth #BusinessResilience #YachtIndustry #LuxurySales #Monaco #SoutheastAsia

In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, Paul Quinn sits down with Kanukai Jackson, Commonwealth Gold Medalist & Former Cirque du Soleil Head Coach. From winning 2 Commonwealth golds to spending 15 years touring the world with Cirque du Soleil, Kanukai shares his transformation journey and the philosophy that knockdowns aren't negatives—they're opportunities.He discusses resilience, elite performance, career transformation, and why winning gold felt like relief instead of joy. Kanukai also opens up about competing through 22 surgeries, learning to act and show emotion on stage, and developing his own performance act that he sold to Cirque du Soleil.Whether you're navigating career transitions, building resilience, or pursuing elite performance, this conversation offers hard-won wisdom on mental toughness, strategic pivots, and long-term success. Let's explore what's "Inside the mind of a Commonwealth Champion."WATCH OUR OTHER PODCASTS: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjbRIxrGYDGUA9niiF7U0IOMXBMeDf81bKANUKAI JACKSONLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kanukai-jackson-6b73ab2/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gymjacko/LISTEN ON SPOTIFY & APPLESpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5x98T8QSRo01reQOGVGavqApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-quinntesssential-questions-podcast-with-paul-quinn/id1764230785FOLLOW PAUL QUINNInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntaipan/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulquinnofficial/FOLLOW OUR SOCIALS:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_questions/Website: https://www.quinntessentialquestions.com/CAREER COACHINGWebsite: https://quinntessentialca.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westport-partners-career-coaching/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westportpartnerscareercoaching/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Westport-Partners-Career-Coaching/61558129585059/TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Introduction(02:01) Kanukai's Career Overview - From Gymnastics to Cirque du Soleil(04:22) Making the National Team at Age 12(06:36) Coach Said He'd Never Amount to Anything(07:14) 22 Surgeries - Dealing with Constant Injuries(08:14) "Knockdowns Aren't Negative - They're Opportunities"(24:00) Sydney Olympics Rejection - Nearly Retired, Then Came Back(26:47) 2002 Commonwealth Games - Winning Gold Felt Like Relief(28:46) Competing Through European Championships with Broken Shoulder(35:57) Joining Cirque du Soleil - 15 Years as Performer & Head Coach(48:45) Learning to Act and Show Emotion on Stage(50:24) 7 Years Touring Across US, Canada, South America & Japan(1:10:47) 85 Consecutive Chin-Ups During Competitive CrossFit(1:16:00) Developing & Selling His Own Straps Act to Cirque(1:28:27) The Politics of Youth Sports & Developing Young AthletesDisclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.#Gymnastics #CirqueDuSoleil #CommonwealthGames #Resilience #ElitePerformance #MentalToughness #CareerTransition #HighPerformance #PaulQuinn #QuinntessentialQuestions

From Ugandan refugee to London lawyer to Singapore's legal recruitment elite — Ashish's journey is anything but ordinary.In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast with Paul Quinn, we sit down with Ashish, a 27-year veteran of Singapore's legal recruitment scene who built his career entirely by accident.From arriving in Singapore in the pouring rain in 1999 with no job, to becoming the only man in an office full of "female killers," to surviving 9/11 layoffs and building his own business — Ashish shares the unfiltered truth about resilience, relationships, and what it really takes to succeed in recruitment.What You'll Learn:▶️ How he fell into recruitment at age 17 (his mum came upstairs crying)▶️ Why he qualified as a lawyer but never practiced a single day▶️ The "gusto" moment that changed his Singapore career forever▶️ Building personal brand over company loyalty in recruitment▶️ How the cricket club became central to his life and network▶️ What Dead Poets Society taught him about "Carpe Diem"▶️ The truth about ethical recruitment and long-term placements▶️ Why 46% of his placements come from referrals▶️ How to survive and thrive through major setbacks (9/11, recessions)▶️ Balancing family life with three daughters and being an empty nesterThis conversation is a masterclass in resilience, relationship-building, and the long game of career success from someone who has lived through Uganda's expulsion, London's legal trenches, and Singapore's transformation.ASHISHLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashish-raivadera-0546a21/Company: https://www.mlaglobal.com/enLISTEN ON SPOTIFY & APPLESpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5x98T8QSRo01reQOGVGavqApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-quinntesssential-questions-podcast-with-paul-quinn/id1764230785FOLLOW PAUL QUINNInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntaipan/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulquinnofficial/FOLLOW OUR SOCIALS:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_questions/Website: https://www.quinntessentialquestions.com/CAREER COACHINGWebsite: https://quinntessentialca.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westport-partners-career-coaching/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westportpartnerscareercoaching/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Westport-Partners-Career-Coaching/61558129585059/TIMESTAMPS:0:00 Introduction1:48 27 Years in Singapore: The Accidental Journey3:16 Arriving in Singapore: "What Have We Done?"5:26 The Cricket Club That Changed Everything8:44 Growing Up Ugandan Asian in Leicester10:44 From Medicine to Economics: The Pivot14:44 York University and Finding His Path16:39 The Robert Walters Summer That Planted Seeds23:13 Nottingham Forest, Brian Clough & Sports Obsession26:15 The Decision to Come to Singapore31:04 Building Community Through Cricket41:35 9/11: Losing Everything and Bouncing Back51:50 Starting His Own Business at 361:03:25 The Art of Executive Search1:05:11 If He Could Start Again: Advice to His Younger Self1:07:35 Dinner with Steve Jobs, Bill Gates & Nelson Mandela1:08:54 Sales Training: What Really Works1:22:24 The Service That Sets Him Apart1:24:22 Dead Poets Society: Carpe Diem Changed Everything1:25:58 How He Recharges: Cricket, Family & Community1:26:58 Top Footballers & Cricket Players1:28:31 Gary Lineker: The Complete Package1:29:22 Productivity Hacks (Or Lack Thereof)Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.#LegalRecruitment #ExecutiveSearch #Singapore #UgandanAsian #CareerAdvice #Resilience #9/11Story #Recruitment #LegalIndustry #CareerPodcast #PaulQuinn #QuinntessentialQuestions #RefugeeStory #EntrepreneurJourney #BusinessSuccess

From watching his grandfather battle dementia for 17 years to becoming one of the world's youngest professional adventurers, Louis Alexander's journey is nothing short of extraordinary.At just 26 years old, Louis is a three-time Guinness World Record holder—recognised as the first and only person in history to complete both marathons on all Seven Continents AND marathon swims in all Seven Seas in 633 consecutive days. But his story begins with heartbreak, a living room conversation with his mum, and a mountain he failed to climb.In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast with Paul Quinn, we sit down with Louis Alexander to uncover the truth behind the headlines. From running 17 marathons in 17 consecutive days through the worst UK storm in 30 years, to swimming in 31°C water with severe dehydration, to stopping mid-marathon to watch a brown bear emerge from hibernation in Alaska—Louis shares the brutal reality of chasing impossible dreams.You'll discover:▶️ How his grandfather Captain Rick's unfulfilled dream of climbing Kilimanjaro sparked a 633-day world record journey▶️ Why he ran 17 marathons in 17 consecutive days (and the devastating reason behind that number)▶️ What it's like to face the worst storm in 30 years on day 2 of your career-defining challenge▶️ The truth about cold-water swimming without a wetsuit in the San Francisco Bay (Alcatraz)▶️ How he went from sending thousands of rejected cold emails to speaking at Eton College and 10 Downing Street▶️ His mission to raise £1 million for dementia research and achieve 10 world records by age 30▶️ Why stopping to appreciate a bear matters more than beating your personal record

💡 Louis doesn't just chase records. He chases meaning. And that changes everything.🎧 WATCH THE OUR OTHER EPISODEs:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjbRIxrGYDGUA9niiF7U0IOMXBMeDf81bSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5x98T8QSRo01reQOGVGavqApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-quinntesssential-questions-podcast-with-paul-quinn/id1764230785LOUIS ALEXANDERInstagram https://www.instagram.com/louisalexanderexplorer/?hl=enEmail: louis@louisalexander.orgWebsite: https://www.louisalexander.org/FOLLOW PAUL QUINNInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntaipan/LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/paulquinnofficialFOLLOW THE QUINNTESSENTIAL QUESTIONS Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_questions/Website: https://www.quinntessentialquestions.com/CAREER COACHINGWebsite: https://quinntessentialca.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westport-partners-career-coaching/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westportpartnerscareercoaching/TIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 - Introduction00:02:20 - Growing Up in London: 5 Schools, 15 Houses00:03:55 - Captain Rick: 17-Year Dementia Battle00:06:17 - Kilimanjaro at 19: The Mountain That Humbled Him00:11:19 - From Temporary Mortuary Worker to Professional Adventurer00:13:32 - 17 Marathons in 17 Days: Honoring His Grandfather00:15:11 - Day 2: Worst Storm in 30 Years Hits00:17:33 - Patrons: Lennox Lewis and Adventure Legends00:29:43 - Swimming the Seven Seas: 10km Across All Seven00:33:09 - Alcatraz with No Wetsuit: Everyone Thought I Was Crazy00:35:47 - Alaska: Stopping to Watch a Brown Bear00:49:41 - Australia: 8 Marathons in 8 Cities in Under 7 Days01:00:13 - 10 Downing Street: Changing Government Policy01:02:30 - "My Goal: Become One of the Greatest Modern Day Adventurers"01:04:07 - The Mission: £1M for Dementia ResearchDisclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.

In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, Paul Quinn sits down with Matthew Pellino, Boxing/MMA Coach, Entrepreneur, and Owner of Foxgloves Fight Gym in Singapore. From moving to Malaysia at 19 and taking over coaching within a month, to coaching Sean Strickland at Syndicate MMA in Las Vegas, to cornering Eric Kelly's knockout of UFC Hall of Famer Jens Pulver in Manila, Matt shares his transformation journey and philosophy on building champions.He discusses measuring coaching success by performance bonuses not records, working with extremely high-level athletes, and why Singapore has zero prize fighters. Matt also opens up about his biggest regret—stopping fighting too early—and shares powerful lessons about youth mentorship, refusing to hire amateur coaches, and building the "Home of Heavy Hands" with his wife River. Whether you're an aspiring coach, combat sports athlete, or entrepreneur building something from scratch, this conversation offers hard-won wisdom on results-driven coaching, authentic community building, and why you don't want to work for no one at 29. WATCH OUR OTHER PODCASTS: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjbRIxrGYDGUA9niiF7U0IOMXBMeDf81bMATTHEW PELLINOInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/newjabcity/?hl=enFoxgloves Fight Gym: https://foxglovesfightgym.com/LISTEN ON SPOTIFY & APPLESpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5x98T8QSRo01reQOGVGavqApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-quinntesssential-questions-podcast-with-paul-quinn/id1764230785FOLLOW PAUL QUINNInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntaipan/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulquinnofficial/FOLLOW OUR SOCIALS:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_questions/Website: https://www.quinntessentialquestions.com/CAREER COACHINGWebsite: https://quinntessentialca.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westport-partners-career-coaching/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westportpartnerscareercoaching/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Westport-Partners-Career-Coaching/61558129585059/TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Introduction & Hook: $750K in bonuses(01:40) Matt's Christmas training & loud coaching voice(02:21) Dad was an American football coach - origins of loud coaching(03:03) Who is Matt Pellino: Entrepreneur, MMA coach, 15 years coaching(03:25) Growing up in Florida: Most competitive football state(08:43) Moving to Malaysia at 19 years old alone(09:07) Taking over gym coaching within one month with Luke Russo(09:47) Knocking out UFC Hall of Famer Jens Pulver in Manila(51:48) Vegas success: $750K in UFC performance bonuses explained(53:34) How Foxgloves came about: Wife's idea & "sag" philosophy(55:22) The poisonous plant story behind Foxgloves name(56:42) "Home of Heavy Hands" - building gym culture(1:13:42) Why Singapore has zero prize fighters(1:15:09) Refusing to hire amateur coaches - protecting quality(1:17:02) Boxing ring in pool 24 floors up: March 28th at Dashi Sky PoolDisclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.#SeanStrickland #UFC #Boxing #MMA #ONEChampionship #JensPulver #EricKelly #JoanneCalderwood #FoxglovesBoxingGym #Singapore #CombatSports #MartialArts #Coaching #Entrepreneurship #PaulQuinn #QuinntessentialQuestions

In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, Paul Quinn sits down with Kevin Iole, legendary combat sports journalist and 2025 International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee. From being the first person in his family to go to college in Pittsburgh to covering the greatest fights in boxing and MMA history for 46 years, Kevin shares his extraordinary journey through the world of combat sports.

He discusses meeting Muhammad Ali ("like I saw God"), sitting ringside when Mike Tyson bit Evander Holyfield's ear, why Mayweather-Pacquiao was "our Ali-Frazier" moment for modern journalists, and the heartbreak of covering seven fighters who died in the ring. Kevin also opens up about hanging up on Mike Tyson (thinking it was a prank call), surviving a plane crash with Bob Arum en route to covering De La Hoya vs Vargas, being confronted by Steve Jobs at an Apple Store, and finding Diego Corrales dead two years to the day after his greatest triumph.

Whether you're a combat sports fan, aspiring journalist, or anyone pursuing a non-traditional career path, this conversation offers hard-won wisdom on storytelling, resilience, and witnessing history firsthand. Let's explore what's "Inside the mind of a Boxing Hall of Fame Journalist".

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KEVIN IOLE

 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-iole-526b75200/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keviniole/?hl=en Website: keviniole.com

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CAREER COACHING

Website: https://quinntessentialca.com

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westportpartnerscareercoaching/

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Introduction

(08:46) Meeting Muhammad Ali: "Like I Saw God"

(18:14) Boxing Hall of Fame Induction Call

(24:20) Diego Corrales vs Castillo & Finding Him Dead

(50:58) Tyson-Holyfield Ear Bite & Greatest Fights

(53:19) Mayweather-Pacquiao: "Our Ali-Frazier Moment"

(58:01) Hanging Up on Mike Tyson (Thought It Was Fake)

(01:06:21) Surviving Plane Crash with Bob Arum

(01:17:41) Steve Jobs Confrontation at Apple Store

(01:23:41) Jim Murray & Kevin's Boxing Memorabilia

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.

In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, Paul Quinn sits down with Danial Lee Rocka, Naval Diver veteran turned rapper, actor, and life coach. From training combat divers in Singapore's elite forces for 10 years to serving 7 months in detention barracks for marijuana possession, Danial shares his transformation journey and the turning point that changed everything.

He discusses reading 70 self-help books in prison that nobody else touched, why he chose to record music instead of becoming a security guard the day he was released, and his mission to provide free creative education to troubled youth. Danial also opens up about working with the son of a chief of police struggling with drugs, discovering that troubled youth come from wealth AND poverty, and why attention matters more than money.

Whether you're navigating a career transition, seeking redemption after mistakes, or working with at-risk youth, this conversation offers hard-won wisdom on resilience, personal branding, and refusing to let your past define your future.

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DANIAL LEE ROCKA

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leerocka/?hl=en

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leerocka/?originalSubdomain=sg

Website: https://leerocka.com/

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CAREER COACHING

Website: https://quinntessentialca.com

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westportpartnerscareercoaching/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Westport-Partners-Career-Coaching/61558129585059/

KEY MOMENTS:

(00:00) Cold Open - Naval Diver to Purpose(01:52) Introduction - Final Podcast of the Year(03:16) Three Names: Wayne Lee, Danial, Lee Rocca(07:36) 10 Years as Naval Diver(08:15) 7 Months in Detention - The Turning Point(13:00) DMX Influence(20:57) Live Rap Performance(33:10) Reading 70 Books in Prison(42:44) First Day Out - Recording First Song(44:01) F.I.S.H. Framework for Life Coaching(53:13) Muhammad - Dedication to Deceased Friend(58:02) Biggest Acting Role - Prison Documentary(01:22:25) Troubled Youth from Different Backgrounds(01:23:38) Chief of Police's Son Story(01:27:36) Nonprofit - Free Creative Education(01:29:00) A Rising Tide Raises All Ships

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.

In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, Paul Quinn sits down with Vincent Ming, CEO of a global multifamily office in Singapore. From working in Taiwan's Defense Department at 23 to leading a firm serving billionaire families, Vincent shares his unconventional journey through IT, academia, and private banking.

Vincent discusses his unique path of working for over 10 years before pursuing his PhD, spending 20 years in private banking, and why he believes AI will fundamentally change the wealth management industry. He opens up about taking three years to feel comfortable in front office roles, the conflict of interest in traditional banking, and why the future belongs to "family bankers" rather than product pushers.

Whether you're navigating a career transition, considering further education mid-career, or working in financial services, this conversation offers hard-won wisdom on preparation, leadership, and building genuine client value in an AI-driven world. Let's explore what's "Inside the mind of a CEO."

WATCH OUR OTHER PODCASTS: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjbRIxrGYDGUA9niiF7U0IOMXBMeDf81b

VINCENT MING 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-vincent-ming-68008252/

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CAREER COACHING

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westportpartnerscareercoaching/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Westport-Partners-Career-Coaching/61558129585059/

TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Introduction(02:18) Who is Vincent Ming - Entrepreneur, Banker, Professor(03:04) Growing Up in Taiwan(03:32) Family of PhDs - Vincent Was First(04:21) First Job: Taiwan Defense Department(05:26) Sent to Dallas, Texas at Age 23(06:20) Taiwan's First Aircraft Design Project(08:42) Self-Funding 5-Year PhD While Working(10:36) Theory Meets Practice Philosophy(11:44) KPMG Consulting & Entrepreneurship(12:21) Software Startup - Early Chinese NLP(13:03) Intel Investment & NASDAQ Prep(13:50) Year 2000 Dot-Com Crash(15:08) Business Risk Manager - Second Person Globally(15:33) Covering 170+ People Across Asia(18:09) "I'm Too Entrepreneur"(18:49) Introvert vs Extrovert in Banking(20:56) Taiwan Desk - Big Challenge(23:50) CEO Aspirations - Preparation Over Goals(25:10) Building Teams & Platform Skills(27:27) What Makes a Good Private Banker(29:03) Hiring for Determination Over Credentials(31:38) Private Banking Reality - 20-30 Clients for Life(35:43) Why I Left Banking(37:17) Global Multifamily Office - Serving Billionaires(38:35) No Products to Push(39:43) Opening Up Asian Market(41:39) Asia vs West Wealth Management(42:44) Generational Wealth Transfer Challenges(46:11) AI Will Take 50% of Banking Jobs(51:34) Asian Wealth Management Differences(59:56) Determination & Values in Hiring(01:01:23) Most Underrated Leadership Skill - Trust(01:06:12) Blockchain & Tokenized Assets(01:07:15) CEO KPI - Bouncing Back from Challenges(01:08:14) Leadership: Trust and Inspire(01:09:14) Sustainable Change Comes from Inside(01:13:26) AI is Already Here(01:14:46) Guest Lecturing - AI, Blockchain, Fintech(01:15:52) Philosophy & Logic Thinking(01:16:48) Daily Practice - Reprioritizing Scenarios

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.

ADHD, Dyslexia & the Power of Difference.

From teaching at the same school she attended for 17 years, to leaving a classroom she "couldn't walk past for five years," to discovering that "you don't rise to the level of your goals—you fall to the level of your systems."

In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, Paul Quinn sits down with Dr. Vicki Rogers, Educational Psychologist and Founder of Champion Coaching & Consulting. From struggling as a third culture kid to earning degrees from Colorado State, Durham University, and Stanford, Dr. Rogers shares her transformation journey and the profound realization that led her to pioneer executive functioning coaching.

She discusses why executive functioning skills aren't sexy but deliver immediate results, how she "cheated her contract" by teaching skills schools don't cover, the truth about what makes smart kids scattered, why systems matter more than goals or motivation, and her direct coaching philosophy: "You gotta want it more than me."

Whether you're a parent with a "smart and scattered" kid, an educator frustrated by curriculum constraints, or a professional struggling with task initiation and organization, this episode offers science-based strategies that work across the entire learning spectrum.

DR. VICKI ROGERS

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-vicki-rameker-rogers-195ba2106/?originalSubdomain=sg

Website: https://www.ChampionMyLife.com

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CAREER COACHING

Website: https://quinntessentialca.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westport-partners-career-coaching/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westportpartnerscareercoaching/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Westport-Partners-Career-Coaching/61558129585059/

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 - Introduction montage

01:36 - Meet Dr. Vicki Rogers

03:05 - Starting private practice before "coaching was a thing"

03:32 - "I could switch lanes but couldn't intersect lanes"

04:54 - What is executive functioning?

08:42 - Third culture kid background

11:03 - Building econometrics model on resilience

15:35 - "Not the sharpest tack in the box, but I learned habits"

16:10 - Systems over goals - James Clear quote

16:50 - Students demanding the training

17:31 - Leaving school - crisis of conscience

17:50 - "Couldn't walk past my classroom for five years"

18:32 - Knowledge economy evolution: Libraries to AI

19:50 - How kids learn now has changed

24:35 - "Not sexy but super effective"

30:21 - "You gotta show up" - minimal expectation

30:40 - "You gotta want it more than me"

32:00 - Self-efficacy definition

32:35 - "When that's hit, we are at ground zero"

33:00 - "My smart and scattered kid is not scattered anymore"

34:00 - Adding executive functioning coach to org chart

01:18:00 - Favorite quote - systems over goals

01:26:00 - Resilience is a practice, not a notion

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.

In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, Paul Quinn sits down with Judit Pach, Former Ambassador of Hungary to Singapore and Indonesia, now Energy Advisor. From never wanting to be a diplomat as a child to becoming Ambassador at age 30, Judit shares her remarkable journey of unexpected opportunities and strategic reinvention.She discusses authentic leadership built on vulnerability, the reality of diplomatic life, and why reaching the top of her diplomatic career meant facing 20-25 years with no new challenge.Judit opens up about the breaking point moment sitting on her office floor crying ("I will never be able to do this"), sixfolding trade numbers between Indonesia and Hungary, securing a $300 million electronic tolling system export and announcing a $700 million euro investment, and why "I either do the change right now or later it will be even harder" led her to transition from public service to the private sector.Whether you're navigating career transitions, building authentic leadership, or questioning when success means choosing the harder path, this conversation offers hard-won wisdom on resilience, knowing when to reinvent, and why embracing what makes you different can become your greatest strength. LISTEN TO OUR OTHER PODCASTS:

Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/5x98T8QSRo01reQOGVGavqJUDIT PACH

Apple Podcasts:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-quinntesssential-questions-podcast-with-paul-quinn/id1764230785LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/judit-pach/WATCH ON YOUTUBE

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjbRIxrGYDGUA9niiF7U0IOMXBMeDf81b&si=0UZgaCu0Ewdmmzj- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5x98T8QSRo01reQOGVGavq

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-quinntesssential-questions-podcast-with-paul-quinn/id1764230785FOLLOW PAUL QUINN Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntaipan/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-quinn-wp1/ FOLLOW OUR SOCIALS: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_questions/ Website: https://www.quinntessentialquestions.com/ CAREER COACHING Website: https://quinntessentialca.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westport-partners-career-coaching/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westportpartnerscareercoaching/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Westport-Partners-Career-Coaching/61558129585059/ TIMESTAMPS:(02:38) Introduction(03:38) Career Journey(07:58) Being Selected as The Ambassador(09:53) Ambassadors: The Epitome of Generalists(12:46) Studying Economics & International Relations(15:28) Difference Between The President & Prime Minister in Hungary(17:28) Rethinking Your Wardrobe(20:03) Tackling Ageism(25:39) Improving Memory(27:28) Optics & Perception(31:53) Becoming The Chief of Staff(37:28) Seeking Counsel(39:38) Things To Do Differently(44:41) Role in Singapore(47:43) Women in Diplomacy(49:38) Becoming a Master in Big Settings(52:28) Going To The Private Sector(56:53) Mental & Physical Fitness Journey(01:03:31) Joining The Sustainability Sector(01:06:59) Advisory Work & Projects(01:08:07) Rapid Fire QuestionsDisclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.#Diplomacy #Ambassador #CareerTransition #Leadership #Authenticity #Hungary #Singapore #Indonesia #PublicService #EnergySector #WomenInLeadership #InternationalRelations #TradeNegotiation #CareerReinvention

In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, Paul Quinn sits down with John Currie, COO with 37 years in banking and Chair of the Board at Pangdemonium Theatre.

From washing cash covered in butcher's meat at age 17 in small-town Galashiels, Scotland to leading 500-person teams processing 150 million calls annually, John shares his remarkable journey of ground-up leadership.

He discusses authentic leadership built on experience, process optimization where one second equals 22 jobs saved, and why "the worst case is you end up back where you were" became his risk philosophy. John opens up about the homophobic warning that sparked his LGBT advocacy ("Just to warn you, Barrie's gay"), creating safe spaces that multiply from one person to 600 people filling a theatre, sponsoring Pink Dot Singapore, and becoming Chair of Pangdemonium Theatre while maintaining his COO role.

Whether you're building your career from the ground up, leading diverse teams, or balancing multiple passions, this conversation offers hard-won wisdom on authentic leadership, corporate courage, and the power of creating safe spaces.

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LISTEN TO OUR OTHER PODCASTS:

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JOHN CURRIE

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-currie-aaa9159/

Pangdemonium Theatre: https://www.pangdemonium.com/

───────────────────────────

LISTEN ON YOUTUBE & APPLE

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Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-quinntesssential-questions-podcast-with-paul-quinn/id1764230785

───────────────────────────

FOLLOW PAUL QUINN

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───────────────────────────

FOLLOW OUR SOCIALS:

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Website: https://www.quinntessentialquestions.com/

───────────────────────────

CAREER COACHING

Website: https://quinntessentialca.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westport-partners-career-coaching/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westportpartnerscareercoaching/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Westport-Partners-Career-Coaching/61558129585059/

───────────────────────────

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Introduction

(10:55) Sales philosophy: People buy people first

(16:24) Creating safe spaces - the Heathrow Express breakthrough

(21:11) Sponsoring Pink Dot Singapore

(21:49) Tango production: 600 people from the LGBT community

(22:38) Becoming Chair of Pangdemonium Theatre

(27:48) "Make the main thing the main thing"

(29:39) Moving to Singapore: "Worst case is you end up back where you were"

(36:25) Imposter syndrome and personal growth

(44:33) His children: Photographer and pediatric nurse

(01:04:54) "I should have been a roadie"

(01:10:41) How he and his wife recharge

(01:12:39) Commitment to time - cigars and presence

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Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.

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#Leadership #COO #LGBTQ #Banking #Theatre #Singapore #Scotland #CareerAdvice #ProcessOptimization #Diversity #Inclusion #PrideAdvocacy #GroundUpLeadership #PaulQuinn #QuinntessentialQuestions #careerarchitect #careeradvice

In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, Paul Quinn sits down with Jacob "Stitch" Duran, the world's most famous cutman, featured in Creed I, II, III, Rocky Balboa, and the upcoming Sundance documentary "Fields to the Garden."From growing up in migrant camps with an address of "CPC Number 12, California Banking Company" to working Mike Tyson's corner for the Jake Paul fight in front of 60 million viewers, Stitch shares his incredible journey from farm worker to Hollywood to the biggest stages in combat sports.He discusses learning Muay Thai in Thailand at 19 (without even knowing what Thailand was), becoming a cutman, working 30+ years with Mike Tyson, earning Vladimir Klitschko's trust ("you can call me son"), learning from Emanuel Steward and the meaning of "one more round," appearing in the Creed trilogy when Sylvester Stallone called him by name, the Kevin James slap that wasn't in the script, working the biggest cut in combat sports history, and returning to the migrant camps with mariachis where everyone cried because "my story was their story."Whether you're an athlete, entrepreneur, or anyone who's overcome impossible odds, this conversation offers hard-won wisdom on perseverance, mastery, authenticity, and never forgetting where you came from. Let's explore what's "Inside the mind of the world's most famous cutman."━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━WATCH OUR OTHER PODCASTS:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjbRIxrGYDGUA9niiF7U0IOMXBMeDf81b━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━JACOB "STITCH" DURANInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/stitchduran/Documentary "Fields to the Garden": Sundance Film Festival, January 22-28, 2025Website: https://cutmanforhire.com/━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━LISTEN ON SPOTIFY & APPLESpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5x98T8QSRo01reQOGVGavqApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-quinntesssential-questions-podcast-with-paul-quinn/id1764230785━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━FOLLOW PAUL QUINNInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntaipan/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-quinn-wp1/━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━FOLLOW OUR SOCIALS:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_questions/Website: https://www.quinntessentialquestions.com/━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━CAREER COACHINGWebsite: https://quinntessentialca.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westport-partners-career-coaching/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westportpartnerscareercoaching/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Westport-Partners-Career-Coaching/61558129585059/━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Intro Teaser(01:35) Introduction(02:40) Growing up in migrant camps - "CPC Number 12"(04:14) Documentary "Fields to the Garden" - Sundance 2025(05:34) Fields to Madison Square Garden(08:13) Thailand at 19 - discovering Muay Thai(11:01) Becoming a cutman(14:22) Working with Randy Couture(19:04) "One more round" - people associate me with this worldwide(21:21) Vladimir Klitschko: "You can call me son"(34:15) Cutman products and techniques(43:38) The biggest cut ever - Marvin Eastman vs Vitor Belfort(48:08) Mike Tyson and the Jake Paul fight(59:22) Forrest Griffin vs Stephan Bonnar - the fight that changed UFC(1:04:35) Movies: Play It to the Bone, Ocean's 11, Rocky Balboa(1:09:35) Creed trilogy - Sylvester Stallone calls him by name(1:11:00) Kevin James slap - Here Comes the Boom(1:15:48) Caesars Palace and outdoor fights(1:17:50) Emanuel Steward - the greatest trainer of all time(1:21:50) Returning to migrant camps - "My story was their story"━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━#StitchDuran #Boxing #UFC #MMA #MikeTyson #JakePaul #Klitschko #RockyBalboa #Creed #EmanuelSteward #Cutman #MuayThai #CombatSports #PaulQuinn

In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, Paul Quinn sits down with Sophie Gollifer, Radio Presenter at Gold 905 FM and two-time national athlete who made Singapore sports history as Sports School's first-ever national champion. From becoming a Singaporean citizen at 13 to make history, to navigating a pivotal career transition at 16, to building a thriving broadcasting career while competing at HYROX World Championships—Sophie shares her journey of discipline, reinvention, and sustainable high performance.

She discusses elite athletic training, the mental health foundation of fitness, pivoting careers with purpose, balancing motherhood with demanding goals, and why waking up at 4:30 AM daily (with her husband's support) enables everything she does. Whether you're navigating a career transition, managing multiple priorities, or building sustainable high-performance habits, this conversation offers hard-won wisdom on discipline, resilience, and doing what matters most.

WATCH OUR OTHER PODCASTS: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjbRIxrGYDGUA9niiF7U0IOMXBMeDf81b

SOPHIE GOLLIFER Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sophiegollifer/?hl=en

LISTEN ON YOUTUBE, APPLE & SPOTIFY YouTube: https://youtube.com/@quinntessentialquestions Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-quinntesssential-questions-podcast-with-paul-quinn/id1764230785Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5x98T8QSRo01reQOGVGavq

FOLLOW PAUL QUINN Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntaipan/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-quinn-wp1/

FOLLOW OUR SOCIALS: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_questions/ Website: https://www.quinntessentialquestions.com/

CAREER COACHING Website: https://quinntessentialca.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westport-partners-career-coaching/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westportpartnerscareercoaching/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Westport-Partners-Career-Coaching/61558129585059/

TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Introduction (02:09) Who is Sophie Gollifer - Gold 905, mother of three (02:28) Mixed heritage - British, Guyanese, Singaporean (03:27) Growing up in the UK on government benefits (06:32) Dad became banker in London (08:05) Family of five siblings (08:48) Moving to Singapore at age 9 (15:46) Singapore Sports School - pioneer batch (21:38) Becoming Singaporean citizen at 13 (27:20) Winning Sports School's first national title (32:30) Career pivot at 16 (41:47) Representing Singapore in national rugby (1:04:51) Gold 905 Breakfast Club and 4:30 AM routine (1:10:20) HYROX World Championships in Nice (1:11:04) Marathon training with husband (1:12:33) CrossFit training philosophy (1:21:26) Balancing motherhood with ambitious goals

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.

In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, Paul Quinn sits down with Pauline Howard, interior designer and cookbook author. From being disowned by her Sindhi in-laws to designing luxury homes for billionaires like Vijay Mallya, Pauline shares her remarkable journey across decades and multiple countries.

Born in India, raised in Singapore, Pauline discovered her Eurasian identity while navigating a multicultural childhood. When she married outside her husband's Sindhi community, his wealthy family disowned them—he lost everything. Pauline learned to cook out of necessity, opened her own interior design firm in Hong Kong, and built a career working with some of the world's most elite clients.

Pauline discusses learning to cook to please her mother-in-law, the moment her father-in-law rejected her, working on Vijay Mallya's estates, and why food is like design—both are creative acts. She also opens up about moving through depression in Thailand, the importance of cooking with love, and how her grandchildren now cook from her book.

Whether you're navigating cultural identity, recovering from rejection, building a business, or wanting to preserve family traditions, this conversation offers hard-won wisdom on resilience, reinvention, and leaving a legacy.

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PAULINE HOWARDCookbook: "A Singapore Girl Cooks Abroad"

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TIMESTAMPS:(02:19) Introduction(04:30) Moving To Singapore At Age Seven(06:12) Falling In Love With Singapore(10:10) Singaporean Food(14:05) Deciding To Write A Book(15:49) Sense of Identity(18:54) Favourite Meals Growing Up(20:03) Moving To Hong Kong(22:34) From Friendship To Business(24:32) Being An Interior Designer To Vijay Mallya(27:32) Getting Remarried(30:21) Finding The Right One(33:21) When You Marry An Englishman(34:15) The Sindhi Community & Their Flavours(37:02) Philosophy & Approach To Interior Design(38:26) Vijay Mallya's House In London(42:05) Living In Thailand(47:15) Learnings About Love & Marriage(52:32) Moving To Australia(59:32) Change & Compromise(01:00:34) 'A Singapore Girl Cooks Abroad'(01:02:42) Grandchildren

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.

In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, Paul Quinn sits down with UK Shyam, Singapore's National 100m Record Holder (10.37s, 2001-2023) and Teacher at Raffles Institution.

From joining athletics at 16 with no competitive background to breaking C. Kunalan's record and holding it for for 22 years, Shyam shares his remarkable journey from late starter to national legend.

He discusses starting track at an age considered "ancient" in sprinting, training with makeshift equipment when resources disappeared, competing at the Asian Games alongside World Championship athletes like Nobuharu Asahara, and why becoming the first full-time athlete to study at NUS presented both opportunities and challenges.

Shyam also opens up about the difficult decision to transition from athletics to education, and shares his admiration for humble champions like Frankie Fredericks and the dominance of Michael Johnson's 19.32 world record.

Whether you're an athlete navigating career transitions, a sports enthusiast who appreciates technical excellence, or someone interested in the parallels between high performance and intellectual pursuit, this conversation offers insights on resilience, mentorship, and knowing when your next chapter begins. Let's explore what it takes to be the fastest man in Singapore.

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/u-k-shyam-852239189/?originalSubdomain=sg

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/u.k.shyam1037/?hl=en

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TIMESTAMPS:(01:59) Introduction (03:10) Growing Up Singapore & Falling in Love with Sports (04:40) Journey into Track (05:14) Carl Lewis, Ben Johnson, Linford Christie (08:20) Studying at Raffles Junior College (10:38) Neurological Pathways & Getting Constant Reps In (11:58) Shanti Pereira (13:09) Crossing Paths with Mr. Kunalan (13:46) Pietro Mennea (17:39) Roger Bannister (18:07) Training Regime (20:52) Breakthrough (21:20) Sebastian Keitel (23:48) Importance of a Coach(27:25) Weight Fluctuation (30:36) Breaking the National Record (31:12) Kishane Thompson(31:33) Noah Lyles (32:49) Darren Campbell(34:40) Linford Christie (36:32) Personal Bests in Training (38:56) Trayvon Bromell, Marcell Jacobs, Asafa Powell (40:52) Donovan Bailey (41:30) Nobuharu Asahara (42:52) Talent & Environment (43:30) Justin Gatlin (44:01) Ryan Bailey & Yohan Blake (46:00) Mechanics of Speed (48:01) Ground Contact & Force (49:15) Retiring Prematurely (50:10) Joseph Schooling (51:15) Studying at NUS as a Full Time Athlete (53:01) Timothy Yeo(56:21) Media Backlash (59:31) Becoming an Educator (01:01:43) The Importance of Letting Go (01:06:13) Masters in Strategic Communications (01:07:15) Writing a Book (01:11:00) Rapid Fire Questions

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.

In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, Paul Quinn sits down with Dion Jensen, Founder of the Lion Academy, Protecting Women Global, and Success for Soldiers. From being born in Changi, Singapore as an Army brat in 1974 to serving in Bosnia with the New Zealand Army, to protecting the British consul general in northern Iraq where six armed intruders burst through the door at 2 AM, Dion shares his transformation journey from warrior to the world's first Suicide Solution Summit creator.

He discusses trauma recovery, crisis leadership, organizational wellbeing, and why most suicides today aren't about trauma, they're about value and identity. Dion also opens up about losing his closest mate 18 years ago which sent him into a PTSD spiral, and the powerful moment he performed a haka with Gandhi's people in Malaysia's Gujarati community.

Whether you're a veteran struggling with transition, a corporate leader trying to genuinely support your people's mental health, or someone navigating your own dark moments, this conversation offers hard-won wisdom on the mirror framework (looks, language, likability, legitimacy), the suicide math equation (when value of being dead exceeds value of being alive), the think-feel-do triangle, and why adaptability is the most underrated skill in business today. Let's explore what's "Inside the mind of a Human Strategist and Crisis Leadership Expert."

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DION JENSEN:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrdionjensen/?originalSubdomain=nz

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrdionjensen/

Website: https://dionjensen.com/

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CAREER COACHING

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Westport-Partners-Career-Coaching/61558129585059/

TIMESTAMPS:

(01:09) Introduction

(02:58) PTSD Spiral

(03:39) Speaking Journey

(05:44) Starting The Lion Academy

(07:54) Maori Culture & Movies

(11:38) Environment Shapes You

(13:25) Beauty of Growing Within the Military

(15:28) Trauma & Fear

(18:10) Following his Father's Footsteps

(19:59) Natural Calling

(23:05) Vivid Memories as a Soldier

(25:28) Kids are a Society's Marker

(27:00) Identity & Creating Value

(27:45) Legality of Suicide in Singapore

(31:32) Challenges & Telltale Signs

(32:11) Mental Health Compass

(36:10) Inner Mana & Empowerment

(38:22) Darkest Time

(43:18) Writing The Good News Book

(44:36) Misconceptions around PTSD

(47:00) Protecting the British Counsel General in Northern Iraq

(48:51) Carrying Residual Experience

(54:08) Rebranding to the Confidence Coach

(59:25) Culture & Nuance

(01:04:27) Insecurities

(01:05:15) Advice for Young People

(01:08:49) Three-Pronged Approach

(01:11:45) Making Peace with the Mirror

(01:14:44) 'Selfish' as a Positive Word

(01:18:48) Rapid Fire Questions

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.

#MentalHealth #CrisisLeadership #PTSD #TraumaRecovery #SuicidePrevention #Veterans #Leadership #CorporateWellbeing #Singapore #NewZealand

In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, Paul Quinn sits down with Evonne Tan, Head of Private Bank at Barclays Private Bank Singapore. From navigating multiple career pivots across industries to becoming employee number one in building a private bank from scratch, Evonne shares her fearless transformation journey and her philosophy that shapes every decision she makes.

She discusses overcoming imposter syndrome, embracing career pivots, building from scratch, and why she believes your 50s are the "golden age" for making impact. Evonne also opens up about being asked "what if you fail after two years?" during her interview and shares powerful lessons about building confidence through surmounting challenges, the importance of lifelong learning for bankers, and creating genuine client relationships.

Whether you're considering a career pivot, building something from the ground up, or wondering if it's "too late" to take on ambitious challenges, this conversation offers hard-won wisdom on fearless leadership, self-awareness, and living life forwards. Let's explore what's "Inside the mind of a Trailblazing Private Banking Leader".

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EVONNE TAN 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evonne-tan-27a8663b/ 

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Westport-Partners-Career-Coaching/61558129585059/

TIMESTAMPS: (01:52) Introduction (02:25) Leadership & Imposter Syndrome (04:17) Advocating for Yourself (06:18) Joining Barclays Private Bank at 50 (09:07) Decision Making Process & Support System (11:28) Past Aspirations (12:30) Evolution & Change of Mentality (15:30) Building a Diverse & Inclusive Team (17:32) Studying Sociology & Geography (23:02) Working in Hong Kong (27:15) FX Sales Background (30:59) Key Pivotal Moments (34:15) Entering Private Banking (38:24) Building the Barclays Private Bank Franchise (43:09) Creating Impact (46:10) Hiring the Right Talent (48:52) Entrepreneurial Journey (54:33) Visibility & Influence (57:05) Self Development (58:47) Leadership Culture Within Barclays (01:02:20) Non Negotiable Values (01:04:05) Rapid Fire Questions

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.

In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, Paul Quinn sits down with Amir Khan, professional MMA fighter and mindset coach. From being diagnosed with Tourette's Syndrome at 13, to dropping out at 17 to pursue fighting in America, Amir shares his transformation journey to becoming a respected athlete with a 10-year career in ONE Championship.He discusses overcoming adversity, mental toughness, the brutal reality of weight cutting, and why his father quit his engineering career to become his full-time coach. Amir also opens up about pre-fight terror, competing at 70% capacity due to injuries, battling depression after losses, and his transition from professional fighting to entrepreneurship and mindset coaching.Whether you're facing your own challenges, building a business, or searching for purpose beyond your current circumstances, this conversation offers hard-won wisdom on turning pain into power, choosing the right environment, and why leaning into fear is the only path to growth. Let's explore what's "Inside the mind of a Fighter".WATCH OUR OTHER PODCASTS: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjbRIxrGYDGUA9niiF7U0IOMXBMeDf81bAMIR KHANLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amir-khan-578564213/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amirkhanmma/?hl=enLISTEN ON SPOTIFY & APPLESpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5x98T8QSRo01reQOGVGavqApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-quinntesssential-questions-podcast-with-paul-quinn/id1764230785FOLLOW PAUL QUINNInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntaipan/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-quinn-wp1/FOLLOW OUR SOCIALS:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_questions/Website: https://www.quinntessentialquestions.com/CAREER COACHINGWebsite: https://quinntessentialca.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westport-partners-career-coaching/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westportpartnerscareercoaching/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Westport-Partners-Career-Coaching/61558129585059/TIMESTAMPS:Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.

TIMESTAMPS:

(02:05) Introduction & Being Diagnosed with Tourette’s Syndrome

(05:07) Contender Asia & John Wayne Parr

(06:44) Moving to the USA On His Own

(09:29) Deciding on Louisiana As The Location

(11:25) Abundance Mindset & Can Do Attitude

(13:39) Finding A Community In The Right Way

(15:57) Fights Before ONE Championship

(17:06) Sage Northcutt

(18:05) Wrestling In The USA

(21:18) Tiger Woods

(22:36) Amir’s Dad

(24:55) The Pressure Of Getting Out There

(27:37) Small Outcome

(28:12) Breakdown of Training

(30:09) Habits & Psychology

(33:45) Weight Cutting

(34:50) Fighting With An Injury

(35:49) Best Three Career Victories

(37:54) Retirement

⁠(39:40) Entrepreneurial Journey

(41:40) Fear of Public Speaking

(42:17) Mike Tyson

⁠(44:42) Rapid Fire Questions

#AmirKhan #MMA #TourettesSyndrome #MentalHealth #OneChampionship #MixedMartialArts #FighterMindset #Entrepreneurship #MindsetCoach #SingaporeMMA #OvercomingAdversity #MuayThai #Wrestling #CombatSports #Transformation #PaulQuinn #QuinntessentialQuestions #Podcast #Motivation #Resilience

In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, Paul Quinn sits down with Steven Okun, a seasoned public affairs and ESG expert who has spent 23 years at the intersection of business, government, and sustainability in Asia. From working on Bill Clinton's presidential campaign to winning the biggest aviation case in U.S. history for UPS, to pioneering ESG at KKR, Steven shares his transformation from White House operative to Asia power player.

He discusses the moment he refused to return to Washington and chose to stay in Singapore, how he became the first global private equity person to do ESG in Asia (despite having to Google what it meant), why brutal honesty, even delivering bad news, builds lasting business relationships, and his "no dickhead policy" that actually works in corporate Asia. Steven also reveals the keys to winning presidential-level negotiations, why making yourself unique is the ultimate career strategy, and why getting life experiences matters more than chasing money early in your career.

Whether you're navigating a career pivot, considering an expat move, or seeking inspiration to bet on yourself when the expected path doesn't feel right, this conversation offers over two decades of hard-won wisdom on career reinvention, cross-cultural strategy, and the courage to say "I don't think so." Let's explore what's "Inside the mind of a public affairs & ESG pioneer".

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STEVEN OKUN LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenokun/ Website: https://www.apacadvisors.com/about

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(02:50) Introduction (04:05) Deciding to Study Law (05:48) Being Part of the Clinton Administration (07:57) Presidents You Admire (09:02) Finding Your Calling (10:10) Getting Into Business (12:10) Transitioning from the Public to Private Sector (13:45) Coming to Singapore (18:45) Working at KKR (29:03) Courage to Pivot Careers (30:39) Most Interesting Projects (40:10) Keys to Victory (46:33) Starting APAC Advisers (51:25) Health & Fitness Routine (53:10) ESG & Sustainability (57:47) Advice for New & Emerging CEOs (01:12:15) Rapid Fire Questions

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.

#StevenOkun #PublicAffairs #ESG #UPS #KKR #PrivateEquity #ClintonCampaign #CareerAdvice #Singapore #AsiaExpat #GovernmentRelations #HenryKravis #BetOnYourself #MakeYourselfUnique #BusinessStrategy #CorporateAsia #Leadership #CareerPivot

In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, Paul Quinn sits down with Souhila Keffi, compensation expert, career coach, and founder of her own advisory practice empowering professionals worldwide. From pushing for HR specialization when her business school offered none, to mastering compensation strategy across Europe and Asia at companies like Amazon, Souhila shares her transformation from corporate executive to entrepreneur on a mission. She discusses the shocking gender gap in salary negotiation (57% of men vs only 7% of women), why compensation is deeply tied to identity and self-worth, the hidden costs of employee turnover that companies drastically underestimate, and the psychology behind successful pay conversations. Souhila also reveals why complexity in compensation systems destroys trust, how to remove fear from negotiations, and the one mindset shift that transforms how people advocate for themselves. Whether you're preparing for a salary negotiation, leading HR strategy, or seeking inspiration to build a purpose-driven business, this conversation offers 18 years of hard-won wisdom on career strategy, pay transparency, and personal empowerment. Let's explore what's "Inside the mind of a compensation expert & career coach".

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https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjbRIxrGYDGUA9niiF7U0IOMXBMeDf81b

SOUHILA KEFFI

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/souhila-keffi/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/souhila.payedge/

Website: https://thepayedge.com/about/

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(01:45) French & Algerian Roots

(02:29) Entering HR

(04:11) Specialising in Compensation & Benefits

(07:05) Working as a Consultant

(09:05) Entrepreneurial Journey

(12:35) Underpaid Employees

(14:35) Moving From Paris to Hong Kong

(17:55) Working at Amazon

(19:03) Leadership Principles at Amazon

(20:50) Setting Up Her Own Firm

(24:25) Family Support

(28:05) Depth over Volume

(30:15) Referrals

(33:15) Advisory Process

(37:25) Pay Transparency in Sales Teams

(40:33) Art & Science

(42:13) Negotiation

(44:18) Psychology of Female Negotiation

(49:45) Advice for Professionals

(55:15) Building a Compensation Strategy

(01:00:58) Leaning on Your Strengths

(01:04:00) Understanding Your 'Why'

(01:05:19) Rapid Fire Questions

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.

#SalaryNegotiation #CompensationStrategy #CareerCoaching #KnowYourWorth #PayTransparency #WomenInBusiness #HRLeadership #Entrepreneurship #ProfessionalGrowth #CareerDevelopment #GenderPayGap #BusinessStrategy #NegotiationSkills #AmazonCulture #PurposeDriven

In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, Paul Quinn sits down with EJ Philip Joshua , celebrity fitness trainer, competitive bodybuilder, and Founder of Alpha Beast Fitness Singapore. From running a bar in the nightlife industry to training Singapore's top celebrities, Philip shares his dramatic transformation journey and the health scare that changed everything. He discusses the mental and physical toll of entrepreneurship, overcoming depression, the discipline of competitive bodybuilding, and why lifting others up is the key to true fulfilment. Philip also opens up about his unexpected experience on a dating reality show and shares powerful stories of clients who've reversed serious health issues through fitness. Whether you're navigating a career transition, seeking inspiration for personal growth, or looking to understand what it takes to build a meaningful career in fitness, this conversation offers hard-won wisdom on resilience, reinvention, and making a real impact. Let's explore what's "Inside the mind of a celebrity fitness coach"WATCH OUR OTHER PODCASTS: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjbRIxrGYDGUA9niiF7U0IOMXBMeDf81bEJ PHILIP JOSHUAhttps://www.instagram.com/ejphilip/?hl=enLISTEN ON YOUTUBE & APPLE

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjbRIxrGYDGUA9niiF7U0IOMXBMeDf81b

Apple

https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/the-quinntesssential-questions-podcast-with-paul-quinn/id1764230785FOLLOW PAUL QUINNInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntaipan/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-quinn-wp1/FOLLOW OUR SOCALS:Intagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_questions/Website: https://www.quinntessentialquestions.com/CAREER COACHINGWebsite: https://quinntessentialca.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westport-partners-career-coaching/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westportpartnerscareercoaching/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Westport-Partners-Career-Coaching/61558129585059/(02:08) Introduction(04:28) Growing up in Singapore(07:05) Health Scare — Wake-up Call(10:13) Working for Someone After Running Your Own Business(13:38) Bodybuilders EJ Looked Up To(15:16) Alpha Beast Fitness(18:35) Biggest Challenge in Bodybuilding(20:29) Walking Away From Certain Clients(22:33) How the Name ‘Alpha Beast’ Came About(25:06) Becoming a Trainer to Celebrities(29:01) Favourite Lifts(31:44) Writing a Book(36:20) Sense of Identity(40:30) Good Direction — What the Younger Generation Needs(44:21) Upcoming Fight(46:03) Favourite Boxers(48:22) Favourite Bodybuilders(50:22) Walking — The Bare Minimum(51:18) Appearing on a Dating Show(55:10) Upcoming ProjectsDisclaimer:The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.#FitnessTransformation #CareerChange #Entrepreneurship #MentalHealthAwareness #MatchMeAbroad

In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, Paul Quinn sits down with Sameer Deshpande, a seasoned banker with over three decades of experience across India, Australia, and Singapore. From his early days navigating market cycles to leading global investment teams, Sameer shares candid insights on what it really takes to build a long, fulfilling career in banking and finance. He discusses the fine balance between ambition and contentment, the importance of humility, integrity, and adaptability, and why staying curious is key to thriving in a fast-changing financial world. Whether you’re a young professional entering the industry or a seasoned leader seeking renewed perspective, this conversation offers invaluable lessons on career development, leadership, and personal growth drawn from Sameer’s journey as a “banker by profession, investor by choice.”WATCH OUR OTHER PODCASTS: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjbRIxrGYDGUA9niiF7U0IOMXBMeDf81bSAMEER DESPHPANDEhttps://linkedin.com/in/sameersdeshLISTEN ON SPOTIFY & APPLEYouTube: https://youtube.com/@quinntessentialquestionsApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-quinntesssential-questions-podcast-with-paul-quinn/id1764230785FOLLOW PAUL QUINNInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntaipan/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-quinn-wp1/FOLLOW OUR SOCALS:Intagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_questions/Website: https://www.quinntessentialquestions.com/CAREER COACHINGWebsite: https://quinntessentialca.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westport-partners-career-coaching/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westportpartnerscareercoaching/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Westport-Partners-Career-Coaching/61558129585059/(00:45) Banker by Profession, Investor by Choice(03:45) Life & Work Across India, Australia & Singapore(06:48) Growing Up in India(10:21) Early Career Lessons in Banking(13:30) Building Confidence Abroad(15:35) Self-Help & Positive Mindset(18:36) Managing Pressure in Finance(21:50) Engagement in Private Banking(25:17) Key Learnings & Mentors(27:25) Transformation in Wealth Management(32:59) Common Sense Isn’t Common(34:20) Milestone Career Turning Points(36:09) Leadership & People Management(38:20) Authenticity in Leadership(40:15) Vertical vs Horizontal Growth(43:16) High-Performance Sales Teams(46:23) Continuous Learning & Upskilling(50:01) Mindset, Habits & Discipline(51:56) Advice for Young Bankers(54:45) The Power of People Skills(57:46) Balancing Ambition & Contentment(01:00:20) Loyalty & Longevity in Banking(01:03:40) Redefining Success(01:04:46) Rapid-Fire Q&A with Sameer DeshpandeDisclaimer:The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.#BankingAndFinance #CareerDevelopment #LeadershipMindset #PersonalGrowth #PrivateBanking

Two-time Olympian and four-time U.S. Champion Jamie Nieto reveals his powerful journey from Olympic high-jump hero to surviving a life-changing spinal-cord injury that left him paralysed and the extraordinary comeback that defied every odd. In this deeply personal episode, hosted by Paul Quinn on The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, Jamie opens up about learning to walk again and marrying his wife Shevon Stoddart, a two-time Olympian in the 400-metre hurdles whose America’s Got Talent performance inspired millions. Beyond the track, Jamie shares his creative rebirth as an actor, writer, and producer, appearing in Power: Raising Kanan and Netflix’s Away, and creating the acclaimed talk show Cut To It. This is a story of faith, discipline, and transformation that will resonate with sports fans, athletes, film lovers, and anyone seeking true inspiration.WATCH OUR OTHER PODCASTS: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjbRIxrGYDGUA9niiF7U0IOMXBMeDf81bJAMIE NIETOhttps://www.instagram.com/jamienieto/https://jamienieto.com/LISTEN ON YOUTUBE & APPLEYouTube: http://youtube.com/@quinntessentialquestionsApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-quinntesssential-questions-podcast-with-paul-quinn/id1764230785FOLLOW PAUL QUINNInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntaipan/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-quinn-wp1/FOLLOW OUR SOCALS:Intagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_questions/Website: https://www.quinntessentialquestions.com/CAREER COACHINGWebsite: https://quinntessentialca.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westport-partners-career-coaching/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westportpartnerscareercoaching/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Westport-Partners-Career-Coaching/61558129585059/(00:00) Intro — Paul Quinn x Jamie Nieto
(02:32) Growing Up in a Single-Parent Household
(04:24) Trying Other Sports Before High Jump
(07:58) Earning a Scholarship at Eastern Michigan
(11:47) Mindset, Training & Early Discipline
(16:10) Mondo Duplantis and the Evolution of Pole Vault
(17:35) Inspiration from Carl Lewis
(18:12) Life as a Student-Athlete
(20:22) Financial Choices & Sacrifice in College
(25:03) Lessons Track & Field Taught About Life
(29:36) Friendship & Rivalry with Félix Sánchez
(34:15) Meeting His Wife, Shevon Stoddart
(38:37) Mental & Physical Preparation for Competition
(41:22) Advice from Olympic Gold Medalist Charles Austin
(43:49) The Power of Visualization
(49:02) Mutual Respect with Mutaz Barshim
(50:48) The 2016 Accident That Changed Everything
(54:58) Writing, Acting & Producing After Athletics
(59:03) Lessons from Donald Thomas & Global Competitors
(01:06:35) Working with Hilary Swank on Away
(01:08:41) Upcoming Projects & Creative Goals
(01:11:26) Collaboration with Larry Wade
(01:16:11) Starring in Criminal Minds Season 19
(01:17:55) Favourite Actors & Athletes
(01:23:02) Creating His Short Film & New Storytelling Path
(01:25:42) Final Advice for the Next Generation

Disclaimer:The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company or organisation, its affiliates, subsidiaries, partners, or employees.#Olympics #Inspiration #Resilience #MotivationalStories #JamieNieto

Step inside the mind of Jim Lampley — the legendary voice of HBO Boxing — as he reveals the untold story behind five decades of calling the sport’s most iconic moments. From Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston to Mike Tyson’s shocking defeat in Tokyo, Jim shares never-before-heard stories about fate, legacy, and the fights that defined boxing history. Hosted by Paul Quinn, this powerful conversation dives deep into Lampley’s new book “It Happened”, his bond with Taylor Sheridan and Jack Nicholson, and emotional memories with Muhammad Ali. Whether you’re a lifelong fight fan, a martial artist, or a lover of great storytelling, this episode captures the heart, history, and humanity of boxing’s greatest voice.WATCH OUR OTHER PODCASTS: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjbRIxrGYDGUA9niiF7U0IOMXBMeDf81bJIM LAMPLEYhttps://www.imdb.com/name/nm0483915/LISTEN ON SPOTIFY & APPLESpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5x98T8QSRo01reQOGVGavqApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-quinntesssential-questions-podcast-with-paul-quinn/id1764230785FOLLOW PAUL QUINNInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntaipan/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-quinn-wp1/FOLLOW OUR SOCALS:Intagram: https://www.instagram.com/quinntessential_questions/Website: https://www.quinntessentialquestions.com/CAREER COACHINGWebsite: https://quinntessentialca.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westport-partners-career-coaching/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westportpartnerscareercoaching/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Westport-Partners-Career-Coaching/61558129585059/(00:00) Intro: Paul Quinn x Jim Lampley — the voice of HBO Boxing(03:02) It Happened: Taylor Sheridan’s foreword and Hollywood connection(06:30) Antoine Fuqua & Lance Pugmire: Boxing meets film and storytelling(10:04) Hendersonville Roots: Growing up in North Carolina(13:28) Losing His Father: The loss that shaped empathy and purpose(15:01) Sugar Ray Robinson & Muhammad Ali: The spark that began it all(17:53) Cassius Clay at the 1960 Olympics: Witnessing greatness born(19:47) Upsets of the Century: Ali vs Liston & Tyson vs Douglas(22:07) Ali vs Liston I: A 14-year-old’s ringside view of destiny(25:40) ABC Sports: Mentorship under Roone Arledge & Dick Ebersol(28:52) The Four A’s: Confidence, humility, and on-air mastery(31:43) Munich 1972: Reporting through tragedy(38:24) Nixon Resignation: Telling America’s story through sport(42:53) Olympic Coverage: Edwin Moses, Carl Lewis & global storytelling(45:36) “Luck Is the Residue of Design”: Life philosophy behind success(46:13) Ali vs Liston II: The Phantom Punch mystery(48:22) Muhammad Ali & Brooke Lampley: Family meets “The Greatest”(54:53) Brooke’s Valedictorian Speech: Legacy of words and courage(57:01) Greatest Call in Boxing: Defining HBO’s golden age(1:03:30) Mike Tyson: Rage, redemption & rebirth(1:11:19) Larry Merchant & Ray Leonard: The HBO dream team(1:15:50) Jack Nicholson: Hollywood friendship ringside(1:18:08) “Boxing Is the Theatre of the Unexpected”: Defining chaos & beauty(1:20:17) Larry Merchant vs Floyd Mayweather: The moment that went viral(1:28:16) Arthur Ashe & Billie Jean King: Integrity and equality in sport(1:38:07) HBO Legacy: Merchant, Lederman & Steward’s golden era(1:59:07) Holyfield vs Bowe: The Fan Man fight remembered(2:04:07) George Foreman: The 45-year-old comeback miracle(2:08:42) Emanuel Steward’s Greats: Tommy Hearns & Lennox Lewis(2:10:33) Roy Jones Jr: The genius of modern boxing(2:13:03) Boxing Hall of Fame: Reflecting on legacy(2:15:55) Studio 54: Bianca Jagger, Andy Warhol & Trump nights(2:19:00) Carl Lewis & Edwin Moses: Olympic excellence(2:23:51) Mark Spitz & Jesse Owens: Icons of courage and legacy(2:24:51) Closing Reflections: Gratitude, fate & storytelling’s power#boxing #olympics #muhammadali #miketyson #JimLampley

In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, Paul Quinn speaks with Theresa Goh — four-time Paralympian, two-time World Record Holder, and Rio 2016 Bronze Medallist — whose extraordinary journey from childhood hospitals to Olympic podiums reveals what it truly means to redefine success.Born with spina bifida, Theresa found freedom in the water and turned her love for swimming into a twenty-year career representing Singapore on the world stage. Across four Paralympic Games — Athens, Beijing, London, and Rio — she learned that victory isn’t just about medals, but about resilience, self-trust, and balance.Today, Theresa continues to inspire as a coach, mentor, and advocate for disability inclusion and mental wellness. From chasing world records to helping shape the next generation of para-athletes, her story is a masterclass in courage, authenticity, and finding joy in the journey.Theresa shares how she learned to love the pain, overcome burnout, and rediscover happiness through purpose — proving that the strongest athletes are often those who’ve mastered the art of balance.We dive into:- The power of self-belief and redefining success beyond medals- How Theresa found freedom and confidence in the pool- Lessons from competing at four Paralympic Games- Missing the podium by 0.7 seconds — and what it taught her about resilience- Dealing with burnout and rediscovering joy in sport- Transitioning from swimming to shooting and chasing new dreams- The role of family, coaching, and community in long-term success- Disability inclusion, mental health, and happiness as a measure of strengthTHERESA GOHInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/theresagohru/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theresa-goh-407a3730/PAUL QUINNInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/taipansg/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@quinntessentialquestionsApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-quinntesssential-questions-podcast-with-paul-quinn/id1764230785LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-quinn-wp1/OUR SOCIALSWebsite: https://quinntessentialca.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westport-partners-career-coaching/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westportpartnerscareercoaching/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Westport-Partners-Career-Coaching/61558129585059/EPISODE CHAPTERS(00:18) Introduction (00:42) Bronze Medal from the Rio Olympics (03:25) Childhood(05:49) Mainstream vs Special Education Schools (06:28) Introduction to Sports (08:54) Parental Support (10:55) Going into Swimming Full Time (14:05) Connecting with Fellow Athletes (18:35) First Big Disappointment (21:35) Knowing Yourself (23:23) Personal Bests (25:35) Knowing When to Stop(26:18) Spina Bifida (27:59) Good Coaching (29:05) Mindset & Approach (32:47) Support Network (36:15) Growing up Disabled in Singapore (38:24) Rio Olympics 2016 (40:00) Scientific Coaching (42:56) Memory of the Win at Rio (44:45) What Matters the Most (47:07) Getting into Shooting (51:01) Training as a Swimmer (53:22) Micro Details (55:39) Food Intake (59:00) Retirement & What’s Next (01:05:57) Advice for Young Athletes (01:09:08) Animal Welfare (01:13:33) Rapid Fire QuestionsDisclaimer:The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the guest(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official position of any organization, partner, or employee.#TheresaGoh #Paralympics #QuinntessentialQuestions #PaulQuinn #Resilience #SingaporeAthletes #Motivation #Leadership #Mindset #Inspiration #ParaAthlete #HappinessOverMedals #AdaptiveSports #WomenInSports #HighPerformance #CareerResilience #SingaporePodcast #PurposeDriven #MentalHealth #Balance

In this episode of The Quinntessential Questions Podcast, Paul Quinn speaks with Priscilla Khong, Executive Director of Gateway Entertainment, Gateway Theatre, and Gateway Arts, whose extraordinary journey from illusionist to impact leader reveals how creativity, courage, and compassion can change lives.For over 25 years, Priscilla has performed as a professional magician and illusionist, touring internationally and training with some of the world’s greatest masters in Las Vegas. But her greatest act wasn’t on stage, it was behind the scenes, transforming her family’s legacy into a mission-driven arts movement that uses theatre to address mental wellness, empathy, and youth resilience.Today, Priscilla leads three organisations that combine art, education, and social purpose, producing plays that spark difficult conversations, from suicide prevention to identity and belonging. Her work has touched thousands, including one unforgettable moment when a young man came to see a show and left deciding to live.Priscilla shares how she found meaning beyond magic, the lessons she learned from working with her father, and why she believes storytelling is one of the most powerful tools for change.We dive into:- From illusionist to Executive Director: building purpose through art- Using theatre to talk about mental health, empathy, and connection- The show that saved a life, and what it taught her about hope- Leadership, legacy, and working alongside her father, Reverend Lawrence Khong- Creativity as a force for healing and resilience- Turning passion into purpose and art into advocacy- Parenting and finding balance in a purpose-driven life- What theatre can teach us about courage, humanity, and storytellingIf you’re interested in creativity, leadership, mental wellness, social impact, or the power of art to heal, this episode is for you.PRISCILLA KHONGGateway Arts: https://www.gatewayarts.sgGateway Theatre: https://gatewaytheatre.sg/Gateway Entertainment: https://gatewayentertainment.sg/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/priscillakhongLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/priscilla-khong-espinosa/?originalSubdomain=sgPAUL QUINNInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/taipansg/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@quinntessentialquestionsApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-quinntesssential-questions-podcast-with-paul-quinn/id1764230785LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-quinn-wp1/OUR SOCIALSWebsite: https://quinntessentialca.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/westport-partners-career-coaching/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westportpartnerscareercoaching/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Westport-Partners-Career-Coaching/61558129585059/EPISODE CHAPTERS(01:44) Introduction (02:05) Working as a Professional Illusionist (04:00) Courage to Follow Your Passion(06:59) Game of Imagination(09:05) Genesis of Theatre Work (10:48) Gateway Arts (11:56) Mental Health in Singapore (13:29) Power of Theatre (17:34) Challenges of Live Shows (20:05) Social Impact Through Theatre (23:17) Young Men & Theatre (24:22) Illusion, Magic & Real Life (26:28) Storytelling & Philosophy (27:41) Planning Process (29:43) Sensitive Topics (33:23) Finding Balance as a Young Company (34:55) Career Journey Over 25 Years (37:17) Gauging & Measuring Impact (40:22) Finding Your Inner Creative Person (42:56) What the Youth Needs (45:27) Advice for Young Theatre Practitioners (47:31) Plays & Books That Left a Lasting Impact (53:10) Rapid Fire QuestionsDisclaimer:The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the guest(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official position of any organization, partner, or employee.#PriscillaKhong #GatewayArts #QuinntessentialQuestions #TheatreForGood #MentalHealth #Storytelling #Leadership #Creativity #ArtAndWellness #SingaporePodcast #PurposeDriven #SocialImpact #ArtHeals #EmotionalWellness #Podcast