Ian Myers

I went to grad school for international policy because I loved interacting with people from all over the world. I had lived in Asia for a little while, studied abroad in Japan. And that brought me to work with a Japanese asset manager who was investing in venture funds in the U.S. And that was quite a cross-cultural experience.

I went to grad school for international policy because I loved interacting with people from all over the world. I had lived in Asia for a little while, studied abroad in Japan. And that brought me to work with a Japanese asset manager who was investing in venture funds in the U.S. And that was quite a cross-cultural experience.

Speaking Japanese, I was something of a translator, both linguistically and culturally. And that was my first exposure as someone who had a pretty mundane academic background to venture and startups and technology and flashy growth and lots of money and millions of dollars in financing. And it's hard not to... feel the allure of that world.

Speaking Japanese, I was something of a translator, both linguistically and culturally. And that was my first exposure as someone who had a pretty mundane academic background to venture and startups and technology and flashy growth and lots of money and millions of dollars in financing. And it's hard not to... feel the allure of that world.

If anyone's been in it, been around it, seen it, it's exciting. So naturally I left banking. I went into venture capital and became an investor at a firm in New York. Spent some time there, very rewarding, met a lot of great people. But of course the thing that happens when you're young and in venture is you always look at the entrepreneurs who are building companies and you say, wow,

If anyone's been in it, been around it, seen it, it's exciting. So naturally I left banking. I went into venture capital and became an investor at a firm in New York. Spent some time there, very rewarding, met a lot of great people. But of course the thing that happens when you're young and in venture is you always look at the entrepreneurs who are building companies and you say, wow,

What am I doing? I'm just moving money around. These people are building stuff. I want to do that. It looks like so much fun. And then if you do it, you realize it's just a lot of pain and suffering until it's great and rewarding. But from the inside, it seems fun. So I took the leap. I became CEO of a company called Newspix, which I built over a year and a half before it was acquired.

What am I doing? I'm just moving money around. These people are building stuff. I want to do that. It looks like so much fun. And then if you do it, you realize it's just a lot of pain and suffering until it's great and rewarding. But from the inside, it seems fun. So I took the leap. I became CEO of a company called Newspix, which I built over a year and a half before it was acquired.

Then worked for the acquiring company for a number of years doing new products. And then I launched a second company in the gaming space. It was a total failure, shut down, didn't work out the way I'd hoped. And then I launched Oceans and that brings us up to today.

Then worked for the acquiring company for a number of years doing new products. And then I launched a second company in the gaming space. It was a total failure, shut down, didn't work out the way I'd hoped. And then I launched Oceans and that brings us up to today.

Yes, I had a professor actually in my undergrad, and he was a Buddhist priest, and I took some of his classes. I studied with him at his temple. I eventually went to Japan to study more about Buddhism. It was a really interesting time of exploration for me, and it was a transformative period for sure.

Yes, I had a professor actually in my undergrad, and he was a Buddhist priest, and I took some of his classes. I studied with him at his temple. I eventually went to Japan to study more about Buddhism. It was a really interesting time of exploration for me, and it was a transformative period for sure.

You can't encounter that ideology and that level of spirituality without it leaving its mark on yourself, I think.

You can't encounter that ideology and that level of spirituality without it leaving its mark on yourself, I think.

For me, the first thing was it helps to shape yourself as a leader. I think Buddhism has a lot, whether or not you follow it to a daily extent, has a lot of excellent teachings that are applicable to running a business. And I say that because it is at its core a method of grounding yourself. true honesty in your reality and the potential of everything around you.

For me, the first thing was it helps to shape yourself as a leader. I think Buddhism has a lot, whether or not you follow it to a daily extent, has a lot of excellent teachings that are applicable to running a business. And I say that because it is at its core a method of grounding yourself. true honesty in your reality and the potential of everything around you.

And running a business, being an entrepreneur, being a founder, it's chaos. It's just chaos constantly from the second you start till the second you end, if you ever do. And having those teachings at the back of my mind, I believe have allowed me to navigate some difficult situations that have occurred and set my tone as a leader and as an entrepreneur. I also think that

And running a business, being an entrepreneur, being a founder, it's chaos. It's just chaos constantly from the second you start till the second you end, if you ever do. And having those teachings at the back of my mind, I believe have allowed me to navigate some difficult situations that have occurred and set my tone as a leader and as an entrepreneur. I also think that

Anytime you are exposed to working with a truly attempting to understand some cultural aspect that is vastly different from the one you experienced as a child or growing, or as the dominant part of the society you live in, you... Gain an ability to interact with different people from all over the world that for me as a global business person, as a global entrepreneur is incredibly important.

Anytime you are exposed to working with a truly attempting to understand some cultural aspect that is vastly different from the one you experienced as a child or growing, or as the dominant part of the society you live in, you... Gain an ability to interact with different people from all over the world that for me as a global business person, as a global entrepreneur is incredibly important.