Vince Chan
speaker
6,989 appearances
347 recordings
1 series
first heard Nov 2024
last heard Jun 2025
Vince Chan’s voice in public audio — every appearance, attributed to the second.
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Appearances
would you say that your exposure to Buddhism, philosophy, and Eastern culture has influenced your approach to investing, entrepreneurship, and even your overall life philosophy today? I'm originally from Hong Kong, so I did the opposite. I studied and emerged myself in Western culture, which has shaped a lot of how I think and conduct myself.
I'm curious about the impact Eastern culture and Buddhism have had on you as an American, especially when it comes to running and building businesses.
Early on, you mentioned that you started with literature, moving on to international relations. Then you moved to Japan. got the chance to connect with someone in banking, which led you into finance and investment. From there, you learned about building businesses, and eventually, you started your own companies. Looking back at all these transitions,
What would you say are the common themes or real drivers behind them? I ask this to many of my guests. Some say they've always been self-starters, while others say life is all about learning and that each change was a way to learn something new. What about you? What are the themes or drivers that have shaped your journey so far?
You are like Tintin. For those listening, when I first spoke with Ian about this interview, I discovered we had a common interest, our mutual admiration for Tintin. The adventurous explorer, always eager to dive into new places and experiences. Just like Tintin, Ian's got that same curiosity and spirit for discovery.
Wow. People at your age usually see Sam Altman, Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, all the tech titans as their role models. Yet, you say Tintin is your role model.
Your firm is called Ocean. I see that you are swimming in this vast ocean of the future of work. What fascinates you about this industry, about the challenges in this space that made you dive into this big ocean and decide to leave your mark?
For the audience who might not be familiar with your firm, could you give us a quick rundown of what your firm does? Specifically, who are your top clients and what kinds of problems do you help solve?
So the talent supply comes from Sri Lanka, and the demand for such talent is mainly from small and medium-sized service firms, particularly in the States, focusing on roles like operations and marketing. Your vision is to accelerate and scale this model to connect global talent with global demand. Is that correct?
I've seen business models like this before, essentially redistributing skills and talent by connecting supply and demand more closely. Now, there are a couple of major trends impacting the workplace and the workforce, not just in the US, but globally. I imagine they affect your agency's approach in solving problems for both sides. One of the hottest topics, of course, is AI.
You mentioned that you place roles like admin, operations, and marketing. areas where ai is increasingly capable of taking over tasks so i'd like to pick your brain on how you balance this shift how do you navigate the balance between providing human talent and accommodating clients who might prefer tech solutions over human ones?
So what you are saying is, while there are areas where AI can add value for cost or efficiency reasons, you still believe that there is a significant demand for human contribution in the roles you place?
Another trend gaining momentum in the workplace is ageism. And it's not just affecting the older population. It impacts younger people, too. Looking back at my early career in finance, an industry dominated by men, and in the US, primarily white men, I faced challenges being an Asian woman in that space. So I'm curious about your experience. While ageism may not be your main focus,
As part of the talent ecosystem, how do you approach this issue? Are you working to build a team that's not just culturally diverse, but also inclusive across age groups? And do you have strategies in place to help people of different ages amplify the skills and talents?
and had a conversation with a good friend there. He's 49. He has exited his last business. And now he's building a new venture focused on closing the gender gap. He mentioned that as a man, he has enjoyed all the benefits from the system, but he has a 17-year-old daughter, and he wants a society to be more welcoming for her when she enters the workforce.
In Japan, alongside ageism, gender inequality is surely a significant issue. Now, as a company leader and founder, you have the autonomy to shape your team with your own values. But when it comes to sourcing talent for your clients, do they mainly focus on cost efficiency, just looking to fill positions at the lowest cost possible? Or among your 300 clients,
Do you see a genuine interest in prioritizing diversity when it comes to factors like age and gender? I'm curious how your clients approach these issues.
So it sounds like you are very aware of these issues. I understand that a big part of your value proposition centers around cost efficiency, which makes sense. But when clients express specific preferences, whether it's related to diversity, age, or other factors, Do you approach each case individually to make your judgment on what's the right call? How do you determine where to draw the line?
I want to wrap up our conversation with one final question. linking back to something you mentioned at the beginning. When I asked you to introduce yourself, you started with your academic background, which makes sense, but you also brought up an important point. Now that we're heading into 2025, many young people, those younger than you and me, are questioning the value of a degree.
They wonder what kind of degree makes sense. Is it all about AI now for career prospects? Or should they pursue something that are interesting and meaningful to them like you did for personal fulfillment Given your experience in both the talent industry and your own educational path, what advice would you give to those listeners who are making these tough decisions about college and career paths?
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