You Never Know with Nicole Lee

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You Never Know with Nicole Lee

Nicole Lee

35 episodes

2 weeks ago

Sales is like dating. You read the signals. You invest the time. And sometimes, you get ghosted. In this episode of the You Never Know Podcast, host Nicole Lee sits down with Jahnavi Bhagwati, founder of Koka Capital, as she shares candid insights on sales and private markets in Asia from over a decade in finance and deal-making at Goldman Sachs, Nomura, and Bank of Singapore. From learning how to set boundaries as a young saleswoman, to why investors in Asia are increasingly drawn to pri...

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Sales is like dating. You read the signals. You invest the time. And sometimes, you get ghosted. In this episode of the You Never Know Podcast, host Nicole Lee sits down with Jahnavi Bhagwati, founder of Koka Capital, as she shares candid insights on sales and private markets in Asia from over a decade in finance and deal-making at Goldman Sachs, Nomura, and Bank of Singapore. From learning how to set boundaries as a young saleswoman, to why investors in Asia are increasingly drawn to pri...

Show more...

Episodes (20/35)

You Never Know with Nicole Lee

#34 — Sales Is Like Dating: Rejection, 38x Returns & Private Markets In Asia | Jahnavi Bhagwati: "Learn To Walk Away." "Find Ways To De-Risk."

Sales is like dating. You read the signals. You invest the time. And sometimes, you get ghosted. In this episode of the You Never Know Podcast, host Nicole Lee sits down with Jahnavi Bhagwati, founder of Koka Capital, as she shares candid insights on sales and private markets in Asia from over a decade in finance and deal-making at Goldman Sachs, Nomura, and Bank of Singapore. From learning how to set boundaries as a young saleswoman, to why investors in Asia are increasingly drawn to pri...

1 week ago

49 minutes

You Never Know with Nicole Lee

#33 — How To Get Promoted In Banking | Philip Kunz on Pay, Politics & Leadership: “Sucking Up To Your Boss Doesn’t Help Much.” “Your Peers Are The Most Influential As You Rise In Leadership.”

Veteran banking leader Philip Kunz dismantles the biggest myths about rising in banking — from promotions and politics to influencing people who don’t report to you. Across 40 years in wealth management, Philip held senior leadership roles at UBS, ABN AMRO, and Credit Suisse, led Global Private Banking for South Asia at HSBC, and is now Senior Advisor & Group Head Southeast Asia at Nomura International Wealth Management. In this episode, we dive into what it really takes to rise — and sta...

3 weeks ago

51 minutes

You Never Know with Nicole Lee

#32 — Addicted to Burnout? Why Overachievers Can’t Stop | Pei Chan: From Hedge Funds to Breathwork "I Couldn't Recognize Myself After Being Made Redundant."

Former Singaporean hedge fund executive Pei Chan opens up about her addiction to corporate burnout, the shock of being made redundant, why she transitioned to teaching breathwork full-time — and how success without self-awareness can quietly destroy you from the inside out. After nearly two decades in London at some of the world’s top hedge funds including Millennium, UBS O’Connor, and Balyasny, Pei had everything she thought she wanted — until redundancy and emptiness forced her to face wh...

1 month ago

47 minutes

You Never Know with Nicole Lee

#31 — Inside Najib’s Office: 1MDB, Anwar & Malaysia’s Future | Ei Sun OH: “It Became Rather Unbearable!” “Politics Isn’t Idealism — It’s Problem-Solving.”

Former Political Secretary to then–Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, Ei Sun OH, shares his honest reflections on what it was really like working inside Malaysia’s seat of power — and why he eventually chose to walk away. From the early days of 1MDB to the 2018 elections that ended Barisan Nasional’s 61-year rule, Ei Sun opens up about the realities of politics and leadership — and weighs in on Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s challenges today, Malaysia’s evolving identity, and what ASEAN’...

1 month ago

1 hour 1 minute

You Never Know with Nicole Lee

#30 — Independent Asset Managers vs Banks: What's The Difference? | Urs Brutsch: “There's No Job Security In A Bank!” “I Work For the Client Now, Not The Bank.” “Investors Always Make The Same Mistakes!”

Is there still job security in a bank? That's the question Urs Brutsch, Founder & CEO of HP Wealth Management, explores in this episode. After decades leading private banking in Asia across Credit Suisse, ABN AMRO, and Clariden Leu, Urs left the banking world in 2009 to build his own firm — now one of the largest Independent Asset Managers in Singapore. In this conversation, we unpack what exactly an Independent Asset Manager (IAM/EAM) is, how the model and relationship manager incent...

2 months ago

44 minutes

You Never Know with Nicole Lee

#29 — Plastic Surgery Is Not Vanity | Dr. Michelle Ho on Mommy Makeovers, Myths & Stigmas: “We’re Giving Patients Back What They Lost.” “It Has To Be For Yourself, Not To Save Your Marriage!”

Plastic surgery. Is it vanity or empowerment? What if it helps give you back what you lost after childbirth, illness, or the hectic demands of life? And the question everyone asks: is it safe? In Episode 29 of the You Never Know Podcast, host Nicole Lee sits down with Dr. Michelle Ho — plastic surgeon & founder of Plastic & Aesthetics Practice @ TDP, mother of five, former breast reconstruction lead at Tan Tock Seng Hospital in Singapore, and Program Director of the National Healthc...

3 months ago

44 minutes

You Never Know with Nicole Lee

#28 - How To Get Into Top US Universities From Asia: Polytechnic To Ivy League | Joash Lee: “It’s Not Just About Grades. What’s Your Story?” “You Never Know If You Never Try!”

If you're applying to U.S. universities from outside the U.S. — especially from Asia — this episode reveals what it really takes to break in. In this insightful episode of the You Never Know Podcast, host Nicole Lee speaks with Joash Lee — a former polytechnic student in Singapore who made it to Columbia University, one of the top Ivy League schools. But his journey wasn’t typical — and that’s the point. Joash pulls back the curtain on the costs, stress, and strategy behind U.S. college a...

3 months ago

57 minutes

You Never Know with Nicole Lee

#27 - Healing Anxiety & Disease Through Gut Health | Jo Brownlow: “The Root Of Autoimmune Diseases Is A Leaky Gut!” “You Can Eat Healthy & Still Have Type 2 Diabetes!”

Could your anxiety, fatigue, or arthritis actually be coming from your gut? In episode 27 of the You Never Know podcast, Nicole Lee sits down with functional medicine coach Jo Brownlow to explore the link between gut health, hormone balance, autoimmune conditions, and emotional well-being. Jo shares her personal journey healing from Hashimoto’s disease, quitting alcohol, and transforming her son’s focus and neurodivergence through gut repair. They dive deep into the misunderstood symptoms...

4 months ago

47 minutes

You Never Know with Nicole Lee

#26 - How to Analyze Companies Beyond Numbers | Nirgunan Tiruchelvam On Equities, Coffee & Gold: “A company’s financial health is not directly correlated to its stock price!” “Boring isn’t bad in the equities market.”

Many investors obsess over numbers, charts, earnings, and market noise. But what if the real edge came from something far less obvious? In this episode, I speak with Nirgunan Tiruchelvam — Head of Consumer and Internet at Aletheia Capital and author of Investing in the COVID Era — about seeing equity markets in a completely different way. We dive into why strong financials don’t always mean a strong stock price, what coffee prices tell you about perceptions of value, and why gold and oil ...

4 months ago

44 minutes

You Never Know with Nicole Lee

#25 - StashAway CEO: Building A Fintech That Doesn’t Burn out | Michele Ferrario: “Passion Gives You Grit & Stamina During Tough Times.” “The Most Important Factor Is People.”

Michele Ferrario, CEO of StashAway, didn’t set out to build a fintech company because it was trendy. He built it because the banks didn’t align with the kind of investment approach he wanted for his hard-earned money—and he believed there had to be a better way. Nearly a decade later, StashAway is now one of CNBC’s Top Fintech Companies in the World—for the third year running. In this episode, Michele shares what it really takes to build a business that lasts in the face of intense compet...

4 months ago

56 minutes

You Never Know with Nicole Lee

#24 — Commodities, Gold & Tokenization Of Real-World Assets | Eren Zekioglu: “What If Gold Pays You Like Rent?” “Everything Is A Derivative Of Crude Oil.” “Financing Doesn’t Always Have to Happen Through Banks.”

What if gold could pay you like rent, without you having to sell it? In Episode 24, Eren Zekioglu returns to talk about one of the most important forces shaping the global economy—and one that powers how we live: commodities. From oil and agriculture to gold, we explore how everything around us is ultimately a derivative of crude oil—and how this often-overlooked sector is entering a new chapter through tokenization. We dive into why commodities are more relevant than eve...

6 months ago

34 minutes

You Never Know with Nicole Lee

#23 — Property In 5 Moves & Growing Up Malay in Singapore | Farhan Adenan: “Your First Home Is Your First Chess Move.” “Someone Else’s Limitation Isn’t Yours.”

Did you know buying property in Singapore is a 5-move strategy—and most people stop at move one? In this episode, I sit down with Farhan Adenan, a proud Malay-Singaporean who’s helping everyday people rethink what property really means—and how it can help them build long-term financial freedom. We talk about what it’s like growing up Malay in Singapore, breaking out of cultural expectations, and how he’s reshaping the way his community sees ambition, ownership, and wealth. ...

6 months ago

55 minutes

You Never Know with Nicole Lee

#22 — Gender-Fluid & Pansexual: From Arrests To Fatherhood | Shawn Lim: “I Told My Wife I Wasn’t Straight.” “Sometimes I Wonder If It’s Worth It Coming Out.” “I Can Only Be Authentic With My Daughter If I Am Myself.”

He told his wife he wasn’t straight. Then became a father. Then came out as pansexual and gender-fluid. At 34 years old, Shawn Lim spent most of his life taking the arduous journey of navigating sexuality, gender, identity, marriage, and the emotional toll of suppressing who he truly is. From gang fights and getting arrested twice as a young teen, to building a new path forward as a husband, father, and now starting his own company—this isn’t just a story about coming out. It’s about courage...

6 months ago

1 hour 2 minutes

You Never Know with Nicole Lee

#21 — From Theatre to Trading, Without a Degree: Investment Banking, Hedge Funds & Commodities | Eren Elvis Zekioglu: “Working At Big Brand Companies Matter.” “Build Yourself A Persona.” “If You Can Represent Yourself, Doors Will Open.”

From studying theatre to landing a job on Citi’s trading floor, building a hedge fund backed by Glencore, and running operations at Gunvor—one of the world’s largest independent commodity trading houses—Eren Elvis Zekioglu broke into finance without a degree, armed only with a bold letter, acting experience, and a lot of hustle. In Part 1 of Episode 21 of You Never Know, we talk about how he navigated his way through Citi, Credit Suisse, UBS, and Glencore, what it really takes to thriv...

6 months ago

56 minutes

You Never Know with Nicole Lee

#20 — The Real ER: Cockroaches, Chaos & Confessions | Dr. LIEW Wai Wai: “I Landed An A380!” “Doctors Can Cry Too.” “Being An ER Doctor Is Easier Than Being A Mom!”

You’ve seen it on screen. But what’s it really like in the real ER? Dr. LIEW Wai Wai shares the raw, unfiltered truth about life as an emergency doctor—what it takes, what people don’t see, and why being an ER doctor is actually easier than being a mom. We dive into the most surprising cases ER doctors have to face (cockroaches included…), the reality of working in the ER—shift work, emotional tolls, and what it demands from your life, and how different personalities fit different medical s...

7 months ago

1 hour 1 minute

You Never Know with Nicole Lee

#19 — Life Isn’t Just A Movie. It’s Your Cinema. Rewrite Your Story. | Nicole Lee: “Your Vibe Attracts Your Tribe!” “Your Past Doesn’t Define What’s Next.”

Have you ever felt like your life was a movie? One minute, you’re in a romantic comedy. The next, a drama with a plot twist no one saw coming. But what if life isn’t just a movie? What if it’s a whole cinema? You get to choose which movie to be in. Write it. Rewrite it. I know—it sounds crazy. But what if it’s real? What if you’re more powerful than you think? 🚀 Follow me for real conversations on life, career, taking the unconventional road and embracing th...

7 months ago

10 minutes

You Never Know with Nicole Lee

#18 — You Shouldn’t Need A Bank To Buy A Bond: Blockchain, Tokenisation & Banking | Aaron Gwak: “We Don’t Need More Middlemen!” “Finance Should Be A Birthright — Not A Privilege.”

You shouldn’t need a bank — or 4x your country’s GDP per capita — just to buy a government bond. But in many parts of the world, that’s still the reality. And for Aaron Gwak, it was a problem worth solving. Born in Korea, raised in Ghana, and shaped by two decades in investment banking, Aaron spent years helping governments and financial institutions raise capital through bonds. From UBS to Standard Chartered, he saw how the system worked — and who it left behind. Today, he’s th...

7 months ago

50 minutes

You Never Know with Nicole Lee

#17 — What Men Don’t Talk About: Failure, Sales & The Darker Sides Of Entrepreneurship | Neil Patwardhan: “Vulnerability Is The Hidden Sales Superpower!” “It’s OK To Be Not OK!” “Men Need To Have Open Conversations!”

Men don’t talk enough about the failure, burnout, or mental toll of running a business or leading in the workplace — but perhaps they should. In this episode of You Never Know, Neil Patwardhan shares what it’s really like behind the scenes — from working in the corporate world at Dell and Accenture to becoming an “accidental founder,” and learning the sometimes-dark lessons of entrepreneurship. Growing up as an immigrant kid in the U.S., Neil had to learn how to fit in, fail fas...

7 months ago

1 hour

You Never Know with Nicole Lee

#16 — Knowledge Isn’t Your Biggest Asset. Your Brand Is! | Rae Fung: “People Want Your Story & Perspective!” “Owning Your Voice Is Like Going To The Gym. Put In the Reps!”

Your voice is your personal brand. And your brand is your biggest asset. Not your knowledge. Not your picture-perfect image. Not even your business card. In this episode of You Never Know, Nicole Lee sits down with Own Your Voice coach, speaker, and emcee, Rae Fung for a real conversation about what it means to find — and own — your voice. From starting out as an emcee at 15, to navigating the raw hunger for validation, battling the complexities of unhealthy mentorship, and disc...

8 months ago

56 minutes

You Never Know with Nicole Lee

#15 — Award-Winning Marketer: Why Purpose Leads To Real Success | Anser Aly: “Marketing Is The New Finance!” “A Good Leader Listens!” “Purpose Is Why You Get Out Of Bed!”

What if winning awards doesn’t mean you’ve truly succeeded? In this episode of You Never Know, Nicole Lee speaks with Anser Aly, an award-winning "accidental marketer" who spent nearly two decades at Unilever leading campaigns at global brands — including three Cannes Lions wins. But despite all the accolades, something was missing. And that something was purpose. That was when Anser found his why, transitioned into learning and leadership development, and committed to he...

8 months ago

53 minutes