Hello Mentor

Hiredly
  • 5.0 (1)
  • CAREERS
  • EVERY TWO WEEKS

Hello Mentor is a show where we have raw conversations with successful individuals from various industries as they share their stories with all their ups and downs, along with practical advice, to help you succeed in your career.

  1. 17 MAR

    S3, E30 | Amber Chia: Working 3 Jobs At 15. The Brutal Truth About Becoming A Global Supermodel.

    Before she became Malaysia’s most iconic supermodel, Amber Chia’s reality was defined by extreme financial hardship. Raised in a fishing village in Tawau, Sabah, she dropped out of school at 15 to juggle three grueling jobs including selling fish at a 3 a.m. morning market, just to help her family survive. Defying the odds, a 17-year-old Amber bought a one-way ticket to Kuala Lumpur with exactly RM300 to her name to chase an impossible modeling dream. The transition to the city was brutal, filled with constant rejections, odd jobs as a "car girl," and predatory agencies, but she refused to let it break her. Her relentless hustle paid off in 2004 when she made history by winning the Guess Watches Timeless Beauty International Model Search. Practically overnight, she shattered the industry's glass ceiling as the first Asian model to campaign for Guess globally, going on to grace over 200 magazine covers and walk international runways. However, Amber knew that true success is about legacy, not just the limelight. Remembering her own painful struggles as a naive teenager navigating KL with no mentor, she decided to pivot from talent to tycoon. In 2010, she founded the Amber Chia Academy, a premier modeling and beauty school designed to provide world-class, ethical training to aspiring talents. By transforming the local fashion education ecosystem, she ensured that the next generation of Malaysian models would have the guidance and protection she never had. Today, Amber Chia isn’t just a face on a billboard, she is a resilient entrepreneur whose ultimate mission is making sure no young talent ever has to walk the runway alone. 🎙️ Watch the full episode on Hello Mentor to hear the full story (Link in Bio) Follow us on Social Media: XiaoHongShu: https://shorturl.at/uVBZO Instagram: https://shorturl.at/hT6wQ TikTok (Hiredly): https://shorturl.at/0gum2 TikTok (Grow With Hiredly): https://shorturl.at/gAObT Dou Yin: https://v.douyin.com/uQlXc4X0vaY/0@9.com 🎧 Listen and follow Hello Mentor!: http://hiredly.com/hellomentor

    1hr 12min

  2. 10 MAR

    S3, E29 | Tai Hau Aw: I Quit Engineering To Build An 8-Figure 'Asian Fit' Glasses Brand.

    In 2013, civil engineering graduate Tai Hau took a backpacking trip across Europe and noticed a huge difference in culture. While Europeans wore glasses as fun fashion accessories, Malaysians only wore them as a medical necessity. He also realized a major daily problem that big international brands were ignoring: standard Western frames just didn't fit Asian faces well, causing the annoying issue of glasses constantly sliding down the nose. Leaving his engineering career behind, Tai Hau co-founded Pott Glasses to fix this. He designed a special "Asian Fit", creating frames with thicker nose pads and wider temples so they rest perfectly and comfortably on Asian faces, combining great engineering with everyday style. Instead of looking for big investors right away, Tai Hau built Pott Glasses from the ground up. He started small at pop-up bazaars and grew the business into a massive success, now hitting an 8-figure revenue across nine retail stores. He also changed the boring way people usually buy glasses by introducing "4D Optical Styling", a personalized service where staff help you pick frames based on your face shape, eye power, job, and personal fashion. But the best part of his business is how it gives back. Through their "Eyes for Education" program, Pott Glasses donates a pair of glasses to a student in need for every pair they sell. Tai Hau didn't just build a highly profitable business, he built a brand with a big heart that helps the community see clearly. 🎙️ Watch the full episode on Hello Mentor to hear the full story (Link in Bio) Follow us on Social Media: XiaoHongShu: https://shorturl.at/uVBZO Instagram: https://shorturl.at/hT6wQ TikTok (Hiredly): https://shorturl.at/0gum2 TikTok (Grow With Hiredly): https://shorturl.at/gAObT Dou Yin: https://v.douyin.com/uQlXc4X0vaY/0@9.com 🎧 Listen and follow Hello Mentor!: http://hiredly.com/hellomentor

    1hr 4min

  3. 24 FEB

    S3, E29 | I Hid My Pregnancy to Raise Capital: Joan Low, Founder of ThoughtFull on the Brutal Reality for Female Founders

    Joan Low’s journey is a testament to the power of breaking past limiting beliefs. Growing up in an average, middle-class Malaysian family as the child of a factory overseer and a government servant, Joan became a first-generation graduate. Encouraged by her parents to dream big, she left Malaysia at age 17 after securing a life-changing scholarship to a boarding school in Canada, followed by another full scholarship to a top-five liberal arts college in the US where she majored in political science. She eventually built a highly successful corporate career, which included working at J.P. Morgan and spending six years in Hong Kong. Despite her success in finance, Joan’s true calling was shaped by a deeply personal struggle back home. She had a family member who had been living with severe mental health challenges for more than 25 years. Returning to Malaysia at age 30, she began conducting grassroots community workshops and quickly realized that many high-functioning corporate professionals were secretly operating under severe stress and anxiety. Recognizing that the traditional mental healthcare system was fragmented and entirely reactive, she founded ThoughtFull, a Temasek-backed digital mental health company designed to make daily, preventative mental hygiene as accessible as text messaging. Building a health-tech platform from the ground up to partner with major insurers like AIA and Great Eastern came with massive systemic challenges. Operating as a solo female founder, Joan faced a fundraising landscape that is still remarkably biased against women starting families. After hearing firsthand stories of fellow founders getting ghosted by investors upon revealing they were pregnant, Joan made the difficult decision to keep her own pregnancy a complete secret during her last capital raise. Proving her sheer grit, she successfully navigated this scale-up phase and ultimately signed the final investment contract while two centimeters dilated on a gym ball, closing her funding round and delivering her baby in the exact same week. 🎙️ Watch the full episode on Hello Mentor to hear the full story (Link in Bio) Follow us on Social Media: XiaoHongShu: https://shorturl.at/uVBZO Instagram: https://shorturl.at/hT6wQ TikTok (Hiredly): https://shorturl.at/0gum2 TikTok (Grow With Hiredly): https://shorturl.at/gAObT Dou Yin: https://v.douyin.com/uQlXc4X0vaY/0@9.com 🎧 Listen and follow Hello Mentor! :http://hiredly.com/hellomentor

    1hr 19min

  4. 10 FEB

    S3, E28 | From RM300 Gigs to Earning More Than An Engineer: The Business of Content Creation.

    The Engineer Who Quit His "Iron Rice Bowl" Before he became famous on TikTok, Chris MJ (Christopher Mathews Jacob) had the life every Asian parent dreams of. He had a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering and a steady job at Sony. But deep down, sitting in the office wasn't making him happy. He wanted to tell stories and make people laugh. So, he did something shocking: he quit his stable job to chase a dream with no guarantee of success. Starting with Just a Spoon (Sudu) When he started, Chris didn't have a big budget for expensive microphones or cameras. So, he just used what he had—a metal spoon from his kitchen! That is how "Sudu on the Street" was born. It turns out, the spoon was magic. It made people feel comfortable and ready to joke around. Combined with his funny "Cicak" sound and his "Chindian" style, he quickly became a favorite on social media because he was real and relatable. From TikTok to TV Host. Today, Chris isn't just a guy with a spoon. He has proven that content creation is a real career. He went from making videos on the street to hosting shows on DidikTV (NTV7) and MC-ing big events. In this episode of Hello Mentor, we talk about the real struggles—dealing with worried parents, managing money, and working hard to turn a hobby into a full-time business 🎙️ Watch the full episode on Hello Mentor to hear the full story (Link in Bio) Follow us on Social Media: XiaoHongShu: https://shorturl.at/uVBZO Instagram: https://shorturl.at/hT6wQ TikTok (Hiredly): https://shorturl.at/0gum2 TikTok (Grow With Hiredly): https://shorturl.at/gAObT Dou Yin: https://v.douyin.com/uQlXc4X0vaY/0@9.com 🎧 Listen and follow Hello Mentor!: http://hiredly.com/hellomentor

    1hr 17min

  5. 20 JAN

    S3, E27 | Don't Start A Business With Family? How We Built An 8-Figure Empire Against The Odds.

    In 2016, Jake Yap and his brother Chris launched Lifely (originally E-Living) with a singular mission: to democratize interior design for the "renter generation." Identifying a massive gap between cheap, disposable furniture and unaffordable designer pieces, Yap built what he calls the "Zara of Furniture"—a fast-moving supply chain that delivers on-trend aesthetics at accessible price points. Starting on marketplaces like Catch.com.au and eBay to validate demand without heavy overhead, the brothers rapidly scaled the business from a garage operation to an eight-figure revenue empire, growing their team from two to 50 employees and capitalizing on a 300% growth surge during the pandemic. By 2023, Yap spearheaded the strategic pivot from a transactional reseller to a distinct lifestyle brand, rebranding the company as Lifely to better serve their core millennial persona, "Ashley." This transition wasn't just cosmetic; it was built on Yap’s unique operational philosophy of "Firm Empathy." By cutting out middlemen and maintaining direct, emotionally intelligent yet uncompromising relationships with manufacturers, he ensured high-quality control that allowed the brand to survive early supplier boycotts. Today, Lifely stands as a major player in the Australian home sector, integrating social impact by pledging 1% of profits to Habitat for Humanity. 🎙️ Watch the full episode on Hello Mentor to hear the full story (Link in Bio) Follow us on Social Media: XiaoHongShu: https://shorturl.at/uVBZO Instagram: https://shorturl.at/hT6wQ TikTok (Hiredly): https://shorturl.at/0gum2 TikTok (Grow With Hiredly): https://shorturl.at/gAObT Dou Yin: https://v.douyin.com/uQlXc4X0vaY/0@9.com 🎧 Listen and follow Hello Mentor!: http://hiredly.com/hellomentor

    1hr 28min

  6. 13 JAN

    S3, E26 | The Psychology of 'Cool': How Dayang Syafiqah Made Gen Z Obsessed With Tradition

    Long before she became the face of a modern Batik revolution, Dayang Syafiqah was a musician at heart. She didn’t study fashion, she studied music and she brought that same soulfulness to the world of textiles. When she looked at the Batik industry, she didn't see heritage, she saw boundaries. To her, Batik felt trapped, stuck in the realm of stiff formal wear and government uniforms that didn't resonate with her generation’s desire for freedom. She realized that for this art form to survive, it couldn't just sit in a museum or a bridal suite, it needed to flow, move and feel alive, just like music. That feeling became the heartbeat of Oh Dayang. Trading instruments for a canting (wax pen), Dayang set out to make tradition feel cool again. She threw out the old rulebook of rigid cuts and embraced the imperfect beauty of hand-drawn art, creating oversized, earthy pieces that you’d actually want to live in. Today, she hasn’t just designed clothes, she’s changed the conversation. By treating Batik as wearable art rather than a uniform, she proved to young Malaysians that honoring your roots doesn't mean looking old-fashioned, it can be the most stylish thing you own. 🎙️ Watch the full episode on Hello Mentor to hear the full story (Link in Bio) Follow us on Social Media: XiaoHongShu: https://shorturl.at/uVBZO Instagram: https://shorturl.at/hT6wQ TikTok (Hiredly): https://shorturl.at/0gum2 TikTok (Grow With Hiredly): https://shorturl.at/gAObT Dou Yin: https://v.douyin.com/uQlXc4X0vaY/0@9.com 🎧 Listen and follow Hello Mentor!: http://hiredly.com/hellomentor

    1hr 31min

  7. 6 JAN

    S3, E25 | The Art of Less: How Nicole Chia Built Meaning into Minimalist Lab

    Before Minimalist Lab became a staple in Malaysia’s jewelry scene, Nicole Chia was already navigating the retail world with her first venture, Vintage 1988. While that brand celebrated the charm of the past, Nicole noticed a quiet but powerful shift in what modern women actually wanted. They weren’t just looking for accessories; they were seeking clarity, quality, and pieces that could survive the daily grind without losing their shine. Recognizing a gap between cheap "fast fashion" jewelry and inaccessible luxury, Nicole took a leap of faith. She pivoted from the busy aesthetics of vintage to the clean, disciplined philosophy of "less is more," launching Minimalist Lab (MNML) in a small lot at Pavilion’s Tokyo Street. For Nicole, Minimalist Lab was never just about selling necklaces or rings; it was an "emotional calling." She realized early on that jewelry is rarely bought without a reason, it is almost always a "signifier of an important moment," whether it’s a self-love treat, a birthday, or a relationship milestone. This insight drove her to obsess over the unboxing experience and the quality of materials, focusing on Sterling Silver and Gold Vermeil that could last a lifetime. She wasn't just building a shop, she was building a sanctuary for memories, fighting the industry norm that "affordable" had to mean "disposable." Today, Nicole’s journey from a small pop-up to commanding presence in premium malls like The Exchange TRX is a masterclass in quiet resilience. Balancing the demands of motherhood with the pressures of retail expansion, she has proved that soft power can build hard results. Her leadership style mirrors her jewelry, understated but enduring. By stripping away the noise and focusing on "little things with big meaning," Nicole Chia has turned Minimalist Lab into more than a brand, it is a reminder to Malaysian women that in a loud world, the most powerful statements are often the quietest ones. 🎙️ Watch the full episode on Hello Mentor to hear the full story (Link in Bio) Follow us on Social Media: XiaoHongShu: https://shorturl.at/uVBZO Instagram: https://shorturl.at/hT6wQ TikTok (Hiredly): https://shorturl.at/0gum2 TikTok (Grow With Hiredly): https://shorturl.at/gAObT Dou Yin: https://v.douyin.com/uQlXc4X0vaY/0@9.com 🎧 Listen and follow Hello Mentor!: http://hiredly.com/hellomentor

    1hr 19min

  8. 30/12/2025

    S3, E24 | How Abang Brian Found His True Purpose and Calling Through a Family Crisis

    Abang Brian’s journey into the culinary world began with a deeply personal and emotional catalyst. Originally trained in accounting and finance, his life took a drastic turn in 2012 when his father was diagnosed with cancer. Faced with his father’s specific and strict dietary needs, Brian stepped into the kitchen for the first time, not as a chef, but as a caregiver. This period of selfless service became a profound discovery; through cooking meals that were both nutritious and comforting for his father, Brian found a hidden passion and a sense of peace that he had never experienced in the corporate world. This transformative experience propelled him from the boardroom to the set of MasterChef Malaysia, where he became a national favorite. His background in health-focused cooking for his father stayed with him, shaping his professional philosophy of "healthy-fied" comfort food and his commitment to education. Today, he is widely known as "Abang Brian," a relatable mentor who teaches that cooking is more than just a skill, it is a powerful way to show love, preserve health, and care for those who matter most. Follow us on Social Media: XiaoHongShu: https://shorturl.at/uVBZO Instagram: https://shorturl.at/hT6wQ TikTok (Hiredly): https://shorturl.at/0gum2 TikTok (Grow With Hiredly): https://shorturl.at/gAObT Dou Yin: https://v.douyin.com/uQlXc4X0vaY/0@9.com 🎧 Listen and follow Hello Mentor!: http://hiredly.com/hellomentor

    1hr 25min
See All (82)

About

Hello Mentor is a show where we have raw conversations with successful individuals from various industries as they share their stories with all their ups and downs, along with practical advice, to help you succeed in your career.

Information

  • Creator
    Hiredly
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    82
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2020 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Hello Mentor

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