The Generalists

Raz Kotler & Michael Smith Jr.

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TECHNOLOGY
UPDATED TWICE WEEKLY

The hosts Raz Kotler & Michael Smith Jr., interview people around how they arrived in Singapore, their careers, their personal journeys and how the concept of being a Generalist influences their life and career. All episodes currently filmed F2F in the Poddster Singapore studios.

2 DAYS AGO

Who Broke Indonesia's Tech? (ep 73)

Episode 73 brings Martyn Terpilowski back after his first Generalists appearance exploded across YouTube, TikTok, and Indonesian social media. He explains why he rejected the 20x-at-all-costs startup playbook, why he believes large parts of Southeast Asia’s startup and VC world became disconnected from business reality, and why connection-driven ecosystems often reward the wrong people. 🤝 Sponsored by ⁠https://TAP4SRV.com⁠ - Quickly find local Service Providers on WhatsApp! 🤝 Martyn also breaks down why competence matters more than pedigree, why too much capital chased weak fundamentals, and why honest criticism is healthier than endless backslapping. He reflects on building with private capital instead of following the venture script, growing a real operating business, and why more people are now openly questioning how parts of the ecosystem actually work. 🔔 Listen and Subscribe • YouTube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@TheGeneralistsPodcast⁠ • Spotify: ⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/2apfGY403NGr1EyTNkJfG4⁠⁠ • Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/the-generalists⁠⁠ 📖 What You’ll Learn in This Episode • Why Martyn believes the 20x growth narrative broke down in real operating markets • Why raising money without strong fundamentals created long-term damage • Why startup ecosystems can reward connections over competence • Why honest scrutiny is healthier than applause and status games • Why many investors and founders ignored basic business reality for too long • Why private capital and building a real business gave Martyn a different perspective • Why many Southeast Asian startups struggled to turn funding into durable returns • Why global ambition requires more than local brand names and social connections • Why Martyn thinks more open criticism can help improve the ecosystem 👤👤 Hosts • Raz Kotler: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/razkotler/⁠⁠ • Michael Smith Jr.: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/smittysgp/⁠⁠ 👤 Guest • Martyn Terpilowski: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/martyn-terpilowski-66aba850/⁠⁠ 🔗 Resources and Links Mentioned 🏢 Companies and Organizations • BVT: ⁠https://bvt.co.id/⁠ • The Ken: ⁠https://the-ken.com/⁠ • JETRO: ⁠https://www.jetro.go.jp/⁠ • Goldman Sachs: ⁠https://www.goldmansachs.com/⁠ • McKinsey & Company: ⁠https://www.mckinsey.com/⁠ • TPG: ⁠https://www.tpg.com/⁠ • Danone: ⁠https://www.danone.com/⁠ • Jardine Matheson: ⁠https://www.jardines.com/⁠ • Cold Storage Singapore: ⁠https://coldstorage.com.sg/⁠ • LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/⁠ • TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/⁠ • Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/⁠ 📚 Concepts and Frameworks • Venture capital: ⁠https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venture_capital⁠ • Family office: ⁠https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_office⁠ • Private equity: ⁠https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_equity⁠ • Capital markets: ⁠https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_market⁠ • Product-market fit: ⁠https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Product/market_fit⁠ • Geospatial intelligence: ⁠https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geospatial_intelligence

55 min
5 DAYS AGO

How to Build an AI Startup Entirely on WhatsApp (ep 72)

Tiago Alves, founder of Librarian, explains how a WhatsApp-first product strategy helped his AI assistant break out. He shows why adoption accelerated once friction was removed and why many founders still misunderstand how AI tools are actually adopted. He also shares how Librarian evolved from a search layer across work tools into an executive assistant in your pocket, and why WhatsApp beat Slack in real-world usage. Episode 72 covers AI adoption, product onboarding, and messaging as a business operating layer. Tiago also breaks down fundraising reality across Asia and the US, his thinking on verticals like real estate and insurance, and how pricing changes when token costs matter. He reflects on his time as an Entrepreneur in Residence at Golden Gate Ventures and explains why the next generation of AI assistants will need memory, context, and tighter integrations across the tools people already use. 🔔 Listen and Subscribe • YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@TheGeneralistsPodcast⁠ • Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/2apfGY403NGr1EyTNkJfG4⁠ • Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/the-generalists⁠ 📖 What You’ll Learn in This Episode • Why WhatsApp-first onboarding removed friction and accelerated adoption • Why users preferred chatting from WhatsApp instead of being pushed to a website or Slack • How Librarian evolved from search assistant to action-taking executive assistant • Why AI products need to adapt to actual user behavior, not assumed workflows • How messaging apps are becoming business operating layers • Why Southeast Asia’s mobile-first habits create different product opportunities • What founders get wrong about fundraising in Asia versus the US • How Tiago used forced monetization to find real ICP and reduce AI cost exposure • Why memory, integrations, and context are core to the future of AI assistants 🔥 Watch Our Other Videos ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2VHfhKCfn0⁠ ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0H24ck-is5Y⁠ ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6URrTXBwPGk⁠ ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZE8F6qfgt0⁠ ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oybU375fZxo⁠ ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tf_dknB50qM⁠ 👤👤 Hosts • Raz Kotler: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/razkotler/⁠ • Michael Smith Jr.: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/smittysgp/⁠ 👤 Guest • Tiago Alves: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiagoalves/⁠ 🔗 Resources and Links Mentioned 🏢 Companies and Organizations • Librarian: ⁠https://www.librarian.ai/⁠ • Golden Gate Ventures: ⁠https://goldengate.vc⁠ • 25V: ⁠https://25madison.com/25v/⁠ • Yelp: ⁠https://www.yelp.com/⁠ • Carrot: ⁠https://www.getcarrot.com/⁠ • WhatsApp: ⁠https://www.whatsapp.com/⁠ • Slack: ⁠https://slack.com/⁠ • Telegram: ⁠https://telegram.org/⁠ • OpenAI: ⁠https://openai.com/⁠ • Gamma: ⁠https://gamma.app/⁠ • Beautiful.ai: ⁠https://www.beautiful.ai/⁠ 📚 Concepts and Frameworks • Entrepreneur in Residence: ⁠https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entrepreneur-in-residence⁠ • Product-market fit: ⁠https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Product/market_fit⁠ • Customer relationship management (CRM): ⁠https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Customer_relationship_management⁠ • Retrieval-augmented generation (RAG): ⁠https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retrieval-augmented_generation⁠

53 min
2 MAR

Why Startup Boards Fail (And How to Fix Them) (ep 71)

Anthony Sochan, co-founder of Think & Grow, breaks down what founders get wrong about boards, executive hiring, and scaling decisions under pressure. Learn how to design a board that actually helps the business, avoid early-stage hiring traps, and make better decisions when capital is tight. Anthony explains why most startup boards become passive, why accountability inside boards is often weak, and how investor incentives can diverge from founder outcomes. He shares practical guidance on when to form a formal board, how to use independent directors, and why advisory structures can work when founder bandwidth is limited. Episode 71 goes deep on board composition, PMF-stage priorities, founder trust and delegation, and what APJ startups can learn from companies like Atlassian and Canva. It also covers Anthony’s 2026 outlook on AI-driven efficiency and why fundamentals still win. 📖 What You'll Learn in This Episode • Why startups need generalists early and specialists later • How to hire by mapping real business problems, not job titles • Why over-stacking senior hires too early can hurt growth • Why many boards fail: passive oversight and low accountability • Why independent directors improve board decision quality • When to form a formal board (and when to stay focused on PMF) • How advisory boards and founder-coaches can help execution • Why trust, delegation, and founder health are core operating levers 🔔 Listen and Subscribe • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGeneralistsPodcast • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2apfGY403NGr1EyTNkJfG4 • Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/the-generalists 🔥 Watch Our Other Videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2VHfhKCfn0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0H24ck-is5Y https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6URrTXBwPGk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZE8F6qfgt0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oybU375fZxo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tf_dknB50qM 👤 Hosts • Michael Smith Jr.: https://www.linkedin.com/in/smittysgp/ • Raz Kotler: https://www.linkedin.com/in/razkotler/ 👤 Guest • Anthony Sochan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonysohan/ 🔗 Resources and Links Mentioned 🏢 Companies and Organizations • Think & Grow: https://www.thinkandgrowinc.com/ • Atlassian: https://www.atlassian.com/ • Canva: https://www.canva.com/ • HubSpot: https://www.hubspot.com/ • Andreessen Horowitz (a16z): https://a16z.com/ • Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD): https://www.aicd.com.au/ • Singapore Institute of Directors (SID): https://www.sid.org.sg/ 📚 Concepts and Frameworks • Product-Market Fit (PMF): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Product/market_fit • Corporate Governance: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporate_governance • Board of Directors: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Board_of_directors • Limited Partner (LP): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limited_partner 📖 Books • Unreasonable Hospitality (Will Guidara): https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/671289/unreasonable-hospitality-by-will-guidara/

46 min
23 FEB

Why Startups Die: The Problem-Market Fit Test (ep 70)

Episode 70: Ofir Har-Chen on Founder Alignment, Cyber GTM, and Building Under Pressure Ofir Har-Chen, co-founder of Clutch Security, breaks down what founders get wrong about VCs, co-founder alignment, and global go-to-market in cybersecurity. Learn how to validate real problem-market fit, build market pull through education, and execute fast in high-stress environments. In this conversation from Tel Aviv, Raz and Ofir go deep on fundraising mechanics, why the right VC partner matters more than brand, and how founder teams should test alignment before pressure hits. Ofir shares practical lessons on communication, decision-making, and why startup operating reality changes every quarter. They also unpack Clutch’s journey from early ideation to non-human identity security, and why agentic AI is accelerating identity and access risk. The episode closes with advice for future cyber founders on learning the domain, finding the right co-founder, and staying grounded through chaos. 📖 What You’ll Learn in This Episode • How Ofir’s view of VCs changed after fundraising • Why the partner matters as much as the fund • How to prove deep problem understanding to investors • What to stress-test before committing to co-founders • Why communication is the core operating system in founder teams • Why educational GTM can outperform hard-selling early • How to use LinkedIn to build global demand from day one • Why problem-market fit should come before product-market fit • Why non-human identities are central to modern security • How agentic AI changes identity, access, and blast radius risk 🔔 Listen and Subscribe • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGeneralistsPodcast • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2apfGY403NGr1EyTNkJfG4 • Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/the-generalists 🔥 Watch Our Other Videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2VHfhKCfn0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0H24ck-is5Y https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6URrTXBwPGk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZE8F6qfgt0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oybU375fZxo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tf_dknB50qM 👤 Host • Raz Kotler: https://www.linkedin.com/in/razkotler/ 👤 Guest • Ofir Har-Chen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ofirhc/ 🔗 Resources and Links Mentioned 🏢 Companies and Organizations • Clutch Security: https://www.clutch.security/ • Signia: https://www.signia.co/ • Hunters: https://www.hunters.security/ • OpenAI: https://openai.com/ • Amazon Web Services (AWS): https://aws.amazon.com/ • Google Cloud: https://cloud.google.com/ 📚 Concepts and Frameworks • VUCA: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VUCA • Product-Market Fit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Product/market_fit • SOC 2: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System_and_Organization_Controls • ISO/IEC 27001: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO/IEC_27001

47 min
16 FEB

The Future of Protein Tests (ep 69)

Shavit Clein, CEO of Thrixen, breaks down what it takes to build deep tech healthcare diagnostics from Singapore. Learn how a generalist founder can navigate regulated healthcare, raise cross-border capital, and turn complex science into products people can actually use. Shavit explains why healthcare is a "level-by-level" industry, where regulation, buyer complexity, and long commercialization cycles make execution very different from traditional software startups. He shares how he transitioned from Trax into diagnostics, built domain fluency without formal medical training, and learned to translate technical depth into investor-ready narratives. Episode 69 goes deep on fundraising after the COVID diagnostics bubble, platform versus single-application strategy, and why US investors often evaluate medtech differently from local markets. It also covers antimicrobial resistance, product usability for minimally trained operators, and Singapore's role as an infrastructure and talent hub for globally oriented deep tech. 📖 What You'll Learn in This Episode • Why healthcare feels "laddered" and harder to navigate than typical tech markets • How Shavit built credibility in diagnostics without a medical degree • How Thrixen's protein-focused platform differs from PCR-first narratives • Why platform positioning mattered for valuation and venture-scale outcomes • How COVID-era market dynamics changed diagnostics fundraising • Why US investors often prefer platform technology over single applications • How to pitch deep technical products to non-technical investors • Why bacterial vs viral testing matters for antibiotic stewardship • How SMART, NRF, and local ecosystem support helped Thrixen scale • What founders should prioritize when building long-cycle deep tech companies 🔔 Listen and Subscribe • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGeneralistsPodcast • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2apfGY403NGr1EyTNkJfG4 • Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/the-generalists 🔥 Watch Our Other Videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SW2bxHjUl-Y https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyxPGyIQPUE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sikOVWtFedI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0H24ck-is5Y https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2VHfhKCfn0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6URrTXBwPGk 👤 Hosts • Michael Smith Jr.: https://www.linkedin.com/in/smittysgp/ • Raz Kotler: https://www.linkedin.com/in/razkotler/ 👤 Guest • Shavit Clein: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shavitclein/ 🔗 Resources and Links Mentioned 🏢 Companies and Organizations • Thrixen: https://www.thrixen.com/ • Trax: https://www.traxretail.com/ • SMART (Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology): https://smart.mit.edu/ • National Research Foundation Singapore (NRF): https://www.nrf.gov.sg/ • SGInnovate: https://www.sginnovate.com/ • Enterprise Singapore: https://www.enterprisesg.gov.sg/ • EDB Singapore: https://www.edb.gov.sg/ • A*STAR: https://www.a-star.edu.sg/ 📚 Concepts and Frameworks • Immunoassay: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immunoassay • C-reactive protein (CRP): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C-reactive_protein • Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymerase_chain_reaction • Biomarker: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biomarker_(medicine) • Antimicrobial resistance: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antimicrobial_resistance • FDA (US Food and Drug Administration): https://www.fda.gov/ 👥 People and Profiles • Rhonda Patrick: https://www.foundmyfitness.com/ • Siddhartha Mukherjee: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siddhartha_Mukherjee 📖 Books • The Emperor of All Maladies: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Emperor-of-All-Maladies/Siddhartha-Mukherjee/9781439170915 • The Gene: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Gene/Siddhartha-Mukherjee/9781476733524 • The Song of the Cell: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Song-of-the-Cell/Siddhartha-Mukherjee/9781982117368

57 min
10 FEB

Don't Start a Business, Buy One (ep 68)

GenCap Partners breaks down how entrepreneurship through acquisition (ETA) and search-fund style investing are creating a practical path to buy and grow small businesses in Singapore and Malaysia. Instead of starting from zero, Zachary Lee and Eric Koh explain how operators can acquire existing cash-flowing SMEs, professionalize management, and scale with clearer downside protection than many early-stage startup bets. They cover how GenCap matches operators to assets, how SPV-based deal structures change incentives, and why seller motivation often determines whether a deal closes. 📖 What You’ll Learn in This Episode • How ETA and search-fund models differ from traditional VC funds • Why GenCap targets consistency over power-law outcomes • How risk, return, and loss ratios compare across VC, PE, and SME deals • The four core underwriting lenses: asset quality, valuation, team, and structure • Why seller motivation is a first-meeting diligence priority • Common SME red flags: key-man risk, customer concentration, and weak controls • How SPV structures reduce forced deployment and forced exits • How succession trends and demographics are shaping SME opportunities • Where AI and tech modernization can improve post-acquisition operations 🎧 Listen and Subscribe • YouTube: [https://www.youtube.com/@TheGeneralistsPodcast](https://www.youtube.com/@TheGeneralistsPodcast) • Spotify: [https://open.spotify.com/show/2apfGY403NGr1EyTNkJfG4](https://open.spotify.com/show/2apfGY403NGr1EyTNkJfG4) • Apple Podcasts: [https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/the-generalists](https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/the-generalists) 🎙️ Hosts • Michael Smith Jr.: [https://www.linkedin.com/in/smittysgp/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/smittysgp/) • Raz Kotler: [https://www.linkedin.com/in/razkotler/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/razkotler/) 👤👤 Guests • Zachary Lee: [https://www.linkedin.com/in/leehuisiang/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/leehuisiang/) • Eric Koh: [https://www.linkedin.com/in/koheric/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/koheric/) 🔗 Resources and Links Mentioned 🏢 Companies and Products • GenCap Partners: [https://www.gencap.asia/](https://www.gencap.asia/) • Dorje AI: [https://dorje.ai/](https://dorje.ai/) • Microsoft: [https://www.microsoft.com/](https://www.microsoft.com/) • NVIDIA: [https://www.nvidia.com/](https://www.nvidia.com/) • SGX (Singapore Exchange): [https://www.sgx.com/](https://www.sgx.com/) • Bursa Malaysia: [https://www.bursamalaysia.com/](https://www.bursamalaysia.com/) 📚 Concepts and Frameworks • Search Fund: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Search_fund](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Search_fund) • Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA): [https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/faculty-research/case-studies/case-search-fund-entrepreneurship-through-acquisition](https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/faculty-research/case-studies/case-search-fund-entrepreneurship-through-acquisition) • Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV): [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special-purpose_entity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special-purpose_entity) 👥 People and Profiles • Codie Sanchez: [https://www.linkedin.com/in/codiesanchez](https://www.linkedin.com/in/codiesanchez) 🎙️ Podcasts and Media • The Diary Of A CEO: [https://www.thediaryofaceo.com/](https://www.thediaryofaceo.com/) • The Game Of Impossible: [https://open.spotify.com/show/2pZcmJ2r4v98VqywQCFeXk](https://open.spotify.com/show/2pZcmJ2r4v98VqywQCFeXk) 📖 Books • Die With Zero (Bill Perkins): [https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/bill-perkins/die-with-zero/9780358567097/](https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/bill-perkins/die-with-zero/9780358567097/)

58 min
2 FEB

Meta Bought a Singapore Startup for Billions (ep 67)

A high-signal, no-filter roundtable with Hian Goh (OpenSpace Capital), Alex Dwek (COO, Nas.io), Michael Smith Jr. (The Generalists), and Raz Kotler (The Generalists). The Manus AI acquisition by Meta just became the biggest tech acquisition of a Singapore-based entity and the table breaks down the geopolitics, the deal mechanics, and what it really means for the ecosystem. From there, the conversation moves to Level3AI's funding and why usage-based pricing is eating SaaS, Singapore's S$1 billion AI commitment, the fundraising journey of a Singapore Series A startup, why US investors are finally writing checks into Singapore, and what Wikipedia vs. Grokpedia tells us about truth infrastructure. This is the full uncut Round 3 - sharp takes, inside baseball, founder lessons, and real talk about what's working. 📖 What You'll Learn in This Episode - Why Meta acquiring Manus AI is a landmark validation for Singapore regardless of how the company got there - What China might (or might not) do about the deal, and the inside baseball on why the money may not get distributed - The "Singapore-first vs. flip" distinction and why it matters for the next wave of Chinese founders - Level3AI's raise and why pay-per-outcome pricing is replacing SaaS seats - Singapore's S$1 billion AI budget: where it goes and why S$250M/year is meaningful for a small country - Nas.io's fundraising journey: 9-day term sheet in 2021, 50+ pitches in 2025 and what changed - Why US funds are finally comfortable investing in Singapore (the "exclusion list" shift) - Hian's FOMO vs. "Screw It" framework for how venture deals actually get done - Wikipedia vs. Grokpedia: locked articles, editor cartels, and the future of truth infrastructure - Claude Code, Cowork, and building a full-stack app without writing a single line of code 🔔 Listen and Subscribe - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGeneralistsPodcast - Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2apfGY403NGr1EyTNkJfG4 - Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/the-generalists 🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️ The Table - Hian Goh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hiangoh/ - Alex Dwek: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexdwek/ - Michael Smith Jr.: https://www.linkedin.com/in/smittysgp/ - Raz Kotler: https://www.linkedin.com/in/razkotler/ 🔗 Links & Mentions - Manus AI: https://manus.im - Meta: https://about.meta.com - Level 3 AI: https://www.level3.ai - Nas.io: https://nas.io - Nas Daily: https://www.youtube.com/@nasdaily - OpenSpace Capital: https://www.openspace.vc - Intercom: https://www.intercom.com - Sierra AI: https://sierra.ai - Airwallex: https://www.airwallex.com - Benchmark Capital: https://www.benchmark.com - Tiger Global: https://www.tigerglobal.com - ByteDance / TikTok: https://www.bytedance.com - Claude Code / Cowork (Anthropic): https://www.anthropic.com - Marvell Technology: https://www.marvell.com - Celestial AI: https://www.celestial.ai - Nvidia: https://www.nvidia.com - Microsoft: https://www.microsoft.com - Grokpedia (xAI): https://grokpedia.com - Wikipedia: https://www.wikipedia.org - Carousell: https://www.carousell.com - SGX (Singapore Exchange): https://www.sgx.com - A*STAR: https://www.a-star.edu.sg

1 hr
26 JAN

COA Chocolate: Fermented Protein for Better Snacks (ep 66)

Eduardo Burg, founder of COA chocolate, shares his journey from corporate generalist to food tech entrepreneur in Singapore. Learn how fermented protein, whole food ingredients, and founder-led marketing are shaping the future of functional snacks. Eduardo explains his 16-year specialist career in marketing at major companies like Danone and PepsiCo, followed by his transition to becoming an ultra-generalist managing director and then food tech founder. He reflects on the importance of understanding what good looks like across functions, the risks specialists face in the AI era of going too deep into silos, and why generalists need deep domain knowledge to leverage AI effectively. The conversation dives into the food tech ecosystem in Singapore, including R&D facilities at Nurasa, manufacturing partnerships across Vietnam and Indonesia, and the challenges of building brand awareness through social media and influencer marketing. Eduardo shares candid lessons on embracing failure, dealing with rejection, the reality of being a solopreneur, and why connecting personally to the problem you're solving is essential for surviving the entrepreneurial journey. 📖 What You'll Learn in This Episode • Why generalists need deep domain knowledge to leverage AI effectively • How Singapore's food tech ecosystem enables R&D and innovation • The difference between ultra-processed protein isolates and whole food fermented protein • Why fermentation creates more bioavailable, nutrient-dense ingredients • Brand building challenges: social media, influencer marketing, and authentic storytelling • The reality of being rejected while sampling products • Why incumbents cannot create healthier versions of their iconic brands • Manufacturing and supply chain across Vietnam, Indonesia, and Singapore • Solopreneur mindset: embracing failure and separating business from identity • Health span vs lifespan and the growing demand for functional foods 🔔 Listen and Subscribe • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGeneralistsPodcast • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2apfGY403NGr1EyTNkJfG4 • Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/the-generalists 👤 Hosts • Michael Smith Jr.: https://www.linkedin.com/in/smittysgp/ • Raz Kotler: https://www.linkedin.com/in/razkotler/ 👤 Guest • Eduardo Burg: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eduardo-burg-mlynarz/ 🔗 Resources and Links Mentioned 🏢 Companies and Products • COA Chocolate: https://eatcoa.com/ • Danone: https://www.danone.com/ • PepsiCo: https://www.pepsico.com/ • Nurasa (Temasek Food Tech Innovation Centre): https://nurasa.com/ • Little Farms: https://littlefarms.com/ • BFT (Body Fit Training): https://bodyfittraining.com/ • F45 Training: https://f45training.com/ • Anytime Fitness: https://www.anytimefitness.com/ • Yo-Chi: https://yochi.com.sg/ 📚 Concepts and Frameworks • Tempeh: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempeh • Fermentation: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fermentation • Bioavailability: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioavailability • Protein isolates and concentrates: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soy_protein • Health span vs lifespan: https://peterattiamd.com/longevity101/ • Stoicism: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stoicism • Zone 2 training: https://peterattiamd.com/ • VO2 max: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VO2_max • Antifragility: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antifragility 👥 People • Peter Attia: https://peterattiamd.com/ • Alex Hormozi: https://www.acquisition.com/ • Nuseir Yassin (Nas Daily): https://nasdaily.com/ 📖 Books • The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can't Stand Positive Thinking: https://www.oliverburkeman.com/books

57 min

The hosts Raz Kotler & Michael Smith Jr., interview people around how they arrived in Singapore, their careers, their personal journeys and how the concept of being a Generalist influences their life and career. All episodes currently filmed F2F in the Poddster Singapore studios.

Creator

Raz Kotler & Michael Smith Jr.
Years Active

2024 - 2026
Episodes

73
Copyright

© 2024
Show Website

The Generalists