Best Timen Podcasts (2024)

1
E27: What is Zalo and why is it SO popular in Vietnam? 37:25

4d ago37:25

37:25

Vinh Xo is the founder of Vat Vo Studio, a team of independent tech reviewers on YouTube with more than 2m subscribers. Today, he tells me why people in Vietnam are so crazy about Apple products, the worrying issues around data security in Vietnam, and his top tips for staying safe online. He breaks down why homegrown app Zalo is so popular with mo…

1
E26: Vietnam's soaring sports and how global brands can unlock love from loyal fans 52:55

18d ago52:55

52:55

As a sports journalist and editor, Luu Thien knows all about the sports trends keeping Vietnam buzzing with energy. Today, he talks about the current sports landscape in Vietnam, the growth of Esports and niche sports and what's going on with Vietnamese football on the domestic and international stages right now. He also shares his tips for what gl…

1
E25: Why the next chapter of Vietnam's food story is being written RIGHT NOW 32:28

2M ago32:28

32:28

Meet Jovel Chan, a food and beverage marketer turned blogger, founder and consultant. Jovel landed in Vietnam and quickly made her mark as the go-to authority of Vietnam's evolving food and dining scene in Ho Chi Minh City. She offers insider guides to Vietnam's F&B industry on her website jovelchan.com and is the founder of Saigon Social, the comp…

1
E24: Meet the Vietnamese founder tackling addictive short-form social content 31:03

3M ago31:03

31:03

"In Vietnam there's a joke... when you say something ridiculous online, people will say it's the consequence of watching more than three hours of TikTok a day," says Bao-Khanh Nguyen, the founder of social audio content platform OnMic. Drained by his own experience with social media doom scrolling and superficial learning, Khanh decided to tackle i…

1
E23: Attract and retain Gen Z staff in Vietnam by doing this, says HR expert Kelvin Nguyen 35:30

3M ago35:30

35:30

Nguyen The Cong, or Kelvin Nguyen, is a global talent acquisition expert. In his role as talent advisor at Vinfast, Kelvin is responsible for bringing global talent to Vietnam and hiring for Vinfast in its global markets. He is an angel investor and CEO at YouthPlus, a platform to help young people discover what they want to do, and connect with co…

1
E22: Vietnam's young families are changing SO quickly says entrepreneur Dang Thuy Trang 42:36

4M ago42:36

42:36

Dang Thuy Trang is the founder of Vietnamese sleep company RU9, which offers young people solutions for better sleep as they look to prioritise their wellbeing. Today, Trang talks about the importance of sleep in Vietnamese culture, how her customers are changing so quickly, the challenges of doing business in Vietnam, and what it's like to be a fe…

1
E21: Vietnam's speeding up but its coffee culture is all about slowing down says Lacàph founder Timen Swijtink 46:31

5M ago46:31

46:31

On today's episode of You Don't Know Vietnam, we're talking to Timen Swijtink, the Founder of Vietnamese coffee brand Lacàph. With Lacàph's coffee, coffee shops and coffee experiences in Vietnam, and grand plans to export high quality, branded Vietnamese beans to the world, Timen is on a mission to change the global perception of both Vietnamese co…

1
E20: Can Vietnam's Dat Bike lead Southeast Asia's electric motorbike revolution? 34:24

5M ago34:24

34:24

Entrepreneur Nguyen Son is the founder and CEO of electric two-wheeler start up, Dat Bike. He's on a mission! To convert 250,000,000 motorbike drivers in Southeast Asia from petrol to electric, starting right here in Vietnam - the land of the motorbike. Today, he talks about why the motorbike is so important to people in Vietnam, why Vietnam has be…

1
E19: Shoppertainment is a must for retailers in Vietnam says Quang Thai 28:52

6M ago28:52

28:52

Meet retail expert Quang Thai, the CEO of direct to consumer (D2C) company DTX Asia. Since moving back to Vietnam from studying in the U.S, Thai has set up a handful of lifestyle brands in everything from fashion, watches and jewellery to men's cosmetics and temporary tattoos. He's seen Vietnam's retail sector move rapidly from social selling to e-…

1
65 | Timen Swijtink, Lacàph and Building a Coffee Brand in Vietnam 1:00:38

6M ago1:00:38

1:00:38

Timen is the founder at Lacàph, a fast-growing Vietnamese coffee brand, that is starting to export into new markets in Asia Pacific and around the world. Besides this he is a board member in companies in residential real estate development and software SaaS solutions. He has been in Vietnam since 2007, but is a proud Dutch person that happens to ha…

1
E18: Why Vietnam's thriving F&B scene is more than phở and street food 47:13

7M ago47:13

47:13

Ha Chu is the founder of Cooked.VN - a rapidly growing F&B school that helps its students learn about branding and marketing in the restaurant business. In today's episode, Ha shares what Vietnamese people really mean when they ask "Have you eaten yet?", why she thinks "phở" won't be Vietnam's poster dish forever, and also shares her three must-try…

1
64 | Simon Torring, eCommerce in Southeast Asia 42:00

8M ago42:00

42:00

Simon Torring is the Co-founder of Cube Asia, a market insights company for online retail in Southeast Asia. Cube Asia helps brands, retail companies, and investors drive profitable growth by leveraging more recent, granular, and reliable data and insights about their online sales channels. In this conversation, we cover eCommerce in Southeast Asia…

1
E17: Building brand love in Vietnam's changing PR industry 47:56

8M ago47:56

47:56

Ivy Nhi Chau is the CEO and founder of Ivy + Partners - a PR agency based in Ho Chi Minh City that helps global brands share their stories in Vietnam. Today, she talks about how the PR industry in Vietnam is changing. She also shares her tips for winning brand love in Vietnam, what can go wrong, and her five steps global brands should take when ent…

1
E16: The explosion of Vietnam's middle class and what it means for global brands, with Thue Quist Thomasen 41:10

9M ago41:10

41:10

Thue Quist Thomasen is the CEO of market research agency Decision Lab in Vietnam. If there's anyone who knows about the trends driving Vietnam forward, it's him. Today, he talks about how the challenge of working in Vietnam is what attracted him to start a business here, what excites him most about Vietnam, and what global audiences tend to misunde…

1
E15: Mental health and the pressures facing Gen Z in Vietnam 39:35

9M ago39:35

39:35

According to studies, more than a quarter of young people in Vietnam are depressed and almost 6% have attempted suicide. In this episode of You Don't Know Vietnam, We Create Content's cofounder Ian Paynton speaks to Hanh Ha, the CEO of a new mental health app, SoftenMind. Hanh talks about her own journey with depression and therapy, the state of me…

1
E14: "They said the menstrual cup wouldn't work in Vietnam," says Lincup's Linh Bach-Howell 43:08

11M ago43:08

43:08

Linh brought the menstrual cup to Vietnam. And she had a real challenge on her hands: how to sell menstrual cups in a place where nobody talked about periods? 8 years later, almost 3,000,000 women in Vietnam have bought a Lincup and Linh says they're just getting started. Today, Linh talks about the entrepreneurial spirit and consumer habits of Vie…

1
63 | Johan Rozali-Wathooth, Investing with Impact 56:40

11M ago56:40

56:40

Johan Rozali-Wathooth is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Bintang Capital Partners. Bintang believes in the importance of deploying capital in an innovative, responsible and sustainable way, while still pursuing outsized risk-adjusted returns. Bintang is also now the first private equity firm in Southeast Asia to earn B Corp Certification…

1
E13: There's no 'call my lawyer' in Vietnam, you have to build trust says entrepreneur Dave Bui 33:27

11M ago33:27

33:27

Since coming back to Vietnam from studying and working overseas, serial tech entrepreneur Dave Bui has absolutely smashed it. He grew a healthcare information platform called ViCare and sold it to VinGroup in 2018. In 2019, he founded an interactive and super engaging presentation software called AhaSlides, which has more than a million users world…

1
E12: WTF is Vinahouse? Beatboxer and looper Flow.D explains 51:46

11M ago51:46

51:46

In a country where the go-to music is love songs, Flow.D uses only his mouth to produce growly drum n bass with the goal to get Vietnamese audiences out of their comfort zone. Today, he talks about his personal development as a professional beatboxer, his experience working on commercial projects in Vietnam, and what the phở Vinahouse is all about.…

1
E11: Evolving tastes and Tik Tok are changing Vietnamese weddings says wedding planner Dang Hien Thao 41:28

12M ago41:28

41:28

If anyone knows about lovers in Vietnam, it's Thao. Along with her team, she's planned more than 500 weddings - most of which in the up-and-coming wedding destination of Danang. Today, she talks about how the traditional wedding is changing in Vietnam, the conflicts Vietnamese couples have with their parents when planning weddings, the evolving tas…

1
62 | Tim Bunting, The Kiwi Yamabushi 44:33

1y ago44:33

44:33

Tim Bunting is a practising yamabushi from New Zealand, having moved to the Shonai region of Yamagata, Japan, in 2010. Describing a yamabushi is hard, because the only way to really understand what yamabushi are, is to become one yourself. But, essentially Yamabushi are the mountain dwellers of Japan, practitioners of the ancient belief of Shugendo…

1
E10: Hanoi Rock City's DA on 12 years of setting the stage for Vietnam's indie scene 50:06

1y ago50:06

50:06

Hanoi Rock City has been giving musicians in Vietnam a platform for more than 12 years. It's an institution that DA has proudly kept alive despite the financial difficulties associated with such grassroots endeavours. Today he talks about how Hanoi Rock City has changed during the years, the newfound success of indie bands in Vietnam, and what his …

1
61 | Jorge Almazán, Emergent Tokyo: Designing the Spontaneous City 1:14:33

1y ago1:14:33

1:14:33

Jorge Almazán is a Tokyo-based architect and a researcher and an educator at the graduate Center for Space and Environment Design Engineering at Keio University, where he leads Studiolab, a university-based collaboration platform dedicated to design innovation and research. He is also the author of Emergent Tokyo: Designing the Spontaneous City, wh…

1
E09: Filmmaker Quang Nong on Vietnam's new wave of cinema 39:48

1y ago39:48

39:48

Quang moved from Vietnam's northern mountains to Hanoi to follow his dream in documentary filmmaking. He created a film about Grindr that was shortlisted for awards - and also banned. Since then, he's produced multiple shorts about Vietnam's queer scene and is now working on a documentary about his sister's journey from mental health challenges to …

1
60 | Adam Fulford, Regional Revitalization in Japan 55:44

1y ago55:44

55:44

Adam Fulford is the founder and CEO of Fulford Enterprises, which is a language services company. Fulford Enterprises works mainly in TV, providing translation, narration and other services to NHK and related companies. Adam is also active as a cross-cultural consultant who places a special emphasis on the value of regional Japan, which we focus on…

1
E08: Music duo Tiny Giant on respecting Vietnam's traditional instruments and how they want to evolve as artists 54:44

1y ago54:44

54:44

If there's an electronic live act to catch coming out of Vietnam, it's Tiny Giant - a genre-defying music duo made up of Linh Ha and Tomes. Their live sets really take you on a journey, with a mixture of electronic beat productions, layered vocal looping, analogue synths and an acoustic instruments. Today, they talk about the influence Vietnam has …

1
59 | Brittany Garbutt, Pretzel and Doughing It Right 58:54

1y ago58:54

58:54

Brittany Garbutt is the founder of Pretzel Australia. Pretzel has 11 stores across Australia, a business turnover of more than $5 million a year and over 300 staff. In addition to Pretzel, she’s also the founder of Voodoo Cafe, Voodoo Priestess, and Chubby Boy Breakfast and Bar. But I'm (k)not joking, the pretzels are beyond amazing. So pretty stok…

1
E07: "Investors, stop asking me stuff you wouldn't ask men," says CEO of tech startup Annie Possible 35:23

1y ago35:23

35:23

Annie Possible is the cofounder and CEO of tech startup Tubudd. It's a local concierge platform that connects Vietnam's foreign visitors with locals to ensure guests have a unique and pleasant experience during their stay. Today, she talks about why people can have a bad time in Vietnam and what it's like to be a woman in Vietnam's growing tech sta…

1
58 | Understanding Japan's Insane Bubble with Rei Saito 38:07

1y ago38:07

38:07

In this conversation, we do deep dive into the bursting of Japan’s economic bubble in the ‘90s. Uncovering Japan's lost decade, the tragic tale of the economic bubble burst and its consequences Joining me for this deep dive is friend and previous guest, Rei Saito (@Misosoppa). Rei is the writer behind Konichi-Value. Konichi-Value aims to share my m…

1
57 | Sarah Clarke, Journalism in Asia 36:54

1y ago36:54

36:54

Sarah Clarke is an award-winning journalist, TV presenter and media facilitator now based in Australia. Sarah spent 8 years living and working in Hong Kong and is now a freelance correspondent with Al Jazeera English covering major stories across Australia and Asia-Pacific. But selfishly, most exciting for me which I’ll detail in our conversation, …

1
E06: Photographer Justin Mott on shooting Vietnam's first billionaire and the changing tastes of clients 28:27

1y ago28:27

28:27

Justin Mott has been living in (and photographing) Vietnam for 15 years. He's shot more than 100 assignments for the New York Times and owns a commercial photography business. Today, he talks about why he chose to make Vietnam home, the changing tastes of clients, and what he's most excited about for Vietnam's future. This podcast is brought to you…

1
E05: "Vietnamese rap is blowing up and it's an opportunity for everyone," says Dunkare's Tran Tien Dung 26:20

1y ago26:20

26:20

Dung's been at the heart of Vietnam's hip hop scene for 20 years. He's witnessed hip hop culture trickle into Vietnam in the form of breakdancing, graffiti and emceeing over American beats, to the vibrant, popular and commercially viable rap scene that can be found in Vietnam today. In this episode, he talks us through the origins of his project Du…

1
56 | Erik from Rice Noodles, Taiwan and YouTube 2:02:47

1y ago2:02:47

2:02:47

Erik is the owner and creator of the Rice Noodles YouTube channel, where he shares everything Taiwan, from street food to normal food, culture, history and just general interesting and idiosyncratic things. In this long and fun conversation, we cover filmmaking, the beast that is YouTube, and of course, Taiwan. A different style of episode to my us…

1
55 | Bukalapak Deep Dive with Aaron Pek 35:46

1y ago35:46

35:46

In this conversation, we cover the business of Bukalapak, who they are, their valuation, and interestingly, the role of the Salim group in both Bukalapak and the wider ASEAN economy. Joining me to discuss and dive deep into Bukalapak’s business is Aaron Pek, the author of Value Investing Substack, and not surprisingly, a Value Investor in ASEAN. Su…

1
E04: Arts and culture journalist Uyen Ly: Vietnam's leaders are looking at creativity to fuel growth 45:49

1y ago45:49

45:49

Uyen Ly has been at the heart of Vietnam's arts and culture scene for more than 20 years as a journalist. Now, as editor of arts and culture platform Hanoi Grapevine, Ly is witnessing a seismic shift as Vietnam's leaders look towards art and creativity as a resource for growth. Today, she talks about the challenges and opportunities this holds for …

1
E03: Travel writer Joshua Zukas: The Orientalist fantasy surrounding Vietnam doesn't match reality 49:09

1y ago49:09

49:09

Joshua Zukas is the go-to guy for everything travel in Vietnam. Today, he talks about what people overseas misunderstand about Vietnam, the issues with Vietnam's tourism brand, and what business travellers can do to really get to know the country when they visit. This podcast is brought to you by We Create Content - the content agency for global br…

1
54 | Peter Douglas, Japanese Hospitality and Nozawa Onsen 40:07

1y ago40:07

40:07

Peter Douglas is the senior executive of kk Nozawa Hospitality, a boutique provider of accommodation services in the unique mountain village of Nozawa Onsen. He is responsible for funding and financial strategy. In this super fun conversation, we cover the Japanese onsen tourism industry, Nozawa hospitality, and his transition from the financial se…

1
53 | Michael McGaughy, Emerging Market Investing 38:18

1y ago38:18

38:18

Michael McGaughy is the Founder and Portfolio Manager of Research Alpha, a specialist fund which invests in the equity of unloved and out-of-favour quality companies in some of the world’s least expensive stock markets, like Uzbekistan, Argentina and Egypt. In this conversation, we cover how he started and got interested in emerging markets, what i…

1
E02: Adman Hoang Pham talks creativity in Vietnam and the foreign brands getting it right 42:17

1y ago42:17

42:17

Hoang Pham moved from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City to pursue a career in advertising. He's absolutely smashing it. In this episode, he talks about the state of advertising and creativity in Vietnam, which foreign brands are getting it right, and his experience with gender transition. This podcast is brought to you by We Create Content - the content ag…

1
52 | Yusno Yunos, The Genesis of Evenesis 36:08

1y ago36:08

36:08

My guest today is Yusno Yunos, founder and CEO of Evenesis. Evenesis is a complete cloud-based end-to-end event management system that integrates event planners, participants and suppliers. In this conversation, we cover the events space, where it is and might be heading after the wild past few years, and also how the Metaverse may impact future ev…

1
51 | Bernard Leong, Analyse Asia 57:10

1+ y ago57:10

57:10

My guest today is Bernard Leong (@bernardleong). Bernard is currently the group chief digital and information officer at a Singapore construction conglomerate. But also, is the founder of Analyse Asia, a weekly podcast on technology, business and media with notable industry players and thought leaders all over Asia. In this conversation, we cover t…

1
50 | ASML & EUV Lithography Deep Dive with Asianometry 39:19

1+ y ago39:19

39:19

My guest today is Jon from Asianometry (@asianometry), creator of the hugely popular Asianometry YouTube channel where he posts video essays on business, economics, and history within Asia. In this conversation, we cover EUV Lithography, ASML, and everything in between from how it all works to their impact on the world and what it all means. I hope…

1
49 | Sean Upton-McLaughlin, Building a Career in China 45:27

1+ y ago45:27

45:27

My guest today is Sean Upton-McLaughlin (@SeanUM_China). Sean has spent over a decade working with Chinese companies throughout China, often in Chinese-only working environments, helping to improve their global marketing and communications. Now, based in Shenzhen, he continues to help Chinese technology companies bridge the business and cultural di…

1
48 | Rajeev Mantri, Venture Investing and India’s Economic Prospects 41:34

1+ y ago41:34

41:34

My guest today is Rajeev Mantri (@RMantri). Rajeev is the founder and managing director of India-focused venture capital firm Navam Capital. Prior to founding Navam, Rajeev worked as a venture capital investor at New York-based Lux Capital, focusing on investments in deep technology ventures. In this conversation, we cover deep tech investing withi…

1
47 | 2022 Compounding Curiosity Annual Review 19:21

1+ y ago19:21

19:21

My 2022 recap! Talking about my big year of the podcast, the stats, some future guests, episodes, and the plans for the podcast going forward. Will be back to regularly scheduled guests from next week! Have some thoughts on the podcast and want to leave feedback? Use my Google forms and vent to your heart’s content: https://forms.gle/Du61UxeJ25Bkyd…

1
46 | Raghav Kapoor, Disrupting Investment Research with Smartkarma 41:44

1+ y ago41:44

41:44

My guest today is Raghav Kapoor (@Ragkap), CEO & Co-Founder at Smartkarma. As Smartkarma CEO, Raghav drives product strategy, oversees technology development, and maintains a hands-on approach with the company’s day-to-day operations. With Smartkarma, Raghav set out to reinvent how investment research is sourced, priced, and distributed. In today’s…

1
45 | Callum Morton-Smith, Construction and Quantity Surveying in the Middle East 53:38

1+ y ago53:38

53:38

My guest today is Callum Morton-Smith. Callum is a Chartered Quantity Surveyor with experience in Perth, London, Dubai and Saudi Arabia. In today’s conversation, we go deep into the construction industry and Quantity Surveying in the Middle East, some trends there, and Callum’s investment journey. I hope you enjoy my conversation with Callum Morton…

1
E01: BOO's CEO Do Viet Anh on appealing to Gen Z for survival in Vietnam 31:12

1+ y ago31:12

31:12

From a small skate shop to a multi-million dollar fashion brand, Do Viet Anh has been on a 20-year journey with his company BOO in Vietnam. But it hasn't always been easy. In the very first episode of You Don't Know Vietnam, Viet Anh talks about how appealing to the younger generation saved his business, the pressures facing young people in Vietnam…

1
44 | Stephen Vines, Defying the Dragon: Hong Kong and the World's Largest Dictatorship 45:10

1+ y ago45:10

45:10

My guest today is Stephen Vines. Steve is a British journalist, writer, broadcaster and restaurateur, who was based in Hong Kong for over 30 years from 1987 to 2021. He is also the author of Defying the Dragon: Hong Kong and the World's Largest Dictatorship, which is today’s focus. In Defying the Dragon and today’s conversation, Stephen documents H…

1
43 | Value Punks, Global Value Investing 45:50

1+ y ago45:50

45:50

My guests today are Daye Deng and Balkar Sivia from Value Punks. Balkar has spent a decade investing globally, in the US, Indian, and other Emerging Markets. He is a CFA charterholder and has a degree in electrical engineering from University of British Columbia. Daye has focused on Asian equities in his career, having worked in Hong Kong, Seoul, a…

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