Have you ever felt like the corporate grind isn’t for you, but you’ve been worried that you may need to make some sacrifices to find truly fulfilling work?
Meet Bakhtiar Talhah: founder, biodiversity advocate, and purposeful leader. Someone who gave up an international corporate career to choose a more fulfilling path. He has implemented Malaysia’s national AIDS policy, led operations for Malaysia’s Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, and now leads his own firm helping companies embrace biodiversity.
Learn about how he made the hard decision to take a pay cut to move into truly fulfilling work, and how he feels about the decision now.
Hear Bakhtiar’s take on:
Timestamps
(00:53) Introducing Bakhtiar Talhah—and my favourite story
(04:59) Bakhtiar’s many names explained
(08:11) Taking risks—and paycuts
(13:01) Choices he most proud of—and least proud of
(17:40) Transition to sustainability focus
(20:15) Meaning and symbolism of Jejawi
(22:00) Starting his own ESG advisory firm
(26:21) Finding crossover skills from corporate career
(30:00) Unexpected opportunities after leaving the city
(32:58) Brain drain in Malaysia and Bakhtiar’s advice
(36:34) Passion and authenticity—and how to get unstuck
(39:50) Talking legacy
You can connect with Bakhtiar here:
https://www.jejawi-advisors.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/bakhtiar-talhah
And if you’d like to learn more about Erika:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/erika-behl
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So hello everyone and thank you for joining Every Moment is a Choice.
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My name is Erika Behl and this is a podcast for people who are looking to understand their
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own unique courage.
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I talk with people who have inspired me with the choices they've made in both in their
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career and in their personal lives.
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And today I am thrilled to have Bakhtiar Talhah, a friend and colleague who I've known for
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years.
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Hi Bakhtiar.
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Hi Erika.
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So Bakhtiar has had a remarkable and I would say very international career.
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So like I said, we've known each other for years, probably 15 years or so.
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And we met when we were both working in the energy industry in Kuala Lumpur.
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And Bakhtiar has worked, I won't say the name of the company, but he's worked for a national
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oil company in Malaysia.
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He's worked for energy advisory firms.
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And then he made a very interesting choice to make a turn towards nonprofit work.
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And he served as executive director of the Malaysian AIDS Council, where he directed
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Malaysia's national plan on HIV AIDS.
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While he's still involved with the AIDS Council as an honorary secretary and trustee, he's
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pivoted yet again into sustainability and first as COO of the Roundtable on Sustainable
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Palm Oil.
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And for those of you who are not based in Southeast Asia, this is a big industry here.
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Palm oil is a very important industry in Southeast Asia and has a lot of impact on the environment
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too.
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And he's now founder and CEO of Jaajawi Advisors dedicated to helping Southeast Asian businesses
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resolve complex sustainability challenges.
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Wow.
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So I have always viewed your career as inspirational and we'll get into that, but you are also
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just an amazing human and we go back a long way.
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And I just have to tell a story from when we worked together because it's one of my
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favorite stories of all time.
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So I had said that we worked together in KL and we were working in an office there, kind
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of a branch office of a larger company and Bakhtiar was like head of office and I was
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a manager there.
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And one day he came up to me or he emailed me or something.
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I can't remember how you reached out to me and you were just like bursting with some
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information that you couldn't keep in.
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And you just said, I think I was sent something that I wasn't supposed to have seen.
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We all have corporate world.
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Sometimes you get mistakenly CC'd on something, but this was a doozy.
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So okay, this is a safe story to tell.
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This company no longer exists.
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This is like 15 years ago.
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Nope, he's going to get in trouble.
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But somebody had sent Bakhtiar by mistake the salaries of everyone in the company from
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like the CEO down to the investors.
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And he was just bursting with like this having this information and wanting to like confide
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and say, oh my goodness, like I have this, the Holy grail.
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Did you call it that?
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He had like the Holy grail and I was so trying to get information out of you.
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I was like, oh no, like what?
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So how much do I make?
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How much do my colleagues make?
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How much does the CEO make?
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And Bakhtiar was like, I would, no, I'm not going to do it.
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And I cannot believe like the strength that you had and the willpower not to like use
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this to blackmail people.
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Like there are so many possible scenarios that could have occurred from this.
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It took a lot of willpower.
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I can tell you that.
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Just imagine today if somebody like received like everyone's salary, like I just, what
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would people do with that information?
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You took the high road.
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Some things are better left not known, right?
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I know.
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I think you actually said that you're like, you don't want to know.
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It will just make you depressed.
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Oh, oh, okay.
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Okay.
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Okay.
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I need to calm down.
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I need to calm down because we need to get into this.
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Okay.
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So I know you are a proud Malaysian and you have several nicknames actually.
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So you go by Bakhtiar, you go by BT, your initials.
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I've heard that, you know, and I think you've, have you collected these nicknames from all
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of your international travels?
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I guess.
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I mean, my, my, my family calls me Char.
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So Char is T.
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I don't know why.
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Well, I've always been a T person, but I picked up a bad habit of loving coffee when I was
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in France.
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That is actually my, my, my real initials really is because my full name is Bakhtiar
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Fendi Taha.
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So there's an A in the middle.
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And I used to write DAT like my school books and then all that.
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And I think someone must have picked it up and sort of like, oh, whose book is it?
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It says Bat.
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And then it kind of stuck.
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So among my schoolmates, I'm known as Bat.
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And then BT I think came a bit later, I guess in the working world, just because I used
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to sign off my emails and whatnot, just BT, right?
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So yeah, because my name is not easy to pronounce Bakhtiar.
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It says Persian by origin.
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Bakhtiar Fendi means perfect choice.
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So lovely.
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Yeah.
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And yeah, so BT came about a bit later.
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So my name, you know, it's hard to pronounce for a lot of people, you know, in the US I
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get Bakhtiar a lot, you know, and the French sort of like, you know, tend to emphasize
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a bit on the R's, right?
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So yeah, I go by BT now most of the time.
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Yeah, I like BT.
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I always thought that was a bit of a Malaysian thing too, because when I was living there,
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I think lots of people like the like the two initials.
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Yeah, I remember lots of people like to do that.
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It makes it quite easy.
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But thank you for sharing that.
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And you mentioned France as well.
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Did you did you study there?
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I did.
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I did.
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So I did my master's there.
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So I did my undergraduate in the US.
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And then I was supposed to go to medical school.
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So I was kind of like pre-med.
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Yeah, but that was one of the like best choices I made in life really to like not go to medical
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school, because I think I would have been an awful.
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You know, France was like more of an adventure thing.
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I decided, hey, why not?
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And I've always loved the French language.
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I picked it up in high school.
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And I said, you know, well, there's an opportunity.
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Why not just take like a few years off to go to graduate school?
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I chose France.
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Well, first, because the fees were very low.
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So I could afford it.
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Yeah.
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I lived really, really poorly as a student, though.
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But but yeah, so that's how sort of like France started for me.
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Nice.
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Lovely.
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So I have to say, I summarized a bit your career.
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And I think one of the one of the reasons that I've always found you inspirational is
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that you have kind of navigated your career by making some purposeful choices.
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And there are lots of people in the corporate world, especially in the energy industry,
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the money is usually quite good.
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You know, there's progression.
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There's always a there's always kind of more that you can aim for within that industry.
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But you've taken risks.
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You know, going from energy industry, kind of well paid to nonprofit work is a is a big
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thing.
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What who or what inspires you to make some of those choices?
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Well, I've taken risks, taken huge big cuts as well.
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Yeah, you're right.
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I think I mean, I started my career really in the oil and gas.
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So I worked for the Malaysian National Oil Company.
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So that was my first job.
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I did that for a couple of years.
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And then when I moved back to France, you know, got that job at that company, we both
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worked at.
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So I did that for a couple of years as well.
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And I think I think after some time, I just felt that there was, you know, like, I don't
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know, I don't want to say something missing, but I just wanted to change, I think.
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And I think, you know, I'm the kind of person, I guess, who do a lot of sort of like self-reflection,
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like, OK, am I still happy at this job?
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Am I still happy doing what I'm doing?
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And also because I like to do stuff outside of work.
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So I think, you know, volunteer, well, you started as a volunteer work at that time.
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And then the chairman of the foundation of the AIDS Foundation then was also a personal
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friend.
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And so we were, you know, we're bracing ourselves to get this huge funding from the Global Fund,
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which is an international funding mechanism for HIV and AIDS around the world and donors
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and all that.
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So we're talking about millions of dollars.
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And it was to embark on this, you know, very exciting program in Malaysia, needle exchange
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for drug users and all that.
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So it had a lot of stakeholder management component involved.
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And my job back then, you know what my job was back then, right.
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So it's fossil fuels and consultancy and clients and bottom lines.
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And it was just something new.
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And I don't know, I guess I asked myself, you know, it's now or never, right.
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I want to make that change.
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And yeah, I just took it.
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I just took it.
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I think it's a combination of it was a field that I knew I would enjoy and it had purpose.
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So I think that was very important to me as well.
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And I also looked at it as something that would actually, you know, contribute to my
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own self growth, I think.
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And that's really important.
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But I took a huge pay cut.
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And that was tough.
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And I think that was part of the self reflection as well.
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So how much money do I need, you know, to live well, right?
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Because I still had commitments, financial commitments and all that.
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And after, you know, I did that calculation, I was like, hey, I think I can do this.
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I can pull this off.
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Right.
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So I did it.
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So it was a mixture of sort of like this self growth and passion that I wanted to pursue
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and also calculation as well.
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You know, we're trained as consultants, right?
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You still have to do that.
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You know, a bit of calculated risk.
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Yeah.
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Yeah.
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Yeah.
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And maybe a bit of serendipity as well, because they had that huge amount of funding coming
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in needing some kind of someone to manage that professionally.
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And I think that I don't know, I have often felt like, yeah, I can I take calculated
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risk, I can analyze things.
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But sometimes the universe just kind of throws things at you as well.
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And I talk, I mean, this this podcast is around understanding that every moment is a choice.
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And you know, you've described the fact that it was a lot of your self growth and everything
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and just taking the time to be aware, even if you're in a comfortable job, you know,
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what else is out there, what what is meaningful to you.
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And so I talk a lot about choices with my guests.
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I guess what choices are you most proud of throughout your career?
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Wow.
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I guess the easy question would be which choices I'm least proud of, right?
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What do you regret?
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Wow.
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Okay, let's start with that.
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Let's start with that.
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You know, one that I'm least proud of.
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I think, you know, when I was much younger, I think I was I did my undergraduate studies
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in the US and I kind of left the US after five years, you know, after I graduated.
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And you know, maybe I could have like, you know, persevere.
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And, you know, maybe even even if medical school wasn't a choice or, you know, wasn't
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the choice that I took, I could have maybe, you know, done other things, you know, build
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a future there, career there.
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But you know, being young, I thought, yeah, adventure and living in a new country, that
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that kind of thing.
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But I don't know.
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I mean, maybe it's not fair to say that.
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It's sort of like least proud choice for me.
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Choices I've been proud of.
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I think I've always been proud of the choices that were the most difficult to make.
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I was working for the National Oil Company in Malaysia and after a few years, I thought,
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hey, you know, this is not for me.
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I didn't know what what the future held.
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I knew that I was, you know, loved being in France.
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I enjoyed my time there.
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And I said, hey, you know, maybe I could build something there.
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But I, you know, I just kind of I left.
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I left with, you know, I left that National Oil Company with no job.
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I didn't know what I was going to do.
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I waited until the bonus came in and I said, hey, I could live on this.
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The perks of working in the fossil fuels industry.
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So yeah, and I just went.
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I just went without a job and I was like, hey, you know, try it out.
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Maybe the universe would somehow, you know, open doors to tell you like, you know.
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But at that time, I guess when I was younger, it was more like, well, what's the worst that
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could happen, right?
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If I don't find anything and if it doesn't work out, I can always just come back.
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But I was very proud of that choice because I think.
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Again, like I said, I'm the kind of person who self-reflects a lot and sort of just knowing,
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well, I don't think I'm like that oil company kind of thing.
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I mean, I could rise up through the ranks and, you know, do all of that.
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And I, you know, and I still I respect those people who kind of just, you know, stuck with
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it and really, you know, but I know that I'm not that person.
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Right.
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I could never be that person.
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So even early on my younger days, I, you know, I made that choice and I think I was very
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proud of it.
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I'm just just going, just leaving everything time and just just just see.
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I think that that sense of adventure and I'm always scared that as I grow older, I would
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lose that sense of adventure.
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You know, as you have more commitments and it's harder, it's harder to do that.
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But I did that recently as well.
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I mean, I was, you know, with the roundtable on sustainable power.
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Very, very interesting five years that I spent there.
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I mean, it was and I think it opened my mind to this whole world of sustainability.
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And Palm Oil is not an easy sector to be in.
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But then to be able to be in that space and learn so much.
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And when I left, I had a plan.
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I knew that, OK, I want to learn more about sustainability.
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This is really I, you know, I turned 50 this year, Erica.
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So I'm thinking that's a year, another 10 years, maybe, of, you know, productive, you
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know, working age.
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Right.
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And I said, so what am I going to do with the next 10 years?
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Really?
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So that that drove me to my next choice.
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You know, where, you know, so I did my master's in sustainable development.
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I wanted to learn more than just, you know, sustainable palm oil and.
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Get a new set of people, learn new set of things.
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And I guess one thing led to another.
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And then, you know, started this firm, Jajawi Advisors, where I said, hey, you know, I can
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I can again work in this space.
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That I thoroughly enjoyed and believe it.
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You know, when because I think when I was at the RSPO, working with, you know, the plantation
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companies looking at, you know, what what happens on the ground, the complexities, the
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difficulties, and then also working with, say, the supply chain companies as well.
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I mean, the manufacturers and all that and, you know, all the dilemmas that everyone faces.
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But then finding solutions, I think that that that really sort of like drove me.
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It was a very difficult job at the same time when you see solutions being implemented.
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I thought that was, wow, this is something I want to be in.
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Right.
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But I know I was always, I guess, more attracted to the environment, you know, environmental
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issues and being Malaysian, I think, you know, looking at all the terrible things we've done
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to our environment here.
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I mean, you know, tropical rainforest that we have in the few patches that we have left.
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And then that kind of sort of like drove me to sort of like my next choice.
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You want to narrow down to what I want to do for the next 10 years or more, I hope.
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I think that I told myself that will be it.
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That would be, you know, let's work on something that involves, you know, rainforest conservation
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and wildlife.
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Because I think that that I realized that was the thing that brought me the most joy
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in terms of, you know, doing.
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Right.
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And whatever form.
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And I wasn't very clear what form would it take.
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I'm not a trained biologist.
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I'm not a wildlife management person.
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I'm not, you know, I'm none of that.
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Right.
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I was trained in fossil fuels and consulting.
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But you know what?
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Those skills, I still need it.
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Right.
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So yeah.
314
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So I started making choices that kind of, you know, that I knew would pivot me to in
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that direction.
316
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Yeah.
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Yeah.
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Yeah.
319
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Yeah.
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If that makes sense.
321
00:20:03,160 --> 00:20:04,840
I mean, it does make sense.
322
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I mean, making a choice to start your own business is huge.
323
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In any case, right.
324
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That's being a founder is huge.
325
00:20:12,760 --> 00:20:16,960
And I want to ask you, is Jujawi an acronym or is that what does that mean?
326
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Why did you choose that?
327
00:20:18,960 --> 00:20:25,720
Jujawi is the local, it's a Malay name for a tree, ficus microcarpa.
328
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So it's the banyan tree.
329
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OK.
330
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So there are different types of banyan.
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So like there's the Indian banyan, there's the Malayan banyan.
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So of course, I chose the Malayan banyan, so ficus microcarpa.
333
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And why?
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Well, I've always loved the tree.
335
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If you know, the banyan tree is the one where they have like this, the roots that grow
336
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from the trunks, right.
337
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And it actually goes down to the ground.
338
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So it has a very unique structure.
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But also, so what I've learned when I was at the RSP was that in many projects of reforestation
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in Southeast Asia, they would plant this tree, the Jujawi tree, because it sort of like stabilizes
341
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the soil.
342
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So it's a very hardy tree, stabilizes the soil.
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It's one of those pioneer species that you would plant in a reforestation project.
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So I thought, hey, you know, I've always loved the tree.
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It has quite a strong role as well in this work that we do, right, when it comes to like,
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you know, forest management and all of that.
347
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So hence the name Jujawi.
348
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Wow.
349
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I love that.
350
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That's so cool.
351
00:21:41,160 --> 00:21:44,840
And wow, I have so many more questions now.
352
00:21:44,840 --> 00:21:51,080
So you are working, you're advising other companies within Malaysia, within Southeast
353
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Asia.
354
00:21:52,680 --> 00:21:54,920
Are you actually doing reforestation stuff?
355
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Or like, what types of projects are you doing?
356
00:21:57,640 --> 00:21:58,720
Absolutely.
357
00:21:58,720 --> 00:22:00,680
So this is like recent news as well.
358
00:22:00,680 --> 00:22:07,920
So like I said, I knew that I wanted to pivot myself and Jujawi towards that kind of, you
359
00:22:07,920 --> 00:22:13,760
know, that kind of work around forests, around conservation and wildlife.
360
00:22:13,760 --> 00:22:24,760
And so, you know, I think when I started to ask myself and also the team in Jujawi, so
361
00:22:24,760 --> 00:22:25,760
what are we about?
362
00:22:25,760 --> 00:22:29,640
There are a lot of consultancies out there working on sustainability, a lot of them like
363
00:22:29,640 --> 00:22:33,320
around ESG, you know, clients and all that.
364
00:22:33,320 --> 00:22:39,120
So I think that's, you know, that's becoming more mainstream now, which is great.
365
00:22:39,120 --> 00:22:44,840
But what kind of like makes me, you know, when I get up in the morning and happy is
366
00:22:44,840 --> 00:22:48,840
really thinking about, you know, so can we do more?
367
00:22:48,840 --> 00:22:55,880
Can we, you know, because like I said, there's so few patches of intact forests left in Malaysia,
368
00:22:55,880 --> 00:22:58,800
for example, in Indonesia.
369
00:22:58,800 --> 00:23:05,800
So I, when I spoke to the team about, so what are we about really?
370
00:23:05,800 --> 00:23:09,800
And I think, because, you know, we're quite like-minded people as well.
371
00:23:09,800 --> 00:23:18,200
We said, how do we make businesses fall in love with the rainforest?
372
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It was just that simple, yeah, that's what we want to do.
373
00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:24,800
We want to make them fall in love with the rainforest.
374
00:23:24,800 --> 00:23:28,800
Oh, that's so, I love that.
375
00:23:28,800 --> 00:23:34,240
I mean, in a way, you know, it's silly, right?
376
00:23:34,240 --> 00:23:37,160
But it's really, that's what we're about.
377
00:23:37,160 --> 00:23:42,440
And you know, so we choose our projects based on that really.
378
00:23:42,440 --> 00:23:45,800
So how do we, you know, because ESG can be wide, right?
379
00:23:45,800 --> 00:23:48,840
It's a mental, social and governance.
380
00:23:48,840 --> 00:23:55,200
But you know, we are also a team of people who have a passion for nature, especially
381
00:23:55,200 --> 00:23:58,320
for tropical rainforests, for biodiversity.
382
00:23:58,320 --> 00:24:04,560
And but how do you link, you know, business operations, the bottom line to somehow, you
383
00:24:04,560 --> 00:24:08,560
know, can we then conserve the rainforests linked to that?
384
00:24:08,560 --> 00:24:09,560
And you know what?
385
00:24:09,560 --> 00:24:11,560
We can, we can.
386
00:24:11,560 --> 00:24:18,640
So, you know, so one of the projects we're working on right now is in a state in Malaysia.
387
00:24:18,640 --> 00:24:23,840
So we've looked at, you know, different types of mechanisms around green finance, you know,
388
00:24:23,840 --> 00:24:26,960
and this is really an area I know very little about, Erica.
389
00:24:26,960 --> 00:24:34,240
So I had to like reinvent myself and read books and listen to, you know, it's really,
390
00:24:34,240 --> 00:24:38,240
I had to really learn all these new things, but it's so exciting.
391
00:24:38,240 --> 00:24:45,880
And I find that because it's also something that I love and that I could, I know I can
392
00:24:45,880 --> 00:24:54,440
leave a mark in it, it doesn't come work anymore, you know, because I could really dive into
393
00:24:54,440 --> 00:24:58,400
it and really love it.
394
00:24:58,400 --> 00:25:02,760
And you know, I think it wasn't something that I really found in my younger years, but
395
00:25:02,760 --> 00:25:09,360
I think as I grow older, you know, I guess you know yourself better as well, right?
396
00:25:09,360 --> 00:25:10,600
Yeah.
397
00:25:10,600 --> 00:25:16,640
And it's really a space that I enjoy being in and I really hope I can, you know, sort
398
00:25:16,640 --> 00:25:20,760
of keep this feeling for many, many years.
399
00:25:20,760 --> 00:25:21,760
Yeah.
400
00:25:21,760 --> 00:25:31,360
I love hearing about how it is possible within one's career to pivot, to kind of decide,
401
00:25:31,360 --> 00:25:36,800
I want to explore something new, have a plan, go out and learn something about it and then
402
00:25:36,800 --> 00:25:41,640
do it and not being stuck because I think there's, there are some people who in their
403
00:25:41,640 --> 00:25:46,880
career, if you spend enough time in the energy industry or oil and gas, you kind of, you
404
00:25:46,880 --> 00:25:48,600
can feel like you're boxed in.
405
00:25:48,600 --> 00:25:51,520
You can feel like this is all I know.
406
00:25:51,520 --> 00:25:53,920
How can I, how could I use these skills elsewhere?
407
00:25:53,920 --> 00:25:57,000
But there's always, like you said, there's always those skills that can transfer into
408
00:25:57,000 --> 00:26:00,880
some type of other, everybody needs problem solving.
409
00:26:00,880 --> 00:26:04,720
Everybody needs people who can kind of come up with a solution and implement it.
410
00:26:04,720 --> 00:26:07,160
I mean, that's universal, right?
411
00:26:07,160 --> 00:26:08,160
That's right.
412
00:26:08,160 --> 00:26:09,160
That's right.
413
00:26:09,160 --> 00:26:14,400
And even in this project that I'm working on right now, because it does involve carbon
414
00:26:14,400 --> 00:26:18,680
credits from forest management and peatland and all that.
415
00:26:18,680 --> 00:26:24,160
So the biology side of things or the forest side of things, I'm not an expert in, but
416
00:26:24,160 --> 00:26:33,240
I also found that, hey, you know, who's actually looking into offsetting oil companies?
417
00:26:33,240 --> 00:26:37,780
And you know what, I speak their language and I find this an ease to it.
418
00:26:37,780 --> 00:26:44,280
So I have people in my team who are the biologists, who are the carbon credit experts and whatnot.
419
00:26:44,280 --> 00:26:48,800
But you know, where I come in, it's like, hey, actually I can talk finance.
420
00:26:48,800 --> 00:26:53,280
I can talk about, you know, I know the operations in an oil and gas company.
421
00:26:53,280 --> 00:27:02,920
So again, I don't think any of the skills from my past lives are in vain or cannot be
422
00:27:02,920 --> 00:27:03,920
used again.
423
00:27:03,920 --> 00:27:04,920
It does.
424
00:27:04,920 --> 00:27:08,520
It comes up and it's just a different form.
425
00:27:08,520 --> 00:27:09,600
And I love that.
426
00:27:09,600 --> 00:27:10,600
And I love that.
427
00:27:10,600 --> 00:27:20,120
And you know, I and I do cherish the experiences I've had in the past as well.
428
00:27:20,120 --> 00:27:22,640
Never went to waste, really.
429
00:27:22,640 --> 00:27:25,720
I think it's more sort of an accumulation.
430
00:27:25,720 --> 00:27:28,200
And but but you're right.
431
00:27:28,200 --> 00:27:33,480
It's the choices I make on how do I mold myself in a direction that I feel happy in.
432
00:27:33,480 --> 00:27:34,480
Right.
433
00:27:34,480 --> 00:27:36,280
So that's always a choice.
434
00:27:36,280 --> 00:27:38,680
And you know what, it's not always easy.
435
00:27:38,680 --> 00:27:40,280
And it's also trial and error.
436
00:27:40,280 --> 00:27:45,480
A lot of times I'm like, oh, you know, I thought I was going to go in that direction and I
437
00:27:45,480 --> 00:27:46,480
made that choice.
438
00:27:46,480 --> 00:27:50,600
But you know, I think I'm also the kind of person's like, you know, well, mistakes, you
439
00:27:50,600 --> 00:27:51,600
learn from mistakes.
440
00:27:51,600 --> 00:27:54,000
Makes you a better person.
441
00:27:54,000 --> 00:28:01,400
But pick myself up fast and, you know, and move on.
442
00:28:01,400 --> 00:28:02,400
Right.
443
00:28:02,400 --> 00:28:03,400
It's moving on.
444
00:28:03,400 --> 00:28:09,040
And also, you know, having this running my own business kind of makes me a bit more disciplined
445
00:28:09,040 --> 00:28:12,040
into from, you know, that moving on bit.
446
00:28:12,040 --> 00:28:19,600
Yeah, I don't have the luxury of willing too much.
447
00:28:19,600 --> 00:28:20,600
I love it.
448
00:28:20,600 --> 00:28:21,600
I love it.
449
00:28:21,600 --> 00:28:24,560
And I even love the choice, I mean, you mentioned that you did.
450
00:28:24,560 --> 00:28:29,080
So when I knew you were living right in the center of Kuala Lumpur, you know, that's where
451
00:28:29,080 --> 00:28:32,600
a lot of the corporate part of your work was based.
452
00:28:32,600 --> 00:28:36,400
And you said you've actually moved to Kwantung, which is a bit further out.
453
00:28:36,400 --> 00:28:38,520
Do you live do you live on the beach, by the way?
454
00:28:38,520 --> 00:28:40,520
Is that a rumor that is?
455
00:28:40,520 --> 00:28:41,520
Oh, my goodness.
456
00:28:41,520 --> 00:28:44,840
OK, so you've made a choice there as well.
457
00:28:44,840 --> 00:28:47,200
I love that.
458
00:28:47,200 --> 00:28:49,520
And that was then that wasn't an easy choice.
459
00:28:49,520 --> 00:28:51,760
I mean, it was easy in a way.
460
00:28:51,760 --> 00:28:56,720
Well, you know, I knew I was going to be on the beach.
461
00:28:56,720 --> 00:29:02,080
I spent the first seven years of my life actually living with my grandparents, who's from Trangano
462
00:29:02,080 --> 00:29:05,840
and East Coast state, Malaysia, where like what?
463
00:29:05,840 --> 00:29:09,400
One hundred and fifty meters from the beach.
464
00:29:09,400 --> 00:29:11,800
So I've always loved the beach.
465
00:29:11,800 --> 00:29:18,240
And when I left the RSPO, it was also during the pandemic was in 2021.
466
00:29:18,240 --> 00:29:22,600
And I thought, hey, you know, why not?
467
00:29:22,600 --> 00:29:27,560
Then let's live full time on the beach, because, you know, it was locked down everywhere.
468
00:29:27,560 --> 00:29:30,280
As you know, right, Erica?
469
00:29:30,280 --> 00:29:33,920
My friends thought it was crazy because one time it's a very small town.
470
00:29:33,920 --> 00:29:37,120
It's it's like five hundred thousand people.
471
00:29:37,120 --> 00:29:41,720
That's not much going on in terms of like economic activity or business opportunities
472
00:29:41,720 --> 00:29:42,920
and whatnot.
473
00:29:42,920 --> 00:29:44,080
But I don't know.
474
00:29:44,080 --> 00:29:49,560
I always had this faith that, well, you know, I think I can still find something.
475
00:29:49,560 --> 00:29:55,160
So thanks to technology and the Internet, you know, virtual calls and all of that, so
476
00:29:55,160 --> 00:29:57,120
that I could still run a business from there.
477
00:29:57,120 --> 00:30:02,560
But at the same time, it's sort of like open doors for me to opportunities that I wouldn't
478
00:30:02,560 --> 00:30:08,800
have had for meaning, you know, working with the state government of Pahang.
479
00:30:08,800 --> 00:30:10,800
So Guantan is a capital of Pahang.
480
00:30:10,800 --> 00:30:17,160
So they're there and they're the ones actually saying, hey, we're looking at actually.
481
00:30:17,160 --> 00:30:23,400
Well, to to borrow that word again, right, pivoting away from the traditional activities
482
00:30:23,400 --> 00:30:30,040
of mining and timber and logging to, you know, more green economy.
483
00:30:30,040 --> 00:30:34,960
So I was like, hey, I didn't know that you guys were looking into all of this.
484
00:30:34,960 --> 00:30:37,280
So then I found a spot for myself.
485
00:30:37,280 --> 00:30:42,080
I see that the table, so to speak, and kind of like just slaughtered myself in there.
486
00:30:42,080 --> 00:30:44,160
And I think one thing led to another.
487
00:30:44,160 --> 00:30:51,120
And I think just having that that passion would you just have to have a bit of blind
488
00:30:51,120 --> 00:30:58,760
faith, a bit of maybe stupidity as well to kind of like, you know, you can't really calculate
489
00:30:58,760 --> 00:31:00,280
those things too much.
490
00:31:00,280 --> 00:31:01,280
Right.
491
00:31:01,280 --> 00:31:06,840
But I think the passion and the love for something does eventually, you know, at least for me,
492
00:31:06,840 --> 00:31:12,460
that lead me to opportunities for myself as well.
493
00:31:12,460 --> 00:31:15,840
So I'm glad I think that was a really good choice for me.
494
00:31:15,840 --> 00:31:19,800
And even some of my friends now who thought, oh, you'd be brought to death and live in
495
00:31:19,800 --> 00:31:25,280
Guantan on the beach because, you know, you're 50 and you're not like with time and age.
496
00:31:25,280 --> 00:31:28,160
But I said, you know, you never know.
497
00:31:28,160 --> 00:31:29,160
But it does.
498
00:31:29,160 --> 00:31:36,320
I think the choices I made also sort of forced me to be a bit more vulnerable because, you
499
00:31:36,320 --> 00:31:41,520
know, sort of like you said, when you're in a company or in a sector for many years, you've
500
00:31:41,520 --> 00:31:43,360
gone up, right, gone up the ladder.
501
00:31:43,360 --> 00:31:47,800
You already have that reputation and the credibility and all that.
502
00:31:47,800 --> 00:31:50,700
But when I, you know, I had to start from zero.
503
00:31:50,700 --> 00:31:59,920
So I had to go in with a bit more, you know, a lot more humility and, you know, acknowledging
504
00:31:59,920 --> 00:32:01,680
that I don't know much.
505
00:32:01,680 --> 00:32:06,360
But at the same time, kind of like, hey, I'm here and I'm ready to work.
506
00:32:06,360 --> 00:32:10,140
And I think on these things that I have a passion.
507
00:32:10,140 --> 00:32:11,140
So yeah.
508
00:32:11,140 --> 00:32:12,140
Wow.
509
00:32:12,140 --> 00:32:16,960
I'm just thinking about this, you know, doing something you love with your own company,
510
00:32:16,960 --> 00:32:19,600
living exactly where you want to on the beach.
511
00:32:19,600 --> 00:32:21,320
I mean, it sounds good.
512
00:32:21,320 --> 00:32:25,240
You have to come visit me, Erica.
513
00:32:25,240 --> 00:32:26,240
Okay.
514
00:32:26,240 --> 00:32:27,240
I'm definitely coming.
515
00:32:27,240 --> 00:32:28,240
And bring the kids.
516
00:32:28,240 --> 00:32:29,240
They would love that.
517
00:32:29,240 --> 00:32:30,240
Yes.
518
00:32:30,240 --> 00:32:31,640
I'm going to bring the kids.
519
00:32:31,640 --> 00:32:32,640
I want to bring the kids.
520
00:32:32,640 --> 00:32:33,640
Oh, yeah.
521
00:32:33,640 --> 00:32:34,640
I miss Malaysia.
522
00:32:34,640 --> 00:32:39,640
And like what you're a lot of the stuff you're talking about, I remember from having lived
523
00:32:39,640 --> 00:32:45,920
there for a few years, several years ago, over 10 years ago, I left Malaysia.
524
00:32:45,920 --> 00:32:51,360
And I remember one of the big issues that was always talked about a lot locally was
525
00:32:51,360 --> 00:32:57,080
that kind of brain drain and that a lot of young Malaysians were obviously they're going
526
00:32:57,080 --> 00:33:03,200
to study in the UK and then they go work over there or Singapore was a destination or Australia,
527
00:33:03,200 --> 00:33:07,240
you know, and there's a lot of Malaysians just kind of like saying, there's not so many
528
00:33:07,240 --> 00:33:08,240
opportunities here.
529
00:33:08,240 --> 00:33:13,280
And maybe I want to go somewhere else, but you're kind of you've kind of gone out and
530
00:33:13,280 --> 00:33:18,480
then you've come back and now giving back to, you know, Malaysia itself.
531
00:33:18,480 --> 00:33:21,640
I mean, what would what would you say to young?
532
00:33:21,640 --> 00:33:25,020
What would you say to kind of young Malaysians?
533
00:33:25,020 --> 00:33:27,400
Go out and come back or go explore?
534
00:33:27,400 --> 00:33:38,800
Yeah, I mean, I think well, look, I also think that it's good for young Malaysians to live
535
00:33:38,800 --> 00:33:44,120
outside of Malaysia and to experience that, you know, to get that opportunity, experience
536
00:33:44,120 --> 00:33:49,440
a different kind of lifestyle way of thinking and all that, because I did that and it really
537
00:33:49,440 --> 00:33:53,760
benefited me a lot.
538
00:33:53,760 --> 00:33:59,400
But there's also and and, you know, I found that out, like there are opportunities, a
539
00:33:59,400 --> 00:34:01,680
lot of opportunities in Malaysia.
540
00:34:01,680 --> 00:34:04,400
The road is not always easy, though.
541
00:34:04,400 --> 00:34:10,440
Yeah, very different way of working and thinking and, you know, interacting.
542
00:34:10,440 --> 00:34:17,120
But hey, you know, I learned, you know, I learned how to deal with, you know, the civil
543
00:34:17,120 --> 00:34:22,800
service and the government sector and all of that.
544
00:34:22,800 --> 00:34:25,680
And for me, it's like, you know, I was fine.
545
00:34:25,680 --> 00:34:27,920
It's tough fun, actually.
546
00:34:27,920 --> 00:34:28,920
You know, it's it's fun.
547
00:34:28,920 --> 00:34:31,080
You know, learn new skills, right?
548
00:34:31,080 --> 00:34:33,520
It's a very different world.
549
00:34:33,520 --> 00:34:38,960
You know, working in the oil and gas industry, where everyone's just so professional and
550
00:34:38,960 --> 00:34:44,160
skillful and that's like pretty much an SOP for everything.
551
00:34:44,160 --> 00:34:48,760
You know, and then when I jumped to palm oil sector, it was like, oh, gosh, it was like
552
00:34:48,760 --> 00:34:49,760
night and day.
553
00:34:49,760 --> 00:34:54,840
It was like very different industry altogether.
554
00:34:54,840 --> 00:35:00,240
And now I'm doing, you know, working on carbon credits and green bonds and all that.
555
00:35:00,240 --> 00:35:03,480
So again, different skills that needed.
556
00:35:03,480 --> 00:35:09,920
But for me, it's that that that journey that, you know, that I'm having fun with.
557
00:35:09,920 --> 00:35:14,200
So to young Malaysians, really, just just keep that open mind.
558
00:35:14,200 --> 00:35:18,540
You know, the opportunities, I mean, it's it's it's a developing country with a lot
559
00:35:18,540 --> 00:35:21,040
of challenges, but.
560
00:35:21,040 --> 00:35:29,600
I don't think I would have had the same opportunities in this area if I had just said, you know,
561
00:35:29,600 --> 00:35:34,680
this state in France, for example, and I have that comfortable life, of course, you know,
562
00:35:34,680 --> 00:35:36,680
Paris, beautiful city and all that.
563
00:35:36,680 --> 00:35:45,120
But, you know, but I wouldn't have like, you know, my next project is Tiger reading for,
564
00:35:45,120 --> 00:35:48,820
you know, you know, a title project that we have in Malaysia.
565
00:35:48,820 --> 00:35:52,840
So there's about fewer than 100 left in a while.
566
00:35:52,840 --> 00:35:54,640
So we've got something about it.
567
00:35:54,640 --> 00:35:58,480
Never in a million years, I thought I'd be working on something like this.
568
00:35:58,480 --> 00:35:59,480
Right.
569
00:35:59,480 --> 00:36:00,480
So I'm floored.
570
00:36:00,480 --> 00:36:01,480
I'm like speechless.
571
00:36:01,480 --> 00:36:02,480
I'm like, what's going on?
572
00:36:02,480 --> 00:36:11,280
But but but again, I guess I just that just having that that curiosity and and you know,
573
00:36:11,280 --> 00:36:13,520
wanting to try new things.
574
00:36:13,520 --> 00:36:21,360
And I'm very grateful, very thankful to Malaysia really for, you know, giving me this opportunity.
575
00:36:21,360 --> 00:36:29,920
So yeah, I think you really hit the nail on the head there with curiosity, you know, thinking
576
00:36:29,920 --> 00:36:34,280
I could pivot, I can learn something new if I'm passionate about it.
577
00:36:34,280 --> 00:36:37,840
Because then, of course, if you're passionate and you're curious, you come across as you're
578
00:36:37,840 --> 00:36:38,840
authentic.
579
00:36:38,840 --> 00:36:40,560
And so people will want to work with you.
580
00:36:40,560 --> 00:36:41,560
Right.
581
00:36:41,560 --> 00:36:42,560
On that.
582
00:36:42,560 --> 00:36:43,560
I love it.
583
00:36:43,560 --> 00:36:46,000
It's so fascinating.
584
00:36:46,000 --> 00:36:50,720
So is there any particular we talked about, you know, for for young Malaysians to go out,
585
00:36:50,720 --> 00:36:56,040
see, see places outside as well to kind of round themselves out?
586
00:36:56,040 --> 00:36:59,800
Is there any other specific advice you would give to people, especially if they're feeling
587
00:36:59,800 --> 00:37:09,000
kind of stuck in their career or any little kind of tips or tools that you would recommend
588
00:37:09,000 --> 00:37:10,000
for them?
589
00:37:10,000 --> 00:37:12,600
Yeah, that's that's that's a tough one.
590
00:37:12,600 --> 00:37:14,000
Because I'm not I'm not sure.
591
00:37:14,000 --> 00:37:20,440
I don't know if there's any one sort of advice or one, you know, one size fits all kind of
592
00:37:20,440 --> 00:37:21,920
solution for everyone.
593
00:37:21,920 --> 00:37:27,000
Yeah, I know that for me, because, you know, different stages in my life, like I said,
594
00:37:27,000 --> 00:37:32,360
maybe when I was younger, I took, you know, a lot of risks and very high risk.
595
00:37:32,360 --> 00:37:39,160
And as I grew older, it becomes, of course, a bit more calculated, a bit more, I guess,
596
00:37:39,160 --> 00:37:42,320
more complicated.
597
00:37:42,320 --> 00:37:45,080
But it's also because I guess I know myself better.
598
00:37:45,080 --> 00:37:46,080
Right.
599
00:37:46,080 --> 00:37:50,000
I know what what makes me, you know, get up in the morning and be, hey, you know, let's
600
00:37:50,000 --> 00:37:51,080
let's do this.
601
00:37:51,080 --> 00:37:54,200
Let's tackle this.
602
00:37:54,200 --> 00:38:00,520
I think for younger Malaysians, for young Malaysians, I say, explore as much as you
603
00:38:00,520 --> 00:38:01,520
can.
604
00:38:01,520 --> 00:38:05,200
I mean, yes, I mean, having a good job at a good pace is important.
605
00:38:05,200 --> 00:38:08,680
You know, everyone has those commitments.
606
00:38:08,680 --> 00:38:11,040
But don't limit yourself to just one space.
607
00:38:11,040 --> 00:38:15,600
I think I think that was probably one of the best decisions I made when I was younger,
608
00:38:15,600 --> 00:38:20,680
kind of like, you know, get involved in whatever you think you'd be happy.
609
00:38:20,680 --> 00:38:25,440
I mean, the job is a job, but you also have the weekends and the evenings where you can
610
00:38:25,440 --> 00:38:26,800
do other things as well.
611
00:38:26,800 --> 00:38:29,160
And that's what I did.
612
00:38:29,160 --> 00:38:36,540
Volunteer work, just, you know, just helping out with just things, sometimes just helping
613
00:38:36,540 --> 00:38:38,880
out friends and their businesses.
614
00:38:38,880 --> 00:38:42,680
So that kind of allowed me also to to to learn about things.
615
00:38:42,680 --> 00:38:45,400
And these people still continue to inspire me.
616
00:38:45,400 --> 00:38:51,600
The ones that I met from like 30 years ago, you know, I had friends who left oil and gas
617
00:38:51,600 --> 00:38:55,120
and just started an outdoor activity kind of business.
618
00:38:55,120 --> 00:38:56,560
And now he's still at it.
619
00:38:56,560 --> 00:39:01,120
And now they have like seven branches all around Malaysia.
620
00:39:01,120 --> 00:39:09,360
So, you know, you I found inspiration in, I guess, the most unassuming and, you know,
621
00:39:09,360 --> 00:39:14,280
the unlike like like like the places and people.
622
00:39:14,280 --> 00:39:17,120
But then I had you have to put yourself out there.
623
00:39:17,120 --> 00:39:19,420
I think and that's what I did.
624
00:39:19,420 --> 00:39:21,600
But also I'm the kind of person I think you know me, Erica.
625
00:39:21,600 --> 00:39:22,600
Right.
626
00:39:22,600 --> 00:39:24,560
I mean, I was very dedicated to my job.
627
00:39:24,560 --> 00:39:31,080
At the same time, I know I needed to have other things outside of work to make me happy.
628
00:39:31,080 --> 00:39:34,840
So that would be my advice, really.
629
00:39:34,840 --> 00:39:37,960
And, you know, hopefully, you know, you don't just do it in your 20s, but also when you're
630
00:39:37,960 --> 00:39:38,960
in your 50s.
631
00:39:38,960 --> 00:39:41,960
You still do other things.
632
00:39:41,960 --> 00:39:42,960
Yes.
633
00:39:42,960 --> 00:39:43,960
Yeah, absolutely.
634
00:39:43,960 --> 00:39:44,960
Lovely.
635
00:39:44,960 --> 00:39:49,960
So, OK, last question.
636
00:39:49,960 --> 00:39:54,800
And I haven't I haven't mentioned this to you, but what would you what would you like
637
00:39:54,800 --> 00:39:56,600
your legacy to be?
638
00:39:56,600 --> 00:39:59,560
What would you like people to remember you for?
639
00:39:59,560 --> 00:40:01,440
Wow.
640
00:40:01,440 --> 00:40:02,440
Legacy.
641
00:40:02,440 --> 00:40:06,360
This is a tough one.
642
00:40:06,360 --> 00:40:18,200
I think honest, just that I lived my life the way I want it to be.
643
00:40:18,200 --> 00:40:24,360
When I think about, you know, again, I guess going back to sustainability and the environment
644
00:40:24,360 --> 00:40:29,880
and forest conservation, all that, I I thought at least in the last couple of years, I thought,
645
00:40:29,880 --> 00:40:34,840
hey, that would be my legacy, like that last leg of my career.
646
00:40:34,840 --> 00:40:35,840
Right.
647
00:40:35,840 --> 00:40:36,840
This last 10 years.
648
00:40:36,840 --> 00:40:40,800
And I thought, OK, if anything, I want it to be that.
649
00:40:40,800 --> 00:40:47,120
But I guess, you know, my career span more than, you know, that I spent, I guess, three
650
00:40:47,120 --> 00:40:51,120
decades or will be three decades.
651
00:40:51,120 --> 00:40:59,560
Yeah, I think having done different things, but just being honest and true to my passion
652
00:40:59,560 --> 00:41:03,800
and my love's really.
653
00:41:03,800 --> 00:41:08,040
Different areas, you know, I mean, I love the energy industry is what I've learned a
654
00:41:08,040 --> 00:41:09,040
lot.
655
00:41:09,040 --> 00:41:10,040
I think I owe it a lot.
656
00:41:10,040 --> 00:41:16,080
You know, I think we're privileged to be in that industry where, you know, that lot of
657
00:41:16,080 --> 00:41:22,480
resources and you could really grow and train yourself and upgrade yourself and all of that.
658
00:41:22,480 --> 00:41:26,720
But at the same time, I think, you know, being true to myself in terms of chasing the other
659
00:41:26,720 --> 00:41:27,720
parts, right?
660
00:41:27,720 --> 00:41:34,520
Public health, social work and now sustainability, conservation.
661
00:41:34,520 --> 00:41:35,880
Yeah.
662
00:41:35,880 --> 00:41:39,880
And, you know, if.
663
00:41:39,880 --> 00:41:46,480
You know, when I talk to my daughter, I said, you know, just, you know, know what you want
664
00:41:46,480 --> 00:41:49,400
and what makes you happy and go for it.
665
00:41:49,400 --> 00:41:50,760
And things will fall in place.
666
00:41:50,760 --> 00:41:56,680
Don't worry too much about the money and the recognition and all of that.
667
00:41:56,680 --> 00:42:02,160
It's you know, it's it's I think that I would like that to be my legacy.
668
00:42:02,160 --> 00:42:04,160
Just being true to yourself.
669
00:42:04,160 --> 00:42:07,760
Yeah, it's a lovely legacy.
670
00:42:07,760 --> 00:42:08,760
It's a lovely one.
671
00:42:08,760 --> 00:42:10,960
Thank you so much.
672
00:42:10,960 --> 00:42:13,600
And you know, I'll include links.
673
00:42:13,600 --> 00:42:16,200
I would like people to be able to reach out to you.
674
00:42:16,200 --> 00:42:22,400
You're on LinkedIn and to Jowey advisors will include a link to that, too.
675
00:42:22,400 --> 00:42:24,600
How can people is how is the best to contact you?
676
00:42:24,600 --> 00:42:25,600
Are you guys on LinkedIn?
677
00:42:25,600 --> 00:42:27,080
Are you guys on your website?
678
00:42:27,080 --> 00:42:28,080
Yeah.
679
00:42:28,080 --> 00:42:32,080
So we have a website to Jowey dash advisors dot com.
680
00:42:32,080 --> 00:42:33,080
And we also on LinkedIn.
681
00:42:33,080 --> 00:42:36,680
So I think if you just search for Jowey, you get to our page.
682
00:42:36,680 --> 00:42:37,680
Yeah.
683
00:42:37,680 --> 00:42:38,680
Perfect.
684
00:42:38,680 --> 00:42:41,480
I think more people will want to work with you once they've heard more of your story
685
00:42:41,480 --> 00:42:43,480
as well.
686
00:42:43,480 --> 00:42:45,280
Great.
687
00:42:45,280 --> 00:42:47,680
So I just want to conclude here.
688
00:42:47,680 --> 00:42:53,760
You know, in every moment we have a choice and I hope you enjoyed our discussion today.
689
00:42:53,760 --> 00:42:58,760
Thanks so much to my friend back to your for sharing your story today.
690
00:42:58,760 --> 00:42:59,760
And it's been amazing.
691
00:42:59,760 --> 00:43:00,760
Thank you.
692
00:43:00,760 --> 00:43:03,760
Thank you, Erica, for having me.
693
00:43:03,760 --> 00:43:08,760
Thanks for having me.
694
00:43:08,760 --> 00:43:09,760
Perfect.