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🎙 Most VCs think ESG stories are too noble to fact-check. That's how you lose $600 million. — Kim Yeoh

🛰 Southeast Asia's startup ecosystem just got a reality check that makes WeWork look like a rounding error. E-Fishery — Indonesia's sustainable aquaculture darling backed by SoftBank and Temasek — somehow turned $150 million in real revenue into $750 million on paper.

This week, Kim and Kevin dissect how an entire investment ecosystem got so drunk on ESG narratives that apparently nobody thought to count the actual fish feeders.

The truth? When trust breaks in relationship-driven markets, the damage spreads faster than a TikTok trend.

💡 What You'll Learn

Why ESG halos can blind even sophisticated investors — and how noble missions became get-out-of-jail-free cards for basic due diligence.

How fabricated revenue scales exponentially — from 2x inflation to 5x fantasy, with receipts to match.

Why Southeast Asia's trust networks amplify fraud damage — and how one scandal sets back an entire regional ecosystem.

How institutional investors missed obvious red flags — when SoftBank and Temasek-level due diligence still isn't enough.

🔎 Key Takeaways

ESG stories aren't immune to fraud — sustainability missions require the same verification as any other business model.

Regional trust damage compounds — unlike Silicon Valley's forgive-and-forget culture, broken trust in SEA stays broken.

Due diligence can't be outsourced to lead investors — even big names get it spectacularly wrong.

Authenticity is now a competitive advantage — in a world of fabricated metrics, radical transparency wins long-term.

🧠 Sound Bites

"Math that would make Elizabeth Holmes blush."

"Apparently fraud has a universal playbook."

"In Silicon Valley, Adam Neumann crashes WeWork and still raises another fund. In Southeast Asia? Once trust breaks, it's gone."

"The most important business advice is also the most uncomfortable: verify, don't just trust."

"While we're explaining why counting fish feeders should be standard due diligence, Silicon Valley is buying AI researchers for $1.5 billion."

⏱ Chapters

00:00 – The $600M Fish Farm Scandal Explained

08:15 – How ESG Stories Became Too Good to Question

15:30 – When SoftBank and Temasek Miss the Red Flags

22:45 – Regional Trust Networks and Fraud Amplification

29:20 – The Silicon Valley vs SEA Redemption Gap

35:10 – Why Authenticity is the New Competitive Advantage

41:30 – Next Week Preview: Chi Chi Wong on Substance Over Spectacle

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💬 Let's Connect 🎙 Kim Yeoh → https://www.linkedin.com/in/weiisyuenyeohacmacgma/

🎙 Kevin Brockland → https://www.linkedin.com/in/kbrockland/

📬 Join 500+ founders & VCs reading our newsletter → https://seaofstartups.substack.com/

SEA of Startups is where the region's real startup stories live. No puff pieces. No fluff. Just what's actually happening under the surface.

EP 7: The Enterprise Sales Reality Check You’ve Been Avoiding | The Enterprise Sales Playbook No One Talks About: Why Your Perfect Product Still Can't Close Corporate Deals in SEA

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🎙 Most founders think enterprise sales is about having the best product. That’s adorable. — Axel Winter, former CTO Cisco APAC

🛰 Enterprise sales in Southeast Asia isn’t a meritocracy.It’s a game of timing, politics, and trust — and if you don’t understand how the buying side really works, you’re setting yourself up for slow, expensive heartbreak.

This week, Kevin sits down with Axel Winter — ex-CTO at Cisco, global IT strategy lead at Standard Chartered, and the man who built a 450-person startup inside Central Group — to unpack how big corporates actually choose their vendors.

The truth? It’s not pretty. But it’s necessary.

💡 What You’ll Learn

Why 63% of RFPs already have a winner before they even start — and how to make sure you’re not just filling up the compliance quota.

How budget cycles can outweigh product features — and why December can be your best sales month of the year.

Why your elevator pitch is make-or-break — and how to nail it in 30 seconds or less.

How trust compounds differently in Southeast Asia’s relationship-driven markets — and why breaking it can cost you years.

🔎 Key Takeaways

Not every RFP is worth chasing — qualify your effort based on your odds.

Budget beats brilliance — know your buyer’s fiscal calendar better than your own.

Trust > Tech — in Asia, your WhatsApp access might be worth more than your product roadmap.

The default decision in enterprise is often no decision — learn to spot it early.

🧠 Sound Bites

“I haven’t been in any RFP where the outcome was totally open.”

“December can save you 50% — if you know who’s desperate to spend.”

“If you can’t explain your value between floors 1 and 3, you’re not ready for enterprise.”

“In Asia, once trust breaks, it stays broken.”

“Don’t just build features. Build relationships that outlast features.”

⏱ Chapters

00:00 – Why Most Founders Get Enterprise Sales Wrong07:45 – Axel’s Background: From Netscape to Cisco to Central Group12:20 – Defining “Legacy” from the Business Side16:50 – RFP Theatre and How to Play It Smart23:30 – Innovators vs Safe Choices in Corporate Buying28:40 – The Budget Cycle Advantage31:45 – The Make-or-Break Elevator Pitch35:00 – Relationship-Driven Markets in Southeast Asia

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If this episode made you rethink your sales playbook:👉 Tap “Follow”🔔 Turn on notifications⭐ Leave us a 5-star rating📤 Share this episode with a founder stuck in RFP purgatory

💬 Let’s Connect

🎙 Kim Yeoh → https://www.linkedin.com/in/weiisyuenyeohacmacgma/🎙 Kevin Brockland → https://www.linkedin.com/in/kbrockland/📬 Join 500+ founders & VCs reading our newsletter →https://seaofstartups.substack.com/

SEA of Startups is where the region’s real startup stories live.No puff pieces. No fluff. Just what’s actually happening under the surface.

From Apps to Infrastructure: 3 Startup Shifts Rewiring Southeast Asia

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🎙️ EP 6: The Invisible Unicorns: Why Southeast Asia's Biggest Startup Stories Are Happening Behind Your Phone Screen

🛰 The next big story in Southeast Asia’s startup scene isn’t an app.It’s the infrastructure humming underneath.

In this jam-packed episode, Kim Yeoh and Kevin Brockland unpack the quiet pivot happening across the region — from flashy B2C apps to the invisible rails powering how we travel, invest, and build.

This isn’t a trend. It’s a tectonic shift.

💡 What You’ll Learn:

How Airalo became the world’s first eSIM unicorn—and why it’s not just a travel app, it’s global telco infrastructure.

Why Arta Finance is building the AWS of private wealth—and how Singapore fits into their playbook.

What Lovable’s “vibe coding” model tells us about the future of dev infra—and what it means for SEA founders.

🔎 Key Takeaways:

Infrastructure is the new battleground—and Southeast Asia is exporting it.

The best startups don’t just build apps. They build rails.

“Freemium” tools today could become tomorrow’s lock-in traps.

Smart founders build optionality into their stack: rent wisely, own strategically.

🧠 Sound Bites

“From SIM cards to APIs—Southeast Asia isn’t just using infrastructure. It’s building it.”

“If one platform powers every MVP, who’s really innovating?”

“Selective independence is the name of the game. Build what you must, rent what you can.”

“Infrastructure isn’t sexy—until it breaks. Then it’s everything.”

“The next breakout isn’t another super app. It’s the rails they all run on.”

“Don’t just scale fast. Scale smart. Own your margins.”

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 – Southeast Asia's Infrastructure Revolution

12:29 – AI and Wealth Management Innovations

23:13 – The Future of No-Code Development

27:01 – The Rise of Vibe Coding

29:23 – Democratizing Access to Technology

32:20 – The Future of AI and Market Dynamics

35:55 – Empowering the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs

40:23 – Building for the Future: Infrastructure and Innovation

42:16 – Exploring Infrastructure Plays

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🙌 Support the Show

If this episode gave you something to think about:👉 Tap “Follow”🔔 Turn on notifications⭐ Leave us a 5-star rating📤 Share this episode with a founder or operator rethinking their stack

💬 Let’s Connect

🎙 Kim Yeoh →https://www.linkedin.com/in/weiisyuenyeohacmacgma/🎙 Kevin Brockland → https://www.linkedin.com/in/kbrockland/ 📬 Join 500+ founders & VCs reading our newsletter → https://seaofstartups.substack.com/

SEA of Startups is where the region’s real startup stories live.No puff pieces. No fluff. Just what’s actually happening under the surface.