In Episode 45 of The Generalists Podcast, we sit down with Veli Kattoulas — CEO of Lanturn, former investigative journalist, and founder of multiple companies across Japan, Hong Kong, and Singapore.

From reporting on the Yakuza in 1990s Japan to navigating startup competition and scaling internationally, Veli shares hard-won lessons on resilience, discipline, and the art of “muddling through” when building enduring companies. His story is a masterclass in reinvention and the generalist mindset.

🚀 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• How frontline journalism trains you to make decisions under pressure

• Insights into Yakuza–politics connections in 1990s Japan

• Lessons from startup failures and competitors with deeper pockets

• Real-world product validation and pricing strategies

• Why discipline and speed are key for startup growth

• Scaling a company in Singapore vs expanding internationally

👥 Hosts
Michael Smith Jr.: https://www.linkedin.com/in/smittysgp
Razko Kotler: https://www.linkedin.com/in/razko282

👤 Guest
Veli Kattoulas: https://www.linkedin.com/in/velikattoulas/

🔔 Subscribe for more founder stories, startup wisdom & intrapreneurship insights:
👉👉👉 Subscribe Now: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGeneralistsPodcast

🔗 Links & Resources

• Lanturn (company): https://www.lanturn.com/

• Obliquity — John Kay: https://www.amazon.com/Obliquity-John-Kay/dp/1846682899

• Monetizing Innovation — Madhavan Ramanujam & Georg Tacke: https://www.amazon.com/Monetizing-Innovation-Companies-Design-Pricing/dp/1119240867

• Slow Horses (TV show): https://tv.apple.com/us/show/slow-horses/

• Middlesex — Jeffrey Eugenides: https://www.amazon.com/Middlesex-Novel-Jeffrey-Eugenides/dp/0312427735

• Tokyo Vice — Jake Adelstein: https://www.amazon.com/Tokyo-Vice-American-Reporter-Police/dp/0307475298

• Techmeme Ride Home (podcast): https://www.ridehome.info/techmeme-ride-home/

• MarkMonitor brand protection (Clarivate): https://clarivate.com/markmonitor/

• Taobao marketplace: https://www.taobao.com/

In Episode 44 of The Generalists Podcast, we sit down with Gustavo Fuchs — Microsoft Asia Channels, ex Google Cloud leader who’s led teams across Brazil, Turkey, Bahrain, Angola, Dubai, and Singapore. He shares powerful insights on AI adoption, intrapreneurship, and the real advantages of being a generalist in complex organizations.

Gustavo explains why the true generalist advantage—understanding the whole system (P&L, leverage points, structure, and culture)—only works if you keep your entrepreneurial spirit alive. By connecting with startups, outsider communities, and fresh perspectives, you avoid corporate complacency and bring new energy back into your company.

🚀 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• The AI value chain: research → models → infra → apps/agents
• Where margins accrue in AI and how to pick high-leverage use cases
• Turning “experiments” into board-level, KPI-tied initiatives
• Build vs. buy decisions for AI and agentic workflows
• The “1%” most teams miss: internal selling & HQ alignment
• Intrapreneurship strategies: creating healthy tension in big orgs
• A practical lens for model builders, digital natives & enterprises
• Cross-cultural leadership playbooks for global GTM success
• Energy management: how to stay “always-on” without burnout

👥 Hosts

• Michael Smith Jr.: https://www.linkedin.com/in/smittysgp
• Razko Kotler: https://www.linkedin.com/in/razko282

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👤 Guest

• Gustavo Fuchs: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gustavofuchs/

🔔 Subscribe for more founder stories, startup wisdom & intrapreneurship insights:

👉👉👉 Subscribe Now:https://www.youtube.com/@TheGeneralistsPodcast

🔗 Links & Resources

• The Culture Map (book): https://www.amazon.com/Culture-Map-Breaking-Invisible-Boundaries/dp/1610392507

• Chip War (book): https://www.amazon.com/Chip-War-Worlds-Critical-Technology/dp/1982172002

• XA Network: https://www.xanetwork.co/
• Accelerating Asia: https://www.acceleratingasia.com/

Join us for the first episode from the Generalists Roundtable! Where Alex Dwek, Hiah Goh, Michael Smith Jr., and Raz Kotler talk about tech, AI, startups, pizza, and anything else that comes to mind!

Whether you’re a founder, investor, or curious observer, this roundtable offers raw, unscripted insights on AI, startups, and Southeast Asia’s tech future.

👥 The Table

• Hian Goh: Co-Founder & Partner, OpenSpace Ventures
• Alex Dwek: COO, Nas.io
• Michael Smith Jr.:Oracle Cloud Evangelist & Host, The Generalists Podcast
• Raz Kotler: Entrepreneur & Host, The Generalists Podcast

🚀 This episode dives deep into:

• How AI transformed Nas Daily’s video production workflow
• The signal vs. noise problem in content creation
• Why storytelling and ideas matter more than AI polish
• The rise of solopreneurs & “vibe coding” for prototypes, apps, and income streams
• Comparing Singapore’s risk-averse culture vs. Israeli “no-box” thinking
• How startups like Prefer Coffee thrive in Singapore’s innovation ecosystem
• Benchmark Capital’s $75M bet on Manas AI and Singapore’s role as the “Switzerland of AI”
• Jim Keller & 10storrent: Singapore/Malaysia as a hidden chip design hub
• The future of usage-based SaaS pricing vs. traditional models
• Why Singapore & Malaysia could become a global data center hub

🔔 Subscribe for more founder stories, startup wisdom & entrepreneurial insights.👉👉👉 Subscribe Now: https://www.youtube.com/@TheGeneralistsPodcast

🔗 Links & Resources

• Pakistani Coal Miner: https://www.instagram.com/pakistanicoalminer/
• Korean Husband Cooking: https://www.youtube.com/@koreanhusbandcooking
• OpenSpace Ventures: https://openspace.vc
• Nas.io: https://nas.io
• Prefer Coffee: https://prefer.earth
• Tenstorrent: https://tenstorrent.com
• Supabase: https://supabase.com
• ByteDance / TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com
• Love, Bonito: https://www.lovebonito.com
• Robert McKee – Story (book): https://mckeestory.com/story-book
• Jim Keller (engineer): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Keller_(engineer)
• Lenny’s Podcast (Intercom episode): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/podcast-intercom-ai
• SuperAI Conference: https://superai.com