Mind Your Business: What investors really look for in founders today

It's that time of the year again! Tune in to Breakfast Bites this April Fool's as Emaad, Ryan and Audrey share some famous historical pranks from around the world!   Presented by Emaad Akhtar, Ryan Huang & Audrey Siek Produced by Emaad Akhtar Edited by Trisha Yeong Photo credit: Unsplash & its talented community of contributors Music credit: Pixabay & its talented community of contributorsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The global economy is currently navigating a "perfect storm" of supply shocks, from military conflict in the Middle East to the total shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz. With oil prices staying elevated, how much will its effects play out in the second quarter and beyond. Is the latest report of comments by Trump signaling the potential end of the war enough to win back confidence in the markets? UOB’s Head of Markets Strategy, Heng Koon How shares his outlook in this high-stakes environment. Produced/Presented: Ryan HuangSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Laila Pence, President & Co-Founder, Pence Wealth Management breaks down the explosive market surge as the Dow climbs over 1,100 points on reports of a potential de-escalation in the Iran conflict. She explains why current market corrections represent a rare buying opportunity, the surprising strength of corporate earnings despite the war, and how massive AI capital expenditures  re poised to drive generational productivity.   Produced/Presented: Ryan HuangSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rodney Tang built one of Singapore’s most successful bubble tea businesses with Gong Cha, only to walk away and rebuild from scratch with LiHO Tea. It was a bold decision that reshaped his approach to business, leadership, and long-term control. In this episode of Mind Your Business, The Breakfast Show invites Rodney to share the story behind that pivot, how he scaled LiHO into a leading brand, and why he now documents the realities of running an F&B business on TikTok.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Breakfast Show crew each picked a stock at the start of the year. Now it’s time to face the results. After three months, some picks are thriving, others are struggling, and a few didn’t go as planned. We break down the performance, the original thesis, and what we got right, or completely wrong, in this stock pick showdown.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From April 1, Singapore’s Beverage Container Return Scheme kicks in with consumers paying a refundable 10-cent deposit on bottled and canned drinks. With more than 1,000 reverse vending machines rolling out across the island, the goal is clear: boost recycling rates and cut contamination. But with a transition period, rejected bottles, and questions around convenience, how smoothly will this shift in behaviour play out? And what will it take for the system to actually work at scale? Ang Qing, Correspondent at The Straits Times (covering environment & sustainability) joins the Breakfast Show.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever been criticised, had your achievements diminished, or doubted yourself for no apparent reason in the workplace? If your answer is a yes, this might be an indicated that you were being gaslighted. On this edition of Breakfast Bites, Emaad and Ryan explore the origins of gaslighting, common signs employees should look out for, and when / how to escalate if needed.    Presented by Emaad Akhtar & Ryan Huang  Produced by Emaad Akhtar Edited by Trisha Yeong Music credit: Pixabay & its talented community of contributorsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Middle East tensions continue to disrupt oil supplies, resulting in higher fuel prices, some airlines have responded with flight cuts. Brendan Sobie, Independent Analyst & Consultant, Sobie Aviation, discusses how Changi airport has performed from a passenger traffic perspective so far this year; the most prominent flight cuts and what they mean for Changi's operations in the weeks ahead; and whether budget airlines might be losing their price advantage. Produced & Presented by: Emaad AkhtarSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Volatility is back with a vengeance. Steve Sosnick, Chief Strategist at Interactive Brokers breaks down a turbulent Monday on Wall Street as the S&P 500 slipped for its third straight session, settling at 6,344 — now more than 9% off its recent closing highs. While the Dow managed a slight gain, the Nasdaq bore the brunt of the selling, sliding 0.7% as investors grappled with a "higher-for-longer" reality. Despite Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s attempts to soothe the market, surging oil prices and a steep 1% drop in the tech sector sent the VIX, Wall Street’s "fear gauge", piercing through the 30 level for the first time in a year. Produced/Presented: Ryan HuangImage: leo from pixabay See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Singapore has invested heavily in research and innovation, particularly in deep tech and science-driven sectors. But a growing question is emerging: are strong ideas translating into real, scalable businesses? The Breakfast Show invites Theodora Lai, Principal at Tembusu Partners & Director of the Singapore Valley Awards, to discuss her perspective on the gap between innovation and execution, what investors are actually looking for in founders, the common blind spots among technical entrepreneurs, and how exposure to faster-moving markets is shaping a new generation of execution-ready founders.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.