Hello Mentor

Abbas and Alana believe that building a life and a business across two cultures starts with an open mind, a lot of curiosity, and the willingness to learn from anyone who will teach you. They argue that lasting success comes from surrounding yourself with the right people, setting clear boundaries between love and work, listening to your critics as closely as your supporters, and keeping your goals high while you stay humble. Abbas is a Kelantan-born actor, content creator and entrepreneur whose acting work includes Netflix films. Alana is a Scottish-born YouTuber and full-time content creator who first came to Malaysia on a university exchange and decided to stay. Together, the husband-and-wife duo run Goldie’s, a halal Scottish sweet brand made in Malaysia. They share practical perspectives on cross-cultural relationships, faith, running a business with your partner, and building a career in the digital age. They appear on this episode of the Hello Mentor podcast to discuss: ◼ Two Worlds Colliding: How a viral clip Alana filmed at the 2023 Merdeka Parade led her to meet Abbas, and how a random pick on a map brought a Scottish student to Malaysia for good. ◼ From Kampung Boy to the Big City: Abbas talks about leaving Kelantan, dropping electrical engineering for acting, and why KLCC became his daily reminder that big dreams can be achieved. ◼ Culture, Faith & Family: The honest culture shocks on both sides, from eating rice with your hands to dry bathrooms. Alana also shares her years of studying Islam before she reverted, and why it was her own decision. ◼ Building Goldie’s From a Home Kitchen: How the couple brought a Scottish candy to Malaysia, made it halal, created a Malaysia-only strawberry flavour, and grew it with advice from experienced business owners. ◼ Running a Business With Your Spouse: Why boundaries, trust, and playing to each other’s strengths (accounting, operations, marketing) make a husband-and-wife partnership work. TIMESTAMPS: 00:29 – Meet Abbas & Alana 01:24 – How They Met at the 2023 Merdeka Parade 03:35 – Picking Malaysia at Random for an Exchange Year 07:52 – First Impressions of KL: KLCC as a Symbol of Big Dreams 08:54 – From Electrical Engineering to Acting 10:39 – Culture Shock: A Kelantan Kampung Boy in the City 11:41 – Why You Should Choose Who You Surround Yourself With 12:14 – How Alana Became a Content Creator in Bali During MCO 15:07 – Introducing a Foreign Partner to a Kelantan Family 17:33 – Adapting to Each Other’s Cultures 20:37 – Abbas’ Culture Shocks in Scotland 23:23 – Uncle & Auntie vs First Names: Respecting Elders 25:05 – When Malaysia Finally Felt Like Home 27:06 – UK Food or Malaysian Food? 28:03 – The Birth of Goldie’s: Bringing a Scottish Sweet to Malaysia 29:54 – Creating a Malaysia-Only Strawberry Flavour 31:35 – Why the Candy’s Original Name Stays Secret 33:25 – Starting From Home & Learning From Mentors 36:27 – Alana’s Journey to Islam 41:10 – “Did You Convert for Marriage?” 44:01 – Running a Business as Husband & Wife: Setting Boundaries 46:23 – Trust & Finding Your Natural Roles 51:57 – Business Advice: Ask for Opportunity or Knowledge, Listen to Critics 53:42 – Entrepreneurship in Scotland vs Malaysia (and Andrew Carnegie) 58:22 – The Entrepreneurial Women of Kelantan 01:01:20 – The Vision for Goldie’s: New Flavours, Products & Clothing 01:04:19 – Business Person or Media Person? Becoming a Hybrid 01:05:48 – Looking Back: Did They Imagine This Life? 01:08:12 – Stay Humble, Aim High & Be Great at Whatever You Do #Abbas #Alana #Goldies #ContentCreator #MalaysianCreator #Kelantan #Scotland #CrossCulturalCouple #HusbandAndWifeBusiness #Entrepreneur #HelloMentor #Hiredly #MalaysianPodcast #Podcast FOLLOW OUR SOCIALS Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hiredlyofficial TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hellomentorwithderektoh

Anjoe Koh contends that building a resilient career in today’s landscape requires combining distinct domains of expertise rather than staying confined to a single rigid path. She argues that true business sustainability comes from making decisions grounded in data rather than gut feelings, establishing financial prudence early, and creating structured systems that allow a brand to thrive independently of its founder. Anjoe Koh is a dual-licensed UK and Malaysian pharmacist, former Miss Astro Chinese International winner, digital content creator, and founder of the skincare brand MadeByAnjoe. Blending her pharmaceutical background with entertainment and entrepreneurship, she speaks on evidence-based skincare formulations, niche brand positioning, moving past societal expectations, and transitioning from self-employment to building a scalable business. She appears on this episode of the Hello Mentor podcast to discuss: UK vs. Malaysian Pharmacy Systems: Anjoe explains that UK pharmacists hold Master's degrees to diagnose minor ailments and perform weekly Medicine Use Reviews, whereas Malaysian doctors handle both diagnosis and dispensing. Growing Up & Family Influence on Business: Shares how her upbringing in Kedah and her father’s business mindset heavily shaped her value for money, teaching her that true wealth comes from entrepreneurship rather than working for others. The Responsibility of a Business Founder: Emphasizes that being an entrepreneur requires wearing multiple hats and maintaining high moral standards regarding product safety and formula integrity. Life Setbacks Leading to Unexpected Blessings: Relates how a ski injury and back pain led her to meet her chiropractor husband, illustrating how career and life setbacks often open doors to better outcomes. Childhood Lessons from Her Father: Concludes with humorous childhood memories of her father making her queue at the JPJ road transport department to teach her the value of time and motivate her academic performance. TIMESTAMPS: 00:54 – Introduction  01:46 – First Job Experience as a Pharmacist 04:18 – Academic University Life vs. Real-World Pharmacy 06:17 – UK vs. Malaysian Healthcare Systems 08:38 – Cross-Checking Prescriptions & Patient Safety  11:39 – Childhood in Kedah & Family Business Mindset 12:46 – Negotiating Career Choices with Her Parents 16:43 – Pivoting into Beauty Pageants & Entertainment 19:33 – Broadening Horizons with Astro 20:24 – Combining Skills to Create a Niche Category 22:41 – Financial Discipline & Bootstrapping a Startup 26:02 – Entrepreneurial Responsibility & Product Integrity 29:24 – Identifying the Need for Barrier-Repair Skincare 31:33 – Community Pharmacy & Launching YouTube 34:45 – Launching the First Mugwort Face Oil 45:31 – Niche Marketing Strategy over Mass Competition 49:36 – Educating Consumers on Ingredient Lists 01:01:03 – Defining Her Identity as a "Driven Pharmacist" 01:03:19 – Career Advice on Patience & Avoiding Job Hopping 01:08:41 – Turning Life Setbacks into Unexpected Blessings 01:12:46 – Building a Sustainable Business Beyond Personal IP 01:21:24 – Reflecting on Personal Growth & Breaking Stereotypes 01:24:42 – Childhood Lessons from Her Father #SkincareScience #AnjoeKoh #BeautyEntrepreneur #Pharmacist #MalaysianEntrepreneur #MalaysianPodcast #Podcast FOLLOW OUR SOCIALS Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hiredlyofficial/?hl=en TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hellomentorwithderektoh

Adele Chow asserts that sustainable success in business and leadership requires moving away from purely chasing money to focusing on genuine value and impact. She emphasizes that true growth comes from self-awareness, taking full ownership of your choices, and staying anchored in your personal values amid external pressure, rejection, or burnout. Adele Chow is the founder and CEO of Sevenvault, a leading local content marketing agency in Malaysia specializing in organic influencer collaborations and strategic content creation. Drawing from her journey as an early blogger, multi-level marketer, corporate employee, agency founder, and mother of two, she speaks on entrepreneurship, creator economy dynamics, workplace culture, and balancing personal life with leadership. She appears on this episode of the Hello Mentor podcast to discuss: The Pitfalls of Working Purely for Money: Reflecting on her early working life, Adele explains why pursuing money as a sole motivator is unsustainable and eventually leads to personal breakdown.   Facing Dismissive Boardrooms at Age 25: Recalling a humiliating meeting with a corporate executive who judged her casual appearance, cut her presentation down to ten minutes, and made her feel small.   The Importance of Inner Work & Personal Development: Adele shares her personal journey with therapy, hypnotherapy, and growth seminars, highlighting how leaders must nurture their mind, body, and soul to build healthy businesses.   Addressing Creator Burnout & Evolving Trends: Exploring why popular creators disappear, pointing to the 24/7 mental burden of content creation and the failure to innovate alongside video and social trends.   Balancing Motherhood and CEO Responsibilities: The emotional tug-of-war of raising a two-year-old and five-year-old while running a business, managing limited weekday hours with her children. TIMESTAMPS: 00:11 – Introduction & Agency Background 00:46 – The Evolution of Influencer Marketing 03:21 – Her First Job in Multi-Level Marketing and Financial Freedom 06:53 – The Pitfalls of Working Purely for Money and Financial Gain 08:40 – Navigating Severe Burnout and Unhealthy Work Routines 12:09 – Experiencing Personal Loss and Making a Major Career Pivot 13:35 – Launching SevenVault to Solve Industry Communication Gaps 15:04 – Securing Her First Big Business Break with Shopee 16:05 – The True Origin and Meaning Behind the Name "SevenVault" 25:38 – The Core Philosophy of Giving Value Before Expecting Rewards 27:47 – Facing Rejection and Dismissive Treatment in Boardrooms at Age 25 34:30 – The Critical Importance of Inner Work and Personal Development for Leaders 40:04 – Navigating Imposter Syndrome as an Established Business Founder 43:12 – Embracing Vulnerability and Boundary-Setting in Leadership 52:35 – Addressing Creator Burnout and Adapting to Evolving Industry Trends 55:41 – Learning Not to Tie Your Self-Worth to Social Media Performance 01:01:29 – The Rising Workplace Trend of "Day-in-the-Life" Employee Creators 01:09:55 – Understanding the Often Un-Glamorous Reality of Entrepreneurship 01:12:06 – Balancing the Dual Demands of Motherhood and CEO Responsibilities 01:17:19 – Rethinking Modern Workplace Design and Flexibility for Parents 01:22:39 – Providing a Safe and Loving Home Environment for Her Children 01:23:33 – Forgiving Past Life Mistakes and Embracing Personal Growth 01:27:33 – Final Reflections on Maintaining Hope and Resilience Through Hard Times #ContentMarketing #AdeleChow #CreatorEconomy #InfluencerMarketing #MalaysianEntrepreneur #MalaysianPodcast #Podcast FOLLOW OUR SOCIALS Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hiredlyofficial/?hl=en TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hellomentorwithderektoh

Dr Mirza Rayana argues that surviving and thriving in an AI-driven future requires moving beyond mere tool consumption to deep literacy and original thinking. She contends that relying solely on automated outputs risks stripping away human authenticity, that overusing AI leads to a loss of personal identity, and that true progress comes from doing the hard, messy work of foundational thinking before inviting technology to challenge or refine one's ideas. Dr Mirza Rayana is a teaching and research track lecturer at Monash University Malaysia and an upskilling instructor specializing in applied AI and sustainable infrastructure. Bridging academic research and real-world impact, she speaks on AI literacy, responsible tech integration, overcoming industry bias, and guiding the next generation of graduates to stay relevant in a rapidly shifting workforce. She appears on this episode of the Hello Mentor podcast to discuss: ● Using AI vs. Truly Understanding AI: She breaks down the distinction between basic consumer-facing AI (like chat interfaces) and true AI literacy, emphasizing the need to understand data collection, training, privacy, and underlying system mechanics. ● Hidden Computation and Environmental Costs of AI Trends: Using viral social media photo trends as an example, Dr. Mirza discusses the invisible computational, energy, and cooling resource costs required behind the scenes for mass AI generation. ● Democratizing Creation & How AI Impacts the Future Workforce: Addressing fears around job displacement, Dr. Mirza explains that technological shifts remove redundant tasks while creating entirely new fields advising individuals to build strong foundational skills rather than trying to predict career safety. ● The Concept and Risks of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI): She defines AGI as systems capable of human-level reasoning and autonomous decision-making, sharing her personal concerns about its rapid advancement and the societal need to manage its rollout carefully. ● Gender Dynamics and Personal Experiences as a Woman in Tech: Dr. Mirza opens up about early career belittlement and dismissive experiences in male-dominated boardrooms, explaining how those moments inspired her to create supportive, inclusive environments for future researchers. FOLLOW OUR SOCIALS Hiredly XiaoHongShu: https://shorturl.at/uVBZO Instagram: https://shorturl.at/hT6wQ TikTok (Hiredly): https://shorturl.at/0gum2 TikTok (Grow With Hiredly): https://shorturl.at/gAObT Douyin: https://v.douyin.com/uQlXc4X0vaY/[email protected]

◼ Why she believes you must "rebel against life" and what it actually takes to survive high-stakes performance: How she overcame a severe spinal fracture at age 16 that temporarily left her paralyzed, defied medical advice telling her to quit sports and heels, and built the strength to push past physical and mental limits. ◼ The real story behind the pageant world and the live streams that turned critics into allies: What really happened during her grueling run in Mexico, where she navigated extreme temperature swings and swollen feet and how she addressed online hate head-on by going live to build constructive conversations with viewers. ◼ Why she refuses to alter her body for societal standards, and whether plastic surgery was ever the answer: Why she turned down advice to undergo plastic surgery after winning her title, choosing instead to remain an authentic role model for young female athletes. ◼ How performative expectations disrupt women’s identities in film, and who should take control of action roles: The stark reality of being the rare female stunt performer in Malaysia, performing her own fight scenes and stunts, and advocating for complex, female-led action roles with true character depth. ◼ What set productions really hide behind the camera during dangerous stunts: The unglamorous realities of filming, from hanging three stories high without safety padding to taking hits, sustaining injuries, and fighting through corridors infested with rats and cockroaches Follow Hello Mentor / Hiredly XiaoHongShu: https://shorturl.at/uVBZO Instagram: https://shorturl.at/hT6wQ TikTok (Hiredly): https://shorturl.at/0gum2 TikTok (Grow With Hiredly): https://shorturl.at/gAObT Douyin: https://v.douyin.com/uQlXc4X0vaY/[email protected]

Moses Wong is a Malaysian content creator and former graphic designer who has transitioned from behind-the-scenes design work to becoming one of the region’s most recognizable digital comedians. Known for his relatable skits, sharp cultural observations, and character-driven humor, he now speaks candidly about navigating career risks, the pressures of remaining authentic, and evolving his creative process beyond short-form videos. He appears on this episode of the Hello Mentor podcast to discuss: ◼Transitioning from Graphic Design to Content Creation: How leaving a traditional 9-to-5 graphic design background gave him the foundation to build multi-platform comedy skits. ◼ The Pandemic Spark: How total isolation during the COVID-19 lockdowns pushed him to record short videos as a creative outlet, which unexpectedly blew up into a full-time career. ◼ Balancing Risk and Financial Stability: Why he continued working at an agency for three years while building his digital platform before officially making the jump to full-time content creation. ◼ The Shift from Skits to Real Identity: Moving away from scripted character personas to speaking directly to the camera, allowing his audience to connect with his actual personality and views. ◼ Expanding into YouTube & Long-Form Content: Launching his new show, Crush Theory, to tackle love and dating through a structured game-show format while learning the steep curve of long-form strategy. ◼ Off-the-Cuff Efficiency: Why he avoids rigid scripting, filming most of his short-form videos off the cuff in just a few minutes, and allowing room for spontaneous humor. ◼ Advice for Aspiring Creators: Overcoming perfectionism, embracing mistakes as natural comedy, and putting content out into the world rather than waiting for ideal conditions. Follow Hello Mentor / Hiredly XiaoHongShu: https://shorturl.at/uVBZO Instagram: https://shorturl.at/hT6wQ TikTok (Hiredly): https://shorturl.at/0gum2 TikTok (Grow With Hiredly): https://shorturl.at/gAObT Douyin: https://v.douyin.com/uQlXc4X0vaY/[email protected]

Anne Jacyntha is a prominent Malaysian radio announcer, content creator, and emcee. Known for her crisp, lively voice and high-energy personality, she made history as the first female radio presenter featured on the HITZ Morning Crew which happens to be one of Malaysia's flagship English language morning breakfast radio shows. She appears on this episode of the Hello Mentor podcast to discuss: ◼ Her Unconventional Route to Radio and Having a "Fallback Plan": She explains how she fast-tracked into radio after entering an announcer search at 17, which led her to pursue a Law degree as a safety net. She shares why she briefly worked as a paralegal and legal secretary before returning to media full-time. ◼ The Mental and Physical Realities of the Breakfast Show: She opens up about the demanding lifestyle behind a 6:00 AM radio show, including daily 4:00 AM wake-ups, dealing with daily direct performance feedback ("air checks"), and the pressure of breaking into a historically male-dominated morning crew slot. ◼ Her Complex Relationship with Social Media & Privacy: Despite having a strong digital footprint as a beauty and lifestyle creator advocate for deeper skin tones, she reveals that she actually dislikes social media, avoids oversharing her personal life, and prefers consuming long-form content like documentaries. ◼ Overcoming Internalized Standards of Beauty: She reflects on growing up with societal and cultural colorism in Malaysia, how she unlearned the belief that "fair is pretty" to embrace her skin tone, and her shift toward creating content that builds representation for deeper skinned women. ◼ Life Lessons from Law School and Navigating Career Anxiety: She breaks down how studying case law gave her a realistic perspective on how fast life can change, why no experience goes to waste even if you change careers, and her advice to young Malaysians about learning to trust the process over constantly worrying about the future. Timestamps   Follow Hello Mentor / Hiredly XiaoHongShu: https://shorturl.at/uVBZO Instagram: https://shorturl.at/hT6wQ TikTok (Hiredly): https://shorturl.at/0gum2 TikTok (Grow With Hiredly): https://shorturl.at/gAObT Douyin: https://v.douyin.com/uQlXc4X0vaY/[email protected]

Josiah Ng says success in a rapidly changing world requires a complete shift in mindset and adaptability. Traditional paths to security may no longer be enough, and the challenges of tomorrow cannot be solved through memorisation alone. To succeed, the next generation will need to embrace failure, take full ownership of their journey, and be willing to do the hard things. Josiah is a three-time Malaysian Olympic track cyclist, former world number one, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games medallist, and founder of The Olympian Academy. Years after stepping away from competitive cycling, he joins the Hello Mentor podcast to reflect on his journey and share his perspectives on mindset, resilience, mentorship, parenting, and preparing the next generation for an uncertain future. In this episode, Josiah shares his approach to mentorship and why he believes in offering value to people without expecting anything in return — a philosophy that eventually led him to meet his co-founder at The Olympian Academy. He also reflects on running the Olympian Mindset podcast and the very different skills required to be a podcast host versus a guest. Josiah takes us back to when he returned to Malaysia at 19 and had to convince Majlis Sukan Negara (MSN) officials to give him an opportunity, including a seven-hour meeting that eventually led to a cycling tryout. He also breaks down the mindset behind his 2010 Commonwealth Games journey, from visualisation and practising Negaraku every day to preparing himself to “get lucky” when opportunity arrived. Finally, Josiah discusses the family values that shaped him — including competitiveness, education, and wellness — and what young people and parents need to rethink as the world continues to change.   Follow Hello Mentor / Hiredly XiaoHongShu: https://shorturl.at/uVBZO Instagram: https://shorturl.at/hT6wQ TikTok (Hiredly): https://shorturl.at/0gum2 TikTok (Grow With Hiredly): https://shorturl.at/gAObT Douyin: https://v.douyin.com/uQlXc4X0vaY/[email protected]

In this episode of the Hello Mentor podcast, we sit down with Ziet, an engineer turned corporate finance expert who launched a massive financial media platform in 2020 to elevate financial literacy in Malaysia. Now leading a 12-person team with over 300,000 followers, Ziet breaks down complex economic concepts into highly relatable stories from decoding stock market basics to explaining the sudden drop in local durian prices. He unpacks his core philosophy of "incentive-based thinking," shares brutal truths about the hidden dangers of early loan commitments and illiquid property assets, and reveals why mastering skills like AI prompting is the ultimate first investment for young professionals. If you want to understand how the modern economy actually works and how to build a high-ROI portfolio, this episode is your masterclass in wealth building and critical thinking. 🎙️ Watch the full episode on Hello Mentor to hear the full story (Link in Bio) Follow us on Social Media: XiaoHongShu: https://shorturl.at/uVBZO Instagram: https://shorturl.at/hT6wQ TikTok (Hiredly): https://shorturl.at/0gum2 TikTok (Grow With Hiredly): https://shorturl.at/gAObT Dou Yin: https://v.douyin.com/uQlXc4X0vaY/[email protected] 🎧 Listen and follow Hello Mentor!:http://hiredly.com/hellomentor

In this episode of the Hello Mentor podcast, we sit down with Natalie Chai, a multifaceted content creator and bilingual MC who carved out a highly unique niche, hosting and simultaneously interpreting for Korean celebrities. Natalie's journey began unexpectedly when a random gap year at Yonsei University in Korea at age 17 led her to a part-time gig interpreting for K-pop groups like Super Junior. Fast forward to 2022, a daunting push from the Korea Tourism Organization forced her to seamlessly merge her English MCing and Korean interpreting skills on stage, a high-pressure challenge that ultimately defined her career. Beyond the glitz and strict orchestration of the Korean entertainment industry, Natalie drops invaluable wisdom on why you don't always need a grand dream to succeed, how to strategically weaponize stress and accountability to master new skills, and the true power of finding your Ikigai. Whether you are an aspiring polyglot (she speaks over five languages!) or a professional trying to navigate a nonlinear career path, Natalie's candid stories will leave you inspired to leap at every learning opportunity. 🎙️ Watch the full episode on Hello Mentor to hear the full story (Link in Bio) Follow us on Social Media: XiaoHongShu: https://shorturl.at/uVBZO Instagram: https://shorturl.at/hT6wQ TikTok (Hiredly): https://shorturl.at/0gum2 TikTok (Grow With Hiredly): https://shorturl.at/gAObT Dou Yin: https://v.douyin.com/uQlXc4X0vaY/[email protected] 🎧 Listen and follow Hello Mentor!: http://hiredly.com/hellomentor