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Recently, a member of a B2B podcaster WhatsApp group I was in shared his recent milestone of reaching 50K YouTube podcast subscribers.
It got all of us leaning in to read more.
That member is Rodrigo Canelas.
If you are not familiar with Rodrigo, he is a video creator, entrepreneur, and permanent traveller known for his work in interviewing inspiring and influential people worldwide.
He is the CEO and Founder of Something Bigger, a company focused on empowering individuals and fostering personal growth.
Currently, Rodrigo is on a World Tour, conducting interviews with notable figures in various countries. He is currently in India, continuing his journey of exploration and content creation.
Like many others in the group, we struggle to grow our podcasts.
Truth be told, it is especially hard in the B2B space.
So we were all very keen to learn his secrets to cracking it.
His secret?
He burned all his boats and went all-in on his dream.
It’s a principle I’ve seen play out repeatedly in our region, where cultural pressures often push us toward the safety of an “iron rice bowl.”
I can already hear the sceptics: “But what about privilege?” “Not everyone can take that risk!”
While these concerns feel especially valid in Singapore, where the cost of living ranks among the highest in the world, they miss a crucial point: It’s not just about having a safety net—it’s about conviction.
Take Amanda Cua of BackScoop, for instance.
At just 21, she left the traditional path expected of young Asians—no prestigious corporate job, no stable career trajectory.
Instead, she went all-in on building a tech newsletter covering Southeast Asian startups and businesses.
Like many entrepreneurs in our region, she faced not just market challenges but also the weight of family expectations and cultural norms that prioritise stability over risk-taking.
Another example is Nancy Lai of A Mighty Venture. She left her full-time academic role as a mid-life entrepreneur with children to found e-commerce brands Playand and A Mighty Mum.
Her journey showcases that entrepreneurship isn’t limited by age or life stage.
My own journey reflects this duality.
My first business venture, launched in an era before social media’s distractions, grew from zero to $5M in annual revenue precisely because I went all-in.
Every day, bit by bit, we pushed forward with unwavering focus.
Years later, when I started an HR consultancy, I took the “safer” approach many Singaporeans prefer.
I hedged my bets, and twice I retreated to corporate jobs when money got tight.
Let’s be honest: I’ve witnessed countless aspiring entrepreneurs in Singapore play it safe—one foot in their dream, one foot in their comfort zone.
They update their LinkedIn with #OpenToWork while claiming to build their empire.
They call themselves fractional leaders while spending more time sending resumes than building their practice.
Half-measures yield half-results.
This is especially true in the Asian context, where the fear of failure often outweighs the potential for success.
Because we have always been taught to play not to lose when we should be playing to win (Hello Singapore football team).
Now, let’s address the elephant in the room: Going all-in requires a runway.
Whether it’s savings or a stomach of steel for daily instant noodles, you need time for success to materialise.
If you’re living paycheck to paycheck in our expensive city, your first priority should be getting your finances in order.
I also often hear many other push-backs that can be summarised to a common “I cannot one lah!”
My retort now is why are you booing yourself off the stage before you even start performing?
Mark Twain’s words resonate particularly well here: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.”
But for those who are ready, the evidence is clear.
And this mindset extends to every aspect of building your business.
No shying away from media opportunities.
No reflexively saying no to experiments.
No waiting for the “perfect moment” while opportunities pass by.
In a region that often emphasises careful planning and risk minimization, this approach might feel uncomfortable—but that’s precisely the point.
The question isn’t whether you have what it takes to go all-in.
In today’s rapidly evolving Asian economy, the question is: Can you afford not to?
Your success depends on more than just dipping your toes in the water.
You need to dive deep.
After all, if you were a race horse, would you bet on yourself? Or against?