In this episode of The Generalists Podcast, hosts Michael Smith Jr. and Razko Kotler welcome Alan Soon, Co-Founder & CEO of Splice Media, to discuss:

• His journey from radio and TV newsrooms across Asia to roles at CNBC and Yahoo
• The community-driven success of Splice Beta and its impact on media entrepreneurship
• Transitioning into a media entrepreneurship coach, Alan explains how AI and live community events are transforming journalistic practice.
• Navigating mid-life - not a crisis but an opportunity

Hosts:

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

Guest:

Alan Soon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alansoon/

Resources & Links:

• Splice Media: https://splicemedia.com
• Splice Beta: https://splicemedia.com/beta-2025
• Splice Nano: https://splicemedia.com/nano
• Yahoo: https://www.yahoo.com
• CNBC: https://www.cnbc.com
• Computerworld: https://www.computerworld.com
• Do Not Believe Everything You Think by Joseph Nguyen: https://a.co/d/eIEK1t2

• 75% of small businesses get rejected for loans - but what if the system is rigged? Michel de Rijk, Founder of Kredit Hero, exposes why traditional SME lending is broken and reveals how AI-powered marketplaces are revolutionizing business financing across Asia.In this episode of The Generalists, hosts Michael Smith Jr. and Razko Kotler welcome Michel de Rijk, Founder of Kredit Hero, to discuss:
• • His journey from adtech (iWonder) to building programmatic platforms like Xaxis and leading growth at S4 Capital
  • Co-founding 19Volt’s venture-builder model and launching Kredit Hero, an AI-powered SME lending marketplace in the Philippines
  • How Kredit Hero matches lenders and borrowers digitally—closing Asia’s SME financing gap with speed, transparency, and competitive pricing
• 
  

• 00:00 Introduction & Episode Kickoff 00:17 Meeting Michel de Rijk & Singapore Journey 02:21 Building Xaxis & Programmatic Advertising 03:41 Transition to S4 Capital & Global Growth 11:48 Launching 19Volt & Venture Building Model 14:17 Kredit Hero: SME Lending Revolution 32:39 Lender–Borrower Matching & Transparency 34:20 Philippines Launch: Market Impact 35:18 Revenue Model & Competitive Advantage 35:59 Career Reflections & Ecosystem Challenges 50:38 Balancing Work, Life & Physical Wellness Hosts:

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

  Guest:

  • Michel de Rijk: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/mderijk/ ⁠

  
  

  Resources & Links:

  • The Generalists Podcast: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@TheGeneralistsPodcast ⁠
  • Kredit Hero: ⁠https://kredithero.com 19Volt: https://www.19volt.com
  • S4 Capital: ⁠https://www.s4capital.com⁠
  • WPP: ⁠https://www.wpp.com/⁠

  
  

  #GeneralistsPodcast #SmallBusinessLending #FintechTrends

In this episode of The Generalists, hosts Michael Smith Jr. and Razko Kotler welcome Mimi Nicklin, Empathy Advocate, to discuss:

• Transforming leadership through empathy—drawing on frameworks from her bestselling books and training over 16,500 leaders
• Tackling workplace loneliness via the OpenRoom initiative and comparing Southeast Asia’s evolving business ecosystem to Europe
• Operationalizing empathy across organizations, including the generalist-versus-specialist debate and practical steps for building empathetic cultures

Hosts:

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

Guest:

• Mimi Nicklin – Empathy Advocate: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miminicklin/

Resources & Links:

• Empathy Everywhere: https://www.empathyeverywhere.co/
• Softening the Edge – Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Softening-Edge-Mimi-Nicklin/dp/9948340094
• Empathy at Work – Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Empathy-At-Work-Using-Change/dp/811972643X
• The MiMi YouYou Show (Apple Podcasts): https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-mimi-youyou-show-creating-empathy/id1687806240
• Mimi YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxv635q-WB871-OA6KuUdpg
• The Cafe on the Edge of the World: https://www.amazon.sg/Cafe-Edge-World-Story-Meaning/dp/0991392051

In this episode of The Generalists, hosts Michael Smith Jr. and Razko Kotler welcome Paul Hadjy, VP APAC Cybersecurity Services at Bitdefender and co-founder & former CEO of Horangi, to discuss:

• Building and scaling a cloud security startup in the APAC region

• Navigating an eight-year journey to acquisition by Bitdefender

• Leveraging AI and vast endpoint data for next-generation cyber defense

Hosts:

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

• Razko Kotler: https://www.linkedin.com/in/razko282/

Guest:

• Paul Hadjy – VP APAC Cybersecurity Services (Bitdefender; ex-Horangi): https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-hadjy-316a026/

Resources & Links:

• Horangi: https://www.horangi.com/

• Bitdefender: https://www.bitdefender.com/
• Palantir: https://www.palantir.com/

• Landman (TV series on Paramount+): https://www.paramountplus.com/shows/landman/
• Yellowstone (TV series on Paramount+): https://www.paramountplus.com/shows/yellowstone/
• Sicario (film): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3397884/
• Billions (TV series): https://www.sho.com/billions
• Succession (TV series): https://www.hbo.com/succession
• The Hard Thing About Hard Things – Ben Horowitz: https://www.amazon.com/Hard-Thing-About-Things-Building/dp/0062273205
• The Psychology of Money – Morgan Housel: https://www.amazon.com/Psychology-Money-Timeless-lessons-happiness/dp/0857197681

• 
  

In this special solo episode of The Generalists, hosts Michael Smith Jr. and Razko Kotler celebrate one year of podcasting and share the lessons learned from building their show as a product.

You’ll discover:

• How content creation challenges led to unexpected rewards
• The role of analytics and listener feedback in driving growth
• Tips for maintaining work-life balance and finding a natural on-air flow

Hosts:

Michael Smith Jr.: https://www.linkedin.com/in/smittysgp/

Razko Kotler: https://www.linkedin.com/in/razko282/

Resources & Links:

• Poddster: https://singapore.poddster.com
• Studio Direction: http://www.studiodirection.com
• Hot Ones (First We Feast): https://www.youtube.com/c/FirstWeFeas
• DaVinci Resolve: https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/davinciresolve
• ChatGPT: https://chat.openai.com/
• YouTube Studio: https://studio.youtube.com/

In this episode we sit down with Hian Goh—founder of Openspace Ventures (US $800 M AUM) and one of Southeast Asia’s most influential early-stage VCs. A former Salomon Smith Barney tech-banker who built and sold the Asian Food Channel, Hian now backs companies such as Gojek, Love Bonito, MAKA Motors and Lucence. We unpack his hunt for a “post-NVIDIA” hardware champion, how he bridges A*STAR research to market, and why a home-built pizza oven teaches him more about founders than term sheets ever could.

Hosts:

Michael Smith Jr: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/smittysgp/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Razko Kotler: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/razko282/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Guest:

Hian Goh: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hiangoh/

Links Mentioned:

• Openspace Ventures: https://openspace.vc
• Asian Food Channel: https://www.asianfoodchannel.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hiancancook
• Plunge: https://theplunge.club/
• A*STAR: https://www.a-star.edu.sg/

Books & Media Mentioned:

• Zero to One by Peter Thiel & Blake Masters: https://www.amazon.com/Zero-One-Notes-Startups-Future/dp/0804139296/
• Monocle: https://monocle.com/magazine/
• Blinkist (short-form book summaries): https://www.blinkist.com/
• Vito Iacopelli YouTube (Pizza craft): https://www.youtube.com/@vitoiacopelli

In this episode, we sit down with Sina Meraji — a self-described polymath and deep tech founder reshaping education and societal structures. Sina is the Founder & CEO of Integral HQ, a personalized app for online social communities. We unpack his journey across Southeast Asia’s startup ecosystems, his polymath mindset, and his long-term mission to create universal systems for education, justice, and healthcare. From his early struggles as an immigrant in Malaysia to his aspirations for billion-dollar impact, Sina shares raw, unapologetic insights on resilience, ambition, and systems change.

Hosts:

Michael Smith Jr: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/smittysgp/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Razko Kotler: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/razko282/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Guest:

Sina Meraji: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sinameraji/

Links Mentioned:

• Learning Loop: https://www.learningloop.ai/
• Integral HQ: https://integralhq.com
• Entrepreneur First: https://www.joinef.com/
• Mindvalley: https://www.mindvalley.com/
• WeGoWhere: https://www.wegowhere.io/

Books & Media Mentioned:

• Thinking in Bets by Annie Duke: https://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Bets-Making-Smarter-Decisions/dp/0735216355/
• How to Solve Tough Problems by Adam Kahane: https://www.amazon.com/Solving-Tough-Problems-Adam-Kahane/dp/1576754642/