Chief Change Officer™: Ensemble

In Part 2 of his three-part series, narrative strategist Chris Hare shares the stories he used to survive. 

From a near-suicidal season while working at Amazon to a healing moment years later in a record store, this episode unpacks how internal stories—if left unchecked—can become prisons. But when named, challenged, and re-authored, they can also become paths to freedom. 

For Gen Xers who’ve spent decades carrying stories they didn’t choose, this is a masterclass in taking your story back—and choosing what to build next.

>>When the Narrative Turns Against You

“I repeated ‘I’m stuck’ like a mantra—for hours, every week.”

Chris reveals how one toxic narrative nearly ended his life, and how a shift in story—triggered by a tragic moment—gave him just enough room to survive.

>>From Mental Health Crisis to Narrative Recovery

“I believed I was going to die. That became my story.”

He shares his journey through depression, chronic pain, and burnout—and the slow, uncomfortable work of rewriting that internal tape.

>>The Most Powerful Story He Ever Felt

“It started with my boss’s tattoo and ended with Eddie Vedder hugging me in a record store.”

Chris tells the full-circle story of how a Pearl Jam song became the turning point in his healing—and why storytelling doesn’t just change businesses, it changes people.

>>Storytelling Is a Risk—and a Return

“Most of us tell curated stories. The raw ones? That’s where the power is.”

He makes a case for telling the stories that aren’t polished. Because those are the stories that truly shift our futures—and invite others to shift with us.

>>From Blame to Responsibility

“I had to stop blaming everyone else for my unhappiness.”

Chris opens up about how his marriage nearly ended, and how rewriting his personal narrative—through new inputs and radical honesty—brought him back.

_____________________

Connect with us:
Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Chris Hare

--Chief Change Officer--
Change Ambitiously. Outgrow Yourself.

Open a World of Expansive Human Intelligence
for Transformation Gurus, Black Sheep,
Unsung Visionaries & Bold Hearts.

EdTech Leadership Awards 2025 Finalist.
20 Million+ All-Time Downloads.
80+ Countries Reached Daily.
Global Top 1% Podcast.
Top 5 US Business.
Top 1 US Careers.

>>>180,000+ are outgrowing. Act Today.<<<

In Part 1 of this three-part series, Chris Hare shares how a single founder story sparked a strategy pivot inside Amazon—and why storytelling isn’t fluff, it’s infrastructure. 

As a behind-the-scenes strategist for some of tech’s biggest companies, Chris has spent decades shaping narratives that align people, purpose, and performance. But his real power lies in his Gen X sensibility: low drama, high pattern recognition, and deep alignment between what’s said and what’s done. This episode explores how narrative becomes strategy—and why the most powerful shifts often start quietly, from the edges.

>>From Ad World to Strategic Narrative

“I started in marketing, but I got tired of talking at people.”

Chris shares how his path from advertising to Amazon and Microsoft led him to discover a deeper kind of storytelling—one that doesn’t sell, but aligns and activates.

>>Stories Fuel the Narrative—But Don’t Confuse the Two

“Stories are time-bound. Narratives are ongoing.”

He breaks down the difference between stories and narratives using a flywheel model—and why most companies misuse both.

>>When a Story Shifts a Billion-Dollar Business

“One conversation in Brooklyn rewrote the future of Amazon Marketplace.”

Chris recounts how a single founder story changed the internal narrative at Amazon, sparking a strategic shift toward supporting brand owners—not just resellers.

>>Narrative Isn’t a Department—It’s the Operating System

“Everyone thinks they own the narrative. The CMO. The CEO. The team.”

He unpacks why narrative must be rooted in strategy, and why trying to split it between brand, marketing, and product only creates confusion.

>>How Change Starts with Listening

“Storytelling isn’t a hero’s journey framework. It’s a pattern recognition discipline.”

Chris explains how real narrative work starts with deep listening and curiosity—and how companies can design strategy around human insight, not hype.

_____________________

Connect with us:
Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Chris Hare

--Chief Change Officer--
Change Ambitiously. Outgrow Yourself.

Open a World of Expansive Human Intelligence
for Transformation Gurus, Black Sheep,
Unsung Visionaries & Bold Hearts.

EdTech Leadership Awards 2025 Finalist.
20 Million+ All-Time Downloads.
80+ Countries Reached Daily.
Global Top 1% Podcast.
Top 5 US Business.
Top 1 US Careers.

>>>180,000+ are outgrowing. Act Today.<<<

In Part 2 of her conversation, Sara Lobkovich doesn’t just tell us what strategy is—she shows us who it’s for. 

Her book, You Are a Strategist, is more than a guide to OKRs or goal-setting. It’s a toolkit for people who’ve always felt misaligned, misunderstood, or mislabeled in traditional business environments. Drawing from her own experience as a trauma survivor, neurodivergent thinker, and late-diagnosed ADHD strategist, Sara offers business frameworks that finally include the rest of us. 

For Gen Xers who never fit the mold but always saw the system clearly, this episode is both validation and a user manual.

>>From Law School to Strategy Misfit

“I never got the interview. I didn’t have the right name on my résumé.”

Sara reflects on being locked out of big-name strategy firms—and how that exclusion pushed her to build her own frameworks, grounded in human insight, not prestige.

>>Strategy as Shared Language

“The simplest tech in business? Words that mean the same thing to everyone.”

Sara breaks down how misalignment over simple terms like ‘strategy’ or ‘goals’ can waste human energy—and how her frameworks give teams a shared starting point.

>>The Book That Became a Love Letter

“I wrote the book I needed—and cried when I read the proof.”

She shares how You Are a Strategist evolved from a workbook on goal-setting into a deeply personal guide for people who feel unseen in traditional business culture.

>>A Toolkit for the Misunderstood

“This book is for introverts, ADHDers, trauma survivors, frustrated changemakers.”

Sara explains why her audience matters—and how her tools were designed for people often left out of business conversations but full of unrealized insight.

>>Leading Through Questions, Not Performances

“Strategy is asking the question no one else is asking—then listening.”

She closes by reframing leadership as a curiosity-driven practice, not a performance—and why the most powerful change-makers are often the ones who feel like outsiders.

_____________________

Connect with us:
Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Sara Lobkovich

--Chief Change Officer--
Change Ambitiously. Outgrow Yourself.

Open a World of Expansive Human Intelligence
for Transformation Gurus, Black Sheep,
Unsung Visionaries & Bold Hearts.

EdTech Leadership Awards 2025 Finalist.
20 Million+ All-Time Downloads.
80+ Countries Reached Daily.
Global Top 1% Podcast.
Top 5 US Business.
Top 1 US Careers.

>>>180,000+ are outgrowing. Act Today.<<<

Sara Lobkovich didn’t pivot to be edgy. She adapted because the system never fit—and she refused to shrink herself to match it. 

In this first of a two-part series, Sara walks us through her nonlinear arc: from teen internet entrepreneur to lawyer, from burnout strategist to behavioral goal-setting expert. Along the way, she reveals how quiet defiance, early activism, and radical self-curiosity helped her rewire how she worked and lived. 

For Gen Xers tired of being told to “just fit in,” this episode hits like a guidebook wrapped in real talk.

>>Port Townsend Roots, Strategy Brain Wiring

“I was raised where being a writer or artist wasn’t a dream—it was a job.”

Sara shares how growing up in a small creative town and fighting for chocolate milk equity in third grade foreshadowed a life spent rewriting systems that didn’t make sense.

>>Corporate Doesn’t Like People Like Us

“I gave 150% and learned they only wanted 25.”

She opens up about being misread, underused, and professionally ghosted inside organizations that couldn’t make space for someone who thought faster than the hierarchy could handle.

>>Law School, Big Agencies, and That One Job That Broke Her

“I was the person on the plane with no life and a dog living with my parents.”

Sara traces her journey through law, tech, brand strategy, and burnout—highlighting how her performance often outpaced her internal compass.

>>Strategy as a Rebellion, Not a Resume

“Strategy isn’t being the smartest in the room—it’s asking the best questions.”

She unpacks how real strategy is built by misfits, introverts, and pattern-obsessives—not always the polished ones at the front of the pitch deck.

>>Stuck ≠ Static

“I made stuckness into a self-directed MBA.”

For Sara, curiosity is the antidote to stagnation. She reframes “being stuck” as a training ground and offers a mindset shift for anyone feeling locked in place.
_____________________

Connect with us:
Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Sara Lobkovich

--Chief Change Officer--
Change Ambitiously. Outgrow Yourself.

Open a World of Expansive Human Intelligence
for Transformation Gurus, Black Sheep,
Unsung Visionaries & Bold Hearts.

EdTech Leadership Awards 2025 Finalist.
20 Million+ All-Time Downloads.
80+ Countries Reached Daily.
Global Top 1% Podcast.
Top 5 US Business.
Top 1 US Careers.

>>>180,000+ are outgrowing. Act Today.<<<

In this second half of her story, Holly Bond comes full circle—returning to the recruiting world she once left behind, this time to rebuild it from the ground up. At Facets, she’s proving that scaling a business doesn’t require sacrificing soul. From her pay structure to her candidate experience to her team’s human-first process, Holly is quietly leading a revolution in executive search. 

She also drops some of the best job-seeking advice on the show to date—especially for Gen Xers navigating reinvention in an AI-shaped job market. 

>>Why She Said No for Two Years

“I wasn’t going back unless I could build it on my terms.”

Holly shares how she turned down the offer to lead a recruiting division—until the company agreed to let her rewrite the model with empathy at the core.

>>From Commission to Compassion

“I spent 90 minutes with a man in crisis. And someone called it non-revenue-generating time.”

That moment made her walk away. Now, she leads a team that’s paid to care—not just to close.

>>Human-First Headhunting

“We’re not built for speed. We’re built for connection.”

Facets was founded to serve both candidates and clients—not just fill roles. The process is slow by design, and that’s the point.

>>Can’t-Miss Advice for Job Seekers

“Keep your resume on your desktop—like a living will.”

From networking mindset to real-world resume tips, Holly offers grounded, no-BS advice for job seekers of all ages, especially those in their 40s, 50s, and 60s.

>>What AI Can’t Replace

“We use AI to be more efficient—so we can be more human.”

Holly explains exactly where AI fits into her recruiting process—and where it never will. Emotional nuance, creativity, and human connection? Still 100% analog.

_________________________

Connect with us:
Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Holly Bond

--Chief Change Officer--
Change Ambitiously. Outgrow Yourself.

Open a World of Expansive Human Intelligence
for Transformation Gurus, Black Sheep,
Unsung Visionaries & Bold Hearts.

EdTech Leadership Awards 2025 Finalist.
20 Million+ All-Time Downloads.
80+ Countries Reached Daily.
Global Top 1% Podcast.
Top 5 US Business.
Top 1 US Careers.

>>>180,000+ are outgrowing. Act Today.<<<

Holly Bond didn’t inherit a business or a playbook—she built her own, from the basement up. 

In this first of a two-part conversation, she shares how a late return to university, a family health wake-up call, and pure Gen X tenacity drove her to create a kids’ fitness franchise with national impact. Holly’s story is part entrepreneurship, part emotional reckoning, and full of hard-earned wisdom for anyone designing change from the inside out. If you’ve ever thought it was too late, too messy, or too uncertain—this episode proves otherwise.

>>Seventeen Years and One Framed Diploma

“My kids framed my degree—with notes saying ‘You’re the bomb.’”

Holly recounts how she returned to college as a mom of two, taking one course at a time over nearly two decades—proving that starting late doesn’t mean finishing small.

>>Sales from Scratch

“I went from mall dumpsters to headhunter interviews.”

Her first outside sales job was in waste management. The job was unglamorous—but it proved she could sell. And it led her, unexpectedly, to the world of recruiting.

>>The Moment That Changed Everything

“He said our son was overweight. I didn’t believe it—until I saw it.”

A brutally honest conversation about her son’s health launched Holly into action. What began as a home gym turned into Bulldog Interactive Fitness, a children’s fitness franchise powered by gaming.

>>From Basement Prototypes to National News

“I said we’re franchising on TV—before we even had an application form.”

She hustled media coverage, fielded 100+ franchise inquiries in 24 hours, and built the brand on the fly. It was messy. It was bold. And it worked—until the 2009 crash tested everything.

>>The Lessons That Nearly Broke Her

“I stopped listening to the advisors who warned me. Almost lost it all.”

From overconfidence to near-collapse, Holly reflects on how she came close to losing her company—and what pulled her back just in time.

_________________________

Connect with us:
Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Holly Bond

--Chief Change Officer--
Change Ambitiously. Outgrow Yourself.

Open a World of Expansive Human Intelligence
for Transformation Gurus, Black Sheep,
Unsung Visionaries & Bold Hearts.

EdTech Leadership Awards 2025 Finalist.
20 Million+ All-Time Downloads.
80+ Countries Reached Daily.
Global Top 1% Podcast.
Top 5 US Business.
Top 1 US Careers.

>>>180,000+ are outgrowing. Act Today.<<<

In Part Two, Sande takes us into the quieter—but more honest—chapter that followed. He shares what happened when he stepped off the growth treadmill, redefined ambition, and began unlearning the beliefs that kept him over-performing and under-listening. From rebuilding marriage to carving out what he calls Life Peels, Sande shares what it means to grow by subtracting—not stacking.

Key Highlights of Our Interview:

Life After the Climb

“What would happen if I just got really quiet and listened? Not learned—listened.”

The Life Peels Method

“We’re like Michelangelo’s David. You don’t need to add anything—you just need to carve away what’s not you.”

Redefining Growth

 “I’m done with strategy decks and trying to prove something. I just want clarity, ease, and to feel good in my skin.”

Marriage in the In-Between

“When our last kid left for college, we both needed space. Not because it was broken—but because we hadn’t had it before.”

How Less Became More

“When I let go of trying to control everything, the right things started happening. On their own.”

_____________________

Connect with us:
Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Sande Golgart

--Chief Change Officer--
Change Ambitiously. Outgrow Yourself.

Open a World of Expansive Human Intelligence
for Transformation Gurus, Black Sheep,
Unsung Visionaries & Bold Hearts.

EdTech Leadership Awards 2025 Finalist.
20 Million+ All-Time Downloads.
80+ Countries Reached Daily.
Global Top 1% Podcast.
Top 5 US Business.
Top 1 US Careers.

>>>180,000+ are outgrowing. Act Today.<<<

Sande Golgart was the guy who said yes to every opportunity, outran every challenge, and never sat still—until one day, the success story stopped feeling like his. 

In Part One, he opens up about going from slam dunk champ to corporate high-performer to someone questioning the very game he was winning. He talks about early ambition, the trap of nonstop action, and the moment he realized: “You climb, climb, climb… then realize the mountain isn’t even yours.”

Key Highlights of Our Interview:

From Slam Dunks to Sales Calls

“I was competing in dunk contests all over the country. I used that same mindset in business.”

The High Performer Trap

“I just kept saying yes. I never said no. I kept moving, kept growing, kept stretching.”

Action Over Inaction

“Even if you take a wrong step, at least you’re moving. Inaction is a choice too—but it gives you nothing to work with.”

The Wake-Up Line

“You climb, climb, climb… then realized the mountain isn’t even yours.”

No Off Switch

“I didn’t even know what I liked. I never stopped long enough to ask.”

_____________________

Connect with us:
Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Sande Golgart

--Chief Change Officer--
Change Ambitiously. Outgrow Yourself.

Open a World of Expansive Human Intelligence
for Transformation Gurus, Black Sheep,
Unsung Visionaries & Bold Hearts.

EdTech Leadership Awards 2025 Finalist.
20 Million+ All-Time Downloads.
80+ Countries Reached Daily.
Global Top 1% Podcast.
Top 5 US Business.
Top 1 US Careers.

>>>180,000+ are outgrowing. Act Today.<<<

Chris Quek isn’t just building startups—he’s building a generation. 

In this second half of his story, he shares how selling his inheritance became the launchpad for Thrive, a VC firm that invests in Southeast Asia’s overlooked next-gen entrepreneurs. From structuring value-aligned startups to teaching his kids the principles behind technology, Chris shows how legacy isn’t something you receive—it’s something you design. 

For Gen Xers navigating intergenerational tension, personal ambition, and regional impact, this episode delivers both hard-won wisdom and a hopeful blueprint.

>>From Closure to Creation

“I didn’t inherit a business—I shut it down.”

Chris shares the emotional closure with his father, the sale of the family factory, and how he turned personal loss into a new professional beginning.

>>Southeast Asia’s Family Business Wake-Up Call

“We raised a generation of lawyers and bankers—but who’s left to run the businesses?”

He explains how Singapore’s success came at a cost: the erosion of entrepreneurial drive—and why he’s now building the bridge back.

>>Designing a VC That Feeds the Ecosystem

“Our investors are second-gen family owners. Our startups solve their problems.”

Chris outlines Thrive’s unique model: a purpose-built flywheel that connects capital, tech, and legacy businesses in Southeast Asia.

>>Capital with a Conscience

“We backed a ride-hailing company where drivers take home 40% more pay.”

From AgriMax to Tata, Chris shares examples of startups Thrive has funded that combine profitability with real, human impact.

>>Fatherhood, Values, and the Next Next Gen

“I don’t teach my kids my methods—I teach them my values.”

Chris opens up about parenting three children under 13, mentoring with intention, and why good values—not rigid playbooks—are what truly last.

_____________________

Connect with us:
Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Christopher Quek

--Chief Change Officer--
Change Ambitiously. Outgrow Yourself.

Open a World of Expansive Human Intelligence
for Transformation Gurus, Black Sheep,
Unsung Visionaries & Bold Hearts.

EdTech Leadership Awards 2025 Finalist.
20 Million+ All-Time Downloads.
80+ Countries Reached Daily.
Global Top 1% Podcast.
Top 5 US Business.
Top 1 US Careers.

>>>180,000+ are outgrowing. Act Today.<<<

Chris Quek could’ve stayed in the family business and lived comfortably. Instead, he chose a life of uncomfortable clarity. 

In this first of a two-part series, Chris shares how he rejected expectations, fled the legacy he was born into, and built an e-commerce business in Malaysia with nothing but grit and guidance from mentors. Now 46, he reflects on what identity really means when you’re not handed a playbook—and how each phase of reinvention brings you closer to your core. For Gen Xers rewriting their lives mid-game, this is the kind of conversation that sticks.

>>When Legacy Isn’t Your Story

“I didn’t want to be the son of Mr. Quek. I wanted to be me.”

Chris explains why he left his family’s manufacturing empire and fled to Malaysia—where he started over, with no plan, no capital, and no title.

>>Courage Is Quiet

“I lasted three days in China. Then I left. I couldn’t do it.”

He unpacks the emotional and ethical discomfort that made him walk away from his father’s factory—and the fear he had to face to forge his own path.

>>Lessons from the Streets of Malaysia

“My startup wasn’t sexy. It was survival.”

Chris shares how he built a cross-border e-commerce business using payment hacks, logistics hustle, and gut instinct—long before VC buzzwords existed.

>>Mentorship Over Money

“I didn’t inherit wealth. I inherited wisdom.”

Raised around entrepreneurs and sharp thinkers, Chris reflects on how informal mentoring—from car rides to restaurant napkins—shaped his business thinking.

>>Every Decade, Rediscover Yourself

“At every stage, I found a new part of me I didn’t know existed.”

Chris traces his 20-year journey through reinvention—from entrepreneur to advisor to VC—and why he believes identity isn’t found. It’s built, season by season.
_____________________

Connect with us:
Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Christopher Quek

--Chief Change Officer--
Change Ambitiously. Outgrow Yourself.

Open a World of Expansive Human Intelligence
for Transformation Gurus, Black Sheep,
Unsung Visionaries & Bold Hearts.

EdTech Leadership Awards 2025 Finalist.
20 Million+ All-Time Downloads.
80+ Countries Reached Daily.
Global Top 1% Podcast.
Top 5 US Business.
Top 1 US Careers.

>>>180,000+ are outgrowing. Act Today.<<<