EP.IC - Edric Poon In Company

Everyone's getting faster with AI. Almost no one's getting wiser.

In this episode of the EP.IC Podcast, professional speaker, coach and author Cindy Tien makes the case that as intelligence becomes abundant, emotional intelligence becomes the real advantage, and the one we're quietly letting atrophy.

We get into what high-EQ leadership actually looks like on the ground, whether emotional intelligence really moves the numbers, and the trap she calls "See, tell AI, execute" (plus the four-step fix to replace it).

We also talk about why AI-written empathy feels so hollow, why Edric tells his AI to stop flattering him, and the three BS (blind spots, belief systems and bold stories) that keep leaders stuck.

It's a candid, practical conversation about staying human while the tools get smarter.This season of EP.IC is all about how to build a better business, and this one sits right at the heart of it: you can't lead a team if you can't hold one together.

Guest: Cindy Tien, professional speaker, trainer, coach, host of the "Own Your Own BS" show, and author of "Insight Breakthrough: Your BS to Influence Yourself."

CHAPTERS

0:00 Can you train your intuition instead of running to AI?

1:08 Welcome: where does EQ stand in the age of AI?

2:30 Meet Cindy, and her "support system"

3:00 What high-EQ leadership actually looks like6:39 Does EQ move the numbers? The hard ROI

8:36 EQ in the AI era: the speed gap and "EQ atrophy"

11:59 The fix: See, Shift, Sense, Steer

15:13 Can a bot manage people? The empathy you can fake

18:17 AI as a thinking partner, not an answer machine

20:36 Why Edric tells his AI to stop being nice

22:30 Self-leadership: influence yourself first

23:51 The three BS: blind spots, belief systems and bold stories (the cockroach)

27:15 Building an emotional vocabulary

31:15 Cindy's own blind spot, and what it cost

33:24 One hour, no phone: the power of silence

34:30 The boardroom in your head

36:49 The power of processing: the READ method

39:00 The 85-year-old test

40:54 The EP.IC Questionnaire

42:35 Where to find Cindy and her book

CONNECT WITH CINDY TIEN

Book (Amazon): https://www.amazon.in/InSide-Break-Through-Influence-Yourself-ebook/dp/B0G1KL19X7

Website: https://www.cindytien.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cindytien/

Instagram: @Its_Cindy_Tien

EP.IC PODCAST - Hosted by Edric Poon.

Produced by: Kaleoscopic Communications Pte Ltd

Subscribe: @epicpodcastingIf this one made you think, like, comment and share it with a leader who needs to hear it.#EPICPodcast #EmotionalIntelligence #Leadership #AI #EQ #ArtificialIntelligence #Coaching #SelfLeadership #BusinessPodcast #Singapore

Three years ago, a client told Audrey Chia to her face that she was going to be replaced by AI. Her response: if I'm going to be replaced, I want to be the one to do it.

Audrey Chia, founder of Close With Copy and one of the top 5% of LinkedIn creators in Singapore, joins EP.IC to explain how she rebuilt a traditional copywriting business into an AI-assisted one. She started taking $5 gigs on Fiverr while working full time at an ad agency on Nike, IKEA and Samsung, learning direct response the hard way. Today her AI workflows have cut production time by 50 to 70%.

Her argument, though, runs against the hype. When everyone has the same tools, everyone sounds the same. Every AI-built site looks identical. So the question she puts to business owners is simple: you may have AI, but do you have taste? And if you're going to sound like everyone else, why would a client pick you?

We cover why you shouldn't ask AI how to learn copywriting, three practical ways to A/B test a message, the difference between Audrey 1.0 and Audrey 2.0, and her five telltale signs of AI slop that audiences are already learning to spot.

Part of our season, How to Build a Better Business.

Chapters:(00:28) Can copywriting work for you?(01:58) From age 13 to Nike, IKEA and Samsung(04:18) The $5 Fiverr gigs that taught her to sell(07:47) Don't ask AI how to learn copy(14:01) Three ways to A/B test your message(19:59) Building your robot army(24:21) The AI tools she actually uses(30:03) "You may have AI. But do you have taste?"(33:34) 5 signs of AI slop(35:32) Quick-Fire Round

🔗 closewithcopy.coFind Audrey on LinkedIn, and follow EP.IC for more of the season.

Leaders can't find good hires. Job seekers can't get replies. Adrian Choo says both sides are playing the wrong game.

Career strategist Adrian Choo, CEO and founder of Career Agility International, joins EP.IC to explain how hiring really works now. Why sectors grow and cut at the same time. Why "learn AI" is as empty as "buy low, sell high." Why the certificate you collected last year is already gone if you never used it. And why recruiters look at your LinkedIn long before they ask for your CV.

We get into his Seven Career Currencies framework (skill, experience, reputation, networks), the reason 80% of jobs are landed through people rather than portals, and the one edge mid-career professionals still have over AI-native juniors: knowing what good actually looks like.

Part of our season, How to Build a Better Business.

Chapters:(00:28) How the hiring game is changing(02:20) The bonsai theory of the job market(03:27) Rare, relevant, and good at it(10:20) Your Seven Career Currencies(12:10) Why 80% of jobs come from networking(16:50) CVs are overrated. LinkedIn isn't.(21:00) The Great Reshuffle(23:49) We know what good looks like

🎧 Adrian's podcast: The Career Strategists✉️ [email protected]

Something changed in Asia's energy story. Clean energy used to be a step-by-step expansion of the renewables mix. Now it's being treated as energy security and energy sovereignty, and that has rewired how governments and markets move.

In this episode of EP.IC Events, Edric sits down with Mel Lanvers-Shah, Managing Director of CoLab and the team behind CETA (Clean Energy Transition Asia), Southeast Asia's clean energy event heading to MITEC in Kuala Lumpur this November. Mel explains why Malaysia leads ASEAN on the energy transition, what policymakers are actually asking the industry for, and the three forces converging to accelerate the region toward its 2030 goals: the ASEAN Power Grid, carbon tax mechanisms, and residential rooftop solar.

He also opens up on the MICE side. Why he runs trade fairs "like it's my daughter's wedding," why Asia needs more event entrepreneurs instead of "geo-cloning," and how a single roundtable conversation can turn into a major project announcement months later.

If you work in energy, events, investment, or policy across ASEAN, this one's a map of where the region is heading.

00:00 "Clean energy = energy security": the shift

01:06 Welcome to EP.IC Events

02:14 Who is Mel Shah? Inside CoLab

03:29 Why CETA, and why Malaysia?

06:47 The state of clean energy in 2026: the "permacrisis" era

09:20 What the market needs: ASEAN Power Grid, carbon tax, rooftop solar

14:06 Real-world impact: from the roundtable to the headline

17:41 What the events industry is missing

23:00 Improving the attendee experience

24:29 What to expect at CETA (4 to 5 Nov, MITEC KL)

26:22 How to connect with Mel & CETA

Connect with Mel & CETA

🌐 CETA: https://www.ceta.asia📅 Clean Energy Transition Asia: 4 to 5 November, MITEC, Kuala Lumpur💼 Mel Shah on LinkedIn: search "Mel Shah CoLab"

📺 Subscribe to @epicpodcasting👍 Like, comment and share if this gave you a clearer read on Asia's energy transition💬 What's your biggest energy question? Drop it below.

#CleanEnergy #EnergyTransition #Renewables #ASEAN #Malaysia #CETA #Solar #EnergySecurity #NetZero #ASEANPowerGrid #CarbonTax #MICE #Events #Singapore #EPICPodcast #EPICEvents

Connect with EP.ICTags

Most business owners treat PR as a "later" problem — a luxury for when they're bigger, or a fire extinguisher for when something's already gone wrong. Julie Chiang has spent over 30 years arguing the opposite.As founding director of APRW, one of Singapore's most enduring independent communications agencies, Julie has worked across the entire spectrum — from small lifestyle brands to Lamborghini, from five-person teams to the Ministry of Health.

In this episode of EP.IC, she makes the case for PR as a discipline rather than a press-release service: what it actually costs at every tier, where AI helps (and where it quietly damages your brand), and why reputation and trust are the two things money can't buy.

If you've ever wondered what separates a $3,000 contract from a $50,000 one, why your comms lead belongs at the boardroom table, or how to hire your first PR person — this one's for you.

🎧 Part of our season "How to Build a Better Business."

00:00 Intro

00:53 Welcome to EP.IC + the "Better Business" season

01:49 Meet Julie Chiang — the APRW origin story (two laptops & a fax machine)

02:32 Is PR a luxury for small business owners?

03:55 $3K vs $50K: what you're actually paying for across PR tiers

06:20 Where comms teams fit in the AI era — the dos and don'ts

10:30 How PR has evolved in 30 years: from waiting on tomorrow's news to minutes

13:36 Speed as the new risk: why preparedness beats reaction14:00 Old-school vs new-school PR — what each can learn from the other

15:22 133 million viewers: has reach lost its value in the social age?

17:39 Advice for newer founders: how to earn real media traction

19:35 Why your comms person belongs at the boardroom table20:17 Proving PR's value in numbers — reputation and trust as growth

21:55 PR as an investment, not a cost center or crisis hotline

24:25 Agency vs in-house, and giving PR the time it needs

25:19 The top 3 traits to look for in your first PR hire

26:15 ⚡ The EP.IC Questionnaire (rapid fire)

Key Takeaways

PR isn't a luxury — it's timing. Wait until you're "bigger" or until something breaks, and you've already missed the window to build credibility and visibility early.Budget should match complexity, not status. A lower-tier retainer buys execution (press releases, a pitch or two, coordination).

Higher tiers buy senior thinking, strategy, media relations, and crisis/government work. Bigger budgets don't guarantee better people.AI's danger zone is mistaking speed for strategy. It writes well — often so well it sounds the same. Use it for research, organizing thinking, and efficiency, but never let it communicate on your behalf without human accountability and fact-checking.

Time is no longer a luxury in comms. One post can become a reputational issue within minutes. If you don't shape your narrative, the market — or the internet — will do it for you.Reputation and trust are growth. They're the two things money can't buy, which is why a comms lead belongs at the table — not the last call when trouble hits.PR is a journey, not a transaction. A partner, not a vendor. Don't expect instant results; align on objectives and give it time.

Hire for the journey: commitment for the long haul, resilience amid constant change, and an open mind willing to try again when something doesn't work.

Connect with Julie & APRW🌐 Website: https://www.aprw.asia

Connect with EP.IC📺 Subscribe to @epicpodcasting

New episodes every season. This one is part of How to Build a Better Business.#PublicRelations #PR #PRStrategy #Branding #Reputation #Communications #Singapore #APRW #SmallBusiness #Startup #Marketing #BusinessGrowth #AIinPR #Founders #EPICPodcast #HowToBuildABetterBusiness

Thinking of buying a franchise? Scaling your brand overseas?Or just curious about what's actually driving business growth in Asia rightnow? This episode breaks it all down.

Edric sits down with Gan Shee Wen, President of FLASingapore and founder of furniture retail brand Commune, to unpack the state of franchising and licensing in 2026 and what it means for you as a businessowner.

Timestamps

0:50 Welcome and intro

2:14 Introducing Gan Shee Wen and Franchising &Licensing Association

4:03 The franchising landscape in Singapore 2026

5:14 Why franchising is a smart model in a tough businessclimate

6:24 How digitalization and AI are reshaping franchising

7:38 What consumers want now (post-COVID, post-AI)

10:07 Should franchisors adopt tech? How to think about itstrategically

12:15 What's up and what's down in the Asian market

14:42 Physical retail: consolidate, don't just expand

15:55 Omnichannel is now a must-have

16:37 Underrated sectors: furniture and why it's not asunset industry

18:18 New innovations in franchising and licensing

20:03 AI and customer service: bots for low-tier, humans forhigh-tier

21:38 FLA's training courses and what's coming next

22:51 How fast is tech adoption in the world of Franchising?

24:32 Why approach FLA first before signing anything

26:20 Protecting your secrets: franchising vs licensing

30:33 Singapore has no franchise law

36:30 What to expect at FL Asia 2026

40:57 How to get in touch with FLA

Key Takeaways

The F&B franchise boom is real and underreported Morebusinesses are opening than closing. The closures make the news; the openingsdon't. Don't let the noise fool you.

Singapore = your Asian launchpad Setting up inSingapore gives your brand global credibility and a tested, multiculturalmarket. If you can make it here, the rest of Southeast Asia gets easier.

Franchising reduces your risk (but it's not passiveincome) Whether you're the brand owner or the buyer, franchising lowersbarriers but you still need to know how it works. Don't go in blind.

AI and tech are changing the playbook fast FromAI-generated SOPs to smart CRM tools, franchisors are using technology tomanage and support franchisees better. Adoption timelines: 12 to 24 months frombrand HQ down.

Omnichannel is no longer optional Physical-onlyretail is struggling. Online-only is limiting. The winners are running both,using physical stores as experience centres.

Licensing is an underrated growth model Can't shipfresh products overseas? License your recipe, protect your IP, earn royalties.More manufacturers should be exploring this.

Singapore has no dedicated franchise law and that's aproblem Your contracts are only protected under general contract law. Shee Wen is pushing for greater regulation and transparency. Until then, know whatyou're signing.

Action Points for Business Owners

Connect and Take Action

🎙️ Enjoyed this episode?Subscribe to the EP.IC Podcast so you never miss a conversation on building abetter business. Leave us a comment and let us know your biggest takeaway!

🔗 For more information onthe Franchising & Licensing Association of Singapore, visit their website: www.flasingapore.org

📋 Register forFranchising & Licensing Asia 2026: https://franchiselicenseasia.com/

What if you could test a hire before fully committing?

What if the smartest move wasn't to hire full-time at all?

Meet Reza Behnam, founder of Fractional First and serial entrepreneur.

In this episode of the EP.IC podcast, we talk about a smarter way to build your leadership team. Reza moved from Yahoo Southeast Asia to building and exiting his own startups, and somewhere along the way he spotted a problem most business owners don't even realise they have.

Senior leaders with decades of experience have nowhere to go. And CEOs are making their biggest hiring calls with almost no real data. Sound familiar?What you'll get in this episode:- What fractional leadership actually is (hint: it's not consulting, it's not freelancing)

• How to test a leader before you fully bring them on board
• Why the most expensive hiring mistake isn't the salary, it's the time lost
• How AI and real human judgement can work together to match the right leader to the right company
• What to do if you're experienced, talented, and wondering what comes next in your career

Timestamps:

0:00 Intro and what is fractional leadership?

2:10 Reza's background, Yahoo, startups, and Singapore

6:00 The problem with how leaders hire leaders

12:00 How Fractional First works and why it's not a platform

18:00 Try before you buy, fractional as a validation layer

25:00 Time to value and why fractionals can actually save you money

32:00 The second arc of your career

38:00 Inner work, yoga philosophy and leadership grounding

41:00 EP.IC Questionnaire

Connect with Reza:

LinkedIn: Reza Behnam

Email: [email protected]

Website: fractionalfirst.com

Produced by: Kaleoscopic Communications Pte Ltd | www.kaleoscopic.com

Filmed at: Poddster Singapore

Host: Edric Poon ([email protected])

Follow the EPIC Podcast for new episodes every season on how to build a better business, from leadership and hiring to talent, culture, and everything in between.

If this episode made you think differently about how you hire or how you show up as a leader, share it with someone who needs to hear it.

Are event organizers leaving money and data on the table? In this episode of the EP.IC Podcast, host Edric sits down with Errol Lim, COO and Co-Founder of Jublia AI, to unpack how the events industry is evolving from gut-feel networking to data-driven, AI-powered engagement.Errol shares the story behind founding Jublia in 2012, born from a simple observation in Stockholm: networking at events was still left to chance. Over a decade later, Jublia AI is redefining how attendees connect, how sponsors prove ROI, and how organizers unlock the gold mine of intent datasitting right under their noses.Whether you're an event organizer, exhibitor, or sponsor, this episode is packed with actionable insights on how to stop selling square meters and start engineering meaningful business outcomes.timestamps(00:00) Intro(01:54) What is Jublia AI?(05:23) The founding story(08:21) Why organizers don't act on their data(10:51) Intent data, the holy grail(14:18) The "hit list" model(17:41) The doorman analogy(19:06) Face-to-face is irreplaceable(20:53) What attendees should demand(22:27) Advice for event organizers(23:40) Connect with Errol and Jublia AIRemember to subscribe.Produced by Kaleoscopic Communications

Franchising in Asia is one of the fastest ways to scale your brand—but only if done right. In this new podcast episode, Franchise Growth Strategist—Hsien Naidu from Astreem Consulting, shares key insights from over 20 years in the industry, covering what franchisors must get right before expanding into Asia. From brand control and operational consistency to franchisee selection, training, and long-term growth strategies, this episode breaks down the fundamentals behind successful regional expansion. 🚀 Looking to expand your brand in Asia? Meet your next franchisee, licensee, or regional partner at Franchising & Licensing Asia (FLAsia) 2026—where brands, investors, and business partners connect to unlock real growth opportunities. 👉 Secure your booth or learn more: https://franchiselicenseasia.com/appl...📍 About FLAsia 2026Franchising & Licensing Asia (FLAsia) is Asia's leading marketplace for discovering franchising and licensing opportunities. Now in its 21st edition, FLAsia 2026 will bring together over 250 global brands, innovative business concepts, and dynamic exhibitors from across the region.When: 13 – 15 August 2026Venue: Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Hall A & B SingaporeVideo brought to you by ‪@epicpodcasting‬ x FLAsia 2026

EP.IC Events - Featuring upcoming Trade Exhibitions and Conferences from the region

NOW Expo Asia 2026: The First Nursing Ecosystem Expo in Manila (Free Registration)

In this episode of EP.IC Events - we meet Christine Lasig of the NOW Expo Asia 2026, a first-of-its-kind trade exhibition and platform for the entire nursing ecosystem, happening June 26–27, 2026 at SM Megamall Trade Hall 1 in Manila.

The expo aims to solve the problem of fragmented and often unreliable information that leaves nurses vulnerable to scams and poor decisions by bringing credible, verified stakeholders together in one place.

Registration is free and open not only to registered nurses but also nursing students and families. This is a space to explore pathways, ask questions directly, and build connections across local and international opportunities, with an on-floor theater highlighting nursing specializations and sponsor speaking slots, plus managed global booth options for overseas exhibitors.

Timestamps

00:00 Intro

00:50 Overview

01:56 Meet Christine Lasig

02:25 The Problem To Solve

04:38 Not A Job Fair

05:50 Free For Everyone

06:45 Who’s In The Ecosystem

09:22 Success Metrics

13:43 Global Booth Package16:02 On Floor Theater17:14 Questions Nurses Ask

19:41 Yearly Event Vision

21:06 How To Learn More

21:29 Closing Remarks