What do the most successful people in their careers actually have in common? It's not luck — it's headhuntability. In this episode, Nicole Lee sits down with headhunter Paul Quinn to expose what really happens behind the scenes of hiring: why most advertised roles are already filled, why recruiters give your LinkedIn less than six seconds before deciding you're worth a second look, and why not every headhunter has your best interest at heart. Whether you're actively job hunting or thinking about how to progress in your career, this is a conversation about what it actually takes to be chosen.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 — Introduction

01:38 — How Paul Became A Headhunter

04:09 — Is Today's Fear Around Job Security Justified?

05:34 — Why Just Applying For Jobs Doesn't Work Anymore

08:42 — He Applied To 1,000 Jobs And Got Nothing 

10:07 — Recruiters Spend Less Than 6 Seconds On Your LinkedIn

16:45 — How To Become "Headhuntable"

19:50 — Why Most Advertised Role Are Already Filled

21:57 — The Secret Power Of A Referral

24:54 — How To Protect Your Confidentiality During A Job Search

28:49 — Should You Stay Loyal To One Company, Or Move?

34:20 — Does Being Unemployed Actually Hurt You?

35:52 — How To Negotiate Salary Without Underselling Yourself

40:44 — Do Career Breaks Really Hurt Your Career?

44:49 — The One Thing That Rules Candidates Out Without Them Knowing

48:18 — The One Trait Paul Sees In Every Successful Person

49:01 — What Does "You Never Know" Mean To Paul?

TODAY'S GUEST

🌐 Company Page: https://westport-partners.com/

🌐 Coaching: https://www.quinntessential-coaching.com/?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio

🌐 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulquinnofficial/

🌐 Instagram: @paulquinnofficial

🌐Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@QuinntessentialQuestions

CONNECT WITH ME

🌐 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/nicoleleethisisme

🌐 Instagram & TikTok: @nicoleleethisisme

🌐 YouTube: www.youtube.com/@nicoleleethisisme

🌐 Spotify: 

https://open.spotify.com/show/5uRGujeye6cPVvaIGsAt7p?si=91942ccd3c054c1e

🌐 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/you-never-know-with-nicole-lee/id1789080795 

🌐 Website: www.youneverknow.co

🌐 Partnership & Speaking Enquiries: [email protected] 

WATCH NEXT

► Patterns of Power: History, Geopolitics & Investing | Meng Keet WONG

► Why Rich People Can Still Feel Poor | Kees Stoute

► How To Get Promoted In Banking: Philip Kunz on Pay, Politics & Leadership

💌 I'm Nicole Lee. I spent more than a decade in private banking, took a leap of faith into fintech, walked away without a job while navigating a defining life transition — and started the You Never Know Podcast to have real conversations that challenge the way we think, what we believe, and how we live. Today, I'm also a moderator, speaker, and podcast producer — partnering with visionary leaders and businesses to shape strategic narratives through authentic storytelling.

What do great actors know that the rest of us don't? According to Kristina Pakhomova — Russian actress, filmmaker, and founder of the Authentic Transformation Academy — the answer is simple: themselves. In this episode, Nicole Lee sits down with Kristina to explore how acting isn't about pretending to be someone else — it's about understanding yourself so deeply that pretending becomes impossible. From the red carpet at Cannes to the golden cages of expat life — this is a conversation about self-awareness, authenticity, and what it really means to stop performing and start living.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 — Introduction

00:47 — Who Is Kristina Pakhomova?

01:26 — From Russia To Singapore: A Journey Of Rediscovery

06:53 — Making "Regina": Turning Self-Doubt Into Art

12:28 — Expat Life: The Hidden Emotional Cost Nobody Talks About

32:37 — Getting Featured In Vogue & Why It Still Wasn't Enough

20:08 — How Acting Teaches You To Stop Pretending

20:56 — We're All Acting. The Question Is — Are You Aware?

24:50 — The Psychology of Villains

26:01 — What Great Actors Know About Human Behaviour That Most People Don't

26:47 — How To Communicate With Presence, Body & Voice

36:39 — One Acting Tip That Will Change How You Show Up

39:51 — What Does “You Never Know” Mean To Kristina

TODAY'S GUEST

🌐 Website: https://www.theatacademy.com/

🌐 Instagram: @pakhom_kris

🌐 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristina-pakhomova-0a34a761/

CONNECT WITH ME

🌐 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicoleleethisisme/

🌐 Instagram & TikTok: @nicoleleethisisme

🌐 YouTube: www.youtube.com/@nicoleleethisisme

🌐 Spotify: 

https://open.spotify.com/show/5uRGujeye6cPVvaIGsAt7p?si=91942ccd3c054c1e

🌐 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/you-never-know-with-nicole-lee/id1789080795 

🌐 Website: www.youneverknow.co

🌐 Partnership & Speaking Enquiries: [email protected] 

WATCH NEXT

► Patterns of Power: History, Geopolitics & Investing | Meng Keet WONG

► The Body Never Forgets: What Pain, Disease & Insomnia Are Telling You | Sufen Paphassarang

► She Left Visa To Confront What The System Never Told Women | Maaike Steinebach

💌 I'm Nicole Lee. I spent more than a decade in private banking, took a leap of faith into fintech, walked away without a job while navigating a defining life transition — and started the You Never Know Podcast to have real conversations that challenge the way we think, what we believe, and how we live. Today, I'm also a moderator, speaker, and podcast producer — partnering with visionary leaders and businesses to shape strategic narratives through authentic storytelling.

What does the Iran war reveal about the current world order? What are we underestimating about China? Is AI as revolutionary as people think? Meng Keet Wong, Head of Managed Products and Alternative Investments at UOB Private Bank, discusses what most people don't see about what's happening in the world — and what history is actually telling us right now.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Introduction

01:49 Iran, US & Israel: What’s History Showing Us

04:38 The Limits Of Superpowers

10:30 Can We Still Trust Mainstream Media?

13:14 Ray Dalio's Big Cycle — Does It Hold Up?

16:35 When A Hegemon Starts To Lash Out

21:16 The Rot Is Always Internal

22:36 What We Underestimate About China

28:55 Is AI As Revolutionary As People Think?

32:25 Does Your AI Platform Have An Agenda?

33:46 US & China: Two Different AI Ecosystems

34:49 Investing For Profit vs Investing With Purpose

36:46 History or Markets — Which Taught Him More?

37:02 What Does You Never Know Mean To You?

TODAY'S GUEST

🌐 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/meng-keet-wong-9288a74

CONNECT WITH ME

🌐 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/nicoleleethisisme

🌐 Instagram & TikTok: @nicoleleethisisme

🌐 YouTube: www.youtube.com/@nicoleleethisisme

🌐 Spotify: 

https://open.spotify.com/show/5uRGujeye6cPVvaIGsAt7p?si=91942ccd3c054c1e

🌐 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/you-never-know-with-nicole-lee/id1789080795 

🌐 Website: www.youneverknow.co

🌐 Partnership & Speaking Enquiries: [email protected] 

WATCH NEXT

► No Gold Behind Paper Gold | Christophe Numa with Nicole Lee

► Inside Najib’s Office: Ei Sun Oh on 1MDB, Anwar & Malaysia’s Future

► Why Rich People Can Still Feel Poor | Kees Stoute with Nicole Lee

💌 I'm Nicole Lee. I spent more than a decade in private banking, took a leap of faith into fintech, walked away without a job while navigating a defining life transition — and started the You Never Know Podcast on alternative perspectives in life, business, finance & health. Today, I'm a moderator, speaker, and podcast producer — partnering with visionary organizations to shape strategic narratives through authentic storytelling.

📢 Views expressed on this podcast are solely those of the individuals, and do not constitute investment, legal, and health advice, or reflect the views of any organisation.

Maaike Steinebach, former CEO of Visa for Hong Kong and Macau, walked away from 25 years of financial services and tech to found FemTech Future — an advisory platform closing the gender health gap through women's health innovation. Because even though women make up half the world's population, the products, services, and systems we rely on every day were never really designed with us in mind. How much do we really know about women — what it even means to be one, and what we actually need?

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Introduction

01:29 From Visa CEO to FemTech Founder

04:31 Why We Put Ourselves Last

10:19 Only 10% in Hong Kong Show Up for Their Mammogram

12:54 Do We Have to Become Men to Succeed?

15:02 The Cost of Wearing a Mask at Work

16:21 Why Leaders Need to Be More Vulnerable

18:39 What Healthcare Got Wrong About Us

24:05 I'm Successful. Why Do I Know So Little?

25:07 Is Sexual Health Still Taboo in Asia?

29:18 Is Sex Education in Schools Broken?

37:09 Do We Resist Talking About Our Own Health?

42:47 The Hardest Thing to Unlearn as a Woman

45:36 Why We Stay Silent About Our Health

47:44 What Do Men Really Need to Know?

49:16 What You Never Know Means to Maaike

TODAY'S GUEST

🌐 Website: www.femtechfuture.com

🌐Instagram: @maaikeloveshk & @femtech_future

🌐 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/maaike-steinebach-8a3a304/

CONNECT WITH ME

🌐 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/nicoleleethisisme

🌐 Instagram & TikTok: @nicoleleethisisme

🌐 YouTube: www.youtube.com/@nicoleleethisisme

🌐 Spotify: 

https://open.spotify.com/show/5uRGujeye6cPVvaIGsAt7p?si=91942ccd3c054c1e

🌐 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/you-never-know-with-nicole-lee/id1789080795 

🌐 Website: www.youneverknow.co

🌐 Partnership & Speaking Enquiries: [email protected] 

WATCH NEXT

► No Gold Behind Paper Gold | Christophe Numa with Nicole Lee

► The Body Never Forgets: What Pain, Disease & Insomnia Are Telling You | Sufen Paphassarang

► Why Rich People Can Still Feel Poor | Kees Stoute with Nicole Lee

💌 I'm Nicole Lee. I spent more than a decade in private banking, took a leap of faith into fintech, walked away without a job while navigating a defining life transition — and started the You Never Know Podcast to have real conversations that challenge the way we think, what we believe, and how we live. Today, I'm also a moderator, speaker, and podcast producer — partnering with visionary leaders and businesses to shape strategic narratives through authentic storytelling.

Max Chernov built a YouTube channel interviewing expats, entrepreneurs and billionaires across Asia. Born in Russia, lived in eight countries, and now calls Singapore home. We talk about living in Singapore, what it really costs to be a full-time creator, what billionaires actually teach you about success, and why so many foreigners never leave the expat bubble.

TODAY'S GUEST

🌐 YouTube: https://youtube.com/@maxchernov?si=CUL57DUDlixzjf5A

🌐Instagram: instagram.com/chernov_networking

🌐 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/maxchernov

CONNECT WITH ME

🌐 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/nicoleleethisisme

🌐 Instagram & TikTok: @nicoleleethisisme

🌐 YouTube: www.youtube.com/@nicoleleethisisme

🌐 Spotify: 

https://open.spotify.com/show/5uRGujeye6cPVvaIGsAt7p?si=91942ccd3c054c1e

🌐 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/you-never-know-with-nicole-lee/id1789080795 

🌐 Website: www.youneverknow.co

🌐 Partnership & Speaking Enquiries: [email protected] 

WATCH NEXT

► Best Cities In The World To Live & Work | Nirbhay Handa with Nicole Lee

► Why Rich People Can Still Feel Poor | Kees Stoute with Nicole Lee

► No Gold Behind Paper Gold | Christophe Numa with Nicole Lee

TIMESTAMPS

00:27 Introduction

01:02 From Russia to Finding Home in Singapore

03:56 Embracing Local Culture as an Expat

05:56 The Upside of Singapore’s Predictability

09:21 What Travel Teaches

12:19 The Reality of Being a YouTuber

14:41 From Street Interviews to Meeting Billionaires

17:54 What Successful People All Have in Common

21:55 Inside the Backstage Circle

25:35 Why Creators Should Be Creative and Business-Savvy

29:46 What It Takes to be a Successful YouTuber

33:31 How Do You Find Your Passion in Life?

40:48 What You Never Know Means to Max

💌 I'm Nicole Lee. I spent more than a decade in private banking, took a leap of faith into fintech, walked away without a job while navigating a defining life transition — and started the You Never Know Podcast to have real conversations that challenge the way we think, what we believe, and how we live. Today, I'm also a moderator, speaker, and podcast producer — partnering with visionary leaders and businesses to shape strategic narratives through authentic storytelling.

—-----

Most people think they own gold. They don't. I discuss all things gold with Christophe Numa, Founder & CEO of Gauld — who spent over a decade building businesses around physical gold, from running a multi-million dollar trading platform backed by global hedge fund Millennium, to now making physical gold ownership accessible to everyone, anywhere in the world. Enjoy!

TODAY'S GUEST

🌐 Learn about Gauld: www.gauld.com

🌐 LinkedIn: https://sg.linkedin.com/in/christophe-numa-69946927/en 

CONNECT WITH ME

🌐 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/nicoleleethisisme

🌐 Instagram & TikTok: @nicoleleethisisme

🌐 Website: www.youneverknow.co

🌐 Partnership & Speaking Enquiries: [email protected] 

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Intro

02:44 Is Gold Really A Safe Haven?

04:40 Paper Gold vs Physical Gold: The Real Difference

11:06 What Gold ETFs Actually Invest In

15:44 How Physical Gold Actually Works

18:40 Gold Supply Chain: Mine to Vault

23:10 How Physical Gold Is Priced

25:20 How To Buy Physical Gold Today

26:13 How To Know If Your Gold Is Legitimate

32:30 Gold vs Real Estate

34:43 How To Generate Yield On Gold

35:25 Gold Price Outlook

39:40 Should Everyone Hold Gold?

40:15 Why Christophe Started Gauld

45:38 The Syria Story That Changed Everything

47:20 Is There Enough Gold For Everyone?

49:22 Gold vs Silver: Which to Hold First?

51:20 What Would Change His Mind About Gold

52:28 What "You Never Know" Means to Chris

💌 I'm Nicole Lee. I spent more than a decade in private banking, took a leap of faith into fintech, walked away without a job while navigating a defining life transition — and started the You Never Know Podcast to have real conversations that challenge the way we think, what we believe, and how we live. Today, I'm also a moderator, speaker, and podcast producer — partnering with visionary leaders and businesses to shape strategic narratives through authentic storytelling.

If you could live anywhere in the world, would you know where to go? I speak with Nirbhay Handa, global mobility entrepreneur & CEO of Multipolitan, about how cities are evolving, why global mobility is becoming more nuanced, and how Millennials and Gen Zs are shaping a more borderless way of living.

We explore why cities are increasingly becoming “pseudo-states” where talent and capital concentrate, the three types of cities that will thrive — financial centres, nomad-friendly cities, and startup-friendly cities — and why “builder cities” like Singapore and Dubai are rising while legacy titans risk falling behind.

We also dive into digital states, AI, sovereignty beyond geography, and what people often get wrong when choosing where to live.

Chapter markers:

00:00 Introduction

02:10 Millennials & Gen Z: Redefining Success

04:18 What Wealth Means Today: Optionality, Frictionless Living, Well-Being

06:31 Decoupling Identity From Your Birth Certificate

08:44 Why Cities Are Becoming “Pseudo-States”

09:28 The 3 Types of Cities That Will Thrive

10:30 Builder Cities vs Legacy Titans

12:09 Why Singapore and Dubai Are Rising

17:15 How to Choose Where to Live Today

24:37 Alternative Residencies & Hedging Your Life

33:30 Digital States

37:00 One Underrated City to Watch

38:00 The Future of Global Mobility

39:12 What Most People Get Wrong About Choosing Where to Live

40:14 What “Home” Means in a Borderless World

💌 If you’re new to this channel, I’m Nicole Lee. I spent more than a decade in private banking, took a leap of faith into fintech, walked away without a job while navigating a defining life transition — and started the You Never Know Podcast to have real conversations that challenge the way we think, what we believe, and how we live. Today, through You Never Know Studios, I partner with leaders and organizations to shape strategic narratives through video content that authentically resonates.

---

🔗 Connect with Nirbhay Handa

🌐 Website: https://www.multipolitan.com/

👤 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nirbhay-handa-44949822

📲 Instagram:

@handa.eth

@multipolitan.app

🔗 Connect with Nicole Lee

🌐 Website: www.youneverknow.co

👤 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/nicoleleethisisme

📺 YouTube: www.youtube.com/@nicoleleethisisme

📲 Instagram / TikTok: @nicoleleethisisme

Your headaches, pain, and illness aren't random — they're your body telling you something. Sufen Paphassarang reveals how your body stores every suppressed emotion — knowing exactly where, what caused it, and how it manifests as pain, disease, or chronic conditions — to get your attention.

We explore the three brains — head, heart, and gut — what your 3am insomnia is really telling you, what the left and right sides of your body reveal about your past and future, and how men and women store emotions differently, and where it shows up physically.

Sufen is an advanced BodyTalk practitioner, instructor, and owner of The Body Talk Center in Singapore, and helps people decode the deeper intelligence stored in their bodies to heal and thrive. She began her journey after fully recovering from Graves' disease, an autoimmune condition many consider incurable.

If you've ever pushed through pain, or wondered why your body keeps breaking down in ways that don't make sense — this episode is a must watch. Your body never forgets. And it never lies to you. It's time to start listening.

Chapters:

00:00 — Introduction

02:50 — What Is BodyTalk?: It’s Never Just About The Headache

05:00 — The Three Brains: Head, Heart & Gut Explained

09:10 — What Your Insomnia Is Telling You About Your Decisions

14:00 — Why Food Intolerance & Poisoning May Not Be About Food

18:20 — Why We Forget We're Even In Pain

22:00 — How Sufen Reads & Communicates With The Body

26:00 — How Men & Women Store Emotions Differently

33:00 — Resentment, Anger & Disease

43:50 — Where Emotions Live In The Body & Why You Wake Up Stiff

51:00 — What Pain In The Left & Right Sides Of Your Body Reveal About You

56:40 — Why Anger Is Good For You

57:40 — The One Question That Could Change Everything

💌 If you’re new to this channel, I’m Nicole Lee. I spent more than a decade in private banking, took a leap of faith into fintech, walked away without a job while navigating a defining life transition — and started the You Never Know Podcast to have real conversations that challenge the way we think, what we believe, and how we live. Today, through You Never Know Studios, I partner with leaders and organizations to shape strategic narratives through video content that authentically resonates.

---

🔗 Connect with Sufen Paphassarang

🌐 Website: sufen paphassarang

👤 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sufen-paphassarang-55b8061aa

📲 Instagram / TikTok: @sufen_bodytalk

🔗 Connect with Nicole Lee

🌐 Website: www.youneverknow.co

👤 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/nicoleleethisisme

📺 YouTube: www.youtube.com/@nicoleleethisisme

📲 Instagram / TikTok: @nicoleleethisisme

Why do some rich people still feel poor? When is enough money, enough? Kees Stoute, former CEO of EFG Bank for Hong Kong and Singapore, and author of the book Help! I’m Rich!, believes the biggest challenge of wealth isn’t financial. It’s psychological.

In this episode of the You Never Know Podcast, we explore why some of the wealthiest people still struggle with the idea of “enough”, how self-worth is often tied to net worth, and why money can create pressures and problems most people never expect.

Kees also shares his unconventional journey from accidental IT programmer to bank CEO — and why sometimes the best opportunities appear when you stop trying to control every step of the way.

What does wealth mean to you? And what actually makes your life feel rich? If you're curious about the psychology of wealth and investing, this conversation is for you.

Chapters:

00:00 — Introduction

02:00 — The Hidden Problems of Being Rich

03:28 — The Biggest Mistakes Rich People Make

06:15 — Why Money Attracts the Wrong Crowd

07:00 — How to Spot a Bad Banker

09:30 — What a Good Wealth Manager Actually Does

12:10 — Why the Best Bankers Challenge Clients

16:30 — Why Money Stops Making You Happy

18:45 — When Is Enough Money Enough?

21:00 — Are Private Banks Losing Relevance?

22:35 — The Best Kept Secret in Investing

25:00 — From IT Programmer to Bank CEO

31:00 — Why Losing Your Job Isn’t the End

34:00 — What Wealth Really Means

34:45 — What “You Never Know” Means to Kees

💌 If you’re new to this channel, I’m Nicole Lee. I spent 13 years in private banking, took a leap of faith into fintech, walked away without a job while navigating a major life transition — and started the You Never Know Podcast to have real conversations that challenge the way we think, what we believe, and how we live. Today, through You Never Know Studios, I partner with leaders and organizations to shape strategic, credible narratives through video content that authentically resonates.

---

🔗 Connect with Kees Stoute

👤 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kees-stoute

📚 Buy Kees’ book, Help! I’m Rich!: https://www.wiley.com/en-us/Help%2C+I'm+Rich!%3A+Your+Compass+to+a+Value-Adding+Private+Banking+Experience-p-9781119020547

🔗 Connect with Nicole Lee

🌐 Website: www.youneverknow.co

👤 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/nicoleleethisisme

📺 YouTube: www.youtube.com/@nicoleleethisisme

📲 Instagram / TikTok: @nicoleleethisisme

Many investors say they want to “make a lot of money.” But that’s not a strategy. Sameer Deshpande, Head of Wealth Management for Asia Pacific at Emirates NBD, reveals the investing mistakes that most people don’t realise they’re making.

From turning short-term trades into long-term investments, to chasing yield over total return, to holding on to losing positions out of hope — we unpack the psychology that quietly erodes performance.

We also explore investor behaviour in Asia, the evolution of digital wealth platforms and offshore wealth management, and why adaptability — and going beyond your specialization — will define long-term success in modern finance.

If you care about thinking more clearly about money, risk, and long-term financial decisions, this conversation will change the way you invest.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

02:09 How to Anchor Investments to Clear Goals

04:16 Review Your Portfolio — But Not Every Day

05:48 Investing Mistake: Turning Trades into Investments

08:37 Investor Psychology in Asia: Yield, Loss Aversion & Concentration Risk

11:34 Yield vs Total Return: What Most Investors Get Wrong

13:44 The Truth About Digital Wealth Platforms

16:55 Will Human Advisors Become Obsolete?

18:04 What Is Offshore Wealth Management?

23:38 How to Choose the Right Financial Centre for Your Wealth

25:25 The Capability Wealth Managers Will Struggle to Build

27:11 Why Going Outside Your Comfort Zone Is Now a Necessity

29:52 What the Next Generation of Leaders Underestimate

32:09 The Most Underrated Leadership Skill: Adaptability

33:52 Why Skill Sets Matter More Than Titles

35:58 What “You Never Know” Means to Sameer

💌 If you’re new to this channel, I’m Nicole Lee. I spent 13 years in private banking, took a leap of faith into fintech, walked away without a job — and started the You Never Know Podcast to have real conversations that challenge the way we think, what we believe, and how we live.

Today, through You Never Know Studios, I partner with leaders and organizations to shape strategic, credible narratives and video content that authentically resonate.

---

🔗 Connect with Sameer Deshpande

👤 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sameersdesh

🔗 Connect with Nicole Lee

🌐 Website: www.youneverknow.co

👤 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/nicoleleethisisme

📺 YouTube: www.youtube.com/@nicoleleethisisme

📲 Instagram / TikTok: @nicoleleethisisme