It’s been a rainy Sunday here in Singapore, fitting for me while I’m trying to get over another cold, but here’s this week’s edition!
Next guest on Before We Get There podcast
I’m excited to welcome Rob Lilwall, a professional adventurer, author, and motivational speaker. Rob has a fascinating life story starting with an epic journey of over 3 years cycling from Siberia through East Asia, Australia, and back through the rest of Asia and Europe to England. In addition to countless adventures along the way, after he was back he got a show with Nat Geo as well as published his first book. Since then he has taken 2 more major expeditions, published a second book with a third on the way, and is a sought-after motivational speaker. We discuss the lessons he’s learned along the way, how he kept pushing forward in search of an unconventional life, being ready for surprise opportunities, and much more. Tune in on your favorite podcast platform on Thursday!
What I watched this weekend
I’m a little late to the party, but I’ve been seeing clips from Kim’s Convenience on social media and decided to start watching it. I’ve already binged the first two seasons, it’s that good. I love seeing a show based on Korean immigrants, the show is excellently cast and the characters are super memorable. I also like that it isn’t a super dramatic story like Squid Game or some of the other recent popular Asian shows, it’s just a straightforward sitcom about everyday people. There are certainly some elements around Korean culture, Asian parents, being immigrants, etc. but they don’t dominate the show, which is refreshing. It is available on Netflix if you want to check it out!
What I read this weekend
The Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), which is responsible for driving Singapore’s economic growth by attracting investments, fostering innovation, and developing industries that create high-value jobs released a 2024 report that is pretty interesting. They shared that Singapore continued to strengthen its position as a hub for advanced manufacturing, with significant investments going to sectors like semiconductors and biomedical sciences. The report also showed that job creation remains strong, but global economic trends, like trade tensions and shifting supply chains, still are affecting the market. There was also a focus on investments in AI, precision medicine, and the green economy to drive long-term resilience. There are a lot of uncertainties right now with political and global trade shifts as well as emerging technology like AI, but it is good to see that SG government organizations are continuing to adapt as needed.
That’s all for this week, looking forward to a productive week ahead!