Chief Change Officer

• #225 Love, Logic, and a Reality Check: Waverly Deutsch on Changing for the Better – Part Three

  We’re closing out Love and Logic with a powerhouse—Waverly Deutsch, the theater-loving, PhD-earning, startup-coaching dynamo. A fierce advocate for LGBTQ and women entrepreneurs, Waverly doesn’t just give advice; she gives strategies that work. At WyseHeart Advisory, she’s proving that retirement isn’t about slowing down—it’s about lifting up the next generation with tough love and a little bit of stage presence.Key Highlights of Our Interview:A Coach’s Secret Weapon“The key to trust and transformation in coaching lies in active listening. People often speak in long, winding narratives. The magic is in boiling it down to the core message—a few sentences that make them feel truly understood and heard. By distilling and refining, you don’t just hear—they feel heard, understood, and empowered to act.”AI Can Polish, But Can’t Replace the Human Spark“AI can help craft a polished pitch or refine a resume, but it can’t simulate the deep understanding and personal experience that resonate in real-life interactions. The investor meeting? That’s where your own knowledge and authenticity come into play.”The Dating Analogy for Entrepreneurs“Pitching to investors is like dating. The 10-minute pitch? That’s the coffee date. The in-depth meeting? That’s the dinner date. The term sheet? That’s the engagement ring. True commitment comes when the contracts are signed and the check is in the bank.”The Age and Cost Equation“Older professionals face a harsh reality: companies often trade senior salaries for multiple junior hires. This economic shift means adapting, whether through freelancing, consulting, or pursuing entirely new avenues of work.”Consulting as the Bridge“Many transitioning entrepreneurs find opportunities as consultants. Whether it’s an interim CFO role or building sales strategies, the key is to be willing to revisit foundational work while leveraging years of expertise to establish credibility in new ventures.”_________________________Connect with Us:Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Waverly Deutsch______________________--**Chief Change Officer**--Change Ambitiously. Outgrow Yourself.Open a World of Deep Human Intelligence for Growth Progressives, Visionary Underdogs,Transformation Gurus & Bold Hearts.6 Million+ All-Time Downloads.Reaching 80+ Countries Daily.Global Top 3% Podcast.Top 10 US Business.Top 1 US Careers.>>>100,000+ subscribers are outgrowing. Act Today.

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• #224 Love, Logic, and a Reality Check: Waverly Deutsch on Changing for the Better – Part Two

  If there’s one thing Waverly Deutsch doesn’t do, it’s fluff. In Part 2 of Love and Logic series, she shares her bold journey from STEM to stage, academia to entrepreneurship, and why she built WyseHeart Advisory to help founders thrive. A champion for LGBTQ and women entrepreneurs, Waverly proves that real mentorship isn’t about hand-holding—it’s about giving the kind of feedback that sticks.Key Highlights of Our Interview:Blending Heart and Head“Whether it’s calming executives’ cautious approaches or reining in overly ambitious young entrepreneurs, success lies in balancing heart (vision) with head (practicality). It’s about building a compelling story that resonates with both emotions and logic.”Executives: Breaking the Incremental Mold“Executives often pitch ideas that feel safe but lack innovation. They’re so aware of corporate barriers that their creativity gets stifled. My role? Push them to think beyond incremental improvements and aim for groundbreaking changes that truly stand out.”“Executives often present highly calculated plans—‘$5 million investment for $7 million returns.’ While safe, it doesn’t excite investors. Encouraging them to aim higher, to envision $50 million, injects the passion and ambition their pitches often lack.”Unleashing Undergraduate Imagination“Undergraduates are brimming with ideas because they haven’t yet encountered the roadblocks of the corporate world. The challenge is teaching them the process—how to take their boundless creativity and add logic, research, and structure to turn dreams into sustainable ventures.”Overzealous Optimism Meets Reality“On the flip side, young entrepreneurs brim with optimism, promising billion-dollar outcomes for modest investments. The challenge? Bringing logic into their bold dreams—helping them see the steps, resources, and realistic pathways to scale.”The Power of Experimentation“Sometimes, all it takes is encouraging an entrepreneur to think bigger—just as an exercise. That simple shift in perspective can unlock enormous potential, as it did with Simple Mills, now a model for blending passion and pragmatism to scale innovation.”_________________________Connect with Us:Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Waverly Deutsch______________________--**Chief Change Officer**--Change Ambitiously. Outgrow Yourself.Open a World of Deep Human Intelligence for Growth Progressives, Visionary Underdogs,Transformation Gurus & Bold Hearts.6 Million+ All-Time Downloads.Reaching 80+ Countries Daily.Global Top 3% Podcast.Top 10 US Business.Top 1 US Careers.>>>100,000+ subscribers are outgrowing. Act Today.

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• #223 Love, Logic, and a Reality Check: Waverly Deutsch on Changing for the Better – Part One

  Welcome to Part 1 of “Love and Logic,” where Waverly Deutsch shows us how balancing passion and reason leads to real impact. Today, we explore her journey—how she carved her path and why she’s committed to helping others find theirs. In later episodes, we’ll cover her work at Chicago Booth and WyseHeart Advisory, where she dishes out “tough love for entrepreneurs.”Waverly is famous for her blunt yet brilliant coaching style—think “Simon Cowell of Chicago Booth,” but with actual solutions. She’ll tell you your business pitch makes no sense, then hand you a roadmap to make it airtight. If you’re looking for sugarcoating, look elsewhere. If you want to grow, listen in.Key Highlights of Our Interview:A Love for Theater and Logic“I fell in love with theater and acting as a child. My mother and I would go to the theater together—it was a special time for us. At the same time, I was good at math and logic puzzles. I ended up with two majors, one in theater and one in computer science. They were separate disciplines, but in my mind, I was always bringing them together.”The Gut-Driven Leap“At 29, with a fresh PhD, analysis didn’t guide my career move. Joining Forrester was pure gut instinct. I saw it as a chance to dive back into technology, learn from brilliant people, and expand my horizons—no spreadsheets, no market evaluations, just a leap of faith.”Academia or Impact? The Career Crossroads“Graduating with a PhD in theater history during a recession, teaching jobs were scarce. Colleges were cutting back on theater programs, and the research focus in humanities felt too esoteric. I wanted to do something more contemporary, more impactful.”Burnout and Breakthroughs“After nearly eight years at Forrester, experiencing explosive growth, an IPO, and 60-hour weeks, I needed a reset. By 1999, I was ready for a new direction and decided to approach my next move more strategically.”Empathy for Everyone“Emotions aren’t just a ‘women’s thing.’ I’ve sat with many men who’ve cried during challenging discussions. The key is understanding that emotions are human, not a weakness, and they have a place in even the most logic-driven conversations.”_________________________Connect with Us:Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Waverly Deutsch______________________--**Chief Change Officer**--Change Ambitiously. Outgrow Yourself.Open a World of Deep Human Intelligence for Growth Progressives, Visionary Underdogs,Transformation Gurus & Bold Hearts.6 Million+ All-Time Downloads.Reaching 80+ Countries Daily.Global Top 3% Podcast.Top 10 US Business.Top 1 US Careers.>>>100,000+ subscribers are outgrowing. Act Today.

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• #222 Inheritance? No Thanks. Chris Quek’s Boldest Bet Yet – Part 2

  Christopher Quek wasn’t built to follow the family script. In this two-part series, we explore how he walked away from the comforts of a well-established family business in Singapore to chase entrepreneurship in Malaysia—much to his father’s dismay. After returning home, he doubled down on his independence by selling his inheritance to launch TRIVE, a venture capital firm built on his own vision. Last episode looked into his quest for self-identity—the reasons behind his bold moves and how he made them a reality. This time, we’ll discuss his current work as a VC investor, his ambitions for the entrepreneurial landscape in Southeast Asia, and his thoughts on legacy and family at this stage in his life.Key Highlights of Our Interview:Kicking off with a big question: Is Singapore still relevant after 50 years? Here's an entrepreneurial view"In 2015, when Singapore celebrated its 50th birthday as a nation. Singapore evolved itself out of necessity where it built a whole nation, a workforce of engineers, scientists, bankers, lawyers, doctors, specialists. We started losing a whole generation of entrepreneurs."Bridging the Generation Gap: How to Turn ‘Parents’ Old Ways’ into a Future-Proof Family Business"I actually have a network of over 300 family business owners across Southeast Asia. And there's always this common themes that starts first.  Number one, how do I talk to my parents? How do I have a good working relationship with my parents and a family relationship back at home?  Number two, I don't like the way that my parents are doing things and I need to transform this business. How do I convince my parents that I can transform this business as well?"Turning Spare Millions into Family Business Magic: The Synergy Cycle of Tech, Money and Southeast Asian Economy"Everyone gets to have food on the table. What we didn't realize that what this family business did was that it took that technology, have more food, more quantity, and decided to sell it cheaper to a poorer province, where those villagers were now able to obtain more quantity of food for their families."Breaking the Patriarchal Mold: How Self-Development Earned Me My Father’s Respect"My father has been an Asian patriarch with an iron fist. He now talks to me about the side businesses that he's doing. He asks me as his advisor and no longer sees the son on whom he used to look down."Still Figuring It Out: The Never-Ending Saga of Self-Discovery"I still believe that I'm evolving. I'm still learning more in terms of understanding my identity."Fatherhood and Fortune: What’s the Game Plan for Your Next Generation, Chris?"Anybody who wants to help the next generation is to be a mentor of values rather than a mentor of processes."_____________________Connect with us:Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Christopher Quek______________________--**Chief Change Officer**--Change Ambitiously. Outgrow Yourself.Open a World of Deep Human Intelligence for Growth Progressives, Visionary Underdogs,Transformation Gurus & Bold Hearts.6 Million+ All-Time Downloads.Reaching 80+ Countries Daily.Global Top 3% Podcast.Top 10 US Business.Top 1 US Careers.>>>100,000+ subscribers are outgrowing. Act Today.

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• #221 Inheritance? No Thanks. Chris Quek’s Boldest Bet Yet – Part 1

  Christopher Quek wasn’t built to follow the family script. In this two-part series, we explore how he walked away from the comforts of a well-established family business in Singapore to chase entrepreneurship in Malaysia—much to his father’s dismay. After returning home, he doubled down on his independence by selling his inheritance to launch TRIVE, a venture capital firm built on his own vision. In this episode, we dive into his boldest moves, his pursuit of self-identity, and what it really takes to break free from expectations.Key Highlights of Our Interview:Father’s Furious Expectations: When a Third-Gen Heir Sneaks Out of the Family Business"I couldn't stand all the pollution that the manufacturing plant was producing. And finally, after three days, I sneaked back to Singapore and my father saw me. He got angry. He shouted at me."Family Education 101: Learning P&L Over Dinner with Dad, Where Burgers Come with a Side of Calculating Profits"He would take me out to restaurants. And he forced me to start calculating out the revenues. He will start telling me like, what do you think is the expenses behind this? And I had to start learning a profit and loss statement just by that very visible conversation itself."Beyond the Textbook: How Mentorship Shaped Chris' Evolution"I'm a product of my mentors in my life. So I'm the number two and number three mentors were also very successful businessmen."Owning My Identity: Mr. Quek or Just Mr. Quek’s Son?"There was already a trigger point in my value system that was I going to continue as a the next generation of business owners to continue polluting, just to make money for the sake of money."Finding My Way: From Circumstances to Self-Fulfilment"It was more of circumstances and situations and opportunities that just appeared.  If you ask me like some certain crossroads in my life, for example, heading off to Malaysia instead of China I felt that was the right thing to do."The Adventure of Self-Discovery: Uncovering Hidden Layers of Yourself at Every Stage"Give you a little bit of the element of what at every stage is about really discovering yourself, which is really an exciting journey. You don't realize that you have actually a lot of things about yourself that you haven't discovered. "_____________________Connect with us:Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Christopher Quek______________________--**Chief Change Officer**--Change Ambitiously. Outgrow Yourself.Open a World of Deep Human Intelligence for Growth Progressives, Visionary Underdogs,Transformation Gurus & Bold Hearts.6 Million+ All-Time Downloads.Reaching 80+ Countries Daily.Global Top 3% Podcast.Top 10 US Business.Top 1 US Careers.>>>100,000+ subscribers are outgrowing. Act Today.

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