LinkedInpreneur: Connecting People Via Storytelling

We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open. ― Jawaharlal Nehru

Yes, the past few months have certainly been an adventure, though not one most would have sought out.

The world has gone through tremendous upheaval. Many lives have been lost to COVID-19, not to mention the damage that has been done to the economies of entire countries and livelihoods of breadwinners.

The why

We knew, as government after government began enforcing movement restriction laws, that many businesses were going to suffer. How many entrepreneurs can say that their business model accounted for an emergency that forbade physical proximity?

While many business owners may be kicking themselves for not making the digital transition sooner, they are hardly at fault. Until recently, their existing business models had been working fine.

Our team also knew that not everyone would flounder during this crisis. Whether through good fortune, foresight or reactionary measures (or all three), there would be entrepreneurs and businesses that weathered the storm exceptionally well.

The LinkedInpreneur team saw an opportunity to connect these inspirational figures to the world at large so that others too could take heart.

As a business storyteller, I know how inspiring such stories are and how people gravitate towards them for inspiration and motivation. One good thing about the world we live in today is that social media allows us to stay connected. In fact, I’m sure you have seen and even taken part in the huge online community that rallied together for support during this time of crisis. The LinkedInpreneur team saw an opportunity to connect these inspirational figures to the world at large so that others too could take heart.

And so began our LinkedInpreneur Stories ― our fully virtual talk show featuring some of Asia’s best entrepreneurial minds sharing their insights, experience, and knowledge during this crisis.

Read: Tuning into the benefits of JOMO (Joy of Missing Out)

The who

Asia is a pretty big place, and it’s got some pretty big brains scattered all over it. Diversity was the name of the game here. We wanted to feature entrepreneurs from a range of nationalities, ages, industries, and backgrounds. No matter who was watching, we wanted there to be someone they could especially relate to. Looking at our guest list, I’m happy to say we did quite well.

Our first season comprised nine episodes featuring guests from four countries, nine different industries and a wide age range. It was truly eye-opening to speak to such a diverse set of people. It shows that in today’s world, entrepreneurship can take on many different forms while adhering to the same timeless principles.

Our very first episode featured Aaron Foo, who such a young age already serves as Head of Product Strategy for iCar Asia, a community-based automobile marketplace that boasts over eight million users. As a self-described ‘digital geek and branding fleek’, he openly discussed branding strategies and the impact of digital platforms in today’s world.

Our other guests were no less impressive, and no less generous with speaking at length about their area of expertise. If you have the time, why not give some of our interviews a watch?

The how

We didn’t want things to be all business. We wanted to showcase not just business strategies and marketing campaigns, but also the human element behind them. As mentioned earlier, not just everyone did well during this crisis. For those that were, we were curious about the kind of person they were.

The guests feed off of this positive energy, and the entire session becomes an uplifting experience for everyone.

In between the more serious questions, we made sure to make time for more light-hearted segments. We’d play rounds of rapid-fire questions where our guests would not have time to think about sugar-coating their answers, and the results were frequently as hilarious as they were enlightening. These people were agile thinkers!

Moving forward: lessons learned and impact made

From the beginning, our purpose had been to harness the power of social media, specifically LinkedIn, to connect entrepreneurs across Asia. We saw the stories that were waiting to be told, and the potential they had to inspire and empower. Asia, with its deep cultural roots and affection for folklore, loves good stories.

From the first LinkedInpreneur episode, the response was overwhelmingly positive. We’ve had thousands of people tuning in, asking questions and expressing their gratitude. The guests feed off of this positive energy, and the entire session becomes an uplifting experience for everyone.

Perhaps people simply had nowhere else to go, or perhaps there was nothing good on the television. Instead, I’d like to believe that they saw, in all this turmoil, others who shared their struggles and offered stories of comfort, success and perseverance.

The latest LinkedInpreneur latest season starts on June 9. No matter where you are in the world, and whatever troubles you are facing, if you think a good story would cheer you up and point you in the right direction, then please, drop in and say hello.