In this episode, I sit down with Ian Myers, founder and CEO of Oceans, a talent agency connecting skilled professionals from Sri Lanka with US companies.

While Ian’s known for scaling his business from zero to $10 million in under two years, there’s much more to his story.

A Tintin fan like me, Ian’s career has been shaped by his adventurous spirit—moving from the US to Japan, exploring fields from literature to banking, venture capital to entrepreneurship, and gaming to talent recruitment. His secret? Trust your instincts, gather experiences, adjust when needed, and keep moving forward.

Key Highlights of Our Interview:

Why Tintin Beats Tech Titans: Ian’s Unconventional Role Model

“My role model is Tintin. He’s always up for an adventure, exploring new places, and embracing different cultures. That’s the kind of life I want to live.”

Zen and the Art of Leadership: How Buddhism Shaped My Approach to Chaos

“Buddhism has a lot of excellent teachings that are applicable to running a business… It’s at its core, a method of grounding yourself through honesty in your reality and the potential of everything around you.”

Comparison Anxiety: Why Scrolling LinkedIn Might Be Ruining Your Life

“I talk to young people today, and they’re always comparing themselves. They’ll say, ‘Oh, this person who went to my college is now a vice president. My life is ruined.’ I’ve never really worried about my career; I just follow what’s interesting.”

Experiencing Ageism Across Cultures: From Japan to CEO at 26

“In Japan, age almost becomes the most important thing about you—your track record and success play a much smaller role. That was something I couldn’t personally tolerate.”

Skeptical by Nature: Why Ian Questions AI Hype

“The technology is impressive and important, but like most great innovations, the adoption curve will likely be much longer than people expect. If you look back at tech predictions, the timeline for changing the world is almost always too short.”

Connect with us:
Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Ian Myers

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Chief Change Officer: Make Change Ambitiously.

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