Today's guest is Kenneth Tang, the Managing Director of Dynamic Technologies. Born in Cambodia, Ken & his family moved to Australia during the Civil War and lived a relatively comfortable existence in the suburbs of Sydney.
However, over time, Kenneth realised that he wasn't on the path he wanted, despite a successful tech career that took him abroad to Hong Kong, the US and Europe.
He eventually decided to step back and re-assess his life, attempting various things (like an Australian themed cafe in Hong Kong) and failing a lot in the process.
Listen to this episode to hear more about Kenneth's journey, the way he navigated his life & career, and how he ended up back in Cambodia to help contribute to the country.
I enjoyed this conversation as it focuses on finding meaning and purpose in your life & career. Note the Zoom recording was laggy but I'm sure you guys aren't watching the screen that intently :)
Episode themes & timestamps:
INTRO / LIFE IN AUSTRALIA
0:00 - Intro
2:25 - Ken's Intro, growing up in Sydney, Australia from Cambodia
4:55 - Any struggles growing up Asian Australian?
7:30 - Were you familiar with your Cambodian heritage?
KENNETH'S CAREER JOURNEY & LIVING OVERSEAS
10:55 - Kenneth's early career journey
12:41 - Kenneth's journey from Australia to Hong Kong, the US & Europe.
18:00 - Ken's career break back in Australia & re-assessing life, getting to know his family & heritage
21:10 - Moving back to Hong Kong and trying to experience as many things in life.
LIFE LESSONS
23:10 - Re-assess your life, finding something meaningful. Ken's decision to return to Cambodia for the 1st time and deciding to stay permanently.
26:25 - Falling into the trap of the 9-5 rat race vs pursuing something meaningful.
30:10 - The importance of "failure" or failing
33:25 - The importance of relationships and understanding who you are.
ON CAMBODIA
38:20 - What does Kenneth do in Cambodia? What are Dynamic Technologies? Improving the quality of life for locals through smart cities and solutions. The High economic growth rate in Cambodia creates issues & opportunities.
44:05 - How did Kenneth adapt to working in Cambodia? How did he adjust to day to day life?
50:30 - Are many overseas Cambodians coming back to Cambodia? Advice for others thinking of returning to Cambodia?
55:00 - Kenneth's future plans & conclusion
Find out more about Dynamic Technologies (part of the Dynamic Group) & their vision for Cambodian smart cities here: https://dynamictechnologies.io/