Where can I listen to this podcast?

This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.

Does this podcast accept guests?

Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.

Atypical Asia with Debbie Yong

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by Debbie Yong

6 episodes

Updated Daily

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Podcast Overview

Atypical Asia is a podcast spotlighting the founders, creatives, leaders, and thinkers shaping Asia in ways that don’t fit the usual playbook. Hosted by Debbie Yong, former business journalist and branding and communications strategist, each episode goes beyond surface-level success stories to explore the decisions, doubts and detours behind the work. We talk about: - Building brands in Asia (and beyond) - Leadership, identity, and visibility - Creative risk amd career pivots - Culture, power, and what “success” really means If you’re building something meaningful, this space is for you.

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Publishing Since

1/30/2026

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Recent Episodes

July 1, 2026

The Future of Ageing: Silver Economy, Longevity, and Active Living - Ageing Asia's Janice Chia

Janice Chia hears it all the time: "I've retired, I want to do nothing." Her reply: that's the surest way to decline. Janice Chia is the founder of Ageing Asia and the World Aging Festival, and one of Asia's most outspoken advocates for rethinking what it means to grow old. She started Ageing Asia 16 years ago at 30, back when banks would politely route her call to the CSR department because they thought seniors were a charity case. Her grandma started it. Janice grew up close to her, watched her stay fiercely independent into her 80s, and saw up close how a person moves from active to chronic conditions to forgetfulness. Ageing Asia is built around what she calls the Age of Laughter, a pun on filial piety where the same word means laughter, and the relationship with seniors becomes about enabling them rather than doing things for them. In this episode of Atypical Asia, Janice Chia joins host Debbie Yong to talk about why "retire and do nothing" is the surest path to decline, the silver economy nobody wanted to fund 16 years ago, why today's seniors may outlive their 40-something children, and how to approach your parent's first year of retirement the way you approached their first day of preschool. [01:29] What first drew her into ageing, and the grandmother who started it[04:50] The "Age of Laughter" vision, a new take on filial piety[09:49] Why banks once transferred her ageing pitch to the CSR department[11:30] What a 30-year-old was doing in the ageing sector[12:55] Why retiring "to do nothing" is the surest path to decline[15:49] Why today's retirees may outlive their middle-aged children[18:13] What happens when you actually ask seniors about their dreams[22:02] Commune at Henderson, where young and old live side by side[38:43] Why strength training is the quiet key to ageing well[44:30] The loneliness epidemic among older men nobody talks about[52:07] The plan for seniors to earn $1,000 a month through micro jobs[58:16] Where Singapore leads on active ageing, and where it still lags[1:03:20] Why ageing in place is the cheapest way to age well If you are caring for ageing parents, building for the silver economy, or just thinking about how you want your own next 30 or 40 years to go, this conversation is a clear-eyed map. Follow Atypical Asia on Spotify so the next episode lands in your library, and leave a rating to help more people find the show. About Atypical AsiaAtypical Asia is a podcast hosted by Debbie Yong, with honest conversations featuring the founders, leaders, and creatives reshaping the global narrative on Asia. New episodes every fortnight. Learn more at atypicalasia.com.

June 22, 2026

Modernising Feng Shui: AI, Legacy, and a Family Business - Wei Feng Shui's Mark Tan

Mark Tan's friend told him: your dad is Jackie Chan. You don't fight that well. When he gets old, the business dies with him. Mark Tan is the CEO of Wei Feng Shui Group. His father is Singapore's first grand feng shui master, and Mark gave up a banking offer in the US to come home and inherit the practice. He grew up not really knowing what his dad did, until his primary school principal pulled him aside to ask if he could be introduced. From that moment on, the business hovered around him: rooms he wasn't allowed to enter, books he wasn't allowed to touch, formulas he had to memorise without explanation. He always wanted to be a businessman like his dad. He never wanted to be the feng shui master. In this episode of Atypical Asia, Mark Tan joins host Debbie Yong to talk about taking over a business where the founder is also the entire knowledge base, why he set his team to reverse-engineering his dad's formulas after years of being told "don't touch this", what changes when an entire marketing team quits inside a year, and where AI helps and doesn't help an ancient craft. [02:01] Growing up in a feng shui family[06:03] Why he wanted to be a businessman, just not a feng shui one[11:46] The phone call from his parents that changed his mind[15:58] His first years in the family business: bag-carrying, translation, no guidance[22:38] The "Jackie Chan's son" warning from a friend in F&B[31:09] When the marketing team dwindled to one in a single year[48:21] What keeps him up at night now, after a decade in charge[55:19] Where AI helps in feng shui and where it can't reach[1:00:14] The half-million dollar rock myth[1:03:04] Why feng shui works alongside hustle, not instead of it[1:07:14] What the future of feng shui could look like If you're working in a family business, modernising a legacy industry, or curious how tradition holds up against AI and a new generation's anxieties, this conversation gives you a lot to think about. Follow Atypical Asia on Spotify so the next episode lands in your library, and leave a rating to help more people find the show. About Atypical AsiaAtypical Asia is a podcast hosted by Debbie Yong, with honest conversations featuring the founders, leaders, and creatives reshaping the global narrative on Asia. New episodes every fortnight. Learn more at atypicalasia.com.

June 8, 2026

The Future of Love in Asia: AI Dating and Digital Twins - Coffee Meets Bagel's Shn Juay

A friend of Shn Juay built an AI twin of herself to flirt, screen matches, and book dates. The real her just shows up. Shn Juay is the worldwide CEO of Coffee Meets Bagel, a dating app built for people who want a serious relationship rather than an endless feed of profiles. She calls it a personal mission to make dating safer, and she talks about it as a woman as much as a CEO. Her point: even brilliant, senior people lose their judgement the moment they fall for someone. It is how a person who is careful and logical at work hands over $10,000 to someone they have fallen for, no questions asked. In this episode of Atypical Asia, Shn Juay joins host Debbie Yong to talk about verifying real identities with Singapore's national digital ID, why an endless stream of profiles quietly numbs your judgement, how Gen Z is putting love on hold to chase a career, and what happens to dating when AI can flirt, screen, and schedule on your behalf. [00:42] What first drew her into dating apps[01:51] Why being sharp at work won't protect you in love[02:20] Using SingPass to verify age, identity, and marital status[03:46] Why honesty on a profile leads to a better relationship[06:56] One global app, but dating is never one size fits all[09:33] Why Gen Z is putting love on hold for their careers[11:49] What actually matters in a partner, beyond money and titles[14:13] A survey on money, and women open to partners who earn less[16:27] How men and women really use dating apps differently[18:19] AI companionship, loneliness, and the partner who never disagrees[22:54] The friend who deployed a digital twin to screen her dates[24:52] Why real chemistry still can't be programmed If you're dating, building in this space, or just curious where technology is taking love, this conversation is full of clear-eyed takes on modern relationships. Follow Atypical Asia on Spotify so the next episode lands in your library, and leave a rating to help more people find the show. About Atypical AsiaAtypical Asia is a podcast hosted by Debbie Yong, with honest conversations featuring the founders, leaders, and creatives reshaping the global narrative on Asia. New episodes every fortnight. Learn more at atypicalasia.com.

6 total episodes available

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Frequently asked questions

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What is Atypical Asia with Debbie Yong?: Atypical Asia is a podcast spotlighting the founders, creatives, leaders, and thinkers shaping Asia in ways that don’t fit the usual playbook.

Hosted by Debbie Yong, former business journalist and branding and communications strategist, each episode goes beyond surface-level success stories to explore the decisions, doubts and detours behind the work.

We talk about:

Building brands in Asia (and beyond)

Leadership, identity, and visibility

Creative risk amd career pivots

Culture, power, and what “success” really means

If you’re building something meaningful, this space is for you.
How often does this podcast release new episodes?: This podcast updates daily.
Where can I listen to this podcast?: This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
Does this podcast accept guests?: Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.

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