Edric Poon In Company (EP.IC) - is the podcast that "humanizes" the role of a CxO and brings the stories of Entrepreneurs and Professionals in Asia to you! Listen to their stories of dedication, struggles and their unique values that got them to where they are now. #business #people #stories #Singapore #Inspiration #Motivation #kaleoscopic #Communications #podcast #production
EP.IC - Edric Poon In Company
Claim This Podcastby Edric Poon
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100 episodes
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Podcast Overview
Edric Poon In Company (EP.IC) - is the podcast that "humanizes" the role of a CxO and brings the stories of Entrepreneurs and Professionals in Asia to you! Listen to their stories of dedication, struggles and their unique values that got them to where they are now. #business #people #stories #Singapore #Inspiration #Motivation #kaleoscopic #Communications #podcast #production
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Publishing Since
9/3/2019
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Recent Episodes
July 13, 2026
EP.IC 085 - PR is essential for your business | Julie Chiang, APRW
<p>Most business owners treat PR as a "later" problem — a luxury for when they're bigger, or a fire extinguisher for when something's already gone wrong. Julie Chiang has spent over 30 years arguing the opposite.As founding director of APRW, one of Singapore's most enduring independent communications agencies, Julie has worked across the entire spectrum — from small lifestyle brands to Lamborghini, from five-person teams to the Ministry of Health. </p><p><br></p><p>In this episode of EP.IC, she makes the case for PR as a discipline rather than a press-release service: what it actually costs at every tier, where AI helps (and where it quietly damages your brand), and why reputation and trust are the two things money can't buy.</p><p>If you've ever wondered what separates a $3,000 contract from a $50,000 one, why your comms lead belongs at the boardroom table, or how to hire your first PR person — this one's for you.</p><p>🎧 Part of our season "How to Build a Better Business."</p><p>00:00 Intro</p><p>00:53 Welcome to EP.IC + the "Better Business" season</p><p>01:49 Meet Julie Chiang — the APRW origin story (two laptops & a fax machine)</p><p>02:32 Is PR a luxury for small business owners?</p><p>03:55 $3K vs $50K: what you're actually paying for across PR tiers</p><p>06:20 Where comms teams fit in the AI era — the dos and don'ts</p><p>10:30 How PR has evolved in 30 years: from waiting on tomorrow's news to minutes</p><p>13:36 Speed as the new risk: why preparedness beats reaction14:00 Old-school vs new-school PR — what each can learn from the other</p><p>15:22 133 million viewers: has reach lost its value in the social age?</p><p>17:39 Advice for newer founders: how to earn real media traction</p><p>19:35 Why your comms person belongs at the boardroom table20:17 Proving PR's value in numbers — reputation and trust as growth</p><p>21:55 PR as an investment, not a cost center or crisis hotline</p><p>24:25 Agency vs in-house, and giving PR the time it needs</p><p>25:19 The top 3 traits to look for in your first PR hire</p><p>26:15 ⚡ The EP.IC Questionnaire (rapid fire)</p><p><br></p><p>Key Takeaways</p><p>PR isn't a luxury — it's timing. Wait until you're "bigger" or until something breaks, and you've already missed the window to build credibility and visibility early.Budget should match complexity, not status. A lower-tier retainer buys execution (press releases, a pitch or two, coordination). </p><p>Higher tiers buy senior thinking, strategy, media relations, and crisis/government work. Bigger budgets don't guarantee better people.AI's danger zone is mistaking speed for strategy. It writes well — often so well it sounds the same. Use it for research, organizing thinking, and efficiency, but never let it communicate on your behalf without human accountability and fact-checking.</p><p>Time is no longer a luxury in comms. One post can become a reputational issue within minutes. If you don't shape your narrative, the market — or the internet — will do it for you.Reputation and trust are growth. They're the two things money can't buy, which is why a comms lead belongs at the table — not the last call when trouble hits.PR is a journey, not a transaction. A partner, not a vendor. Don't expect instant results; align on objectives and give it time.</p><p>Hire for the journey: commitment for the long haul, resilience amid constant change, and an open mind willing to try again when something doesn't work.</p><p><br></p><p>Connect with Julie & APRW🌐 Website: https://www.aprw.asia</p><p>Connect with EP.IC📺 Subscribe to @epicpodcasting</p><p>New episodes every season. This one is part of How to Build a Better Business.#PublicRelations #PR #PRStrategy #Branding #Reputation #Communications #Singapore #APRW #SmallBusiness #Startup #Marketing #BusinessGrowth #AIinPR #Founders #EPICPodcast #HowToBuildABetterBusiness</p>
July 2, 2026
EP.IC084 | EP.IC Events - The state of Franchising & Licensing in 2026
<p>Thinking of buying a franchise? Scaling your brand overseas?Or just curious about what's actually driving business growth in Asia rightnow? This episode breaks it all down.</p><p>Edric sits down with Gan Shee Wen, President of FLASingapore and founder of furniture retail brand Commune, to unpack the state of franchising and licensing in 2026 and what it means for you as a businessowner.</p><p><strong>Timestamps</strong></p><p>0:50 Welcome and intro </p><p>2:14 Introducing Gan Shee Wen and Franchising &Licensing Association </p><p>4:03 The franchising landscape in Singapore 2026 </p><p>5:14 Why franchising is a smart model in a tough businessclimate </p><p>6:24 How digitalization and AI are reshaping franchising </p><p>7:38 What consumers want now (post-COVID, post-AI) </p><p>10:07 Should franchisors adopt tech? How to think about itstrategically </p><p>12:15 What's up and what's down in the Asian market </p><p>14:42 Physical retail: consolidate, don't just expand </p><p>15:55 Omnichannel is now a must-have </p><p>16:37 Underrated sectors: furniture and why it's not asunset industry </p><p>18:18 New innovations in franchising and licensing </p><p>20:03 AI and customer service: bots for low-tier, humans forhigh-tier </p><p>21:38 FLA's training courses and what's coming next </p><p>22:51 How fast is tech adoption in the world of Franchising?</p><p>24:32 Why approach FLA first before signing anything </p><p>26:20 Protecting your secrets: franchising vs licensing </p><p>30:33 Singapore has no franchise law </p><p>36:30 What to expect at FL Asia 2026 </p><p>40:57 How to get in touch with FLA </p><p><strong>Key Takeaways</strong></p><p><strong>The F&B franchise boom is real and underreported</strong> Morebusinesses are opening than closing. The closures make the news; the openingsdon't. Don't let the noise fool you.</p><p><strong>Singapore = your Asian launchpad</strong> Setting up inSingapore gives your brand global credibility and a tested, multiculturalmarket. If you can make it here, the rest of Southeast Asia gets easier.</p><p><strong>Franchising reduces your risk (but it's not passiveincome)</strong> Whether you're the brand owner or the buyer, franchising lowersbarriers but you still need to know how it works. Don't go in blind.</p><p><strong>AI and tech are changing the playbook fast</strong> FromAI-generated SOPs to smart CRM tools, franchisors are using technology tomanage and support franchisees better. Adoption timelines: 12 to 24 months frombrand HQ down.</p><p><strong>Omnichannel is no longer optional</strong> Physical-onlyretail is struggling. Online-only is limiting. The winners are running both,using physical stores as experience centres.</p><p><strong>Licensing is an underrated growth model</strong> Can't shipfresh products overseas? License your recipe, protect your IP, earn royalties.More manufacturers should be exploring this.</p><p><strong>Singapore has no dedicated franchise law and that's aproblem</strong> Your contracts are only protected under general contract law. Shee Wen is pushing for greater regulation and transparency. Until then, know whatyou're signing.</p><p><strong>Action Points for Business Owners</strong></p><p><strong>Connect and Take Action</strong></p><p>🎙️ Enjoyed this episode?Subscribe to the EP.IC Podcast so you never miss a conversation on building abetter business. Leave us a comment and let us know your biggest takeaway!</p><p>🔗 For more information onthe Franchising & Licensing Association of Singapore, visit their website: www.flasingapore.org</p><p>📋 Register forFranchising & Licensing Asia 2026: https://franchiselicenseasia.com/</p><p></p>
June 15, 2026
EP.IC083 - Is Fractional Leadership the Future of Hiring? | Reza Behnam
<p>What if you could test a hire before fully committing? </p><p>What if the smartest move wasn't to hire full-time at all?</p><p>Meet Reza Behnam, founder of Fractional First and serial entrepreneur.</p><p> In this episode of the EP.IC podcast, we talk about a smarter way to build your leadership team. Reza moved from Yahoo Southeast Asia to building and exiting his own startups, and somewhere along the way he spotted a problem most business owners don't even realise they have.</p><p>Senior leaders with decades of experience have nowhere to go. And CEOs are making their biggest hiring calls with almost no real data. Sound familiar?What you'll get in this episode:- What fractional leadership actually is (hint: it's not consulting, it's not freelancing)</p><ul><li>How to test a leader before you fully bring them on board</li><li>Why the most expensive hiring mistake isn't the salary, it's the time lost</li><li>How AI and real human judgement can work together to match the right leader to the right company</li><li>What to do if you're experienced, talented, and wondering what comes next in your career</li></ul><p><br></p><p>Timestamps:</p><p>0:00 Intro and what is fractional leadership?</p><p>2:10 Reza's background, Yahoo, startups, and Singapore</p><p>6:00 The problem with how leaders hire leaders</p><p>12:00 How Fractional First works and why it's not a platform</p><p>18:00 Try before you buy, fractional as a validation layer</p><p>25:00 Time to value and why fractionals can actually save you money</p><p>32:00 The second arc of your career</p><p>38:00 Inner work, yoga philosophy and leadership grounding</p><p>41:00 EP.IC Questionnaire</p><p><br></p><p>Connect with Reza:</p><p>LinkedIn: Reza Behnam</p><p>Email: reza@fractionalfirst.com</p><p>Website: fractionalfirst.com</p><p>Produced by: Kaleoscopic Communications Pte Ltd | www.kaleoscopic.com</p><p>Filmed at: Poddster Singapore</p><p>Host: Edric Poon (edric@kaleoscopic.com)</p><p>Follow the EPIC Podcast for new episodes every season on how to build a better business, from leadership and hiring to talent, culture, and everything in between.</p><p>If this episode made you think differently about how you hire or how you show up as a leader, share it with someone who needs to hear it.</p>
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