Talent Leadership Crucible

𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 5 𝐄𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐝𝐞 2 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐋𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐬: 𝐍𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐅. 𝐁𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞 & 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 (𝐔𝐒𝐀, 𝐕𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐧𝐚𝐦)

In this episode of Thriving in the Age of Disruption | The Mastery Effect Podcast, I sat down with Neal F. Bermas, Founder of STREETS International, for a thoughtful and wide-ranging conversation on entrepreneurship, crisis readiness, and what meaningful impact really looks like over time.

What stood out most was Neal’s ability to hold both rigour and humanity. With a strong academic and consulting background, he brings clarity to problem definition, structure to decision making, and discipline to execution. At the same time, his lived experiences, travel, and deep exposure to inequality have shaped a moral compass that keeps purpose front and centre.

We explored the realities of building a hybrid social enterprise model, the importance of preparing for crises rather than reacting to them, and the role of resilience when systems are under strain. Neal also reflected on spirituality, simplicity, and the danger of outsourcing too much of our thinking to technology, especially in an age where AI accelerates speed but can quietly erode discernment.

This conversation is a reminder that thriving is not measured only by scale, growth, or visibility. It is about contribution, impact, and the discipline to stay anchored to values even when opportunities and incentives pull us in other directions. Neal offers a timely reframe for leaders and entrepreneurs navigating uncertainty. Enterprise is a means, not the end. Purpose is the anchor. And resilience is built not by avoiding hardship, but by preparing for it consciously and early.



𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐫𝐮𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧?

#ThrivingInTheAgeOfDisruption #Season5 #Leadership #SocialEnterprise #EntrepreneurialMindset #CrisisReady #Impact #Philanthropy #SystemsThinking #PurposeDrivenLeadership #DrNealFBermas #StreetsInternational #DrRameshRamachandra #TalentLeadershipCrucible #ImpactVelocity #TheMasteryEffect

3 days ago (edited) | [YT] | 1

Talent Leadership Crucible

𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 1: 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐭

Daron Hongsananda, Founder, 𝐊𝐨𝐳𝐞 𝐅𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 reframes crisis in a way that feels confronting but honest.

For him, a crisis is not just a setback. It is a turning point. A moment where the choice is no longer comfort versus discomfort, but survival versus collapse. When handled well, crisis becomes the doorway to learning, reinvention, and growth.

“𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘯𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵.”

Running out of money. Lacking support. Feeling alone. These were not abstract challenges. They were deeply painful experiences that forced him to mature quickly. In those moments, he began to understand what survival instinct really means.

He draws a striking comparison. Children raised in crisis environments often develop maturity far earlier than those raised in comfort. Not because suffering is desirable, but because survival demands adaptation. Crisis accelerates growth.

This is why Daron believes children should not be protected from struggle entirely. When young people are told they will inherit safety, security, or a business, survival instincts stay dormant. When they are told they must build their own path, something sharpens inside them.
Pain becomes a teacher.

When asked how he reframed pain as future gain, his answer is visceral. Urgency forces action. When everything is on the line, you think faster, move differently, and discover capacities you never knew you had.

“𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘯𝘰 𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘷𝘦.”

Crisis, in this framing, is not the enemy. Avoiding crisis is. Because the longer one postpones the fall, the harder it becomes to adapt later in life.

𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤, 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐨𝐧?


#ThrivingInAgeOfDisruption #Podcast #CrisisAndGrowth #SurvivalInstinct #EntrepreneurJourney #Resilience

1 week ago | [YT] | 2

Talent Leadership Crucible

𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 200 𝐭𝐨 20,000: 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐅𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐕𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐧𝐚𝐦 𝐓𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐌𝐞 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩

I had the pleasure of speaking at 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐅𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐕𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐧𝐚𝐦 2025 — and what an experience it was.

This festival began 13 years ago with just 200 attendees in a modest building. This year, it drew over 20,000 people to Hanoi. The energy was undeniable. And that kind of growth tells a powerful story about a nation in motion.

In my keynote, I shared what I believe is critical for Vietnam’s startup ecosystem to thrive truly:
✨ A mindset shift — in founders, investors, and the broader ecosystem. Growth begins when we believe it’s possible.
✨ Corporate governance — not just for formality, but to protect investor rights and create an environment where capital can flow with confidence.
✨ A collective shift from survival to contribution — where entrepreneurship is about building value, not just extracting it.

TechFest made me pause and ask:
🌀 What does entrepreneurship mean in this new season of life?
🌀 What would it look like to start again, not from ambition, but from wisdom?
🌀 What kind of legacy do I want my ideas to leave behind?

#DrRamesh #TechFestVietnam #entrepreneurship #talentleadershipcrucible

1 week ago | [YT] | 3

Talent Leadership Crucible

After years as an entrepreneur and now as an angel investor, my answer is simple. I bet on the person.


Ideas will change. Markets will shift. Strategies will fail and need to be rewritten. What does not change easily is who you are under pressure.


When I look at founders, I pay attention to how they think, how they learn, and how they respond when reality does not meet their expectations. I listen for self-awareness. I watch for resilience. I notice whether they can hold feedback without becoming defensive and whether they can adapt without losing their integrity.

A strong founder can pivot an average idea into a meaningful business. A weak founder will struggle even with a brilliant idea.

This does not mean the idea does not matter. It does. But the idea is the starting point. The person determines the journey.

As investors, mentors, and ecosystem builders, we often over-index on decks and projections. What truly predicts long-term value is the human capacity to learn, unlearn, and lead through uncertainty.

That is where I place my bet.


lnkd.in/g8GckWRs


If you are raising capital, ask yourself this first. Who are you becoming as a leader as the business grows.

And if you are investing, look beyond the idea. Look at the person who has to carry it forward when things get hard.

1 week ago | [YT] | 2

Talent Leadership Crucible

Succession isn’t just about passing the baton — it’s about building the track for the next race. In this reel, Dr. Kevin Cheong breaks down how multi-generational family businesses often falter after the second generation, when cousin-consortiums replace sibling-leaders.

He offers practical wisdom: if the business isn’t growing as fast as the family, conflict is inevitable. His strategy? Equip the third generation with entrepreneurial muscle, give them their own “kingdoms” to lead, and let them earn their own trophies.

“𝘓𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘣𝘦 𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘥𝘰𝘮𝘴 — 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘥𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘰𝘰.”

What’s your experience with generational transition in family business? Join the conversation — we’d love your take.

#nextgen #familybussiness #kevincheong

1 month ago (edited) | [YT] | 2

Talent Leadership Crucible

Pause, Reflect, Reframe: Redefining Entrepreneurship in a Disrupted World | Ajjaree Limpamont

In this thoughtful and deeply reflective episode, Dr. Ajjaree Limpamont
explores what it means to be a Thai entrepreneur, strategist, and educator in a world marked by volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity.

#talentleadershipcrucible #thriving #DrRamesh #DrAjjaree

3 months ago | [YT] | 2

Talent Leadership Crucible

𝐒𝐨𝐋 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐮𝐦 2025 – 𝐃𝐚𝐲 3 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐩

The final day of the Global SoL Forum brought us back to the heart of this gathering: culture, connection, and collective action.

We began with a Fireside Conversation on Culture Regeneration with Bel Villavicencio, Tebogo Mogaleemang, hashtag#TruongPhung, and Ranganayaki Thangavelu, exploring the question: What in your culture would you like to share with others on the journey of personal mastery? Their stories reminded us that mastery is always rooted in culture—and those roots can sustain global healing.

“We often forget that we are part of the very system we want to change. If we don’t see ourselves in the problem, it’s hard to be part of the solution,” Tebogo reminded us, grounding the morning in responsibility for both self and planet.

From there, participants moved into two transformative workshops: Robert Steele and hashtag#KateDore facilitated Navigating Collective Impact with the Sustainability Compass, offering tools to align action with ecological and social values. Meanwhile, Yong Kiat Peter Seah guided Generating Connections and Actions Toward A Flourishing Future, a space to link insights across systems and translate them into action.
The day closed with an energizing keynote from Alan AtKisson, who urged us to embrace optimism—not as passive hope, but as active belief in our ability to shape a better future. His talk, “2026 Ahead,” was a call to step forward with courage and clarity.

We ended in a circle of reflection, where voices from across the region shared what gives them hope: spaces like this, where solidarity becomes a lived experience. With that, the seed of a SoL Vietnam Community was planted—an intention to carry this spirit forward, rooted in local leadership and global solidarity.

✨ The truth echoed as the SoL Global Forum 2025 Vietnam closed: real change begins within, and it grows through community.

#SoLGlobalForum2025Vietnam
#PersonalMastery #CollectiveImpact #FlourishingFuture
#CulturalRegeneration #GlobalSoLCommunities #HAWEE

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3 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 3

Talent Leadership Crucible

𝐒𝐨𝐋 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐮𝐦 2025 – 𝐃𝐚𝐲 2 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐩

Day 2 at the 𝐒𝐨𝐋 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐮𝐦 2025 in Vietnam was all about going deeper—into ourselves, our leadership, and the systems we are part of.

We began the morning with two 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐬. In one room, participants explored “𝘉𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘚𝘦𝘭𝘧-𝘋𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳” with Stephen Gianotti, Dr. Patricia Gianotti, and Dr. Hoh Kim. In another, a smaller group joined “𝘗𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘚𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘶𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘔𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘺,” a reflective session on uncovering the unseen obstacles that hold us back from leading with clarity and authenticity.

The afternoon opened with a powerful Fireside Conversation on Community Impact, hosted by Robert Steele, featuring guest speakers Jimmy Pham AM-MBA, H.Doc Bus- RMIT, Nguyen Cong Niem, and Nguyen Thu Hue. From building social enterprises to leading grassroots initiatives, each shared how personal mastery sustains long-term commitment to community. Their stories reminded us that deep impact always begins with inner clarity and purpose.

Later, we welcomed Adam Kahane for a 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘱 𝘰𝘯 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘏𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘚𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘴, followed by a 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 with Stephen Gianotti on what it really takes to collaborate for change.

Adam challenged us to rethink how we engage with complexity, reminding us: “𝘐𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘸𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩—𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩. 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴.”

He left us with a simple but profound invitation: work with a crack. Look for that one place—however small—where something can shift in your organisation or community. Then begin there.

The day closed with a warm 𝑫𝒊𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑺𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒂𝒕 𝑺𝑻25, where reflections continued over food, laughter, and new connections.

From inner awareness to systemic action, Day 2 bridged the personal and the collective. As we head into the final day, we carry the energy of honest conversations, courageous questions, and a shared readiness to lead differently.

hashtag#SoLGlobalForum2025
hashtag#PersonalMastery hashtag#SystemsChange hashtag#Collaboration hashtag#Leadership hashtag#CommunityImpact hashtag#Workshop2
hashtag#Fireside2 hashtag#SpecialHalfDaySession

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3 months ago | [YT] | 4

Talent Leadership Crucible

𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐨𝐋 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐮𝐦 2025 – 𝐃𝐚𝐲 1 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐩
Day 1 of the Global SoL Forum 2025 in Vietnam was nothing short of inspiring.
We began with a powerful Welcome Address by Mdm 𝐂𝐚𝐨 𝐓𝐡𝐢 𝐍𝐠𝐨𝐜 𝐃𝐮𝐧𝐠, Chairperson of HAWEE, and Stephen Gianotti, SoL Global Chairperson. Their remarks set the stage for a day of learning, reflection, and connection, reminding us that lasting change begins within.

The morning Fireside Conversation on 𝘊𝘰𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘔𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘺, moderated by Tara Kimbrell Cole - Leadership Coach and Systems Thinking Consultant, brought together Chris Freund, Tina Thao Tran, PhD, MBA, and Tassinee Vajarasthira. They shared candid reflections on how self-mastery shapes leadership. Tassinee put it simply: “𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥—𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴, 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘺—𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘮 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳.”

The afternoon featured the interactive Workshop “𝘛𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘙𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦”, co-facilitated by Dr. Ramesh Ramachandra and Poorani Thanusha, with case insights from Quang Nguyen and Cao Khanh Chi. Participants explored leadership dynamics through a live business case, uncovering practical lessons for navigating organizational change.

Momentum carried into the evening with a thought-provoking session on Impact Velocity, led by Poorani Thanusha, and the Opening Keynote by 𝐃𝐫. 𝐏𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞. Peter reminded us that personal mastery is the foundation of collective transformation. When asked about reconciling the paradox between organizational impact and environmental harm, he emphasized embracing creative tension, confronting contradictions, and holding a shared vision as essential practices.

We ended the day with cocktails at 𝐌𝐚𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐰—an evening of connection and community, weaving the relationships that will sustain this journey.
Day 1 was rich with insight and exchange. The stage is set for the conversations, practices, and collaborations to come.

#SoLGlobalForum2025 #Vietnam #PersonalMastery #Leadership #CollectiveTransformation #SoLCommunity #Day1 #WelcomeAddress #Fireside1 #Workshop1
#GlobalSoLCommunities #HAWEE #TalentLeadershipCrucible #ImpactVelocity #TheWoodlandGroup #PNJGroup #MekongCapital #ABBRA

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3 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 3

Talent Leadership Crucible

👵👩‍💻 Grandparents or Gen Z — who do you learn more from?
Let’s find out 👇

🌟 Poll: What’s the biggest benefit of multi-generational learning?

💬 Vote now — and share your reason in the comments!

#MultiGenerationalLearning #Leadership #TheMasteryEffect

3 months ago | [YT] | 1