Position your brand to convert & win | $0→$400M+ in brand value | Brand Strategist | Forbes 30U30
Confession: I envy founders who are shameless. I’ve been surrounded by founders—and been one myself for my whole adult life. Over time, I’ve realized the core of being a founder boils down to one thing: The ability to find resources. That’s why it’s called “found” er. (Get it? Haha) We find resources to make things happen, no matter the odds. The people, the capital, the sales, the network, and the community. But the only things standing between us and those resources are: • The ego of not wanting to look foolish. • The fear of failing. And what separates successful founders from the rest? Being shameless. No ego. No fear. Just doing it. For me, this has only gotten harder with age. The more I’ve worked for, the more there is to lose. The more I’ve seen, the more I know I don’t know. These days, I’m not the loudest in a room of founders—I listen more than I talk. I do my best, but I don’t chase opportunities—I accept rejection. This gained ego and fear have made me more graceful in navigating life. But, truth be told, I sometimes miss the freedom of living without them. How about you? Any tips for being gracefully shameless when it matters? #founder #entrepreneurship
This hits home. The tension between being fearless when you’re starting out and becoming more cautious as you gain experience is so real. When you’re just starting, it’s all about scrappiness—you knock on every door, send hundreds of dm's & cold emails, and pitch without hesitation because there’s nothing to lose. But as the stakes grow, overthinking starts to creep in. You start second-guessing and playing it safe—not because you’ve lost the drive, but because there’s more to lose. Lately, I’ve been rethinking what “shamelessness” really means. I’ve realized it’s not about being reckless—it’s about staying focused on the mission, vision, and the people we aim to help. Shamelessness is doing whatever it takes to achieve a greater purpose, even when it’s uncomfortable. It’s about not letting fear stop you from pushing forward. When I reconnect with why I’m doing this, the fear of looking foolish or failing starts to fade. Being fearless is not about ignoring risks; it’s understanding that the goal is bigger than the fear. The stakes may be higher, but so too is the opportunity to grow. Fear will always be there and today it’s up to us to rise above it :)
I resonate with this so much. It's so true - being our authentic self is one thing, but the way that we thrive is by doing things that nobody would have ever expected of us or what we ever expected of ourselves. Relentlessly and unapologetically pushing forward, accepting nothing less than absolute success and rejecting even a glimmer of temptation to go back to what's comfortable, because we understand who we are and the kind of life that we want to live.
I am not a founder, just a tiny dust of dust at the sahara desert. From theological aspect, we believe that our Creator create each one of us (human, regardless of religion, race, color skin etc) uniquely as He is the Most Wise and the All Knowing. Do your best and whatever coming, He knows you are able to get over it and be a more wise, more humble, more empathy and more grateful creation/person. Some do wrong things, become more success, more ego and do more injustice to others and some become like a paddy shoot (the heavier the rice grain, the bendier it will become). just my dust of dust in the sahara desert :D
So relatable, 💯 there are days I just feel like hiding or shrinking but have to remember why the journey started. And anchor in the bigger why. Having pillars for support helps. I do wish I have no ego, fear, shame or guilt. Perhaps this is exactly why we are on this journey.. to learn to live without 😌
I completely relate to this! There’s something liberating about the fearless, shameless approach founders often have, it’s the willingness to take risks and put yourself out there without the weight of ego or fear holding you back. It’s easy to let the fear of failure or the pressure of success build up over time, but I think the key is to remind yourself that growth comes from embracing the discomfort. Sometimes, staying in the game with a “fail forward” mindset is the most graceful thing you can do. For me, it’s also been about focusing on the mission over the external validation. Would love to hear more about how you’ve navigated this balance!
🟢 This book should be your best friend Sasha Tan. For me, as I grow older I start to ignore things that don't matter to me. Remember: "Those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind."
👀👀👀👀👁️👁️I am waiting for those tips on being gracefully shameless! *silently stands in a corner* *notepad ready*
Having 'thick skin' is something many Asians were taught to avoid. But the truth is, this thick skin and even a bit of 'shamelessness' can be a tool in defending our businesses and securing opportunities. Perhaps it's not about being gracefully shameless, but being intentionally so. 🤔
Position your brand to convert & win | $0→$400M+ in brand value | Brand Strategist | Forbes 30U30
5dSummary of the tips for being gracefully shameless from the comments - 1) Addie Leong: Remove options, think "you have no choice". 2) Fabes Lee🚦: Ignorance is bliss, read "The art of not giving a f*ck". 3) Leonard Ang: Reconnect with your WHY, fear of failure and judgment will fade. 4) Tiffany Khoo: Embrace "thick skin" as an intentional tool of defense. (will update as it goes)