#348 Ian Myers: From Tintin to Talent—Building Global Teams With Soul

Ian Myers isn’t here to give you startup hacks—he’s here to tell the truth. At just 26, he became a CEO. By 30, he’d built Oceans, a $10 million agency connecting skilled professionals in Sri Lanka with U.S. startups. But his story isn’t a straight line—it’s an open map. From literature to venture capital, Japan to New York, success and failure, Ian has treated life like a Tintin adventure: follow the clues, embrace the chaos, and keep going. In this conversation, we dig into what really fuels a global entrepreneur—from Buddhist philosophy to a bias for action—and how Ian’s building a future-of-work company that’s human-first, not hype-driven. For anyone rethinking college, career paths, or the AI takeover, Ian offers something rarer than advice: perspective. Key Highlights of Our Interview: Tintin Over Tech Bros: Why Curiosity Beats Calculation “My role model isn’t Musk or Zuck—it’s Tintin. He’s fearless, inquisitive, and always exploring something new.” Zen and the Founder’s Mind “Buddhism taught me how to stay grounded through chaos. That mindset shaped how I lead.” LinkedIn Paralysis Is Real. Here’s What to Do Instead. “People tell me, ‘My classmate’s a VP already—I’ve failed.’ That thinking’s toxic. Just follow what’s interesting.” Ageism, Across Borders “In Japan, your age trumps your ideas. It pushed me toward entrepreneurship.” Oceans: Talent Without Borders “We embed Sri Lankan professionals into U.S. startups—not as temps, but as core team members.” AI, Hype, and the Reality Check “Yes, AI is impressive. But like every tech wave, adoption will take longer than people think.” The Diversity Dilemma: Who Gets a Seat at the (Remote) Table? “We’ve turned down clients who wanted ‘an attractive female EA.’ We hire for skill, not stereotypes.” Don’t Overplot Your Life. “The world’s chaotic. You won’t chart a perfect course. Just keep moving—and recalibrate as you go.” ___________________________ Connect with us: Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Ian Myers   --Chief Change Officer-- Change Ambitiously. Outgrow Yourself. Open a World of Expansive Human Intelligence for Transformation Gurus, Black Sheep, Unsung Visionaries & Bold Hearts. EdTech Leadership Awards 2025 Finalist. 20 Million+ All-Time Downloads. 80+ Countries Reached Daily. Global Top 1% Podcast. Top 5 US Business. Top 1 US Careers. >>>180,000+ are outgrowing. Act Today.<<< See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Om Podcasten

What’s Stopping You from Outgrowing Yourself? Change Ambitiously. Outgrow Yourself. Chief Change Officer isn’t just another podcast. It ranks in the Top 3% globally, hit #1 in Careers (US), and cracked the Top 10 in Business (US)—because it offers what others don’t: expansive human intelligence, shared by the world’s most extraordinary thinkers and doers. This is the space for transformation gurus, bold hearts, black sheep, and unsung visionaries. We go beyond digitized tips and AI-smooth talk. Here, you get real, time-tested, experience-driven wisdom—the kind that blends logic and love, art and science, hindsight and foresight. For me, this show marks career transition #18. Across 17 transitions, I’ve been mentored by global changemakers who helped me emerge stronger and freer. Now, I’m passing that power forward—through raw, unfiltered conversations with extraordinary people across cultures, industries, and identities. If you’re a growth progressive, a black horse, a visionary underdog, or someone boldly rewriting the rules—you’re already one of us. Because you are the Chief Change Officer. Our mission? To help you become wiser in action, clearer in thought, and more ambitious in motion—so you can outgrow yourself and unlock outcomes beyond imagination or calculation. A better you is already unfolding. 130,000+ followers are outgrowing. Join them on LinkedIn, Apple, Spotify, and YouTube @chiefchangeofficer.