One of the most detrimental pieces of advice to empaths is to be less empathetic. When you're suffering in service to others, you don't 'tone down' your empathy for others. You tone up empathy for yourself. This means asking questions around the first and second spheres of empathy, to better self manage: 1) Why is this important to me? (First sphere, reconnecting to why) 2) What state am I in? Am I rested? Eaten? Calm? (Second sphere, your physical, emotional and conscious self) My wife constantly reminds me, "you can't be a good guy if you're not around." There are a few meditations on compassion I'll paste in the comments that help me when I'm feeling emotionally drained while in service to others. Pass it on to those who need it, and reach out to join our community of empathy practitioners, we meet once a month.

Empathy. Impact. Honesty. At ASEAN Startup Connect 2025, we had the privilege of speaking with Martalia Lo, the CEO and Founder of Academy of Careers and Technology (ACT) in Cambodia. Through her work, she is transforming the education landscape by empowering youth with 21st-century skills and project-based learning. 📚 Reflecting on her time at ASC, Martalia emphasized the profound value of the connections and relationships fostered across the region, creating powerful new opportunities for cross-border expansion and collaboration. One of her most powerful takeaways was: “If it’s not honest, it’s not useful.” When founders lead with authenticity and build genuine relationships, the impact they can create is limitless. Are you looking for a community that authentically helps eachother in building a business? Sign up for our Mentorship Programme to get dedicated support for ASEAN cross border expansion. Join here: https://aseanstartupconnect.org/en/asc-mentorship-programme#mentee

Here are the sources! £78 billion dividends / £64 billion debt: Financial Times via Left Foot Forward - https://leftfootforward.org/2024/04/16-water-monopolies-have-paid-out-a-total-of-78bn-in-dividends-as-thames-water-teeters-on-the-brink/ UK Parliament Hansard October 2023: https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2024-10-23/debates/FC2D9F7F-5961-4512-B448-24C16E9B75FA/WaterCompaniesRegulationAndFinancialStability Scottish Water ranked number one: https://www.watermagazine.co.uk/2023/09/21/scottish-water-tops-british-waters-annual-water-company-performance-survey/

Digital. Collaboration. Networking. At ASEAN Startup Connect 2025, we caught up with Diboma KY, Under Secretary of State at the ក្រសួងប្រៃសណីយ៍និងទូរគមនាគមន៍ - Ministry of Post and Telecommunications (Cambodia), to hear his key takeaways from the event, and his insights highlighted a crucial part of our ecosystem: the bridge between innovation and policy. He shared how incredibly valuable it is to gather founders, specialists, and policymakers from across ASEAN in one room to openly share their challenges. The true power of ASC lies in giving government officials an opportunity to understand the real hurdles and opportunities founders face. When policymakers have this deep understanding, they are better equipped to help startups scale and succeed across the region! Are you looking for a community that understands the reality of building a business? TODAY we are hosting Mentorship session #6 (6:30-8:30 KH time)! You can still sign up to get live, authentic and dedicated support for ASEAN cross border expansion. Join at the link below!