Editor's Letter: It's been 1 year in the Middle East! 😱
I can't believe it LOL
Hi everyone!
It has been a full year since I left Singapore and set sail for the Middle East, and exactly 4 months since I launched this Substack and The Upside Podcast. If you told me a year ago that I’d be where I am today, I would have called you crazy 😂
This Substack has grown since my last letter 🌱
The audience profile is more or less the same — investors and builders with a leaning towards tech. However the biggest difference is that many of you are now coming from new markets/regions, making this community pretty diverse in terms of representation. While the majority of you are Southeast Asians, today we also have folks from the GCC, Turkey, Africa and Latin America.
Over the last 3 months, I’ve been focused on:
Producing more analytical pieces, especially on MENA
Building a stronger rhythm on podcast production (need more speed!)
Building brand awareness of myself and The Upside Podcast on and offline
In the next 3 months, I will:
Continue building on the above
Explore monetisation ideas to add value to you and our industry (I’d love to hear your suggestions, feedback and explore collabs! DMs open)
If you like what you’re reading so far, do consider a subscription upgrade and pledge your support below. Independent journalism needs you more than ever ❤️
For all those who have sent personal notes, I am so grateful and appreciative of your encouragement and support. It means a lot, especially when you’re a lone wolf (no more newsroom) operating in a new environment, oftentimes with massive language barriers 😅
As I am writing this, I am in Istanbul. Here are some quick pics :)
I plan to be back in Singapore in August to see friends and family. It will also be a wonderful opportunity to re-connect with many, many of you.
Until then, a friend shared this clip with me recently which I now leave with you. It’s a beautiful speech from The Great Dictator by Charlie Chaplin. This was also Chaplin’s first film with true sound.
Be safe and may peace be with you,
