Ep 11 - Lin Loke: From Corporate Burnout to Building Nuwa - Trust, Networks & Taking the First Step

In this episode, we sit down with Lin Loke, founder of Nuwa wellness brand and former management consultant. Lin shares her journey from corporate burnout to building a health and wellness company, the power of picking up the phone, and why trust is the foundation of every business. We dive deep into career pivots, the reality of launching a consumer brand, and the importance of taking that crucial first step.00:00 - Introduction01:00 - Career Foundation & Early Experiences01:04 - Lin's UCL journey and early career exploration07:20 - Summer internships: From surveying buildings to inspecting Wembley Stadium12:56 - Lin: Early career exploration eliminates what you don't want to 13:53 - Nero: Business is about people - rapport building and stakeholder management16:04 - Lin's 5 years at Arup: M&A infrastructure and due diligence17:21 - Meeting Hael Kobayashi: From Star Wars to digital transformation mentor20:28 - The importance of mentors and international exposurePivoting from Corporate to Entrepreneurship22:05 - Lin: Escaping the linear career path - why consulting wasn't enough23:35 - Nero's story: From engineering to discovering lean startup methodology27:20 - Lin: Creative energy and the birth of Nuwa wellness brand29:15 - The burnout that inspired the product ideaBuilding Nuwa: From Idea to Execution34:00 - From trademark to product development: The research process36:31 - East meets West philosophy in wellness products39:10 - Packaging innovation: Why she chose biodegradable tea bags over bottles42:43 - Finding manufacturing partners: The power of picking up the phoneGolden Insights on Entrepreneurship46:29 - Nero's Jetseta story: Uber for private jets in Nigeria49:50 - Marketing photoshoot as MVP56:02 - Dogfooding your product changes how you sellThe Reality of Launching56:51 - Lin: The misconception about "selling out" on launch day59:22 - Nero: Trust before the trust - preparation meets opportunityPhilosophy & Final Advice01:01:03 - "The frog in the well knows nothing about the ocean"01:03:33 - Lin: Learning by doing vs. learning about doing01:07:57 - Most rewarding aspects of building Nuwa01:10:55 - Final advice: Find a problem you care about and care deeper01:13:22 - Nero's closing thoughts: Keep taking risks, the best is yet to comeGuest: Lin Loke - Founder of Nuwa Wellness