He Left Vietnam on a Boat With $1. Now He's a Chief of Staff at ServiceNow

At age 12, Tai Nguyen arrived in America with $1 in his pocket after surviving 7 days on a fishing boat in the Indian Ocean with 69 other Vietnamese refugees.Now, 40+ years later, he's a Chief of Staff at ServiceNow, a certified executive coach, and living proof that resilience, curiosity, and relationship-building can take you from cleaning houses in Houston to leadership roles at Dell, HP, and one of the fastest-growing tech companies in the world.In this conversation with hosts Regan Bach and Adam Odosky, Tai shares his journey from child refugee to tech executive, and the career philosophy that carried him through: never say no, always ask, and build relationships everywhere you go.Key Insights:●The career philosophy that changed everything: Never say no, always ask (if you don't ask, nothing happens), don't let your title define your role, relationship-building is everything●"I negotiated my career with an iPhone charger": Director needed a charger in the hallway, Tai negotiated his move to project management before handing it over, became a legend in the organization●How he moved to San Diego with no job: Borrowed a friend's address and phone number to get interviews, moved with 2 suitcases, stayed with friends for 2 years●Becoming Chief of Staff by running town halls: Started doing work "not his role," friend asked "you mean you're his chief of staff?", pitched Mark Stockford in an elevator, sealed the deal●7 years at Dell, 13 years at HP, 9+ years at ServiceNow: Long stints in big enterprise companies, learning how to advocate for yourself and build relationships that matter●Paid out of pocket for PMP certification: HP said no budget, Tai studied nights/weekends for a year, passed 4-hour exam first try, opened doors to project management●Launched executive coaching practice: CTI certified (2+ years, 300+ hours), founded Your Limitless Potential Coach (ylpc.co), coaching senior leaders in UK and Australia●Life lessons from a refugee: Curiosity as survival skill, asking police to drive him home when lost on Houston buses at age 13, learning English in 6 months, cleaning houses every summer instead of vacationsThis episode is for anyone navigating career transitions, building a life from nothing, or anyone who needs proof that asking for what you want can take you further than any title or pedigree.✨ Watch the full episode, and if it resonates, share it with someone who needs to hear this story. Your potential is limitless.Hit subscribe! Connect with Better Faster Further:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterfasterfurther/ Listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/better-faster-further/id1658641713 Connect with Tai Nguyen:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tai-nguyen-2303977/