Inside The Cambodia Project

Here in part two, we continue our discussion with visionary entrepreneur, philanthropist, and business executive David Moon. We dive deeper into the process of founding the Zion International School of Phnom Penh including the hiring of school director Veasna Neang, the acquisition of real estate in central Phnom Penh, and staying competitive in a growing economy. We finish off the episode with David's biggest takeaways during this process of building.  

Visionary entrepreneur, philanthropist, and business executive David Moon joins us in part one of this episode for an engaging discussion about his service and work in Cambodia. We discuss his experience as mission president for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, his assistance in the founding of The Cambodia Job Foundation, and his role in the founding of The Zion International School of Phnom Penh. 

In this episode, Carson Frederiksen hosts while talking with and getting to know Lin Ellsworth! She is a Cambodian native who, in this episode, tells of her journey from a refugee camp, to salon owner in Utah. Join us as we glean insights from a growth-mindset oriented entrepreneur right out of Cambodia's countryside.

Host Christian Pearson is joined by Professor Ben Beck and fellow undergraduate researcher, Carson Frederiksen. They continue last episode's conversation about Carson's experiences conducting ethnographic research in Cambodia, covering topics ranging from MeToo businesses to customer value and Cambodia's own brand of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Christian wraps things up with an inspiring invitation based on new theory related to growth mindset.

Host Christian Pearson is joined by Professor Ben Beck and fellow undergraduate researcher, Carson Frederiksen. First, they ask Carson to relate some of his most memorable experiences from living in Cambodia all summer. Then, the conversation shifts to his ethnographic interviews and their implications for the Cambodia Project as a whole. Some discussion of mindset theory ensues, before Christian wraps up the episode with a thought-provoking question.

Host Christian Pearson interviews HR professional and social entrepreneur Rachel Cannon, who shares insights about her area of expertise: hope. Rachel begins by explaining the 3 basic principles by which anyone can develop hope, no matter their circumstances. Then, Christian and Rachel take a closer look at the role hope plays in communities with limited resources, such as Cambodia. Christian concludes the podcast by asking Rachel to share her "secret sauce" when it comes to fostering hope in the individual.

Host Christian Pearson and assistant producer Carson Frederiksen take an anthropological look at the Khmer people, diving deep into their unique sense of humor, subtle mannerisms, and social norms. Carson shares some of the most valuable lessons he learned from living in Cambodia, and Christian takes a closer look at how the Khmer culture may inform their research on the Cambodia Project.

Host Christian Pearson welcomes Cambodian native Amreth Phirun, a graduate student at the University of Utah and veritable expert on culture and language preservation abroad. Amreth shares some of the fascinating details of his research, which describes the willful efforts of Cambodians living in Utah to remain true to their culture through religion, song, dance, ceremony, language, and food. They conclude with an insightful discussion about the importance of preserving one's culture, and therefore identity, no matter the cost.

Host Christian Pearson interviews social entrepreneur & Cambodian pioneer Theary Leng, who received her MPA at BYU and is fulfilling her life mission to bring education back to her country. Theary shares her own remarkable journey with education, and explains why she believes it may be the most powerful force for good. Later, Christian asks Theary to share some of her goals for implementing change in Cambodia, including her plans to found the first public library in the country.

Podcast producer Ben Beck interviews Cambodian citizen and student, Chhour Kim. Chhour shares the best and worst parts of living in Cambodia. He compares life in the United States with life abroad. Later, they discuss some of the reasons why gender-based violence still exists in Southeast Asia, as well as how to address it effectively. Finally, Ben invites Chhour to share his favorite feature of his home country.

Host Christian Pearson is joined by David Benaim, a veritable Excel expert who believes that Cambodia weathered Covid better than any other country in the world. David describes his life as an expat living in Cambodia, and later he tells the compelling story of how he used statistics and excel sheets to fight misinformation and chaos during the global pandemic. He concludes with some key insights from his UNICEF report, which describes how different countries performed across a number of key indicators in the aftermath of the coronavirus.

Podcast producer Ben Beck invites Sam Christensen, host and director of The Best 2 podcast, onto the show. Sam shares some of his greatest impressions from his experience as a full-time missionary in Cambodia. Then, Ben and Sam discuss some of the cultural differences inherent to Southeast Asia and form hypotheses about their effect on small businesses. Finally, Sam explains what The Best 2 podcast is all about, and encourages listeners to tune in on their preferred platform.

Host Christian Pearson asks research fellows Seth Allred and Kyli Fox-Soug to talk about their experiences living and working in Cambodia for two weeks. Seth and Kyli share their initial reactions to the country, discuss various challenges related to international research, and reflect on their biggest takeaways from their time in Southeast Asia.

Host Christian Pearson kicks off Season 2 of the podcast to share an in-depth discussion on building peace with Mr. Som Chanmony, program director of the Cambodian NGO, Peace Bridges. Som (Mony) explains how his background as a former gang member influences the way he now works for peace in his community. He also tackles hard questions, including how to address generational PTSD in Cambodia, and how to heal broken relationships.  For more information about Peace Bridges, visit their website at https://peacebridges.net/

Host Christian Pearson and producer Ben Beck discuss their impending research trip while recording in an unconventional studio: the San Francisco International Airport. Ben goes into detail about research design and specific interventions to be implemented in Cambodia, while Christian shares some surprising findings about fixed vs. growth mindset. Next, they talk about the experiences they are most excited for, including touring the Angkor Wat Temple and exploring the floating villages on the Tonle Sap. Finally, Christian closes the episode by announcing a summer hiatus, but promises to return for Season 2 in the Fall.

Host Christian Pearson and global logistics expert, Dr. Scott Webb, share a fascinating discourse on the topic of cultural differences across international borders. Scott relates several stories from his years of experience, illustrating the power of cultural intelligence to create lasting business relationships. Then, they talk about how researchers might approach various cultural differences in Cambodia. Scott concludes the discussion by highlighting the importance of humility, compassion, and love to become truly "cultured."

Host Christian Pearson discusses the scope and significance of domestic violence with Matápuna Levenson, a victim advocate and project manager for the Asian Pacific Insititute on Gender-Based Violence. Puna describes the differences between a direct-service and a systematic community approach to violence prevention. Later, she underscores the importance of balancing good intentions with locally-supported interventions, in order to build trust and increase impact in a community. Finally, Christian and Puna take a closer look at the implications of working with small-business owners to address gender-based violence in Cambodia.

Host Christian Pearson is joined by Dr. Dana Bourgerie, the director of the Cambodian Oral History Project. Dana reveals his unique connections to Southeast Asia and goes on to share some of his findings relating to the Chinese diaspora in that part of the world. At that point, Christian and Dana discuss the importance of knowing one's personal history, and Dr. Bourgerie explains how the Cambodian Oral History Project is helping the Khmer to do just that. They finish out the podcast with some incredibly inspiring stories from present-day Cambodians. For more information about the Cambodian Oral History Project, visit their website at cambodianoralhistoryproject.byu.edu

Host Christian Pearson and CSR proponent Ben Lewis take a deeper look at a hot topic in the business world: Corporate Social Responsibility. Ben shares key findings from his archival research on how rankings affect the way firms approach CSR. Later, they discuss the controversy surrounding the blurring lines between corporations and government, and examine the issue of "greenwashing" as a potential problem for small businesses in Cambodia.

Host Christian Pearson is joined by recently returned missionary Ellyn Ohms for an enlightening discussion on religion in Cambodia. Ellyn shares how Buddhism influences the Khmer culture, and identifies families as a key societal fixture in Southeast Asia. Later, they examine the role of faith in the aftermath of the Khmer Rouge genocide, and conclude with an inspiring dialogue centered around the "City of Smiles."

Host Christian Pearson is joined by international traveller and cultural expert Bruce Money, who shares his experiences and research while abroad. Later, Bruce defines Hofstede's cultural dimensions and considers their significance within the context of humanitarian research. Christian closes out the episode with some intriguing conclusions from Banerjee & Duflo's book, Poor Economics.  For more information about Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions, visit https://www.hofstede-insights.com/.

Host Christian Pearson and Cambodia enthusiast Shane Harrison take a closer look at the critical role of non-profits (such as the Cambodian Job Foundation) in developing economies. Shane shares key experiences from his time living in Cambodia and offers relevant insights concerning the project's implementation and reception there. They wrap things up with an interesting discourse on Cambodia's tragic history and it's hopeful future.

Host Christian Pearson invites co-producer and marketing professor Dr. Ben Beck onto the podcast to share his thoughts on the Better Marketing for a Better World initiative. Later, Ben reviews 3 notable academic papers on prosocial marketing and connects their respective research designs to the Cambodia Project.

Keynote speaker & marketing VP Logan Mallory joins host Christian Pearson in a riveting conversation about what being generous looks like at the corporate level. Logan shares several illustrative stories about his personal journey in the business world and the innate potential for good within each person. Then, in the spirit of Christmas, they discuss how giving and making sacrifices empowers and lifts businesses, shareholders, and stakeholders alike. 

Host Christian Pearson is joined by Asia expert and business scholar Seth Allred for an engaging discussion about the #MeToo movement and its reception throughout Asia. Together, they tackle several of the greatest obstacles to gender equality, and explore potential solutions as they apply to humanitarian research in Cambodia. They wrap things up talking about how to tactfully implement cultural changes in foreign countries, as informed by Melinda Gates' recent book, The Moment of Lift.

Host Christian Pearson welcomes guest Oliza Loy, a Cambodian citizen and Khmer translator, to the podcast. Oliza relates her experience growing up in Phnom Penh, and she and Christian discuss some of the most significant differences between Cambodian culture and Western norms. They conclude by reviewing some of the biggest misconceptions about Cambodia, and Oliza shares her favorite part of her country.

Host Christian Pearson discusses sustainable development, social impact theory, and Southeast Asia with student researcher Kyli Fox Soug. Kyli shares her research experiences both abroad and in her community as they evaluate Cambodia within the context of global SDGs and data-driven interventions. They tie it all back to a quote from a BYU Ballard Center for Social Impact keynote address by Felipe Queipo, UN Communications Officer.

Host Christian Pearson discusses the origins of The Cambodia Project with the man who started it: Ben Beck. Ben shares valuable insights about the project ideation, his investigative rationale, and why he chose to conduct research in Cambodia.

Co-producer Ben Beck interviews host Christian Pearson in this introductory podcast. They discuss goals, expectations, and outcomes of Inside the Cambodia Project podcast.