Frankly Speaking
Whether you’re a founder seeking inspiration, an investor exploring Southeast Asia’s potential, or someone passionate about startups, this podcast offers insights and behind-the-scenes stories in the startup ecosystem. Join us as we navigate the challenges, celebrate the milestones, and shape the future of the startup ecosystem.
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Episodes
Monday Apr 28, 2025
Monday Apr 28, 2025
From learning to cook at 7 to building one of Indonesia’s leading restaurant technology platforms, Gunawan Woen has always connected deeply to the world of food and business. Today, he is the Co-Founder & CEO of ESB, a company redefining how restaurants operate—helping F&B businesses streamline their operations, optimize supply chains, and access new growth opportunities. In this episode of Frankly Speaking, Gunawan shares his journey: what sparked his early passion for F&B, how he spotted the gap in restaurant operations, and the challenges of building an end-to-end tech platform for one of the toughest industries. We dive into how ESB evolved from a simple idea to a game-changing ecosystem for restaurants of all sizes, and what the future of F&B could look like in Indonesia and beyond.
Thursday Mar 27, 2025
Thursday Mar 27, 2025
He built his first startup at 13. Then he set his sights on an industry few dared to enter—used cars. Fragmented, full of friction, and ripe for reinvention.
With Carro, Aaron Tan turned complexity into clarity—scaling across Southeast Asia with AI, data, and the kind of speed only conviction allows. In this full episode of Frankly Speaking by Alpha JWC, Aaron opens up about the real journey behind Carro.
From navigating market expansion to leading a 4,500-person team, this is the story of what it takes to build across borders—and stay ahead. It’s not just about cars. It’s about solving real problems, building at scale, and leading with intent.
🎧 The full episode with Carro CEO & Co-founder Aaron Tan is now live.
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Thursday Mar 13, 2025
Thursday Mar 13, 2025
In this episode of Frankly Speaking, we dive into Anderson Sumarli's early investing days, the pivotal moment that led to Ajaib’s creation, and what it truly takes to scale a high-growth fintech company. Plus, his take on what matters most and where he’s headed next.