Episode #10: Career pivot with Eric Sim - From banker to educator, author and a key opinion leader on LinkedIn

My guest in this episode is Eric Sim.

A key opinion leader on LinkedIn, Eric Sim, CFA, is the author of the book Small Actions: Leading Your Career to Big Success. Previously, when based in Hong Kong, Sim served as a managing director at UBS Investment Bank and an adjunct associate professor of finance at HKUST. He founded the Institute of Life with a mission to train young professionals to be successful at work and in life.

I met Eric Sim one year ago when I left my corporate career and needed a coach to help me navigate my social media presence.

I saw a clubhouse event he was organizing. I checked his Linked profile and could not believe that he had more than 2 million followers. I registered, and he invited me to ask my questions on the stage during the event. This is how we connected.

In the following months, Eric helped me crystalize my strategy and fine-tune my goals. I established many valuable connections with his help. And he gave me the confidence to start writing on LinkedIn.

I have never met Eric in person, but I always wanted to share his story – from his humble beginnings to the powerhouse he is today. He made the portfolio career “a thing.”

When we were recording, I asked him to walk me through the stages of preparation and execution when he was leaving banking. The answer was not what I expected! Eric said the first thing he did was design his new company’s logo and print the business cards. He knew he was ready to leave the banking job when he confidently handed out these new cards, accepting his new future.

His three key takeaways for success in any career pivot are three “S”:

- Build your Social capital well before you need it

- Build your Social media presence

- Build your Social network

Please tune in to hear his fascinating journey.

Happy listening!