Educator by Day, Dad by Night

I avoided speaking at all costs.

Speech impediment. Paralyzing fear. Zero confidence.

Now I teach others to do the very thing I once couldn’t.

✅ Advise Fortune 500s on AI-driven marketing & sales
✅ Organize CMO Roundtables that bring Asia’s top marketing leaders together
✅ Lecture at top universities across Asia, helping students find their voice

What changed?

Not talent. Not timing.

Just this: I kept showing up. Even when I was scared.

I share this because too many students and professionals still believe confidence is something you’re born with.

It’s not.

It’s built - through repetition, reflection, and real-world reps.

If you’re building yours, I’d love to hear your story too.

P.S. If I could turn my biggest fear into my career - you can too.

Joe Escobedo

I taught 50+ masters students at Singapore Management University 

How to cut their job search time in half using AI.

75% of resumes never reach a human (they get read by the Terminator). 

Instead, I share 3 proven approaches:

1) Use AI to decode the job description first. 

Match your resume bullets to its exact language. Then score for ATS fit before you hit send.

2) Your LinkedIn headline is not your job title. 

"MBA Graduate | Open to Work" is invisible. "Helping B2B SaaS companies 3x pipeline with AI-powered marketing | CMO-track | SEA" gets found.

3) Keep outreach under 75 words. 

Reference something real about them. One specific ask. Read it aloud. If it sounds robotic, rewrite it.

One student rewrote her resume bullet live during the session. 

Before: "Responsible for marketing campaigns." 

After: a specific number, a target audience, and a result tied to revenue.

Remember, 70%+ of jobs never get posted publicly. 

The people who land them sent a good message to the right person at the right time. 

AI makes that faster. It doesn't make it automatic.

Joe Escobedo aka JoeGPT

AI Marketing Advisor, CMO Roundtable Host, Trusted by 25k Leaders, Author (How to Get a Job in Asia)

"Joe, everyone knows you," my friend teased. 

I laughed it off. "No they don't."

Three seconds later, a young woman walked up to our table.

"Are you Joe?"

I nodded.

Her face lit up. 

"I was one of your students in your Boston Consulting Group (BCG) class."

Then she said something I wasn't ready for.

She still remembered my class.

And she informed me she'd just been promoted to Managing Director of a social enterprise (AMGD Global) here in Singapore.

(Why are all my former students trying to make me cry hehe.)

I don't know how many students I've taught over the years. Thousands. 

Maybe more.

I don't always know what lands. 

Most of the time, you just show up, give everything you have, and they walk out the door.

You teach into a void and hope something sticks.

But sometimes, years later, someone crosses a restaurant to find you.

And you realize the void was listening the whole time.

To every teacher, trainer, mentor, and coach reading this... keep going.

You have no idea who you're shaping.

(Thanks to all the people that made this magical moment possible Yvonne Tan, Mei Lee, Julie Wang, and Nadhrah Alhadi...so proud of you!)

21,000 followers.

When I started posting on LinkedIn, I genuinely thought my mom and two classmates were my entire audience. (Hi Mom.)

So hitting 21,000 feels worth a small celebration, and some completely useless-but-fascinating facts about the number 21,000:

🔢 21,000 hours is roughly 2.4 years. About how long it takes to truly master something, according to the "10,000-hour rule people" (give or take).

🌍 21,000 years ago, the last Ice Age was still in full swing. Humans were already hustling, just with fewer LinkedIn notifications.

✈️ A Boeing 747 cruises at about 21,000 feet before reaching full altitude. Still climbing.

📬 More practically: this community is now bigger than many mid-sized towns in Asia.

What I've learned from 21,000 of you: 

B2B professionals across APAC are hungry for practical, no-BS insights on AI, marketing, and doing business across cultures.

That's exactly what I plan to keep delivering.

Thank you for being here. 

The best posts are still ahead (at least I hope so).

Being competent is not a career strategy. 😭

I used to think if you did good work, people would notice. 

Then I started running workshops with mid-career professionals and kept hearing the same story: reliable, capable, even indispensable.

And still invisible when promotion decisions got made.

Sat down with Dawn Fiona C., Alex Loh 劳星裕, and Debbie Yong on The Financial Coconut to unpack why that happens and what to do about it.

We covered:
- 5 real scenarios where capable professionals get overlooked
- How AI has shifted what effort and expertise actually look like
- What leaders evaluate when deciding who's ready for the next level

Especially worth it if you're an introvert or someone who'd rather do great work than play office politics.

🎧 5 Things No One Ever Taught You About Getting Ahead at Work ▶️ Link in the comments

Big thanks to Cheryl Lau for inviting me and producing everything!

Are young Singaporeans redefining success, or just burning out faster?

Cheryl Ng did both before she turned 20.

Study Instagram at 17. Quit from burnout. Return in Poly. Sleep 2 hours.

Breakdown. 

Eight hours of sleep. Better grades. Better focus. 4.0 GPA. 

Advocate for mental wellness while staying ruthlessly ambitious.

Her story isn't unusual in this part of the world. The pressure to perform is real, it's early, and it compounds.

What shifted for Cheryl:

- She stopped measuring herself by titles and output
- She used the goal gradient effect to build habits that didn't rely on willpower
- She reframed AI and uncertainty as tools, not threats

The students and executives I work with across APAC are hungry. 

That's not the problem. 

The problem is most of them have never been taught that rest is a performance variable.

Cheryl figured it out at 20. Some people never do (including me for many years).

At what age did you start treating recovery as part of the job?

(Link to full episode in the comments)

$50,000 in prizes for founders solving one of Asia's biggest challenges.

Asia is ageing fast.

That's what the SUSS Entrepreneurship team is trying to fix with Pitch for Good.

Having partnered with the team and have watched this come together over many months. 

The team has built real pathways for winners: 
- testbedding opportunities
- up to 50,000 in cash prizes 
- flight sponsorship for non-local founders

Grand Finals: 26 August 2026 
Deadline to apply: 17 May 2026

If you're building in ageing-tech, eldercare, or social innovation, this is the one to enter.

Tag a founder who should know about this.

#PitchForGood #Geronpreneurship #Singapore #SocialInnovation #SUSS

A roundtable costs around $10,000+ per session. 

Most companies waste that budget before the invites go out.

I was talking with a CMO last week. 

She was direct about what she actually wants from an executive event: ❌ no sales pitches
❌ no product demos
❌ no awkward cold-table seating

What works in Singapore is a 
✅ room of 10-14 people
✅ a facilitator who can move a conversation 
✅ a topic that ties back to your target audience's KPIs

The value is in the conversation, not the slide deck though. 

Sponsors who understand that get referrals. 

Sponsors who don't get a room full of people checking their phones.

If you've hosted or attended a roundtable in APAC recently, what made it worth your time?

The best marketers aren't the ones who know the most tools.

I've noticed this across every workshop I run in SE Asia. 

The person who walks out with the clearest plan is rarely the most experienced in the room. 

They're the one who came in knowing exactly what they don't know.

That gap — between digital activity and measurable ROI — is what the High-Impact Digital Marketing Masterclass is built around.

8 & 9 April, JW Marriott Kuala Lumpur. 

Topics:
- AI-powered marketing and automation
- Content strategy for lead generation
- Paid advertising (Facebook and Google)
- Conversion rate optimization
- Data, analytics, and ROI measurement

✅ HRD Corp claimable. 
✅ Past participants gave it a 9.5/10 average rating, which I'm told is unusual for a 2-day program.

If your team is spending on digital marketing but struggling to show what it's producing, this is the right room.

Contact Azmina: +60123500766 / Eugene: +60109154521.

Will AI steal my job (or my spouse)?!

I get asked this question a lot. 

For my upcoming Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) (B2B Digital Marketing class), I plan on flipping it around:

- What does AI do better than you? 
- What do you do better than AI? 
- Where do you need each other?

AI wins on speed, synthesis, pattern recognition. 

It can read 10,000 customer reviews and find the three things nobody said out loud. 4 seconds. Not 4 hours.

Humans win on judgment that requires context, relationships, and knowing when the data is lying. 

You can tell when a client is unhappy even though the NPS score says 8. 

AI can't.

The jobs disappearing aren't the ones AI can do. 

They're the ones where people refused to learn how to work alongside it.

The spouse question though? (Still figuring that one out....)

AI is making your employees lazy (or lazier, in some instances.) 

Here's what's actually happening inside most organizations right now:

Someone needs to write a proposal.
They prompt AI. 
They get something 'decent.'
They copy and paste, then send it.

No real thinking. No real creativity. No judgment applied. 

Just a prompt, an output, and a deadline met.
Multiply that by your entire team. Every day. For 12 months.

And you wonder why they're not getting results.

The problem isn't the tool (*insert shocked GIF*). 

It's that nobody taught your people how to use it without switching their brains off.

The AI "gurus" will tell you to move faster. Automate everything. 

I'll tell you something different: 

The most valuable thing your employees bring to work is their judgment. 

Their creativity. Their ability to think.

AI should sharpen that. Not replace it.

If your people are using AI as a crutch instead of a weapon, you're not transforming. 

You're just getting busier and staying average.

Maneesh Sah

A NEW Marketer

I'm the author of Amazon #1 Bestseller A NEW Marketer and a professional speaker.

I speak on transformational marketing and personal branding.

I have spoken at events and offsites organised by the following companies:
1) Microsoft
2) Intel
3) ST Engineering 
4) Singapore National Employers Federation
5) WWF
6) Marketing Interactive
7) Marcus Evans
8) IDC, and many more.

Professional Speaker & Bestselling Author

Rave Marketing Partners

We help brands scale-up in Asia by creating new customers and raving fans with 3 Cs--Content, Capability and Campaigns.

We partner with following types of businesses:
 
 ► Some are underwhelmed with their traditional marketing approach and need someone to create a new strategy that sparks new conversations 
 ► Others are struggling to get media visibility and need help with elevating their communications to build reputation of their brand
 ► And a few are trying to get more clarity on how to build and scale a high performing marketing function across Asia


In 2017, I published the bestselling book, ‘A NEW Marketer,’ outlining the 3I model (Insight, Inspire, Incite) to build an effective marketing and communications organization. 

I enjoy sharing my expertise in forums, conferences, and summits around the world.

Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Council

I was invited by CMO Council to be part of their advisory board. This is a honorary position. Full time position is with Aon Hewitt. 

CMO Council Asia Pacific is led by a leadership board of regional marketing directors and marketing managers from leading brands. We gather to share insights into the business dynamics, cultural variations, market requirements, operational challenges and channel structures for the region. I'm honoured to be part of such an august group of marketing leaders.

Asia Pacific Advisory Board Member in Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Council

In 2019, I was promoted to lead marketing strategy and execute integrated campaigns for all Aon solutions across Asia reporting to global head of field marketing and communications.  I nurtured a team of writers and campaign managers with a strong focus on creating and amplifying insights to increase our ability to engage our clients with thought leadership to increase our reputation and start new conversations. 

During my tenure with Aon, the team have published blogs and opinion pieces consistently and revamped digital assets, including country sites generating qualified inbound leads.  I also started content advocacy programs leveraging social media featuring numerous colleagues, amplifying Aon’s branded insights.  

Under my leadership, we have expanded Aon’s share of voice by featuring the company in CNBC, BBC, Channel News Asia, and The Straits Times. This has led to key leaders being consistently sought out for their insights, increasing Aon’s reputation in the HR and Finance community. Through innovative digital marketing strategies, we have created new conversations with senior HR and Finance buyers.

Head of Marketing Communications, Asia

I was promoted to build mindshare and market share for Aon by helping clients reduce risk and improve performance, inspiring them through insights backed by data and analytics. I achieved my goals in this position while continuing my role as Head of Marketing for Human Capital Solutions.

Executive Director, Communications, Asia Pacific

My initial role with Aon was to market the Human Capital Solutions in the APAC and MEA regions. My success in this role allowed me to be promoted to Executive Director of External Communications in 2017.

Partner & Head of Marketing - APMEA, Human Capital Solutions

Towers Watson

During my tenure with WTW, I led a team of 6 marketing managers across Asia. We drove marketing strategy, demand generation, and brand awareness.  These efforts backed by proven branding and PR strategies earned WTW a Top HR Vendor Award in 2012 by Singapore’s Human Resources Magazine. I am also proud of earning the Asia Pacific Achievement Award in 2014.  

Delivered Results: 
➤Increased new opportunities by 300% by shifting marketing efforts to focus more on developing a prospect pipeline in addition to brand building and nurturing existing client relationships.

➤Realized a 500% increase in web leads by revitalizing the website and generating traffic with new content, including opinion pieces, research material, and local news items

➤Expanded the number of published client success stories from nil to 12 through storytelling. This raised WTW’s credibility and increased purchase preference while strengthening existing relationships with featured clients.

Regional Marketing and Communications Director-South East Asia

Oracle

While at Oracle (formerly Torex), I Increased brand awareness and generated leads for Torex’s complete suite of software applications covering Point of Sale, CRM, and Supply Chain Management. My focus markets were China, Taiwan, South Asia, Australia, and the Middle East. In 2009, I was selected for the Global High Potential Employee Program.

Delivered Results:
➤Increased media hits from nil to 500 over 12 months across print, online, and broadcast media
➤Supported double-digit growth with demand generation campaigns
➤Successfully recruited 10 new channel partners to promote and sell solutions across the region

Regional Marketing and Communications Director-Asia Pacific & Middle East

Novell

After being promoted to Marketing Manager for the APAC region in 2002, I planned and executed marketing campaigns for Novell’s Linux and Identity Management solutions for South Asia.  I developed a partner ecosystem and recruited 20 new partners for this solution. 

Drove 20% growth by executing joint marketing campaigns with alliance partners such as IBM, Intel, Dell, and Microsoft.

Regional Marketing and Communications Manager-Asia Pacific

I’m a marketer but I think like a businessperson and act like a coach. I help following types of leaders:

► Some are struggling to get more visibility and need help with elevating their communications to build reputation of their brand
 
 ►  Others are underwhelmed with their traditional marketing approach and need someone to create a new strategy that sparks new conversations 

 ► And a few are trying to get more clarity on how to build and scale a high performing marketing and communications team across the Asia Pacific region

This is what I do, and I love my work.

I help global B2B brands create new markets in the APAC region by transforming the marketing function to deliver commercial outcomes powered by content and conversations. I leverage innovative and integrated marketing and communications strategies focused on growing sales pipeline, revenue, market share, and mind share. I translate business needs into successful ROI-focused marketing plans enabled by data and analytics.

I’m Singaporean and my international experience spans more than 25 years across Fortune 500 companies, including Aon and Oracle, in addition to global companies, such as Willis Towers Watson and Novell. In these roles, I have orchestrated successful shifts from:

 ► Brand awareness to lead generation
 ► Features and benefits to insights and thought leadership
 ► Interruption marketing to permission marketing

In 2017, I published the bestselling book, ‘A NEW Marketer,’ outlining the 3I model (Insight, Inspire, Incite) to build an effective marketing and communications organization. I enjoy sharing my expertise in forums, conferences, and summits around the world.  

I have been a keynote speaker at numerous events, including Corporate Communications Leaders Forum, Australia, CMO Asia, Macau, Digital Marketing Leaders Summit, ClickZ, Jakarta, B2B Asia, CXO/IDC Conference, Malaysia Social Media Week and World Marketing Summit. 

My areas of expertise include: Reputation Management | Messaging | Demand Generation | Integrated Marketing & Communications | Sales Growth | Digital Marketing Strategies | SEO | SEM | Account Based Marketing (ABM) | Strategic Events | Sponsorships | Public Relations

Available to operate as:
Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) | Vice President Communications  | Vice President Marketing | Marketing & Communications Director | Chief Communications Officer | Digital Marketing Director  | Head Media Relations

Contact me at msah24@gmail.com

Chief Marketing and Communications Officer

We help brands scale-up in Asia by creating new customers and raving fans with 3 Cs--Content, Capability and Campaigns.

Please DM me if you want to source content, transform your marketing capability or need help in driving integrated marketing and communications campaigns.

We partner with following types of businesses:
 
 ► Some are underwhelmed with their traditional marketing approach and need someone to create a new strategy that sparks new conversations and drives demand
 ► Others are struggling to get more media visibility and need help with elevating their communications to build reputation of their brand
 ► And a few are trying to get more clarity on how to build and scale a high performing marketing culture across Asia


In 2017, I published the bestselling book, ‘A NEW Marketer,’ outlining the 3I model (Insight, Inspire, Incite) to build an effective marketing and communications organization. 

I enjoy sharing my expertise in forums, conferences, and summits around the world.

taplio

The Battle

Joe Escobedo

Maneesh Sah

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