What 500 Harvard Case Studies Actually Do To Your Brain - E729

What 500 Harvard Case Studies Actually Do To Your Brain - E729

Author: Jeremy Au September 10, 2026 Duration: 55:50

Jeremy Au takes the hot seat in a reverse interview hosted by Edric Poon to unpack the true value of a Harvard MBA and the fundamental principles of business leadership. Jeremy unbundles the prestigious degree into three core components: practical utility and learning, building a long-term global network, and acquiring a costly social credential. He shares actionable frameworks for effective leadership, emphasizing the necessity of decisive strategy, ruthless prioritization, and the ability to mobilize resources and capital. The conversation also explores the psychology behind the Harvard case study method, how pattern-matching helps leaders spot corporate fraud, and the harsh, irreversible realities of founder burnout. Finally, Jeremy contrasts Western and Asian leadership styles, explaining how regional GDP per capita and Wall Street’s shareholder supremacy dictate corporate culture across the globe.


Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/harvard-mba-leadership 


BRAVE is Southeast Asia's leading tech podcast, hosted by Jeremy Au. Honest conversations with the region's top founders, investors, and operators on building startups in Southeast Asia.

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#Leadership #SoutheastAsia #HarvardMBA #Singapore #TechPodcast #MBA #BusinessSchool #Management #Founders #Startups #VentureCapital #CareerAdvice #Burnout #FamilyBusiness #CorporateGovernance #AsianLeadership #SEAstartups #Malaysia #Indonesia #Philippines #Vietnam #Entrepreneurship 


0:00 500 case studies, and what they're actually for

0:52 Introduction: Jeremy in the hot seat

1:43 What a Harvard MBA is actually for

5:01 The half-million-dollar signal

6:38 How to unbundle all three yourself

9:17 Decide, prune, mobilise

10:43 Atari, Nokia, and BlackBerry's own prototype

14:24 Manager versus leader

16:15 The campfire, and who walks into the dark

21:00 Authenticity is not permission to be your worst self

22:59 The case method and the supercomputer brain

26:21 Enron, and pattern matching fraud

29:59 The mistake Jeremy made twice

35:27 Two bad nights of sleep is two drinks

37:34 So what is Asian leadership?

39:12 GDP per capita, and where trust lives

44:49 Wall Street versus everybody else

50:52 Community over the individual

54:08 The MBA in your pocket




There’s a unique energy building across Southeast Asia, a sense of possibility that’s palpable from Singapore’s skyscrapers to the bustling streets of Jakarta, Ho Chi Minh City, Manila, Bangkok, and Kuala Lumpur. BRAVE Southeast Asia Tech captures that momentum by going beyond the headlines and funding announcements. Host Jeremy Au, a venture capitalist and serial founder with a background from Harvard and Berkeley, steers these conversations with a distinct perspective-one that balances the hard metrics of growth with the very human elements of leadership and personal development. Each episode feels like a candid, in-depth dialogue, whether he’s speaking with a first-time founder navigating early traction or a seasoned investor mapping regional trends. You’ll hear genuine stories about building companies, the tough lessons learned from failures, and the often-overlooked journey of staying grounded while scaling rapidly. This isn’t about presenting a polished facade of success; it’s about the real work of creating something meaningful. With over eighty thousand regular listeners, this podcast has become a key resource for anyone invested in the region’s tech ecosystem. Jeremy brings his own experiences as a sci-fi enthusiast and a father into the mix, often exploring how broader perspectives on the future and empathy shape better leaders. Tune in for practical insights on venture capital, entrepreneurship, and management, all framed within the vibrant and complex tapestry of Southeast Asia. New conversations arrive every Monday, offering a thoughtful pause to reflect on how we build what’s next.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

BRAVE Southeast Asia Tech: Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand & Malaysia Startups, Founders & Venture Capital VC (English)
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