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Jun 8, 2016 · 16m · top-founders

EP 319: He's 23 And His Asian Parents Don't Like The Non-Traditional Entprenreuer Route He's Taking

Nathan Latka · 8m spoken Chin-Un Looi · 5m spoken
0:00 / 0:00

gold bands on the timeline = statements, start to end. Hover to read, click to jump. CC turns on captions

Host Nathan Latka interviews Chin-Un Looi, the 23-year-old COO and CMO of Glints, exploring how the Singapore-based career discovery platform scaled from $7,000 to $500,000 in revenue through lean operations and grassroots university partnerships.

How this conversation actually went

Every chapter scored 0–10 on four independent dynamics. Hover any point for the reasoning behind the score. Nathan holds 58.3% of the talking time here. How this is scored →

Nathan as informed peer 4.8 Guest teaching 2.0 Guest disagreement 0.8 Nathan pushing back 1.3
05100:0010:001:10–4:26 · Nathan as informed peer 4/10 Introducing Chin-Un Looi and Glints Growth Achievements Latka introduces Chin-Un's academic and entrepreneurial achievements, asking him to define Glints and clarify whether it operates as SaaS or a marketplace. Chin-Un explains their mission and contrasts their talent-preparation approach with conventional recruiting platforms.4:26–8:58 · Nathan as informed peer 6/10 Early Financial Milestones Team Scale and Funding Latka rigorously breaks down revenue metrics, round structure, and placement counts, calculating average revenue per employer on the fly. Chin-Un transparently provides verified placement figures and explains employer campaign pricing tiers.8:58–11:44 · Nathan as informed peer 5/10 University Partnerships Growth Strategy and User Acquisition Latka probes student acquisition channels and calculates growth rates based on March 2016 numbers. Chin-Un details their grassroots university strategy and reveals a 15 percent month-over-month growth rate on under a thousand dollars in marketing spend.11:46–15:02 · Nathan as informed peer 4/10 HostGator Sponsorship and Marketplace Business Model Insights Latka runs through an ad read highlighting marketplace complexity, followed by the Famous Five questions. Chin-Un reflects on being 23 and overspending his first angel round, which Latka validates with his own experience running Heyo.1:10–4:26 · Guest teaching 3/10 Introducing Chin-Un Looi and Glints Growth Achievements Latka introduces Chin-Un's academic and entrepreneurial achievements, asking him to define Glints and clarify whether it operates as SaaS or a marketplace. Chin-Un explains their mission and contrasts their talent-preparation approach with conventional recruiting platforms.4:26–8:58 · Guest teaching 2/10 Early Financial Milestones Team Scale and Funding Latka rigorously breaks down revenue metrics, round structure, and placement counts, calculating average revenue per employer on the fly. Chin-Un transparently provides verified placement figures and explains employer campaign pricing tiers.8:58–11:44 · Guest teaching 2/10 University Partnerships Growth Strategy and User Acquisition Latka probes student acquisition channels and calculates growth rates based on March 2016 numbers. Chin-Un details their grassroots university strategy and reveals a 15 percent month-over-month growth rate on under a thousand dollars in marketing spend.11:46–15:02 · Guest teaching 1/10 HostGator Sponsorship and Marketplace Business Model Insights Latka runs through an ad read highlighting marketplace complexity, followed by the Famous Five questions. Chin-Un reflects on being 23 and overspending his first angel round, which Latka validates with his own experience running Heyo.1:10–4:26 · Guest disagreement 1/10 Introducing Chin-Un Looi and Glints Growth Achievements Latka introduces Chin-Un's academic and entrepreneurial achievements, asking him to define Glints and clarify whether it operates as SaaS or a marketplace. Chin-Un explains their mission and contrasts their talent-preparation approach with conventional recruiting platforms.4:26–8:58 · Guest disagreement 1/10 Early Financial Milestones Team Scale and Funding Latka rigorously breaks down revenue metrics, round structure, and placement counts, calculating average revenue per employer on the fly. Chin-Un transparently provides verified placement figures and explains employer campaign pricing tiers.8:58–11:44 · Guest disagreement 1/10 University Partnerships Growth Strategy and User Acquisition Latka probes student acquisition channels and calculates growth rates based on March 2016 numbers. Chin-Un details their grassroots university strategy and reveals a 15 percent month-over-month growth rate on under a thousand dollars in marketing spend.11:46–15:02 · Guest disagreement 0/10 HostGator Sponsorship and Marketplace Business Model Insights Latka runs through an ad read highlighting marketplace complexity, followed by the Famous Five questions. Chin-Un reflects on being 23 and overspending his first angel round, which Latka validates with his own experience running Heyo.1:10–4:26 · Nathan pushing back 1/10 Introducing Chin-Un Looi and Glints Growth Achievements Latka introduces Chin-Un's academic and entrepreneurial achievements, asking him to define Glints and clarify whether it operates as SaaS or a marketplace. Chin-Un explains their mission and contrasts their talent-preparation approach with conventional recruiting platforms.4:26–8:58 · Nathan pushing back 2/10 Early Financial Milestones Team Scale and Funding Latka rigorously breaks down revenue metrics, round structure, and placement counts, calculating average revenue per employer on the fly. Chin-Un transparently provides verified placement figures and explains employer campaign pricing tiers.8:58–11:44 · Nathan pushing back 1/10 University Partnerships Growth Strategy and User Acquisition Latka probes student acquisition channels and calculates growth rates based on March 2016 numbers. Chin-Un details their grassroots university strategy and reveals a 15 percent month-over-month growth rate on under a thousand dollars in marketing spend.11:46–15:02 · Nathan pushing back 1/10 HostGator Sponsorship and Marketplace Business Model Insights Latka runs through an ad read highlighting marketplace complexity, followed by the Famous Five questions. Chin-Un reflects on being 23 and overspending his first angel round, which Latka validates with his own experience running Heyo.

speaking balance: gold is Nathan, purple is the guest (3 minute bins)

0:00 · Nathan 75.4% · guest 24.6%0:00 · Nathan 75.4% · guest 24.6%3:00 · Nathan 21.8% · guest 78.2%3:00 · Nathan 21.8% · guest 78.2%6:00 · Nathan 53.1% · guest 46.9%6:00 · Nathan 53.1% · guest 46.9%9:00 · Nathan 46.5% · guest 53.5%9:00 · Nathan 46.5% · guest 53.5%12:00 · Nathan 79.3% · guest 20.7%12:00 · Nathan 79.3% · guest 20.7%15:00 · Nathan 98.2% · guest 1.8%15:00 · Nathan 98.2% · guest 1.8%
Sharpest disagreement ▶ 8:07 Rejecting traditional recruitment agency commission model

Chin-Un directly clarifies that Glints does not take a standard percentage of first-year salaries, framing their flat-fee employer branding model instead.

 Hardest push from Nathan ▶ 8:07 Drilling into recruiter cut vs flat fee structure

Latka directly questions the monetization mechanics, pressing whether Glints takes a standard 20 percent headhunter fee or a fixed campaign cost.

 Biggest teaching moment ▶ 3:28 Explaining the flawed assumption of job boards

Chin-Un educates Latka on why traditional job portals fail by assuming candidate readiness, whereas Glints actively trains talent prior to hiring.

 Nathan holds their own ▶ 14:26 Validating startup capital discipline from personal experience

Latka demonstrates firsthand founder expertise by citing his own loss of discipline and creativity after raising two and a half million dollars at Heyo.
the scores for every segment, with the reasoning behind each
ChapterTopicNathan as informed peerGuest teachingGuest disagreementNathan pushing backWhy
Introducing Chin-Un Looi and Glints Growth Achievements 4311 Latka introduces Chin-Un's academic and entrepreneurial achievements, asking him to define Glints and clarify whether it operates as SaaS or a marketplace. Chin-Un explains their mission and contrasts their talent-preparation approach with conventional recruiting platforms.
Early Financial Milestones Team Scale and Funding 6212 Latka rigorously breaks down revenue metrics, round structure, and placement counts, calculating average revenue per employer on the fly. Chin-Un transparently provides verified placement figures and explains employer campaign pricing tiers.
University Partnerships Growth Strategy and User Acquisition 5211 Latka probes student acquisition channels and calculates growth rates based on March 2016 numbers. Chin-Un details their grassroots university strategy and reveals a 15 percent month-over-month growth rate on under a thousand dollars in marketing spend.
HostGator Sponsorship and Marketplace Business Model Insights 4101 Latka runs through an ad read highlighting marketplace complexity, followed by the Famous Five questions. Chin-Un reflects on being 23 and overspending his first angel round, which Latka validates with his own experience running Heyo.

Statements from this episode (10)

Assertion Not checkable as stated
Glints became cash flow positive within its first five years
“If you asked me five years ago, I would never be expected to build a company, but here I am five years later, building a company that's cashflow positive and it's amazing.”
Chin-Un Looi Jun 8, 2016 ▶ 2:54
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Glints generated only $7,000 in revenue during its first operating year
“Our first year revenue was actually only 7000 and that's 7000 across the entire year.”
Chin-Un Looi Jun 8, 2016 ▶ 4:43
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Looi: Glints Reached Nearly $500,000 in Total Revenue in 2015
“Our total revenue of 2015 is almost half a million.”
Chin-Un Looi Jun 8, 2016 ▶ 4:54
Assertion Partly supported
Looi: Glints Raised $500,000 from 500 Startups and East Ventures
“So in late, we raised half a million from investors based in Asia and U S the most notable include people like 500 startups and East ventures.”
Chin-Un Looi Jun 8, 2016 ▶ 5:51
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Looi: Glints has placed over 2,500 students and graduates into jobs
“In terms of, once again, this is the data that we only have received. We have placed 2500 Of these students and fresh graduates into jobs.”
Chin-Un Looi Jun 8, 2016 ▶ 6:44
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Looi: The average employer pays Glints $1,000
“The average employer pays 1000 dollars.”
Chin-Un Looi Jun 8, 2016 ▶ 8:30
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Glints works with almost all Singapore universities for campus partnerships
“We are currently working with almost all of the universities over here in Singapore to create the direct campus partnerships with them.”
Chin-Un Looi Jun 8, 2016 ▶ 9:38
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Glints grows talent database 15% monthly on under $1k marketing spend
“So in terms of our talent database, our month-on-month growth is actually 15%, and what we are really excited about, it's that we spend less than a thousand dollars on marketing per month.”
Chin-Un Looi Jun 8, 2016 ▶ 10:29
Disclosure
Chin-Un Looi: Glints wasted much of its first $50K angel investment
“Well, to spend more prudently, especially when we forgot our first angel investment, you know, we were incredible. We were like, oh wow, 50 K, that's a lot of money. We wasted a lot of money. So I wished I knew how to spend more prudently.”
Chin-Un Looi Jun 8, 2016 ▶ 14:13
Disclosure
Latka: Raising $2.5 million for Heyo made me irresponsible and less creative
“And when we raised two and a half million back at Heyo, I just, I got so irresponsible once we had more money and less creative.”
Nathan Latka Jun 8, 2016 ▶ 14:33
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