I interviewed Mahesh Harilela, part of a 165-member family that built a billion-dollar business empire in Hong Kong.

Normally, I try to film at people’s homes. I want to understand how they live and see the context in which they operate.

This time was one of the most unique in that regard.

The Harilela family lives in a huge, mind-blowing Indian-style house. It’s quite legendary in Hong Kong. People know the house exists, but not many have been inside. I had the chance to see it and showcase it in this interview.

After our conversation, I texted Mahesh saying it was one of my personal favourite interviews. I was fascinated by his love and care for Hong Kong, and by his long-term vision for both the family and the city.

I guess the most important observation from the whole discussion was the idea of growing roots in one place and seeing yourself as part of something bigger: your family and your city.

This sense of groundedness somehow feels liberating. Spending half a day with Mahesh nudged me slightly away from the digital nomad mindset and towards the idea of putting down roots.

To get a deeper sense of what I mean, watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLZ4AdzWO8w

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I’ve interviewed dozens of billionaires, celebrities, and academics.

On camera and off, I ask all of them about the principles they live by.

Without exception, they keep coming back to the same idea: one of the most important things in life is choosing the right environment.

The people you spend time with have more influence on who you become and the results you achieve than almost anything else.

That is why Professor Arnoud De Meyer, the founding dean of INSEAD’s Asia Campus in Singapore, told me that it is important to earn your bachelor’s degree in the city where you plan to build your career.

And when billionaire Allan Zeman moved from Canada to Hong Kong, one of the first things he did was build relationships with the local businesspeople who were already shaping the city.

When I explain the main value of The Backstage Circle, I say that it is the calibre of the members themselves.

Every member has achieved significant results in their field.

Some have sold businesses for tens of millions of dollars. Others have spent decades investing and built enough wealth that they never need to work again.

We personally select every member, looking for open-minded, positive people with a growth mindset.

We don’t accept dickheads or people who bring constant negativity.

That is a rule, and it protects the value of the entire circle.

The first step towards joining our private membership is completing the application:

https://forms.gle/huwR6NQNz5A4XgC78

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Am I always invited to crazy billionaire parties? What does it feel like to be Russian in Singapore? And how did we manage to literally create a new niche on YouTube?

I talked about all of this on one of my favourite local Singaporean podcasts, Yah Lah But. We also spent about 50% of the conversation laughing.

Enjoy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpRTsR8zFg4

“How do you find all these billionaires and convince them to give you an interview?”

It’s probably the most common question people ask me about my work.

Most of the biggest guests on my channel came through personal introductions from people they trust.

The more successful and influential someone becomes, the more selective they tend to be about the people they meet. Trust becomes increasingly important.

That is why it is usually difficult to reach billionaires through cold outreach.

Knowing this, we built a unique element into The Backstage Circle: curated introductions.

When someone becomes a TBC member, one of the first things we do is build a detailed profile of them.

We learn about their short-term and long-term goals, communication style, expertise, network, and much more.

Based on this, we know who they should meet, why the introduction matters, and how to make it valuable for both sides.

This is perhaps one of the most powerful parts of our private membership.

In the real world, people pay serious money for introductions like these. Often, they simply cannot be bought at all.

At TBC, they are built into the membership.

Apply to join here: https://forms.gle/huwR6NQNz5A4XgC78

P.S. We are accepting founding members until our first trip to Phuket at the beginning of September.

I’m often accused of loving Singapore too much.

Some Singaporeans are even unhappy that my content praising Singapore brings more foreigners to the country.

But I feel Singapore is still often misunderstood. Many foreigners still have this image of it as a “strict and boring place,” which I think is a very outdated view.

I genuinely feel that I want to explain Singapore to the outside world from the perspective of a foreigner who came here at some point, just like many others.

After eight years of living here, Singapore feels like home to me. I’m not a citizen, but every time I travel abroad, I’m always happy to come back.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to live here and contribute my small part to this country.

Happy birthday, beautiful Singapore! 🇸🇬

I wish you continued success and prosperity, despite whatever challenges come your way.