Ian Chew, MHFA As part of my journey to overcome social anxiety, I also cold emailed top entrepreneurs and leaders. At first, I had tons of rejections — well, no one responded! As I got better at the art of outreach however, I ended up working with people like Eben Pagan, Michael Simmons (Inc. 30 Under 30), and Amir Ahmad Nasr (coach to 9-figure CEOs), ultimately helping them reach tens of millions of people online.
For my work and projects, I've been featured by top media outlets including Fortune, CBC, Inc. Magazine, and Canadian Geographic. I also did a TEDx speech on my experience talking with strangers (link below).
I started Deeper Conversations to share everything I've learned — and am learning — about communication and relationships.
(Here's the full back story on why I created the site.)
Education
Bachelor of Arts (Sociology) at Mount Allison University
Certifications
Media features
Most of us, myself included, will do whatever we can to avoid conversations with people we don’t like. And that makes sense: why mentally torture … Read more
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Is it possible to start a conversation with anyone? Yes! I don’t say this lightly. I’ve suffered from decades of social anxiety. And despite that, … Read more
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What does the word family mean to you? Growing up, I never thought much of family. I was simply too self-absorbed to realize the importance … Read more
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Yo. Did you know that 1 in 10 seniors uses dating apps? My point is, seniors have the same needs as we all do. Age … Read more
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Here’s a puzzle that humanity has been trying to solve for centuries… Most parents want the best for their children. Most children certainly don’t … Read more
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As a kid, I was never close to my father. As an adult, I belatedly realized the importance of a healthy dad-son relationship, and put … Read more
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While gender roles have shifted dramatically in the last fifty years, the mother-son bond is still enduring… because duh, who are the ones giving birth? … Read more
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You feel the chemistry sweeping through your veins… Yes, this is someone I want to spend more time with. As the conversation comes to an … Read more
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“…bye.” “uhh…bye!” Ending conversations with friends used to be so cringey for me. Especially when we had such a great time… it just felt wrong … Read more
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Man. They can’t seem to stop talking. The conversation was interesting at first, but now… How do you end the conversation politely? Here are a … Read more
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What does a negative conversation feel like? It’s like having your ice cream drop on the floor. Not fun. Or it can feel like a … Read more
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There’s a variety of ways to wrap up a conversation easily and elegantly. In this article, I’ll share a list of phrases that I use depending on the context…
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Yawn. If sleeping in a conversation was socially acceptable… Wouldn’t that be nice? I’m referring to boring conversations. They just aren’t fun when they appear… … Read more
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Whether you love or hate your siblings, here’s the reality: When your parents pass away, they will be your closest family members (by blood relation, … Read more
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Most of us spend at least 8 hours at work… and that’s not including commute time! With the bulk of our days — our lives, … Read more
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Growing up, I moved to four different schools and had to rebuild my friendships each time. Here’s what I learned…
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Wait. You wanna talk to a guy? Do you know how easy that is!? I know because I’m a guy. OK, if you want to … Read more
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Talking to girls — especially attractive girls — was a nightmare for me back then. I didn’t know where I should look, let alone what … Read more
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You haven’t talked to a friend for a long time… It’s been months or even years since the last conversation. How do you reach out … Read more
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i carry your heart with me(i carry it in my heart)i am never without it(anywhere i go you go,my dear;and whatever is done by only … Read more
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