In this episode of Before We Get There, host Nicholas Braman interviews Kenneth Tay, a BJJ black belt and co-founder of Trinity Combat Sports in Suzhou, China. Kenneth shares his journey of living in China and Australia, dealing with mental health issues, and finding solace in martial arts. He discusses how he transitioned from a career in F&B and tech startups to founding the first Jiu-jitsu gym in Suzhou, and eventually coaching full-time in Singapore at Field Assembly. Kenneth highlights the importance of sports in his life, his experiences training in China, and the growth of the BJJ community in Asia.
Kenneth's links:
Instragram: https://www.instagram.com/pandaramic/
Trinity Combat Sports: https://www.instagram.com/trinitycombatsports/
Field Assembly: https://www.instagram.com/fieldassembly/
Podcast links:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2h9gsrWKH9C1KY1OzR12kr?si=2a4d19970632465f
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/before-we-get-there/id1775182252
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beforewegettherepodcast/
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/nicholasbraman
Website: https://nicholasbraman.com/before-we-get-there-podcast/
00:00 Introduction and Personal Journey 01:32 Living and Studying in China 11:41 Career Beginnings and Transitions 19:34 Discovering Martial Arts 23:56 Connecting in Suzhou 25:56 Overcoming Depression 29:14 Founding a Gym in Suzhou 38:43 Transitioning to Full-Time Coaching 44:45 Looking Ahead: Goals and Aspirations 46:37 Final Thoughts and Contact Information