“‘If there's something you want to do, go and do it. Seize the day, make sure it happens. Do everything you can to make it happen. So my advice to you, young man - literal words - seize the day.’ And that's actually how Out There was born.”

This life changing exchange at Angkor Wat in Cambodia between this week’s guest on ‘Pause. And Rewind…’ and a stranger changed the course of his career & life.

Uwern Jong is Experientialist®-in-Chief - a fantastic & actual trademarked job title - of OutTherethe multi-award-winning luxury and experiential travel media brand rooted in values of diversity, discovery and discernment. A storyteller at heart and strategist by trade, Uwern co-founded OutThere to champion authentically inclusive, underrepresented and narrative-led travel stories. Under his leadership, the brand has grown into one of the most respected independent voices in luxury travel. I met Uwern at his recent ‘Icons of Inclusion’ conference and he really is a well-loved figure in his field.

Born in the UK with Malaysian Chinese heritage, Uwern and his family returned to Malaysia for his primary school years which sparked somewhat of an identity crisis whilst straddling two cultures. Something which was further impacted later with his queerness. A soft & sensitive child, Uwern was a non-conformist from the get go and shares a brilliant anecdote about colouring in pink outside of the lines which speaks to the Uwern we know today brilliantly. He found his confidence when he joined a military cadet school.

Despite not pursuing a vocational profession and opting for a creative life, Uwern’s parents are & always have been supportive of his choices and he believes that he has become what he wanted to be. Our conversation explores the ‘happen-stances’ of Uwern’s early career, how he thrives on people & the lessons the pandemic taught him too. Naturally, we also dive into the transformative power of travel & becoming the lead character…

Uwern describes himself as a ‘glass half-full person’ and his positivity is infectious. Listen in to grab a dose! Enjoy.