Personal growth in the digital age.
Bio for Rick Yvanovich
Rick Yvanovich is an accountant, techie, author, speaker, and currently a CEO, CFO, and coach. He is an exceptional business coach with a remarkable track record of guiding companies and individuals to unparalleled success. With his extensive business experience and coaching expertise, Rick empowers his clients to turn their visions into actionable strategies, propelling them toward their goals and milestones.
As a serial entrepreneur, Rick has scaled businesses across various industries, creating a multimillion-dollar company that serves clients in 80 countries, including top hotel chains and Fortune 500 companies. With over 40 years of experience in diverse sectors such as accounting, IT, talent, and Oil & Gas, Rick is a seasoned veteran in the business world.
His formidable presence in Vietnam is evident through his involvement in numerous organizations and his status as one of the longest-serving expats in the country. Rick is also a sought-after speaker and thought leader, covering topics like talent, technology, digital transformation, and inward investment in Vietnam. With his passion for coaching and an impressive array of certifications, Rick is a visionary leader who combines business acumen with coaching and mentoring skills to help others achieve extraordinary success.
Episode highlight
Rick shares invaluable insights on how to thrive amidst digital distractions by balancing technological advancements with interpersonal skill development. His reflections on navigating cultural differences from the UK and Switzerland to Vietnam highlight the complexities and growth stemming from living abroad. Through his resilience and experiences as an expat, Rick offers a unique perspective on the importance of community and continuous learning, as well as overcoming cultural dissonances in diverse settings. Rick also introduces us to his book, “Business as Unusual: How to Thrive in the New Renaissance,” conceived during the pandemic.
Links
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickyvanovich/
- Website: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickyvanovich/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/RICKYVANOVICH2/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yvanovich
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/RickYvanovich
Quotes
- “We all have the potential to be architects of change.”
- “We’re not just participants in this ever-changing world; we’re architects shaping the course of our own lives, careers, and the world around us.”
Takeaways
Childhood Incidents
In his teens, at the end of sixth form in the UK, Rick struggled with his final exams and didn’t achieve the grades needed for university, leading him to work in a supermarket. This shift from being a straight-A student to stacking shelves instilled in him a lasting drive to prove himself, motivating him to acquire qualifications.
Earlier in school, Rick often felt overlooked due to his surname, Yvanovich, which placed him last in alphabetical lists a situation he strongly disliked.
Influential Groups
Rick has been actively involved in several networking and business groups throughout his career. He has consistently promoted one of his accounting designations in Vietnam, fostering strong connections within the accounting community. While working in the oil industry, he also engaged with the distinct and specialized oil community, which offered a different networking experience. In addition to these professional circles, Rick co-founded the British Business Group in Vietnam. Over the past 20 years, he has remained deeply involved with the organization, serving on its board at various times and contributing to its growth and impact in the business community.
Personality and Temperament
Rick values independence and enjoys entertaining himself, finding contentment in his own company. He describes himself as introverted, noting that he recharges through solitude rather than social interaction, which can be draining. Nowadays, Rick enjoys being with others as long as he isn’t in charge of the gathering.
Cultural Epiphanies
In the early days in Vietnam, Rick observed how underdeveloped the country was and how people, despite earning very little, managed to make ends meet while remaining positive and happy. This contrasted with the UK, where complaints about trivial matters like the weather or the economy were common. Rick admires the resilience and optimism of the Vietnamese people, especially given their limited resources—many earned in months or even a year what others in wealthier nations earned in a day. As an expat working for a multinational company, Rick also experienced a stark cultural shift. Expats were well-compensated, often provided with housing, cars, drivers, maids, and other luxuries. This lifestyle quickly became the norm, creating a sharp contrast with the lives of the locals he observed.
Soapbox Moment
Rick invites us to read his book, “Business as Unusual: How to Thrive in the New Renaissance.” The book includes tools to develop your mindset, build habits, align your internal purpose with external goals, and strengthen your inner self while expanding your outer self. It also features assessments, tools, and exercises to help readers choose what works best for them.
Extro:
Rick Yvanovich has travelled the globe, making significant business inroads in Vietnam and the UK in multiple industries. I admire his willingness to take on new challenges and adventures while building them into profitable ventures for himself and many, many others. His business acumen and excellence offered him the opportunity to build a life for which he truly was the architect. We can all learn from his ability to take charge and look for ways to get through and overcome difficulties.
