Episode 9

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Published on:

14th Apr 2025

Mike Nguyen on Building the Future of Digital Connectivity

In the latest episode of the Nomad Futurist Podcast, co-hosts Nabeel Mahmood and Phillip Koblence, sit down with Mike Nguyen, CEO and Founder of Inflect, for a compelling conversation that bridges personal history, entrepreneurial drive, and the future of digital infrastructure. 

Nguyen’s career took an unexpected turn when he discovered his passion for medicine was actually driven by a desire to run a business, not practice medicine. This realization led him to explore telecom sales during the dot-com boom, ultimately paving the way for his entrepreneurial ventures:  

"The appeal of being a doctor, when I really broke it down, was becoming a businessperson. It wasn’t actually the medicine aspects of it." 

At Inflect, Nguyen built a platform that simplifies global access to digital infrastructure, enabling organizations to easily connect with the resources they need. With a clear vision and a user-first approach, he and his team are redefining how businesses access critical digital tools:  

"Our simple mission is to make it easy for anybody in the world to find the infrastructure they need to build great apps and connect to their employees, their customers, themselves."  

The conversation takes a personal turn as Nguyen reflects on his Vietnamese-American immigrant experience, sharing how his family’s escape from post-war Vietnam shaped his resilience and entrepreneurial spirit:  

"For us, it wasn’t really a dream — it was escaping a nightmare… It was about getting to a point where you can be somewhat stable and start rebuilding a community."  

Nguyen encountered significant setbacks throughout his career, including positions at companies that collapsed during the telecom bust. However, he turned these challenges into opportunities by launching his own ventures:  

"Every company I touched ended up collapsing… Then I started a business, and they keep trying to kill me, but they can’t."  

His determination exemplifies the resilience needed to succeed in volatile industries, showcasing how personal history, adaptability, and entrepreneurial vision can come together to drive success. 

To stay connected with Mike Nguyen, follow him on LinkedIn.  

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About the Podcast

Nomad Futurist
The #nomadfuturist show is a true tech podcast phenomenon. The two hosts are technologists and futurists, so they really know their stuff, and following their in-depth conversations feels like you have a backstage pass to a gathering of the best of the
The nomads put a new spin on the tech genre by shining a light not only on technology but also on the human side of the digital age. Tune in if you find yourself thinking about how to integrate into the digital landscape and be a part of the evolving industry.

For over two decades, Phil and Nabeel have provided a powerful catalyst for organizations to create a vision of the future and the will to innovate. As futurists, they deliver a dynamic and entertaining vision of change, blending technology, economics, demographics, culture, and human nature.

With real business experience and a deep understanding of technology, the two nomads know the difference between science fiction and useful forecasting. Rather than focusing on the distant future, they devote themselves to scanning the horizon for emerging technologies and disruptive shifts in human behavior, thereby sharing a compelling vision of tomorrow’s opportunities.