Anf Chans, the 433rd person I’ve met on my quest to have lunch with 500 strangers, is a marketer and a writer – but, above all, a guide.

Anf has found that he does his best work when he helps others succeed, through a combination of teaching and supporting others.

During his career, Anf has worked for others as a project manager and marketing leader, while also working for himself as the owner of a digital marketing agency and copywriting agency.

These days, Anf splits the difference between paid employment and entrepreneurship: he’s a fractional chief marketing officer, which means he represents several clients at the same time. These are businesses that want an experienced person to take charge of their marketing, but can’t afford a full-time salary. For these businesses, Anf is the perfect guide.

Anf was born in Laos, which was being ruled by a communist regime that had come to power after a brutal civil war. His father chose to leave Laos to give his young family a better chance at life: when Anf was six months old, his father swam him across the Mekong River, which was the guarded border between Laos and Thailand. They spent some time in a Thai refugee camp, before moving to Sydney, where Anf’s aunt was already living.

For our lunch, Anf thoughtfully chose a Laotian restaurant, and was kind enough to select the dishes as well.