Most inspiring stories from Singapore Entrepreneurs III

***********30th August 2005 @ 2110 - 2215 Hrs***********

This book showcases entrepreneurs who are willing to do just that and who, in the process of recounting their trepidations and sweet moments while roughing it out, often end up with a chuckle or two. Enjoy!

**************************PART III************************

Taking it to Greater Heights

One way to bring your business to a higher level, is to, constantly seek to improve and be innovative.

Regardless of how one plans to bring the business to greater heights, there is one thing to note, TO BE CONSTANTLY ON YOUR TOES TO UNDERSTAND HOW YOU CAN IMPROVE YOUR WAY OF DOING THINGS.

CUT THE PAPER WORK! - Move from the conventional way to the IT way of doing business. It allows us to react faster & quicker to our customers and allow us to stay competitive within the industry.

Keep improving and coming up with something new.

Defining "ENTREPRENEURSHIP"

Everyone can own a business, but what exactly sets an entrepreneur aprt from a mere business owner?

An entrepreneur is one who also wants to add value to the community he operates in.

He is a dreamer, most importantly, one with the conviction to see his ideas through.

As long as you have a CLEAR VISION in mind, no skeptic can pin you down.

With a sound business plan and good reasoning, the rest is just HARD WORK & PERSEVERANCE.

An entrepreneur must recognise that, he is more than just selling a product or a service, he wants to add value to peoples' lives! Only when he successfully manages to enhance the quality of peoples' lives, would he be remembered and respected.

Entrepreneurship is NEVER just dollars and cents. It is like planting a tree.

Businessman focused on Profits and Losses, while entrepreneurs put a lot of importance on teamwork.

It's important to be:

1) Independent

2) Decisive

3) Optimistic

It's important to elimate pessimism because entrepreneur is bound to face alot of problems in their business environment. This is what you need to stablise yourself and sculpture your character.

One who sets trends within any genre of business, embodying a spirit that keeps you one step or even ten steps ahead.

One who believe in ideas of maverick and new visions, seeing what no one else is seeing and moving into areas where no one else is moving. Without the essence of a maverick, the entrepreneur can never be a true visionary leader.

One who is like a TYPHOON while the rest are like kite. Typhoon stirs up all obstacles to reach the destination, while the Kite follows the direction of the wind.

One who has the burning desire to strike out on his/her own & the knack of knowing that things would fall in place at the right time.

One who is independent & not relying on someone else for one's job security.

One who is able to use his/her talents to obtain the recognition that you deserve, instead of being in someone else's shadows. It's about challenging yourself! Seeing if that busines plan you had in your head is more than just a theoretical one. It's about fulfilling dreams!

One who has a vision and conviction and be prepared to work very hard towards it.

PEOPLE GROW OLD ONLY BY DESERTING THEIR IDEALS. YEARS MAY WRINKLE THE SKIN, BUT TO GIVE UP INTEREST WRINKLES THE SOUL.

Entrepreneurs do not see dollars and cents as their only returns. Instead, their total returns include the value they add to the society.

THE BIG EDUCATION DEBATE

Education only opens the 1ST DOOR for you!

A true education is one that teaches you how to learn and relearn as you traverse the entrepreneurial path.

The only way to improve one's life, is to actually move forward and have better control over your life is to venture into a business.

In a business, you have to look at

a) CHANGES IN THE MARKETS,

b) MOVES WITH TIMES,

c) NO FIXED RULES FOR BUSINESS

d) BUSINESS LARGELY HINGES ON INSTINCTS & INTUTION.

It's about being able to balance both qualities of rationality and creativity.

EQ (People skills & Communication skills) are MORE IMPORTANT than IQ (Technical expertise which you get from school).

Doing business is about LEARNING.

LEARNING starts with PASSION & WILLINGNESS to learn.

Some traits of entrepreneurs include:

i) Self-discipline

ii) Being resourceful

iii) Able to overcome hardship

iv) Having the PASSION

v) Having resilience to see it through

Becoming an employee is like stepping into the COMFORT ZONE and this may be a hindrance to becoming an entrepreneur.

When you learn through formal education, you use your HEAD. Once you acquired any knowledge, you need to us e your HEART to communicate.

Education:

-> ONLY helps you to open the 1st door.

-> A foundation of any business opportunity.

-> Gives you a good mind.

-> Broadens your communication skills; lacking of those skills creates communication breakdown, misunderstandings and bitterness.

BAD DAY

What a BAD DAY I have...

Doing the "not so correct" (wrong) things early in the morning...

Thats y they say... Dun be an expert in 'something', if not, anything to do with that 'something', you will be called upon to act on it, or to give some professional comments on it.

Then they asked you to join in their "expedition" to visit an area which is not even of your interest. Hai...

Then was supposed to join my good buddies for a 'championship', who knows... the expedition ended around 1pm. Then I was tasked to help out to generate a report for the earlier expedition. This lasted till around 2.30pm when I've to handover the task to another capable girl & rush for my championship.

Normally, going into the championship with my lens, I will perform of excellent standard. TODAY... Hai... duno isit becos of the earlier rush and some unsatisfying tasking, I was terribly lousy for my championship. For the past few championship, I've not been doing well too. But those few times are with my specky on.

We actually have organised for a game of "Agassi VS Pete Sampras". Unfortunately, due to poor responses & some injured players on the bench, we decided to call it off. This generates some sparks from our "coach" as he is quite pissed off with our responses & attitude towards our game. Hai... Then he kinda pissed off with me...:(

Hai... Nevertheless, after a tiring day of work, its good to have your loved ones right beside you and share some precious views on some matters which you faced during work.

NONSENSE Q&A

***********24th August 2005 @ 2235 Hrs***********

1) A place where bees urine...Guess a place?

2) Xiao Bai + Xiao Bai =??? Guess an animal?

3) A Bald headed man. Guess a country?

4) The WOLF is here, (In Mandrain, LANG LAI LE). Guess a fruit?

5) The SHEEP is here, (In Mandrain, YANG LAI LE). Guess another fruit?

6) The WORM is here, (In Mandrain, CONG LAI LE). Guess a famous Hongkong Actress?

7) Xiao Hei, Xiao Bai & Xiao Huang went for a viking ride. Who scares of the viking eventually?

That's all for the day. Answers will be posted on the next 3 threads soon.

Nevertheless, answers are welcome!!!

Most inspiring stories from Singapore Entrepreneurs II

***********18th August 2005 @ 0800 - 0845 Hrs***********
This book showcases entrepreneurs who are willing to do just that and who, in the process of recounting their trepidations and sweet moments while roughing it out, often end up with a chuckle or two. Enjoy!
**************************PART II************************

TEETHING DIFFULTIES

- There is no escaping of the diffculties in the initial start-up period.

- Overcoming the initial hurdles at the beginning stages of businesses may perhaps rank as one of the TOUGHEST period for most businesses.

- Cultivate a strong stomach as it helps you to deal with critisms and rejections better.

- After all, come comments do give you a perspective which you may never have thought about.

Best of all, they come FREE-OF-CHARGE.

- The initial period of starting up the business is the WORST. The amount of rejection from customers are really DEMORALIZING.

- It is better to try out DIFFERENT APPROACHESE TO TACKLE THE PROBLEMS rather than just give up and avoid the problem altogether.

- You don't try, you will never know!!!

- These SETBACKS actually SPURRED me to be more FLEXIBLE and adopt other methods to solve problems.

- Adapt your business to the CHANGING envionment.

- Look Sharp and Dress Up!

- Persuasive Power SELLs!

- Recovery Time: -> I always give myself 24 hours. I might fall sometimes, but I'll stand up again 24 hours later!

REBELS WITH A CAUSE

- Customers may not take to your ideas immediately and it may take awhile for them to warm up to your products and services.

- There is a sense of achievement in being able to ADD A VALUE in others' lifestlye by helping & assisting others.

- Instead of us accommodating to the men's way of thinking, we should try to change their way of thinking, eg: Doing facials can be a lifestyle, and not something that they need to be shy about.

- The main CHALLENGE was trying to get the message across...

GETTING INTO NUTS AND BOLTS

- You will need to understand what is the best way you manage a team of diferent personalities, motivations and atitudes.

a) There is more to it than just delegating tasks to your employees

b) Don't be afraid to invest in their training

c) Give them OPPORTUNITY TO GROW

d) Know how to "Polish and make Diamonds out of them".

- Dreaming is not enough, EXECUTE YOUR IDEAS!!!

- It's important to have the DISCIPLINE to carry out actions, 9/10 of the time doing it & 1/10 of the time daydreaming of it.

- When we see gradual progress, we get motivated to shoot for another milestone! That's the motivation!

- Our business works on the EFFORT OF COLLABRATION.

- We don't keep prices high, but we make them AFFORDABLE.

- A good leader si one who brings out the CONFIDENCE and POTENTIAL of every one fo his workers. You not only STRENGTHEN EMPLOYEE LOYALTY, you also laying a foundation of talent your company can grow from in the future.

- Have a CLEAR VISION & you will attract TALENTs

- "My greatest achievement is to see my people grow!"

- Never be afraid to employ someone smarter than yourself.

- Your staff is the wind that moves your boat.

- Treat your staffs as shareholder.

- Alot of business fail, not because their ideas are not good enough but because of weaknesses in the operational aspect.

DREAM TEAM

- Have CHEMISTRY with your partners NOT FIREWORKS!

- Business partnership is learning to work in harmony with another person who has a different set of likes and dislikes from you.

- Iron Sharpens Iron.

- My partner covers my shortfall.

- Good mix of people make things work.

- Different people with different strengths come together to form a greater energy.

BRANDING POWER

- With so many existing products, what can you do to make your business stand out and sell?

- Change of strategy led to better brand awareness.

- WHAT WE ARE PURSING IS A NICHE STRATEGY. We don't try to do too many things, but what we do, we do it very,very well!

- Enter areas your competitor has yet to venture.

- Creating brand awareness is especially important when people don't know about you, don't necessary believe in what you are doing and would question your ability to deliver.

OF CUSTOMERS AND SERVICE

- Service with a HEART.

- Be HOSPITABLE to strangers, lest they be ANGELS IN DISGUISE.

- Treat every customer that walks into the store with equal amount of RESPECT and TREATMENT.

- Always stretch your arm further than anyone.

- He treats his customers with FULL SINCERITY, knowing that this is what will win their hearts and minds.

- Customer Service is UTMOST IMPORTANCE!

- Take note of Feedbacks and Improve on them.

- Your customers are not your money tree.

- Establish good relationships.

- It pays to be truthful.

- CUSTOMISE & COMPROMISE.

- INTEGRITY will take you far!

- GOOD SERVICE goes hand-in-hand with a GOOD PRODUCT.

- A POSITIVE ATTITUDE is CRUCIAL.

- Too many businesses have forgotten to maintain their relationship with customers. In the rush to make $$$, the entire business-customer relationship becomes nothing more than a transaction.

ON BAD DAYS

- SUCCESS is going from Failure to Failure without a loss of ENTHUSIASM.

- PERSEVERANCE with that touch of creativity, will never goes wrong.

- NEVER SAY DIE.

- It is a real opportunity to strategise and get to my feet to understand how best to protect my own interests and gain greater independence.

- There is always a DOWNSIDE.

- If you come into a nusiness expecting that there will be lots of $$$ to be made, it will be a very tough life for you. This is a misconception.

- Alot of business fail because they ONLY LOOK @ POSITIVE SIDE of it and they do not expect any downside from it.

- FAMILY SUPPORT helps me fight business battles better!

- I never think of giving up. I'll feel upset and disappointed, or sometimes even frustraed for the whole day, but in the end, I know that there are other opportunities out there.

Most inspiring stories from Singapore Entrepreneurs I

***********16th August 2005 @ 2200 - 2245 Hrs***********

This book showcases entrepreneurs who are willing to do just that and who, in the process of recounting their trepidations and sweet moments while roughing it out, often end up with a chuckle or two. Enjoy!

**************************PART I************************

- A common bond entrepreneurs share is the PASSION to turn their dreams into concrete realities

-Confucian saying: "Choose a job you like and you will never have to work for a day in your life."

- The only difference is that education traditionally confines learning mainly within the four walls of a classroom, while toursm brings the learning process out into the real world. After all, people travel to new destination to learn about new thing, gain new experience and explore new opportunities.

- Believing in own's philosophy, eg.: providing QUALITY food at value-for-money prices.

- I make sure that my customers are served with only the BEST!

- Deep belief in the spirit of CREATIVITY and ORIGINALITY.

- A business that is very real -> a business that would reach out to people and change their way of life.

- Develop CREATIVITY, INNOVATION and COMPASSION.

- Not everyone can be an entrepreneur. But everyone can develop an entreneurial mindset, which lead one to greater freedom and choices.

- Eco-Entrepreneur environment where participants can ACTIVELY PLAN, CONDUCT RESEARCH and OPERATE, just like a real business.

- For some, the big shake-up to put up their entrepreneurial cap comes through a life-changing event, like a retrenchment.

- Whether it stems from practical concerns or pure idealism, that decisive nudge in the right direction is crucial in an entrepreneur's journey.

- IT'S A MATTER OF RECOGNISING THE OPPORTUNITY WHEN IT COMES AND GRABBING IT.

- I realised that I'm a person who loves teaching, likes to challenge the norms, enjoy travelling and gettign exposure to different places and culture, passing knowledge and I'm one who is able to initiate and facilitate communication.

- Running a business of my own would give me an OPPORTUNITY to do all that and more.

- It was the ENCOURAGEMENT, DELIBRATION and SUPPORT that after one year, I registered my company.

- For me, it was a chance to do something completely of the beaten track and to do something different.

- The lack of capital is a problem faced by businesses in some sectors more than the others.

- MAKE CREATIVE USE OF LIMITED RESOURCES THAT YOU HAVE, BY COMING UP WITH INNOVATIVE WAYS TO DO THINGS!

- Who says plain water can't be turned into tasty wine?

- As long as you build up your own position in the small market, people in the trade will get to know you very quickly. Even with very small capital, as long as you have integrity and honesty, people will know who you are and they can even entrust you with millions of dollars. Thus, your HONOUR and TRUSTWORTHINESS is your most IMPORTANT CAPITAL!!!

- Assessing the business by conducting periodic checks every half yearly, allowed us to renew our CONFIDENCE in ourselves.

- It's important that one always has NEW IDEAS, be it ideas on new products or new ways to run the business. It's your ideas that allow the business to be sustained.

- A lack of capital is an "idea" problem. If you have a god idea that works, you have no lack of investors. That is most probably the 1st challenge for any start up.

- I believe that if people in what you do, you can get financing anytime. In the 1st place, you have to know what makes the business tick.

- We often faced cashflow issues in the start, we overcame these issues by STAYING FOCUSED and coming up with CREATIVE & INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS.

- One question often asked of you in sustaining your business is:" How much money do you have?" But really, the right question to ask is: "What good ideas do you have?"

- Before your leap, PREPARATION IS THE KEY, do your homework.

- With the necessary KNOWLEDGE about your market, it will be a tad easier to find out which niche area you carve out.

- Think big but start small.

- You have to go into a business with UNDERSTANDING and KNOWLEDGE of the particular business.

- Do your maths. Numbers don't lie. There is no marketing without financials. Always keep your eye on the ball.

- Knowing this drives the passion in me, when you have the PASSION, the IDEAS keep coming. It motivates you to do better!!!

- You need to know the market well! Find out what's available in the market, what are the things it's lacking, and keep a lookout for anything new in the market.

- Adopt a different direction and a new approach!

- SWOT ( Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities, Threats)

Life Diary

Hi all,

Hmm... Today is 16th August 2005, a Tuesday...

This is my 1st BLOG entry! Just join to see the effect of BLOG and how is it?

Hmm... Just an online diary? Hai.. Why is some people so free to update their daily events on web everyday? Don't they have anything better to do?

Let's try this and see how is the effect!!!