Singapore Entrepreneur

Time flies

2007-01-23T09:27:00.000-08:00

How time really flies. As the Chinese saying goes, "With the blink of an eye, it's already passed ten years".

Well in my context, it's more than 6 months since my last posting. Much has change since my last blog entry.

Let's recap a little on 2006 for the company.

Shifted office to Duxton Road.
Staff Strength reach a total of 12.
Renovated the new office here and there.
Have a relax corner in the office.
Identified our market and company strength.

Personally wise,
Learned to manage my time more efficiently.
Bought my first dream car.
Spend more time with my family.
Balance work with proper lifestyle.

Hope for 2006?
Achieve revenue of 1.2 million for company.
Improve relationship with brother for 2006.
To save enough to buy my own home within the next 2 years.
A better partnership.
More welfare and perks for staffs.
More time spend with my other half and learn to appreciate her even more than I ever did.

I wonder when will be the next time I can update this blog.

Busy Week

2006-06-04T12:13:00.000-07:00

It's been a really really busy week.

I gotta thanks my new staff who's here to help me out. He's been a really great help. Now that things are in place, more staff are still needed. Gosh, what the hell is wrong.. endless need of hands.

We're having more and more work and more and more projects. Sounds good but it's really tough to handle with the lack of manpower given the fact that we're recruiting the best within our resources.

Morale within the office has been good despite the amount of work we're having.

And to add, today I have been certified further with a professional cert. Weeeeee! Indeed, there's full of good things happening ahead albeit, there's also tougher challenges ahead.

Life begins when you move

2006-05-30T09:42:00.000-07:00

Just came across this from another business associate's blog.

Motivation to Move
http://www.motivationtomove.com/m2m/

It has a 60 seconds podcast talking about motivating oneself and moving oneself in life.
It'll really be good for a morning wake up message.

"Nothing happens until you move!"

Today, my business, my partners moved another step. Had a showdown with a client whom we decided to terminated their contract due to the forever changing requirements with zero commitment to their requirements.

I went into the meeting with enough words to express our difficulties for at least half an hour however, when I asked for the agenda, my forever so strong partner took the step up and explained the situation with firmness in less than 2 mins.

I was awed by his firmness, steel resolve in our stand in the matter. The client took it as it was albeit grudgingly and left in another minute.

I do not know what lies ahead, it looks like war. Can't we all make peace? I guess we can't at times when life just create that environment.

Lots of good projects ahead, lots of prospects ahead, lots of awards ahead.

Holy shit, I am smiling inside my heart.... the feeling is so sweet....

Moving ahead......

Conflicts and Customers

2006-05-28T12:04:00.000-07:00

Many good things happen lately and one bad thing happen lately.

Good things are

New Account Executive into the company to help my department
New Projects
I am being nominated for an award which I shall keep mum for now.
Company is expanding aggresively.

Bad thing

I have a fucking customer who thinks her money is like 100 times the value it actually is.

I hate it when customers refuse to commit to their ideas and specifications and expect us to change it from time to time. Using past experience of theirs, just simply because they were in the industry previously doesn't mean my company should bow to their values and belief.

I have given in, so has my other directors. Time and again, they used our time like it isn't worth a single cents.

Enough is enough, the show down this week, we will terminate their contract. Oh ya, did I forget that they are lousy pay master too? They have not paid us for the second phase of the project and expect us to work hard?

FFS, get real. Just cause we are young entrepreneur doesn't mean we are stupid people.

Be nice to your vendor, don't slavedrive them like they aint just as human like you are.

And, damn.. I need to learn how to sleep. I have sleeping problem from time to time. Darn it!

Expansion in always a headache

2006-05-22T11:48:00.000-07:00

More staff into my company this week. Gosh, more tables, more terminals, more $$$.

It's a matter of reinvesting into people but the cost is definitely never cheaper. Infact, human reinvestment got to be one of the tougher decision to make.

As a small organization grow, I guess it's always a common problem. How to grow? How to grow strategically and grow in a manner that is structured?

I been pondering over this question for some time since the organization is growing. It is really a tough decision to make for an entrepreneur. Especially for someone who had never work in the business executive department of big organizations, making such decisions based on my understanding is really tough.

Damn, life is tough as one grows up and learn.

At one point, I asked myself, why am I working so hard to see to this idea of mine becoming a fact. Why?

I pondered and I guess

I am an idealist
I dream a lot
I like freedom
I like to create
I defy all rules and regulation set forth upon me(I do respect the law though)

I guess a person's nature and character do lead one to become what there is?
While when I was young, I had the above character but I was much like a raw diamond(Yes, I think I am a diamond). So raw and unpolished that I committed much error, bumping the wall and coming back around.

I begin to see how a raw diamond could be polished and over time become one of the glittering priceless diamond one would like to have.

As also over time, I realised I am being wanted by other organizations for my skill set, my thought process, my network and well, whatever value I have to them. It is indeed a good feeling, it's sort of an achievement.

Coming to today, there were times I felt tired but I really like to thank the people who stood by me, support me(especially my parents and close friends), I am glad I am here today.

There's still a huge whirlstorm ahead that I must guide this ship safely across but I believe I can.

Before that, I would need some guidance from some experienced captains of established ships. (there, I am dreaming again.) I guess I will see if a uncle of mine, a great entrepreneur, made in Singapore, if he could shed some light as to how to guide this ship.

(I swear doing business from nutz is really becoming so daunting that I am becoming quite clueless. I thought as a business expand, things will get easier and well, it seems the opposite) The bigger your business grow, the more responsibility you have, the more you have to do, the lesser free time you have, the burden becomes heavier, the challenge becomes more daunting. It really is not easy.

When I was young, I always think being a boss is such a cool and glamorous thing. I cannot believe that in fact, being a boss is such a terrible job. Challenging it may be, there is so much to be done being a boss.

Those who keep telling me I am lucky to have the opportunity to run my own business, aye indeed I am luck and glad I am running mine but somehow I do wonder how is it on the other side of the grass. Is it greener? (typical human nature huh?)

Darn me.

See me on times magazine in 60 months time!!!!

Stupid customers

2006-05-18T07:57:00.000-07:00

Is there really such a thing as stupid customers or is it that my management is not good enough to manage customers do cannot intepret the situation?

I have a client who expect things to be done in impossible time frame and yet every meeting with them, they come up with new ideas and expect the new ideas to be incorporated and every new meeting, they cannot make a decision.

Darn, I am so sick of this customer that I feel like stretching out my hand and strangle them. Please wake up.....

Too fed up to think of how to handle their situation though I am sure every challenge or problem that arises comes up a solution if one so chooses to think of one.

Work has been so busy that I don't know which day is which day or even when is weekend. It's good for one in business but definitely crazy.

To add that, having a partner who do not understand what you are trying to do and just want to make his point instead of objectively trying to achieve better heights for the company, simply piss me off so much that I can't be fuck bothered to work for at least 2 hours.

Damn, take that fucking ego of yours down and think objectively instead of looking at problems only.

What the fuck?

.... ok.... talking about this makes my blood boil...

Nevertheless, back to work and back to make things happen once again....

Public Relation and Business

2006-05-14T11:36:00.000-07:00

Met up with an old friend today during my NS time. Really glad that we can still talk like old times despite not meeting for almost a year.

Branding

2006-05-14T00:05:00.000-07:00

Came back from my business trip and learned a lot more about branding. It's such a big word with so many things under its umbrella.

Executing and completing a branding campaign for a small company isn't easy to start with, what more to brand a company with more than 10 subsidiaries. That is super hard and a long journey ahead.

Maldives was more than interesting. I dealt with CEO, CFO, MDs of companies... and the culture there is entirely different.

It has opened up my perspective to a lot of different things. Seeing the rich beyond rich, seeing the exclusive things in life... darn... sometimes I wish money drop from sky just for the fun of it for one damn day.

Nevertheless, I shall be there, I will be there by my hard work, by my ideals and I will just be.

After learning so much about branding, I realised that I too need to brand myself being a face for the company, wearing suits and everything I realise, I shouldn't just give me client a plastic pen to sign the contract, something more worthy maybe?

So justifying to myself that this is part of my own branding process, (besides all along, I have took a liking to that pen.), I went ahead and bought a Mont Blanc pen. I like it, but somehow paying 500 bucks for a pen seems stupid to me....but hey, I am more motivated to work now with all these retail therapy

So, monday here it comes, I am going to charge all the way to the hill. 1 million revenue for the company this year!! woo yeah!

Time - How I wish I have enough

2006-04-22T11:14:00.000-07:00

Since the leaving of my previous partners(for the better), business has seems to grow and grow yet it leaves me trying to catch a breathe in life.

I haven't had any time for chill or relax much or anything. I am unfortunately the only person who seems to know each and every aspect of the business yet I am not able to pass on the other aspects of the businesses.

Tomorrow, I am flying to Maldives for a project.(weeee, always wanted to go to the Maldives, now I achieve that thru business, how funny.) Every time there is an overseas project, it is always exciting yet it does scares me.

First time was to Thailand, all alone. That really taught me indepedence a lot because I have no one else to turn to as I am the one in charge.

Maldives, at least I have 2 other colleagues. Further and further it seems my project goes in the world. Hopefully one day, with everyone's help, my company could one day grow to be a global company.

Business is endless problems and endless solutions

2006-04-16T12:18:00.000-07:00

It's been again some time since I post. Been really busy with the business.

Sales has been really good, close a US listed company's job lately, close a local listed company's project too and more to come....

It has been intensive and while there are more high profile projects upcoming, business has been really tight. Now even though I have a good management team behind me, it seems I am the person who live and breathe with this business.

It seems I am the only person who knows this business so thoroughly, if I am not around for more than a week, things would be pretty chaotic....

What Cobalt said is extremely right, being bosses, we're having lesser free time, just more flexibility with our time...

Business seems like an endless list of problems and solutions. All through my years in business, since my first business at 17, it's always endless problem solving. The cycle always comes back and again and again.

I solve my sales problem, comes my human resource problem, I solve my human resource problem, comes the cashflow problem, I solve the cashflow problem, comes the business development problem, I solve the business development problem.

It's endless!!!

But then again, I realise I enjoy solving all these problems though I must say, it indeed is extremely heart grieving at times, scary at times, fearful at times and then again now talking about it, I realise, it's all these fear, scary feeling that makes me want to go through it all.

I do not enjoy something secure, I do not enjoy living a normal life, I do not enjoy a boring day, I thrive on adventurous moments, champion my ship to explore and find more unexplored land.

It is weird but then again, that's just me....

Being a boss is never easy.

2006-03-11T09:36:00.000-08:00

Just went through a tiring and breathe-taking week. Sales had been extremely good this month and last month but being the only person who can do sales most effectively in the company for now is taking its toil on me. I do like 2 proposals a day and meet like average one prospect a day.

Just had a talked with a business associate cum client today over dinner. While this business associate cum client of mine is doing well in his business, he also shares with me how difficult is it to deal with humans. Having a good staff is indeed hard. While he is a human resource professional, even he finds it hard to manage his own HR issues. Some staff while do are profficient in their task but unfortunately just cannot be promoted to be a management due to the way they work and their character. I start to see certain light about humans. It takes a lot to be in a higher management position.

Same thing for me, I am struggling to let me new partner see some light in certain things but yet to strike that kind of common understanding. Its frustrating for me. Not that I been in business longer means I am better but I have not been able to communicate certain points across. It takes so much understanding for a partnership to strike out effectively for a long term result.

Now I am working out my new site's contents and also three proposals for prospect. Damn, life is soooo tough. Whether you are rich or poor, it just sucks. (But still, having no money problem means one problem lesser in life.)

Changes

2006-02-25T21:44:00.000-08:00

It's been some time since I last up date..

In fact a long long time. So much has happened during this time that I have been gone.(from this blog)

Business has a new meaning to it, company has been restructured, I learned that people can be really fucking assholes when it comes to protecting their own interest.

What really happened?
Lesson has it that when business is not going strong, people just run away without fighting. People are also afraid to own up to their own mistakes and just run away from it too. People scheme and bear grudges for a long time.

Boy, was I surprised. Never did I once thought someone who acted, stood neutral all the time in business could be so scheming. Never did I thought rumours, stories could be so effective.

If I think about it, if I could kill him, I would. But fact is Singapore is bounded by law, thus not that I wouldn't, it's just that I can't. That's how bad it is.

Acting neutral, being a "xiao ren" is not something I think one should be. I believe in honourable battles. Being sneaky, acting like a "MrIamsoNice" is utter bullshit.

Then again, I told myself. Why bother with these people? Now that the restructuring of the company seems to be so much better. We hit our sales target, has a even better crew than previously. I now have a almost "famous designer" in my team, a MBA gonna be partner in my team, a hardworking yet knowledgable technical support staff.

Compared to my previous team, this makeshift crew has become heavenly.

Anyway, business I realised has tonnes of scheming, deceptive people but I shall and will not stoop to the level of this people. I shall go by my principle of integrity, hard work and intelligent to carry on. I don't think there is only one way of success in business and I definitely do not believe it is necessary to be like those people.

You can be shrewd, but not cunning.
You can plan but not scheme.

I see it all as being different.

Anyway, new team, new vision. The gone shall be forgotten. (though in many ways, I could not hope but these fucking people die.)

Open or Close?

2005-12-07T13:04:00.000-08:00

Thanks Cobalt for reminding me of identity crisis. Haha, so lost in work totally forgotten about that part.

Now it brings me to the question of, working on personal for fun project,

Should I be open about it?
Will a personal blog hurt me?
What will happen?

Basically, if possible, during my free time, I would like to share advise with other Singapore entrepreneurs but should I do it quietly? It did come across my mind that I should not allow my current business to have any conflict with whatever personal interest I am doing.

Like Google, wanted to try setting up a fair and so call "good" resource environment for entrepreneurs in Singapore doing their business.... but its hard....

With so little time on my hand
So many headaches in managing business itself
So little help

I just never seems to muster the energy to do it... How How How?

Hmmmmmm......

lots to ponder....

lots to think about......

Motivation and Energy

2005-12-03T23:47:00.000-08:00

Been sick the whole last week, not feeling well but still working. Finally, with so much work completed, now I am recuperating yet still going to office on a Sunday afternoon, live of an entrepreneur sucks har?

As of late, its been a hell low ride for me it seems, it seems to be like a roller coaster, one week I was so high on energy, the next I was so much a spent force. Been thinking, how to keep up the consistency, how to keep being motivated.

I get motivated by books, by people, by movies. I do that whatever I need energy and motivation to move on, to preservers. What are your way of moving?

Recently, I bought the domain, sgentrepreneur.com. Been thinking of gathering resources for Singapore entrepreneur. Perhaps a forum included too. Haven't have the time to do it yet though. I got the content management system setup though. It's still going to be quite far from completing though. Anyone interest? Leave me a message here ya?

I did a search on google, looking for "Singapore Entrepreneur" however most of these resources are purely commercial. It seems that I cannot find any forums for fellow entrepreneur to share their experience and advise.

The closest I found is perhaps meetup.com a group for Singapore Entrepreneurs. I joined up but this looks like a very pure networking session. I'll just go and see their next session and how it goes... but business instinct tends to be more right than wrong most of the time.....

Now off to office and work.. work work.... hehehe

Employment

2005-11-21T22:23:00.000-08:00

I just sack one of my staff yesterday.

Reason being, he makes no contribution to the company. While I appreciate his good nature character, he ultra devotion to his religion is taking too much time even while at work. SMSing, MSNing (I give the liberty for staff to use MSN to communicate, with client or friend is fine by me as long as it is not abused). While these are mini factors attributing to me firing him, the main thing is, he is too slow in his job, unable to fit into my company's culture.

It does saddens me to fire anyone, as that would mean adding one more person to the unemployment pool, however if I have to fire him to ensure other people still have their job, I guess it's for the better.

In a small company, every staff's contribution to the company is significant, I cannot afford to pay someone 1600 and he only does 800 dollars worth of work. This is like putting the company 2 steps backward for every step that we take.

Life goes on I guess.....

Your Vendors

2005-11-19T16:36:00.000-08:00

Oprah Winfrey : Talk show host and business woman.

"What I know is, is that if you do work that you love, and the work fulfills you, the rest will come."

My sales department has been having so much sales lately that I am worrying our capacity cannot fulfill. We been getting good projects to work on and then I was thinking how important it is to get good vendors who can support your operation.

Firstly, I'm in the internet marketing solutions industry. While our capacity fulfil, consultation, technical ability and creative ability, we do not have the infrastructure on web hosting and server hosting. Our tied up with a company that is able to give a great level of support had enhance our operation so much.

"Even our clients are important to us, so are our vendors."

Find a good vendor to support your operation is essentially important to most business. Our suppliers are the one who can help us grow if they are able to give us the support at the price. I have had so many bad experience with vendors until I started to question a lot everytime I need a new vendor in certain directions.

For all budding entrepreneur, do not go for the cheapest price vendor as always, take some time to evaluate. Cost effective does not mean it must be the cheapest.

If someone is able to deliver the requirements for your business in 10 hours at 10 dollars, while someone takes 20 hours to deliver at 8 dollars. Go for the one at 10 dollars, you pay more but you save 10 hours and

"In Business, Time is Money!"

Those additional time you save could make you back the 2 dollars or more.

I had the stupidity of going for the cheapest vendors in the past, and 99.99% the cheapest vendors gives me more problem than actually solving my problem....

Zero thoughts of late

2005-11-15T01:02:00.000-08:00

Maybe it's thoughts, maybe it's dreams, maybe it's not.

Since I started my advertising campaign, I have had sooooooo many sales call until we have to reject some potential clients. 1 week, at least 10 concept proposals to be done, there's so much of late to be done.

I guess its a reflection of my marketing and channel management done right. Working with the right partners, working with the most cost effective marketing. Now, I guess it's time to work on my sales department and operation department.

Even marketing is functioning 85%, I feel sales is at 30% and operation at 50% maximum potential. There's so much more we could make it better for now.

Thoughts for the week. It's been some time since I last update.

Positive Energy for Management.
I think many a times, we do let personal emotions take over us in the course of our work. I have experienced that so many times in my work, as worker, as a manager, as a boss.

What exactly is positive energy?
I see it as reacting to all situation positively.
When an employee made a lost for the company in deal, how can we instead of just reprimanding that employee to vent our anger(Negative), this could be used as a case study for all employees so as not to repeat the mistake.

I always try to make the best out of every situation by reacting positively, by thinking positively, but sometimes its hard, sometimes emotion just control us. Sometimes, it's ego, sometimes, it's what else? I do wonder.

I'll probably be only able to update more once I get a little more free time. Proposals are so mentally exhausting.......

Quality not Quantity

2005-10-31T23:20:00.000-08:00

As of late, one of my company's designer's work has been really lousy and we're questionning if we should keep him.

As a staff, he usually is a 9-6 kind and does not automatically stays back unless something happens. Personally, I prefer the type who will stay back without us having to ask especially they know there's a lot to cover.

It makes me ponder, does it mean the more designer I have, the easier for our work? The more staff you have, the easier it becomes?

Actually, not. I have been in business where all staffs are owners and been in business, where I and another are owner and been in business whereby I have staffs to help me out.

Somehow, I do feel, I prefer if a business is sustainable and expandable, I would just want to do it alone, ALAS, but it seems that it is not very possible to grow a sustainable, expandable business alone. I would need help in that.

At the end of the day, I realised that, it is not more people that helps but good people that helps. It is not easy to find people who work hard, work smart and is able to fit into my organisation. It is really a step by step brick building process... really tough yet I got to admit it is challenging. Taking a company who is in the reds into positive cashflow, making it grow.

Man, it really is like teaching my very own kid, to learn and to grow up. In my organisation, I am the youngest but I have one of the highest authority, it definitely feels weird. For the fact, I am able to plan well, think far, an all rounded in business management, I guess that's why I am sitting in my position. It really is not easy to let everyone respect you yet at the same time do what you want them to. Unfortunately, I do realised that age, does plays a part, especially in Asia.

Thought of the day? Find quality staff, not increase in quantity. One man who can generate 100 grand of profit for your company is better than 10 man who generate 100 grand. Take your time to find the man if you have and can afford to, cause, ITS WORTHWHILE!

Gratitude

2005-10-26T01:41:00.000-07:00

Today, had a quarrel with my elder brother. I just don't understand why is he so free to bicker with me on little things, such as how I arrange my room, where I put my stuffs, what I do, why am I in business and such and such.

I think he has forgotten the fact that I am 11 years younger than him, I saved him from bankruptcy one year back, I paid for half his car's deposit, I gave him so much, monetary and helped him so much in effort yet he is always taking advantage of me and as if I owe him...

Fucking idiot. So what exactly is gratitude when even your own brother don't appreciate it?
Nah, forget it, my brother is just a idiot whom never uses his brain anyway, assuming that with the help of my parents, he got a platinum card and more material items when he only earns a mere 2500 SGD a month, splurging and splurging and when he needs help, comes asking me....

Good luck, I am shifting out and don't ever ask me for help again. I have enough.

Now, gratitude, does it happens in business?
It's a strange word. Some clients appreciate it, some clients don't but I think eventually by going all out to service all your clients, whether they appreciate it or not, makes a difference to other business. As long as no lost is made, they remember you and you set a standard against all other businesses, this is the way to go.

This stupid brother of mine so spoils my mood. Tell me what I deserve to have such a loser brother..

Integrity

2005-10-23T03:45:00.000-07:00

As of late, a lot of things has been happening to my businesses. Positive ones, negative ones.

You can say while my new business is going thru a lot of positivity, while the old one is going thru big negativity. I put both my strength in them but in businesses, it just doesn't take me to make everything and everyone clap, especially I am not the only director.

While my new partner is someone hardworking, has integrity and often keeps me on my morale up, my old partner is someone who disappoints me, demoralise my whole team, someone with no integrity and in fact is entirely a big fucking liar.

Having seen thru so much, in business, you can be scheming, cunning however end of the day, please back your words up. Integrity is what I call it. You say it, honour it. You may be a fucked up person but if you have integrity in business, I will still do business with you. Cause I blame you not as you are forced to be scheming, forced to be cunning but you are never forced to lie and cheat.

Cheaters and liars can only last that long..... bullshits will not bring you to a further level. (Maybe I may be wrong but not so far in the way I have done my business here.)

Another characteristic of Entrepreneur

2005-10-20T01:02:00.000-07:00

Hardwork

Entrepreneurism often entails hardwork. From my course of work as I often implement technologies which results in me being able to see how business models work in many different companies.

Most successful entrepreneurial company has one very common characteristic, the main leading CEO/MD/Boss are mostly people who are able to work late into the night, sleep 3-5 hours a day and only rest a little more on weekend and continue to work during the weekend.

They work with all their strength to improve their business in any means they find possible.

Even you may not be naturally talented, being able to work hard and while working hard, the more you learn, you will stand to benefit as long as you put your theoretical and practical knowledge into action, it is likely you will find success along the way.

I am real tired today, that's about it for now... So much so much work for me too......

From the recommendation

2005-10-19T15:46:00.000-07:00

From the recommendation of a fellow entrepreneur whom I deem is so much more successful than me, he came across this website and http://sgentrepreneurs.blogspot.com/, I'm recommending it to fellow readers who are interested in such topic such as business and entrepreneurism to check it out. It has quite an amount of viewers and pretty relevant contents.

Personally just finished my work for my presentation this friday. Being the fact that I am still the director of two companies means more work for me but it's enjoyably challenging. While I am a non-executive director for one company and a executive director for another, my work is never ending, however never ending the work it may seems, I just seems to be able to carry on.

The more challenging the course of my work is in building up businesses, it seems more fun and enjoyable.

Read about one of my closest's entrepreneur associate regarding price war in our industry. Is price war really justified?

Apparently, it is true many businesses just build their marketing strategic around their price, lowering their price to beat competitors to get more sales.

However, many businesses fail to realise that it actually is not MONETARY PRICE itself that matters most but the ACTUAL VALUE. I am in the marketing business myself. I see freelancers offering $299.00 SGD web design for companies. Many established SMEs rushed to engage these freelancers without seeing if it is what they really need. (No, I am not against freelancers but, a single man can only do one job specifically with expertise in the job he performs).

Many of these SMEs ended up with great looking websites but what happens? Few people visit their websites or their website is great looking but not user friendly or their website is great looking, user friendly but the wrong message is being put across.

Website itself is a marketing media, put in the right marketing positioning and targeted at the right market segment, you will be amazed how your website itself can generate sales, conversions for you.

A designer is always a designer, a designer is not a professional copywriter who can write to persuade and convince, a web designer is not a web professional who understands the marketing element of positioning your company to the right group of people, a web designer is not a marketing planner who understands how to generate sales and convert them for your company.

If there is one man who can accomplish all these tasks in the most cost efficient and time efficient manner as compared to a professional team, congratualation to YOU. You are definitely a good spotter for people with great talent.

In my course of work, I have never seen one single person who can simply excel in all these area alone. Many companies choose to see the PRICE itself rather than see the real value in the service or product they procure. In the end, they either invest in a white elephant, purchase another white elephant and keep looking until they finally wake up that they need something that actually benefit their business.

Simple example, myself. When I got my new office this year, instead of engaging professionals to paint the walls, I choose to do it myself with my partner to save that miserably few hundred dollars? In the end? When I could be doing higher value job at S$150.00 per hour, I spent more than 20 hours of my additional time painting walls.

Fellow entrepreneurs, focus on your core abilities to develope and grow your business to generate the revenue you need to reinvest and further grow your business. Save what you can but do not attempt to save and end up bearing higher cost at the expense of your business.

Time to sleep and wake up early tomorrow for a con-call to my client overseas.

A nice comment left keeps me going

2005-10-18T18:35:00.000-07:00

Saw a comment in my blog. Not bad hehe since it's like only the 3rd day this blog is alive. Support from people does keeps me going..

So, a day ago I was talking to one fellow entrepreneur about what are the common characteristic of an entrepreneur?

Looking from experience, from reading, from seeing for myself, from contact with entrepreneur..... the essence of entrepreneurship lies in the spirit of the "never say die" attitude from entrepreneur.

Entrepreneurial characteristic

Determination: (From my own words). The never ending energy in us that we preserve to achieve. To achieve our dreams, our goals, our vision. Real entrepreneur are not just all about the money but all about the work that in our daily lives we enjoy so much. We enjoy turning a business from a small little almost non-existence dot in the world to one that is bustling alive. (Sounds a lot like the creation till date status of my country)

Adaptability: (From my own words). Entrepreneurial creatures like us are able to react to different situation and change, whether the business or ourselves to suit the situation. Let's admint it, many a times, rules and laws and regulation are beyond our control but how we react to the different changes in the course of our businesses, ensure the sustainability and also profitability of our businesses.

From day one, the business from a one man business to a middle sized twenty men operation to a thousand people conglomerate, we adapt ourselves to different position. From one person who's doing everything to someone who identity key people to recruit into our organisation to delegating the right task for the right people to managing from the top down approach. It takes one with spirit of entrepreneurship to be this ONE.

Are you this ONE? Entrepreneurship is not for everyone, if you are such a person with these basic characteristic, explore yourself further... perhaps you may be the next Bill Gates or Sim Wong Hoo.

Some time to update

2005-10-18T18:20:00.000-07:00

Been working on our company's website as of late, preparing it for SEM. Sales lead has been increasingly good but still not good enough for the company to expand. So many things to sort out for my previous company cause that partner is basically asleep in the day most of the time.

IMPORTANT TIPS IN BUSINESS: MAKE SURE IF YOU NEED A PARTNER, FIND THE RIGHT PERSON AND NOT SOMEONE FULL OF PROMISES BUT FAIL TO DELIVER

Another day as it passes

2005-10-17T16:57:00.000-07:00

Now I'm in my office slogging another day out.This month, we're moving into Internet Marketing to increase sales in our company. I'm the one in charge of this to ensure that our internet marketing shows results.

Glad to have one of our business associate from Canada to help us.He is a professional in Search Engine Optimisation, Search Engine Marketing and boy are we glad that he is here to help us.Makes us realised that being in business, the more friends you have, the more people you meet, the easier help can arrive at. Which explains why many CEOs do attend certain seminars or networking sessions.

Do not expect monetary help as these are only temporary solutions, advice are the most valuable gift any friends or fellow entrepreneur or businessman can give you because with the right advice, you will be able to understand your business, understand how to make your business lasting thru crisis, become profitable.

Remember, if someone gives you a million and you have no idea how to generate more from that one million, it makes no difference. However, from that one million, if you are able to generate a million job, a million million dollars, a million buildings, that will make a difference. How do you do that?

Again, I say, seek advice from established people who has good idea of what a business is, how does business works. These advice are worth far more than millions of dollars you can ever receive from anyone. Advice that you take into mind and put them into action.

My ranting shall stop now and get back to the real world for some work. I realised, it's pretty enjoyable to post my thoughts when I am so bewildered by work and burdened by the stress in from work.

Purpose of This Blog

2005-10-17T01:29:00.000-07:00

Hi to whomever seeing this.

About This Blog
This is a blog that is all going to be about entrepreneurism in Singapore. How do you do business in Singapore. What does it takes to be an entrepreneur in Singapore. I am starting this blog so I can share information with my fellow striving entrepreneur to make Singapore a better place to kick start your entrepreneurial career.

About Myself,
I am a follow entrepreneur from the land of Singapore. Started with the interest in the computer hardware business after the dot com failure. Till today, I have been in computer hardware, software, web application & consultancy, web design and marketing business. I am just another young entrepreneur. My age shall be a mystery for now till the time comes.

What I am thinking today?
Since the start of my latest business, I have been busy managing the development & sales aspectof this new venture. This business of mine is into web and traditional marketing. We create concepts, marketing media designs that delivers results for our clients to further build another stepping stone for their businesses.

I am glad finally I have time to share my thoughts on starting business in Singapore.

What is a business all about?
For short, a business must be sustainable, profitable and it provides products or services that is beneficial to its targeted market.

A business will have the minimal department of sales, marketing and operation. Whether you are one man, twenty man or a MNC, you need these department for your business or company to function well and move on.

Entrepreneur often tells me that they have no means of marketing due to budget. Please remember that even word of mouth is marketing. If you have no financial means of marketing, talk to people, your relatives, your friends, tell them what you do, what your business do, what can you help them with. Marketing can comes in the most technological advance method, that is even in internet marketing or even in the oldest form, Word of mouth.

Guess that's about it for me today. I shall return to work and get moving. So much so much for me to develope for my new business.