Transitioning from corporate careers in the United States of America to building a transformative business here in Malaysia, Carmen Khor and Jeremy Andrus exemplify resilience and unwavering commitment through their journey as the founders of Libra Wellness.  They have created a beauty and wellness brand that champions mental well-being while curating sustainable and high-quality products with the guide of 3 simple principles, “to remember, to celebrate, and to care for”.  In this episode, we speak with Jeremy Andrus, Founder & CEO, and Carmen Khor, Co-Founder & Brand Director, of Libra Wellness, on their inspiring journey transitioning from PR careers in America to launching the ethical beauty brand in Malaysia. They share how they navigated challenges by holding fast to their principles of remembering their "why," celebrating wins, and prioritising self-care to maintain passion. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Embracing Resilience in Ethical Beauty

The flagship entrepreneurship show on BFM, featuring personal business stories from early stage start-ups, all the way to billionaire octogenarians in Malaysia and abroad. Notable guests include Martin Cooper (father of the mobile phone), Julian Assange (founder of WikiLeaks), Ralph Henry Baer (father of video games), Tony Buzan (Mindmap Guru), Isaac Tigrett (Hard Rock Cafe founder), Robert Kiyosaki (Financial Guru), Nick Vujicic (motivational speaker) and more. Tap into this valuable resource of shared experiences for the SME industry, which also touches on news, issues and trends affecting the business community and beyond.

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Orangeleaf Consultancy, founded by Ellice and Tim Hendricks, is changing Malaysia’s tech industry with their low-code platform expertise. Starting as a two-person team, they have grown to a 30-strong team, focusing on developing local talent and driving digital transformation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Low-Code Pioneers

Founded in 2018, Store N Go provides warehousing services and tailored product handling, storage, packaging materials, kitting services, and distribution solutions. The company is also the first in Malaysia to integrate influencer marketing solutions with warehousing and fulfilment services. Currently, Store N Go’s influencer marketing solutions span a growing in-house team of 24 influencers on TikTok and they cover a variety of consumer interests from beauty to lifestyle.   Kee Lion was on the show back in 2022 to discuss what the early stages of the company looked like and since then, Store N Go has grown as a e-fulfilment service provider in Malaysia, with a portfolio of over 80 brands, 38 originating from Malaysia. In 2023, Store N Go processed more than 4 million parcels and connected local startups and SMEs with an average increase in sales of 99.28%, compared to March 2022.   In today’s conversation, Kee Lion will give us a sense of how his past experiences with Nike, Johnson and Johnson & L’Oreal, helped shape the idea of starting up this business, the prominence and importance of TikTok Shop and social commerce, and the ambitions ahead for Store N Go. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Store N Go: Leveraging TikTok Shop To Power Growth

We’re joined by Toh Kean Wee, the Founder and Managing Director of TPE, one of the largest whiteboard and writing instrument manufacturers in Malaysia. Starting from humble beginnings in a 1,000 Sq. Ft. cottage in 2008, TPE has grown into a modern 50,000 Sq. Ft. manufacturing facility, meeting high export market demands.  Mr. Toh has navigated the competitive whiteboard manufacturing industry, establishing TPE as a significant market player. His entrepreneurial spirit and business acumen have driven TPE’s growth in both domestic and global markets. As the whiteboard industry evolves, Mr. Toh shares valuable insights into emerging trends and TPE’s future role in the industry. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Writing Success: TPE’s Whiteboard Journey

On this episode of Open For Business, we speak with Lakshita Wijerathne, CEO at Eutech Cybernetic, a Smart Technology solutions provider that owns Iviva, a full-fledged smart property management platform that enables efficient management of spaces, buildings and cities.  With over 20 years of experience and headquartered in Singapore, Eutech works with a global network of partners in 15 countries, seven smart precincts and cities as well as a 300m square footage area of spaces across Asia, Australia, Europe, and the Middle East. Their solutions are catered for owners and operators in the real estate industry with the Iviva platform.   Along the course of the conversation, Lakshita give us a sense of how Iviva was established, what differentiates it with other smart technology platforms in the market and what the future holds for Eutech in the foreseeable future. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eutech’s 20 Year Journey in Smart Property Management

“To our surprise, we realised probably 6 or 7 out of 10 customers that walked in didn't really know us, (before that,) we thought we were famous. That was a huge awakening call”.  Founded in 2013 by Nicole Wong and Stan Chui, Sometime has evolved from an online-only business to a brand with multiple physical outlets and collaborations with designers across Asia.  In this episode of Open for Business, we speak with Stan Chooi, co-founder and CEO of the Malaysian fashion brand, Sometime.  Stan shares his transition from the advertising industry to fashion, his partnership with Nicole Wong, the challenges of starting this business, and the rationale behind the brand's offline push. Stan also gets into the role of strategic partnerships and potential future considerations for funding and business expansion. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Embracing Resilience in Ethical Beauty

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