To compete at the international level, Malaysian National Figure Skaters Eunice and Edmund Lai train six hours a day on ice that costs money, with coaches that cost money, in a system that offers very little financial support. For most national athletes in this position, the choice is simple: find a wealthy sponsor or quit the sport entirely.

Instead of waiting for a sponsor, Eunice and Edmund decided to build their own financial engine. They founded Grano Break, an artisan granola brand designed specifically to fund their athletic ambitions: every bag sold is a micro-sponsorship of the duo that directly funds their international coaching and competition fees.

The duo, together with their mother Selina Ling join us to discuss the hidden financial realities of being a national athlete in Malaysia, their pivot into OEM manufacturing, and the intense discipline required to build a profitable business while simultaneously training to represent the country on the global stage.

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