Open For Business

In times of trouble, the smallest luxuries can bring us joy; so it’s no surprise that after months of staying home, many were looking to be pampered and beautified as restrictions on businesses started lifting. But how did these services survive throughout the MCO? Kim May Chee, the founder of COCOdry, discusses getting through the lockdown, educating consumers on the concept of a blow dry bar, and her focus on creating an environment of comfort and kindness.

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With it just being Malaysia Day, we thought we'd head East for a bit and speak to a very local SME.  We speak to Marian Chin, creator and editor of KINO is a lifestyle print and digital magazine that is a connector and platform for locals to locals with a 'Glocal' point of view. With a by-monthly circulation of 10000 copies and distributed by the main state newspaper plus over 100 drop-off points, KINO hopes to discover obscure stories in the rich traditions of multicultural people In Kuching, IN and OUT.

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The BigBigPlace.com, is the biggest curated marketplace in Malaysia for outdoor and running gear.  Founded back in 2016, when most people would still buy their ‘outdoor’ gear online, Kei and team decided that they could offer a larger selection if they went online. Starting with a two man team and 2000 products, the BigBigPlace has now expanded to supply around 20,000 products with their six staff.

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A shocking amount of food is wasted on a daily basis, and most of it ends up in landfills or in spaces that continue to burden the environment. MAEKO’s goal is to provide enough people with composting machines to significantly reduce the amount of food that’s wasted by turning excess meals into compost. We speak to founder Chelsea Chee about MAEKO’s expanding target market, the difficulties in creating awareness, and how the public can contribute to the cause with their own composting bins.

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On this special edition of Open For Business in honour of Malaysia Day, we hear from Donald Tan, co-owner of the Singgahsana brand in Sarawak; he discusses his perspective on how the hospitality industry has been impacted by COVID-19 and the tough decisions he and his wife have had to make throughout the pandemic.

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So you know you need an online presence, and you need it now. But how do you establish the kind of store or page or website that keeps people coming back for more? And the money coming in? We speak to MIke Chu, founder of booming online outdoor-gear setup PTT Outdoor about what works and wont when moving your business online, and the blueprint for establishing an effective online presence.

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Starting a business isn’t easy, but coworking spaces have made it easier for low-entry entrepreneurs to have a foot in the door. HIPSALONS takes that concept a step further by providing hairdressers with a decked-out salon to call their own with maximum flexibility. We speak to Vince Ho, founder of HIPSALONS, about the idea of providing a space for stylists to thrive in, challenges of the co-sharing concept, as well as growing a business during the era of social distancing. 

Starting a business isn’t easy, but coworking spaces have made it easier for low-entry entrepreneurs to have a foot in the door. HIPSALONS takes that concept a step further by providing hairdressers with a decked-out salon to call their own with maximum flexibility. We speak to Vince Ho, founder of HIPSALONS, about the idea of providing a space for stylists to thrive in, challenges of the co-sharing concept, as well as growing a business during the era of social distancing. 

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With a business that started as a pet project, manufacturing good quality, well- fitted t-shirts for companies. As the market responded positively to their products, they focused on producing retail-worthy apparel for the masses.

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Thoughtfull is a health-tech company that, via its ThoughtfullChat service, provides users with daily bite-sized coaching with certified mental health professionals. We speak to CEO Joan Low about how ThoughtfullChat holds up against traditional in-person therapy, why corporates are especially keen on the product, and how to grow a business that’s fast enough to meet spiking demand.

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