Open For Business

In this episode, we sit down with Howard Obbard, Co-Founder and Director of Furniture and Choice Malaysia as we explore how this renowned UK-based brand is making its mark in the Malaysian market with its exceptional British craftsmanship and competitive prices. By blending its expertise in premium furniture with local artistry, Furniture and Choice Malaysia is not only transforming homes but also boosting the local economy by creating jobs and championing sustainability.

Tune in as we delve into the challenges and triumphs of re-establishing a global brand in Malaysia’s competitive market, and how the company is pushing the boundaries of innovation and design to offer Malaysians premium, locally-made products.

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Are businesses and brands overlooking a vibrant and growing market? In this episode of Open for Business, we speak with Preethi Sanjeevi and Ramakrishnan CN, Co-Founders of Greytt—a platform that aims to offer curated services tailored to people over 50, starting with fitness, but eventually travel and much more.

We explore the story behind Greytt’s creation, what it means to redefine ageing, why this demographic is often misunderstood, and the opportunities they see in this underserved market. Plus, we dive into how the founders' backgrounds in digital marketing and tech are shaping their vision of targeting and serving people between the ages of 50 and 70.

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How did a college dropout selling PCs and web hosting services build a 9-figure digital powerhouse? In this episode of Open For Business, we speak with Chan Kee Siak, Founder and CEO of Exabytes Group, an all-in-one provider of business, cloud, digital, and eCommerce solutions.

Founded in 2001 as a small web hosting service in Penang, Exabytes now serves 160,000 businesses across 121 countries, with core markets in Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia. Chan shares how he started at 19, pivoted to web hosting, and grew Exabytes through M&A strategies and securing a US$10.7 million investment from Ekuinas in 2019.

Now a nine-figure revenue company with 20% annual growth, Exabytes thrives on recurring revenue from SMEs and plans further expansion, M&A, and an IPO within three years. Chan outlines the company’s growth drivers, including cloud solutions and deeper penetration into Indonesia’s market.

Tune in for an inspiring look at Chan Kee Siak’s entrepreneurial journey and the future of Exabytes.

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On this episode of Open For Business, we speak with Andy Chaw, Founder of Trendz360. They’re a global lifestyle group with wholly owned subsidiaries in 8 markets, with Singapore being their central base of operations. Andy will be giving us a sense of the growth and evolution of Trendz360 from inception to the global brand distributor that the business is today, the challenges of managing a global company and how they have evolved over the years as well as his vision for the future of lifestyle retail and wholesale distribution with Trendz360.

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How did a Silicon Valley property play become a global corporate innovation driver and VC firm? In this episode of Open For Business, Jojo Flores, Co-Founder of Plug and Play, shares how a Silicon Valley real estate play in 2006/2007 has turned into a global innovation platform and early-stage startup investor. Plug and Play now operates across 50+ locations, running accelerator programs, corporate innovation services, and a venture capital firm.

We discuss their journey, expansion into APAC, and their perspective on the future of innovation in the region. Key points we dive into include:

- The story behind the founding of Plug and Play and its early beginnings in real estate.

- How Plug and Play became a hub for startups like Dropbox, Lending Club, and PayPal.

- The role of corporate partnerships in Plug and Play’s accelerator and innovation programs.

- Plug and Play’s investment strategy and how they choose the startups they invest in.

- The expansion into Southeast Asia and insights on Malaysia’s innovation potential.

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Today on Open For Business, Augustine Edwards talks about how he founded AES Academy. From a kid fascinated by loudspeakers his brother gave him, he turned his passion into a full-blown career, mastering the art of audio engineering. AES Academy is a launchpad for the next wave of audio wizards, blending technical expertise with creative innovation. He shares the ups and downs of starting an academy, the evolving audio scene in Malaysia and the future prospects of the audio engineering field.

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BookXcess began in 2007 with just 5,000 remaindered books. Today, it’s on track to hit RM100 million in sales, working directly with publishers to fulfil its mission of making books more affordable and accessible.

In 2009, Andrew Yap and Jacqueline Ng launched the Big Bad Wolf Book Sale, which has since become a global cultural phenomenon and has expanded to 37 cities in 14 countries, attracting 3 million visitors annually and selling over 15 million books.

From nearly going out of business during the pandemic, the company has rebounded, now operating over 22 outlets nationwide and 3 more in Singapore. In 2023, they achieved USD$4 million in profits and are set to surpass RM100 million in revenue this year, with plans to explore an IPO in 2026.

In this conversation, we explore:

- Andrew’s journey in building these two iconic brands.

the business model behind BookXcess and how they are working with publishers to play the high volume game

- Why BookXcess takes the risk of owning the books they sell instead of using consignment.

the challenges they’ve faced, including the logistical challenges of moving millions of books.

- How BookXcess is innovating with store designs and layouts, BookBots, “blind dates” with books, and more.

- Andrew’s vision for the future of BookXcess and Big Bad Wolf as they continue to grow in an evolving market.

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No entrepreneur left behind? That seems to be the driving force behind GUIDE, an early-stage venture studio and advisory firm founded by Neil Cheong and Alvin Chin.

In this episode of Open for Business, we explore how GUIDE aims to provide venture education, hands-on support, and mentorship to founders and entrepreneurs, all while building a scalable business for themselves.

We delve into their transition from Ignition Chamber to GUIDE, their unique approach to advisory services, and their ambition to grow a content-driven business that supports a thriving entrepreneurial community.

Key Areas of Conversation:

- Founder Support: GUIDE’s focus on early-stage businesses, offering education, mentorship, and ecosystem-building support.

- Evolution from Ignition Chamber: The formation of GUIDE and why they’re focusing on content to scale their business.

- Business Model & Scalability: How GUIDE balances advisory services with a scalable educational membership model.

- 1% Equity Model: GUIDE’s innovative equity-based fee structure to support founders.

- Future Vision: GUIDE’s plans to scale founder programs and foster a vibrant entrepreneurial community.

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We speak with Ting Mao, Founder at Sunnystep, a science-based footwear company for walking enthusiasts, active travellers and urban families. We’ll be discussing the story behind Sunnystep and how it all started after a horrible injury, the differences between their products with other more renowned footwear brands, the challenges faced and opportunities ahead for the business.

Image Credit: mysunnystep.com

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“A lot of studio owners are very distracted. So when it comes to looking at who are our worthy rival, I will look at the founders. Then I will kind of know whether or not they will still be our rival in a year’s time. ”

Curious how a small 1200 sq ft fitness studio in Melaka expanded into Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok, and the larger ambition behind these moves? In this episode of Open For Business, we speak with CJ Lee, Co-Founder of MOVE Private Fitness, about their journey from launching a boutique studio in 2020 to scaling across six locations, including Bangkok. With a focus on delivering premium, personalised fitness services to the T20 demographic, MOVE is gearing up for its next phase of growth.

Key Areas of Conversation:

- What inspired MOVE and the challenges faced in the early days.

- How MOVE stands out in a crowded fitness market by specialising and not getting distracted by fitness trends

- The story behind expanding MOVE to KL and Bangkok and plans for further regional growth.

- Insights into MOVE’s upcoming fundraising round and how the capital will fuel further expansion.

- Tune in to discover how MOVE Private Fitness is trying to reshape the fitness industry and what lies ahead in its ambitious growth journey.

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