Open For Business

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.

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KL Tech City is a venture studio that predominantly focuses on providing early stage capital for emerging technologies like Blockchain, Fintech, EV, Cleantech, and Digital trading platforms.

Apart from just providing startups with capital, they also offer supporting services including networking, strategic partnerships, and mentorship, and claim that since they invest proprietary capital, they are able to retain a dynamic and flexible approach to portfolio management.

KL Tech City says it wants to enable and power KL as an interconnected regional hub for Asia, bringing in new disruptive technologies, global talent, and investments into Malaysia.

Today we speak with Suraj and Asad about what this entails and why they are focused on KL, their investment strategy, and targets for 2024.

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Back in 2016, the e-commerce scene was just beginning to harness the full potential of online and mobile commerce, and social media marketing. Online shopping was popular but still competing with brick-and-mortar preferences in many markets, unlike the widespread adoption that we see right now.

PTT Outdoor boldly ventured where few dared. Embracing the World Wide Web as its sole marketplace, PTT Outdoor set out with a backpack full of ambition and a trail map drawn in digital ink. Today, this adventurous spirit has carved a niche for the company as a pioneer in the e-commerce landscape, selling outdoor gear to a community of enthusiasts who were just a click away from gearing up for their next big adventure.

On the Open For Business show today, we speak with Mike Chu and Jason Khoo, Co-Founders of PTT Outdoor, an outdoor camping and hiking equipment company about establishing and sustaining a successful e-commerce business. 

The duo will share insights on what works and what doesn’t when moving your business online, including the importance of adapting to new platforms like TikTok live and targeting specific audiences. They will also be highlighting their journey of maintaining a purely online business, and making strategic decisions in a constantly evolving digital landscape.

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Like many founders, entrepreneurship wasn’t in the plans for Selina – she always wanted to become a doctor, and the dream was to become an Intensive Care Unit specialist. Unfortunately that dream came to an end around 8 years ago after she experienced a slipped disc, but reportedly didn't have the support she needed to recover.

She told the Vulcan Post that when she asked to be assigned lighter duties for three months as she healed, she was told she did not have a future in the anaesthesiology and ICU departments anymore, and that she should just leave and find something else to do. And this eventually led to Disruptive Doctors, a platform for doctors to connect with other like-minded doctors within the community, find mentors within their sector, upskill themselves through their academy, and find jobs.

We speak to Dr. Selina Chew to dive further into her entrepreneurial story, the shift from doctor to startup founder, the business potential here, and her ambitions ahead for this platform.

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Today on the show, we speak with Manickavasagam Palaniandy, Founder of Lean Partner–they’re a boutique consulting firm that specialises in Agile Operation Transformational Management, providing consultations in operational excellence, as well as training & certifications.

Lean Partner was founded back in 2013 and they have executed more than 2800 projects delivering more than US$ 100 million of total value with a client portfolio of over 200 organisations.

This includes the likes of Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and government-linked corporations across multiple countries in both the ASEAN and European regions that achieve a minimum of 10x ROI.

In today’s discussion, Manicka shares his 24 years of experience in the industry, emphasising on Lean Partner's commitment to driving growth and digitalisation in various industries, and how their unique approach to consultancy sets them apart in a competitive field.

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Founded in 2014, Bateriku.com wants to list in 2027, hit revenue of RM170 million in 2024, and continue to expand its margins and profitability.

On this episode of Open For Business, we speak to Founder and CEO Azarol Faizi about the 10 years journey and how his previous OEM business led to Bateriku.com, the evolution from car battery replacement service to an ecosystem, its plans for growth and how to expand margins, how the funds raised will be used, and its 2027 IPO aims.

Bateriku.com started as an on-demand car battery replacement service provider in Malaysia and has evolved into an ecosystem that connects car users to roadside assistance, trusted workshops, auto parts marketplace and ancillary services.

The company has served close to 1.5 million car owners and made RM95 million revenue in 2023, clocking in double-digit EBITDA and single-digit Profit After Tax (PAT). Bateriku expects to hit RM170 million this year.

Announced on April 1st, Bateriku.com successfully raised RM10.1 million in funding through a joint investment by VentureTECH and VentureTECH SBI, as part of a RM37 million funding round. Other investors for this round include KWAP and Gobi Partners. This was only their second round in 10 years of business. The first external funding round was an RM10 million round in 2022 from Malaysian Technology Development Corporation (MTDC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Khazanah Nasional Berhad.

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Today on Open For Business, we speak with Keith Loh, CEO of Rollti, a local startup that runs a grab-and-go concept restaurant that offers a fresh take on Malaysia's beloved Roti Canai.

Rollti prides itself on its innovative approach, featuring an automated roti canai pressing system, together with a customisable drinks station.

Their journey began with the success of their first outlet at Starling Mall, Damansara, serving over 30,000 wraps to date. Last February, Rollti celebrated the grand opening of their flagship outlet at Nu Sentral, Kuala Lumpur.

On the show today, Keith gave us a sense on the concept of starting up a contemporary culinary store, the current products and services available at Rolti, the challenges faced in the F&B industry, and their foreseeable expansion plans moving forward.

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Founded in 2006, Easybook.com started off as a platform that sold bus tickets in Malaysia and Singapore but has since grown operations regionally. Last year it made RM300 million in revenue and RM10 million in net profit, with aims to hit RM500 million in revenue and RM30 million in profit this year.

The company has raised a total fund of USD$8.5 million over 3 rounds. The first was a $500,000 round, followed by a USD$3 million round. Then in 2021, the company raised US$ 5 million Series C round from Malaysia boutique investment firm, Emissary Capital and utilised the new funds to invest in the business but also to get through the pandemic.

Easybook is focused on maintaining its first mover advantage in this space with continued expansion into Indonesia and Vietnam, and is also preparing itself for an IPO - with the company scouting for listing locations that will provide it the best valuation.

In this episode of Open For Business, dive into Easybook's origins as a pet project back in 2006 and the 18 year journey that William has been on, how the business has changed as the internet economy grew, its competitive advantage in this space, the underlying business itself, and IPO thoughts.

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In today's rapidly evolving job market, traditional methods of securing part-time work, such as word-of-mouth referrals or classified ads, are becoming increasingly outdated. Many individuals, particularly younger generations, face challenges in finding part-time opportunities that match their schedules, skills, and preferences.

Through Get Hyred, employers can easily recruit individuals for various divisions within their companies, all within proximity. Additionally, the platform enables users to earn skill badges by completing part-time jobs or engaging in training sessions, fostering financial and professional independence.

Today on the show, we speak with Muthalib to look into how Get Hyred has modernized talent development in Malaysia, highlighting the uniqueness of their business model and sharing their plans for 2024 and beyond.

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OpenAcademy is the education arm of marketing-tech consultancy OpenMinds, and is trying to bridge the gap between academic learning and real-world skills through microlearning principles.

The platform allows individuals to take 5-minute lessons in the hopes of upskilling learners on the go and covers a wide range of topics including digital marketing, website optimisation, content creation, and more.

Similar to MasterClass or Skillshare, the lessons are delivered by industry experts, with OpenAcademy leaning on local experts, aiming to make it more relevant and engaging.

Today we explore why a mar-tech company started an online education platform, why Celine decided to lead the initiative, how they're incentivising local subject matter experts to become creators on their platform, the current state of the business, and how Open Academy wants to influence the future of education.

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