Episode 26 - Mixing the Old and New in a Third Generation Business with Reuben Ang
Apr 12, 2023
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Reuben Ang, managing director of Hesed and Emet Holdings, shares insights on modernizing the business while preserving traditions, working with family, and how his faith guides his work. Topics discussed include his passion for food, growing up in a family business, operating during COVID-19, navigating challenges, building relationships, and imagining a reconciled future.
Balancing innovation and tradition in a multi-generational business involves modernizing menus and automating processes while preserving the brand's unique traditional elements.
Prioritizing employees' well-being goes beyond HR policies by understanding root causes and implementing personalized plans to support them through challenges.
Deep dives
Balancing Innovation and Tradition in the Family Business
Ruben Aung, the managing director of Haseid and Emmet Holdings, discusses how he has successfully balanced innovation and tradition in his family's food solutions business. He emphasizes the importance of modernizing menus and automating processes while still maintaining the traditional elements that make the brand special. Ruben shares how his love for food was nurtured by growing up in a family of food lovers and how his father exposed him to the business at a young age. He also highlights the value of caring for employees' well-being and shares examples of personalized plans to help staff through challenging times. Ruben further explains the connection between food, fellowship, and biblical ideas, emphasizing how food brings people together and creates lasting memories. He shares the meaning behind the company's name, Haseid and Emmet, which represents God's covenant love and truth. Ruben also discusses the challenges of scaling the business while staying true to their values and ensuring personal connection with employees. He reflects on the importance of effective communication and wisdom in navigating generational and values clashes within the business. Ultimately, Ruben's hope for the future is that they continue to remember their purpose and have a hopeful imagination as they reconcile all things to God through their business.
Love and Truth in the Workplace
Ruben Aung explains how the values of love and truth guide their actions in the workplace. He shares examples of going beyond HR policies to understand the root causes of issues affecting employees and implementing personalized plans to help them overcome challenges. Ruben also discusses how the company navigated the impact of COVID-19 on their business, prioritizing the well-being of their staff over immediate cost-cutting measures. He emphasizes the importance of managing growth at a pace that allows for personal connection and understanding of employees' unique circumstances. Ruben further discusses the importance of effective communication in resolving generational and values clashes within the company, as well as in maintaining a Christ-like approach to leadership. Overall, love and truth serve as foundational principles that shape their decision-making and guide their interactions with employees.
Tensions and Growth in a Family Business
Ruben Aung shares insights on navigating tensions and fostering growth in a family business. He discusses the challenges of balancing intergenerational differences and values clashes within a family-centric enterprise. Ruben emphasizes the importance of effective communication and understanding, meeting people where they are, and explaining decisions in ways that resonate with different generations. He shares examples of how the family business has prioritized people's holistic well-being over rapid expansion and how they've worked through individual and collective challenges. Ruben also highlights the significance of authenticity and transparency, allowing others to witness the Christ-centered values and principles that shape their business. Ultimately, Ruben seeks wisdom in managing these complexities, trusting in God's guidance and envisioning a future where the business continues to live out its faith-driven ethos.
Personal Reflections and Present Truth
Ruben Aung reflects on personal and present truths. He underscores the importance of keeping faith and purpose at the center of decision-making, even in the face of uncertainty and challenges. Ruben shares how his faith has informed his approach to business and how he seeks to reconcile all things to God through his work. He highlights the need to continuously remember the why behind their actions and maintain a hopeful imagination. Ruben also acknowledges the ongoing journey of being Christ-like in every aspect of life, including at work, where others can witness moments of vulnerability and growth. He concludes by sharing his hope that the business remains steadfast in its commitment to the values that define its faith-driven identity.
How do you balance innovation and tradition in a business that has been around for generations?
Reuben Ang has had to ask himself this question as the managing director of Hesed and Emet Holdings, a food solutions company based in Singapore with holdings in various events and institutional catering and food retail businesses.
During his time with the company, Reuben has helped scale the company by modernizing the menu and automating processes without sacrificing the important, traditional elements that make the brand special.
He joins the podcast to talk about striking that balance, working with family, and how his faith has informed his work.
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