The Daily Ketchup MOST COMMON Reasons Why Businesses FAIL in Singapore...
Nov 6, 2025
Jeannie Lim, Assistant Managing Director at Enterprise Singapore, shares her wealth of experience in supporting local SMEs. She discusses the challenges of starting a business in Singapore, such as navigating paperwork and funding. Jeannie highlights the critical role of government support through advisory services and networks rather than just grants. She identifies common pitfalls like unclear business models and emphasizes the importance of planning for growth. Finally, she offers insights on scaling brands internationally and the evolving landscape of retail and food security.
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Government As Proactive Enterprise Partner
- Enterprise Singapore champions enterprise development to grow capabilities, innovation and global expansion.
- The agency targets firms across the lifecycle, from startups to mature exporters, not just funding winners.
Prioritize Advice Over Pure Funding
- Don't undervalue advice and networks; they often beat pure funding for long-term growth.
- Use grants to de-risk moves but rely on expertise and connections to reach profitability.
Kasseri's Market-First Pivot
- Kasseri used Enterprise Singapore's Scale Up program to refine market-fit and distribution before entering new countries.
- They pivoted from physical stores to online and later opened tested pop-ups after learning local customer preferences.