Open For Business

When Michelle Hah stepped into her family’s fire safety business, it was already a trusted name built on decades of service. But she saw the potential to go further. Under her leadership, Fire Fighter Industry evolved from a small supplier of extinguishers into one of Malaysia’s largest integrated fire safety providers, spanning design, installation, and compliance. In this conversation, Michelle shares how she modernised a legacy company, built resilience in a highly regulated sector, and charted a sustainable path forward rooted in both mission and growth.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

18 months ago, co-working operator WORQ planned to raise RM40 million to fuel its expansion. But halfway through the process, they stepped back from the raise, claiming that it wasn’t because they couldn't get the funds, but because they had hit the startup "holy grail": generating enough internal cash flow to fund their own growth.Co-founders Stephanie Ping and Andrew Yeow join us to break down key wins and challenges since our last conversation in February 2024, the mechanics of their landlord partnership model, why and how they act as a footfall attraction for buildings, and their upcoming expansion into "Urban Wellness" via WORQ Wellness, with offices featuring pools and jacuzzis, launching in Jan 2026.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What started in 2010 as a simple wedding RSVP tool has evolved into a complete event technology platform. After a crucial pivot away from the consumer market, Evenesis now powers corporate events and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions), combining software with essential on-the-ground managed services.Founder and CEO Ts. Yusno Yunos joins us to share his 15-year journey of bootstrapping (with the help of grants) to profitability before finally taking strategic investment from VentureTECH.He discusses why the "free-to-use" model failed in the wedding market, how managed services became their key differentiator against global SaaS competitors, and their ambitious plans to expand into Indonesia and Saudi Arabia.We discuss:The pivot from a B2C wedding app to a B2B corporate event platform.Why they bootstrapped for 14 years before taking VentureTECH investment.The "managed services" differentiator: why pure SaaS doesn't work in SEA.Using AI for business matching and "event health checks."Their expansion strategy for Indonesia, Singapore, and Saudi Arabia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a crowded footwear market, how does a 62-year-old Danish brand stay relevant? For ECCO, it starts with a unique "cow-to-shoe" philosophy, owning the entire value chain from tannery to retail floor. But facing a post-pandemic market downturn and a "promo pandemic" of endless discounts, the brand is rethinking its strategy.Managing Director Benjamin Chin joins us to discuss how ECCO Malaysia & Singapore is navigating this challenging retail landscape. He explains their shift to "glocalization" (global brand, local relevance), the evolution of their brand promise beyond just "comfort," and how they are managing the complexities of an omni-channel world where the customer journey is no longer linear.We discuss:The "cow-to-shoe" business model and why owning the supply chain matters.Navigating the "promo pandemic" and the bullwhip effect of inventory."Glocalization": Adapting a Danish brand for the Malaysian market (and weather).The omni-channel reality: Why physical stores and e-commerce are no longer separate.Moving beyond "comfort" to build an emotional connection with customers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Caring for ageing parents is becoming one of Asia’s fastest-growing emotional and practical challenges. Yet much of that burden remains invisible.We speak with Ivan Mun, Founder of ELLO, about how personal loss led him to build AI-powered caregiving technology designed to monitor seniors without intruding on their dignity or independence. Can artificial intelligence truly provide peace of mind at home? And in a crowded care-tech market, how does a young startup earn trust when stakes are this personal?We explore how technology may reshape the future of caregiving and what it means for families across a rapidly ageing region.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hao Menghok, the CEO of OMS Energy Technologies, successfully led a management buyout to save 600 jobs and later took the company public on NASDAQ. He delves into the intricate financial structures behind the buyout and the challenges of going public, including a 40% stock drop since the IPO. Hao shares insights on investor relations, the reality of leadership without oversight, and why he believes in 'Energy Addition' as a future strategy for OS. Along the way, he offers candid advice for other founders aiming for public markets.

Fong Minhan, co-founder of Lit Books, shares his journey from journalism to running a beloved independent bookstore in Malaysia. He discusses the challenges of starting a business, including cash flow struggles that kept them 'two months away from shuttering.' Minhan reveals how they adapted during the pandemic by shifting to e-commerce and delivering books manually. He also highlights the joy of curating unexpected titles for customers and shares recommendations of impactful reads, blending both fiction and nonfiction for book lovers.

Ladore Signature wants to ride "Rent-to-Own" (RTO) furniture all the way to an ACE Market listing. But with current revenues around RM500k, is their target of hitting RM25 million by 2029 ambitious... or delusional?Business Development Director Kun Chi Jun and Strategy Officer Ray Chung join us to defend their strategy. They unpack their role as the direct-to-consumer brand of the larger group, explaining why they believe acquiring 10,000 tenants is realistic and is the magic number to fuel an IPO.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andrey Leskov, the Co-Founder of illumi, an AI-native whiteboard, aims to help teams turn scattered AI chats into visual workflows that build context, compound knowledge, and speed up complex work holistically. Why did the company feel this was a blind spot in the current wave of AI adoption, how did it lead them to build illumi, and what have they learned so far from helping early teams to rethink how they collaborate in an AI-driven workplace? We dive deeper into all that and more in this conversation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What started in 2014 as a lifestyle investment to feed his wife's love for cakes has grown into 43 outlets, with more en route. Vanilla Crepe has expanded from a single cafe to 43 outlets and over 100 distribution points, recently breaking past 8-figure annual revenues.CEO Nelson Liew joins us to share the story behind this growth. He discusses their unique mix of owned vs. franchised outlets, how they manage costs through strong supplier partnerships, and their ambitious vision to become Malaysia's largest integrated F&B platform.We discuss:The "accidental" start: from a lifestyle cafe to a scalable business.How they pivoted from retail to owning the IP and central kitchen.The strategy behind their owned-to-franchise model.Their "pandemic-proof" growth: doubling store count during the MCO.Future plans: international expansion to Indonesia and FMCG products.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.