More local Singapore SMEs & Start Ups

Always interested in the start-up scene. Came across this interesting article at Tech In Asia
where it talks about 2 key observations gathered from talking to more than 14 start ups and SMEs in Asia.

1. Israeli start ups have original solutions, not me-too ideas
Israeli
Key words:
Highly original, not just business model,  but also product solution fit ( a whole range of unique ideas solving a variety of different needs )
Strong Engineering Background - STEM Subjects

Singaporean
Key words:
Modifications of existing, successful start ups already established elsewhere
shortcut - jump straight into finding solution and market fit
[ we cannot 'tahan' the long wait - simply said because our opportunity cost is high. Unlike the Israelis probably finding a job is not as easy in Singapore. As many who struggle between starting their own and career, is it worthwhile to throw down a career earning a stable living being able to own the things you want for that? And truth be said, I don't think a lot of Singaporean families can accept the long wait. ]
Little innovation
Soft Skills- Finance & Service sector [ This I don't really agree. There are many who are in the technical field. But many Singaporeans in the Engineering field have no interest. That's the problem. They just see it as a tool for work. So the interest in 3D Printing I hope can make that difference. But of course, that's only 1 new tool that probably other countries have already done more in depth research on]

2. Israeli start ups go global ASAP

Same constraints
- Small Domestic Market
- Hard to penetrate regional market
- Lack of resources

Israeli focuses on globalization since Day 1
E.g Upon incorporation, went straight to overseas to get product approved for distribution there.
Singaporeans focuses on gaining local traction first
E.g typically create solutions for the local market and then worry about globalization plans  only after have success locally
Conclusion : More Risk-Averse Singaporeans
Why so?  - Worry? Responsibility to family? Fear of Failure as seen in the Asian Perspective? Changing but slow to change perception of start ups as a job rather than a sideline? Recognition given in the community few and little? Government support? 

* Key phrase in this article that hit right on the core: demonstrate product viability before the agencies will support and provide aid or even simply marketing support.

And for Singapore, as most of our start ups or SMEs are service or Techno related, the government entities or even our own people, don't see it as a Singaporean brand that can be leveraged on - unless of course we do it on our own and achieve success overseas - then we will get noticed.

But once again, I reiterate, as a startup or SMEs, we should not rely too much on funding from government entites etc but should up our own boldness and make it out in that oceans of countries.
Because afterall, thats a bonus and not a given.

But we would appreciate if support and networks are given and introduced. Not just to those you find as a potential possibility. How do you know years down the road?
Opportunities can never be calculated.
Why keep all the information you have?
Help to share the networks and as to what and how to do next, that we will ask those who have done it before. We just need to know the people (successful or not) - as long as they have tried- that has gone in already so we can learn from their experience, know about the processes, the regulatory restrictions or openness of the country to us as foreigners etc

OKAY AND HERE'S SOMETHING TO SHARE


Well, if you are in Shanghai tomorrow, maybe this is a start :
Startup weekend shanghai - 27th June 2014
Cost: 180RMB

In May 2014, I was part of a business study trip to Israel to learn about what earned them the moniker “Start-up Nation”. At any point in time, there are over 100,000 Israelis working in Silicon Valley, not counting the thousands more back home working on their own startup. Here are some key observations I gathered after talking to more than 14 startups and SMEs in Israel. 1. Israeli startups have original solutions, not me-too ideas Israel’s startups are highly original, not just in terms of business model, but also product-solution fit. In my short stay in Tel Aviv, I witnessed a whole range of unique ideas solving a variety of different needs. Pixspell, a startup based in Tel Aviv University, developed a patented on-screen camera calculation tool that informs users in real-time how to take better photos without needing to know concepts like rule of thirds. Another startup SolChip created the world’s most efficient solar battery that allows the Internet of Things to work without a power grid. These companies are just the tip of the iceberg. Now, I’m not saying Singapore’s startups aren’t innovative or revolutionary. Yet in my years of involvement in entrepreneurship here, ideas trended towards modifications of existing, successful startups already established elsewhere. This can be a highly savvy move considering entrepreneurs can skip discovering product and solution fit by adopting a me-too idea. They jump straight into finding a solution and market fit. But what kind of environment and culture are we creating locally? If we simply adopt tried and tested products, can we really aspire to be an innovative nation, which is what the Singapore government yearns for? One reason why I believe Israeli startups tend to be more innovative is their strong engineering background. For Singapore, decades of focusing primarily on the service and finance industry have dramatically changed the education landscape to produce more graduates armed with soft skills rather than STEM subjects. This no doubt percolates down to the startup scene. See: Why Israel is a Startup Nation 2. Israeli startups go global ASAP Singapore and Israel have similar constraints. We have a small domestic market (five million versus eight million), a hard to penetrate regional market (language barriers and lukewarm relationships), and a lack of resources (water, space, and more). Now here’s the difference: Israel’s startups seem more focused on globalization from day one, while Singapore startups only venture out after getting local traction. What do I mean by that? Well, startups in Israel generate ideas that require them to move into the global arena from the get-go. Autotalks, a fabless semiconductor startup, produces a vehicle-to-vehicle transmission chip. Upon incorporation, it went straight to American and European safety boards to get their product approved for distribution there. Singapore startups, on the other hand, typically create solutions for the local market and then worry about globalization plans only after they have financial success locally. In today’s competitive landscape, being global is key to not just a startup’s but also a country’s success. So why is it that the Israelis embrace it so much more? I would like to propose three reasons: One, a strong and active in-combat military. There is a saying in Israel that everyone you meet will know someone who died in combat. Military service is treated as a badge of honor for both male and female enlistees; a far cry no doubt from Singapore’s own active service. More importantly, this very real fear of being overrun by enemies has created a “carpe diem”, or “seize the day”, mentality. This influences their entire outlook on life and explains why they are so willing to take on risk to venture abroad early. Two, a culture of risk acceptance. This topic has been explored to death in Singapore. It’s seen as the key obstacle hampering our startup culture. The Israelis have turned this entirely upside down; they frown upon you for working at a large conglomerate instead of starting up or being part of a smaller, more innovative company. Three, support facilities to aid globalization. The Singapore government through IE Singapore and SPRING Singapore have a whole range of facilities to help take Singapore companies into overseas markets. However, many of these schemes are not geared towards early stage enterprises. In fact, for most of them, you will need to demonstrate product viability even before the agencies release aid. This differs from Israel where the modus operandi is to take a product built at home and quickly export it to the world, sort of like Singapore’s vision of test bedding new products locally but done right. These are just some of the visible learning points I got on my recent trip to Israel, which is truly an ideal cultural melting pot for startups.

Read more: What Singapore entrepreneurs can learn from Israel http://www.techinasia.com/singapores-entrepreneurs-learn-israel/

• 知行合一 Education
  创业周末是通过创造性行动来学习。不必被理论所困，建立你自己的策略，并不断去验证它。
  Startup Weekends are all about learning through the act of creating.  Don’t just listen to theory, build your own strategy and test it as you go.

• 人脉搭建 Build your network
  它不仅仅带给你欢乐时光，创业周末将吸引社群中最好的实干家，并通过花费一个周末的工作来搭建解决现实问题和可规模化的公司，你将搭建长期的人脉关系，并有可能获得一份新工作甚至是投资人。
  This isn’t just a happy-hour. Startup Weekend attracts your community’s best makers and do-ers. By spending a weekend working to build scalable companies that solve real-world problems, you will build long-lasting relationships and possibly walk away with a job or even an investor.

• 伙伴寻觅 Co-Founder Dating
  创业依靠的不仅是好点子，更多的是好团队。创业周末是你能真正找到理想伙伴并一同创业的极佳途径。
  We all know it’s not just about the idea – it’s about the team. Startup Weekend is hands down the best way to find someone you can actually launch a startup with.

• 技能学习 Learn a new skill
  迈出你的舒适区。奉献一整个周末徜徉创造力的海洋，创业周末充满着在新平台工作，学习新程序语言的最佳机会，或者只是想尝试些新东西。
  Step outside of your comfort zone. With a whole weekend dedicated to letting your creative juices flow, Startup Weekends are perfect opportunities to work on a new platform, learn a new programming language, or just try something different.

• 真实创业 Actually launch a business
  超过36%的创业周末项目在3个月后变得更强大。约80%的参与人在创业周末活动后仍计划一同与团队成员或项目继续工作。
  Over 36% of Startup Weekend startups are still going strong after 3 months.  Roughly 80% of participants plan on continuing working with their team or startup after the weekend.

• 会面“大牛” Get face time with thought leaders
  当地技术和创业“大牛”们将作为活动的教练和评判。这里能获得同创业社群“大牛”们一对一会面的机会。
  Local tech and startup leaders participate in Startup Weekends as coaches and judges. Get some one-on-one time with the movers and shakers in your community.

• 加入全球社群 Join a global community
  加入超过100,000人的创业周末校友中，只为一个任务：改变世界。
  Join over 100,000 Startup Weekend alumni, all on a mission to change the world.

In May 2014, I was part of a business study trip to Israel to learn about what earned them the moniker “Start-up Nation”. At any point in time, there are over 100,000 Israelis working in Silicon Valley, not counting the thousands more back home working on their own startup. Here are some key observations I gathered after talking to more than 14 startups and SMEs in Israel. 1. Israeli startups have original solutions, not me-too ideas Israel’s startups are highly original, not just in terms of business model, but also product-solution fit. In my short stay in Tel Aviv, I witnessed a whole range of unique ideas solving a variety of different needs. Pixspell, a startup based in Tel Aviv University, developed a patented on-screen camera calculation tool that informs users in real-time how to take better photos without needing to know concepts like rule of thirds. Another startup SolChip created the world’s most efficient solar battery that allows the Internet of Things to work without a power grid. These companies are just the tip of the iceberg. Now, I’m not saying Singapore’s startups aren’t innovative or revolutionary. Yet in my years of involvement in entrepreneurship here, ideas trended towards modifications of existing, successful startups already established elsewhere. This can be a highly savvy move considering entrepreneurs can skip discovering product and solution fit by adopting a me-too idea. They jump straight into finding a solution and market fit. But what kind of environment and culture are we creating locally? If we simply adopt tried and tested products, can we really aspire to be an innovative nation, which is what the Singapore government yearns for? One reason why I believe Israeli startups tend to be more innovative is their strong engineering background. For Singapore, decades of focusing primarily on the service and finance industry have dramatically changed the education landscape to produce more graduates armed with soft skills rather than STEM subjects. This no doubt percolates down to the startup scene. See: Why Israel is a Startup Nation 2. Israeli startups go global ASAP Singapore and Israel have similar constraints. We have a small domestic market (five million versus eight million), a hard to penetrate regional market (language barriers and lukewarm relationships), and a lack of resources (water, space, and more). Now here’s the difference: Israel’s startups seem more focused on globalization from day one, while Singapore startups only venture out after getting local traction. What do I mean by that? Well, startups in Israel generate ideas that require them to move into the global arena from the get-go. Autotalks, a fabless semiconductor startup, produces a vehicle-to-vehicle transmission chip. Upon incorporation, it went straight to American and European safety boards to get their product approved for distribution there. Singapore startups, on the other hand, typically create solutions for the local market and then worry about globalization plans only after they have financial success locally. In today’s competitive landscape, being global is key to not just a startup’s but also a country’s success. So why is it that the Israelis embrace it so much more? I would like to propose three reasons: One, a strong and active in-combat military. There is a saying in Israel that everyone you meet will know someone who died in combat. Military service is treated as a badge of honor for both male and female enlistees; a far cry no doubt from Singapore’s own active service. More importantly, this very real fear of being overrun by enemies has created a “carpe diem”, or “seize the day”, mentality. This influences their entire outlook on life and explains why they are so willing to take on risk to venture abroad early. Two, a culture of risk acceptance. This topic has been explored to death in Singapore. It’s seen as the key obstacle hampering our startup culture. The Israelis have turned this entirely upside down; they frown upon you for working at a large conglomerate instead of starting up or being part of a smaller, more innovative company. Three, support facilities to aid globalization. The Singapore government through IE Singapore and SPRING Singapore have a whole range of facilities to help take Singapore companies into overseas markets. However, many of these schemes are not geared towards early stage enterprises. In fact, for most of them, you will need to demonstrate product viability even before the agencies release aid. This differs from Israel where the modus operandi is to take a product built at home and quickly export it to the world, sort of like Singapore’s vision of test bedding new products locally but done right. These are just some of the visible learning points I got on my recent trip to Israel, which is truly an ideal cultural melting pot for startups.

Read more: What Singapore entrepreneurs can learn from Israel http://www.techinasia.com/singapores-entrepreneurs-learn-israel/

In May 2014, I was part of a business study trip to Israel to learn about what earned them the moniker “Start-up Nation”. At any point in time, there are over 100,000 Israelis working in Silicon Valley, not counting the thousands more back home working on their own startup. Here are some key observations I gathered after talking to more than 14 startups and SMEs in Israel. 1. Israeli startups have original solutions, not me-too ideas Israel’s startups are highly original, not just in terms of business model, but also product-solution fit. In my short stay in Tel Aviv, I witnessed a whole range of unique ideas solving a variety of different needs. Pixspell, a startup based in Tel Aviv University, developed a patented on-screen camera calculation tool that informs users in real-time how to take better photos without needing to know concepts like rule of thirds. Another startup SolChip created the world’s most efficient solar battery that allows the Internet of Things to work without a power grid. These companies are just the tip of the iceberg. Now, I’m not saying Singapore’s startups aren’t innovative or revolutionary. Yet in my years of involvement in entrepreneurship here, ideas trended towards modifications of existing, successful startups already established elsewhere. This can be a highly savvy move considering entrepreneurs can skip discovering product and solution fit by adopting a me-too idea. They jump straight into finding a solution and market fit. But what kind of environment and culture are we creating locally? If we simply adopt tried and tested products, can we really aspire to be an innovative nation, which is what the Singapore government yearns for? One reason why I believe Israeli startups tend to be more innovative is their strong engineering background. For Singapore, decades of focusing primarily on the service and finance industry have dramatically changed the education landscape to produce more graduates armed with soft skills rather than STEM subjects. This no doubt percolates down to the startup scene. See: Why Israel is a Startup Nation 2. Israeli startups go global ASAP Singapore and Israel have similar constraints. We have a small domestic market (five million versus eight million), a hard to penetrate regional market (language barriers and lukewarm relationships), and a lack of resources (water, space, and more). Now here’s the difference: Israel’s startups seem more focused on globalization from day one, while Singapore startups only venture out after getting local traction. What do I mean by that? Well, startups in Israel generate ideas that require them to move into the global arena from the get-go. Autotalks, a fabless semiconductor startup, produces a vehicle-to-vehicle transmission chip. Upon incorporation, it went straight to American and European safety boards to get their product approved for distribution there. Singapore startups, on the other hand, typically create solutions for the local market and then worry about globalization plans only after they have financial success locally. In today’s competitive landscape, being global is key to not just a startup’s but also a country’s success. So why is it that the Israelis embrace it so much more? I would like to propose three reasons: One, a strong and active in-combat military. There is a saying in Israel that everyone you meet will know someone who died in combat. Military service is treated as a badge of honor for both male and female enlistees; a far cry no doubt from Singapore’s own active service. More importantly, this very real fear of being overrun by enemies has created a “carpe diem”, or “seize the day”, mentality. This influences their entire outlook on life and explains why they are so willing to take on risk to venture abroad early. Two, a culture of risk acceptance. This topic has been explored to death in Singapore. It’s seen as the key obstacle hampering our startup culture. The Israelis have turned this entirely upside down; they frown upon you for working at a large conglomerate instead of starting up or being part of a smaller, more innovative company. Three, support facilities to aid globalization. The Singapore government through IE Singapore and SPRING Singapore have a whole range of facilities to help take Singapore companies into overseas markets. However, many of these schemes are not geared towards early stage enterprises. In fact, for most of them, you will need to demonstrate product viability even before the agencies release aid. This differs from Israel where the modus operandi is to take a product built at home and quickly export it to the world, sort of like Singapore’s vision of test bedding new products locally but done right. These are just some of the visible learning points I got on my recent trip to Israel, which is truly an ideal cultural melting pot for startups.

Read more: What Singapore entrepreneurs can learn from Israel http://www.techinasia.com/singapores-entrepreneurs-learn-israel/

Times Flies. Time for a reflection - closing on to the BIG 30s

Sharing an article that brought back memories of my years since graduation
And did some modification from the Huffington Post

What I Know Now at 29...

As I get ready to enter the final year of my 20s, I decided to write out my growth and my changes.

1. If we are smart, we start to realize that not everything in life needs our commentary or opinion. I'm quieter now because less conversations means less arrows. I have less opinions now at 29 than I did at 20, when I entered this precious decade. I personally view that as a sign of growth.

2. All the times people tell you that you can't eat at 29 the way you are eating at 22 without gaining weight? (Ok. Wait. I gained weight quick when I was 22 too) But its true my stomach seems more flabby now. Signs of muscles becoming flab. Who looks at your tummy anyway. I don't plan to wear a bikini.

3. If you are lucky, your mom and dad will still be around. If you are really lucky, you will find yourself closer to them than ever before. If you are the luckiest of all, they will be the two most precious people in your life.

4. Every year, you will realize more and more that being at a club isn't as fun as you convince yourself it is.

5. Eventually, the most fun nights will be the ones with your loved ones in PJs, or at home with friends and family, a bottle of wine and maybe even their baby.

6. I find myself looking back at all the times I called 29-year-olds "old" and 30+ "ancient," and realize it was my own fear motivating that name-calling. If you are in your early 20s, it will be no time until you are 29, and then you will realize in the grand scheme of things, 29 is still a baby.

7. Your best years are not over. My best years have happened, are happening now and are in the future. Every year brings so many "bests"; hopefully, we all find it impossible to define just one time of our lives as the best.

8. I spent a lot of money traveling. I have zero regrets about it.

9. Your exes are not yours. They do not belong to you. Hating their new girlfriend or your current boyfriend's ex-girlfriend is completely and utterly pointless.

10. I used to think if you forgave someone who cheated on you, you were pathetic and weak. I now see it differently. Forgiveness makes you stronger. Overcoming infidelity can increase your bond, and it cannot. Every situation is different. So before you give advice and spout off at the mouth about how you will murder the person who hurt your friend, try listening.

11. If you really do get better with age, you will find that you have less judgement to give, less comparisons to make and more compassion for every single person you encounter.

14. My siblings mean more to me now than ever before. They genuinely share my triumphs and failures. That kind of support is priceless.

15. As I have realized certain people in my life don't energize me, but enervate me, I find myself walking away from them slowly and without much attention being brought to it. This has been a big lesson.

16. The friends you have had for 15+ years are likely to stay your friends forever. These bonds will come to mean more to you year after year. Their children will be your nieces and nephews. They become your family. Eventually, you come to realize you share more intimate details with your friends than even your significant other... or maybe that is just me?

17. At this point in my life, everyone I know has lost someone they loved. Myself included. Keeping this in mind, I try and treat people a little bit more gently. You really don't ever know what someone is going through.

18. There is no blueprint to life. Some of your friends will get married early, some late and some not at all. Some will make a lot of money and some won't. Some will have five children and some will have none. Some will travel the globe and others may never leave the state. As Nietzsche once wrote, "this is my way, what is your way? THE way does not exist." Try and remember this before you tell your friends how to live their lives. Try not to judge anyone for the way they live their life as well.



19. "How may I serve?" has become my daily walking prayer. "What's in it for me?" sometimes creeps its way in, but I don't judge myself for that. I try not to judge others for it either.

20. I have come to realize that most of the time, people are just doing the best they can. That might not be the best I can or the best I would like them to do, but it's the best they can do. Patience really is a virtue.

21. A relationship, without chemistry, is pointless. If you don't know if your relationship has chemistry or not, it doesn't. I promise you.

22. It has taken me my whole life to realize that I am capable of being kind to the kind, and kind to the unkind, because kindness is MY nature. I heard over and over again growing up "how people treat you is their karma, and how you react is yours." I now react kindly -- at least most of the time.

23. Rudeness does not prove a point. Neither do bitchy attitudes, dirty looks or cursing. An excellent vocabulary proves a point. If you regularly talk about your "haterz" or "all the drama in your life," there is a good chance you are creating both. If you like that sort of thing, carry on.

24. People that are generous when they are poor will be generous when they are wealthy. People who are generous when they are wealthy are people who would be generous when they are poor. That is because generous people have a generous nature. It has nothing to do with money, and everything to do with attitude.

25. I have really come to know that what you put out into the world is what you get back. That being said, my interactions with other women are almost always positive, uplifting, supportive, understanding and full of love. I do not find women to be jealous, catty or difficult to get along with. I don't like it when people say "you know how you women are." No, I don't. I know how I am, and I know that the women in my life are supportive beyond measure. End of story.

26. Health is something I have come to value. I took it for granted before. I still enjoy a good bottle of wine or two (to myself) every now and again, but I no longer enjoy how I feel after stuffing my face or skipping exercise. I never thought I would write that last sentence.

27. I now realize that real love isn't easy or simple, at least not for me. It is made up of laughing so hard you cry, embarrassing dance moves, nit-picking, arguments over who started the argument, kisses on the forehead, forgiveness, intimacy, fights, make-ups, home-cooked meals, vacations, anniversaries, pain, ups, downs and everything in between. But that look, that only the two of you share that says nothing and means everything, can still make you weak in the knees and vulnerable beyond measure. Real love is everything all at once right in the gut over and over again.

28. I know now, as I enter my 29th turn around the sun, my final year in the decade of my 20s, that who I am is someone I love, and there is no shame or fear in admitting that.

29. I know now, that change is inevitable. I have changed a thousand times and yet I have always held on to the essence that is me. I know myself. Now more than ever. I can only imagine how I will feel at 39, 49, 59, 69, 79, 89, 99 and 109. I am so excited for this ride.

 

Reminder to stand strong against the waves because it could be temporary

Entrepreneurship is a path, a lifestyle and ultimately a journey. You begin, face have challenges and, eventually through struggle and hard work, you succeed. Whether you’re about to begin your path, or are perhaps floundering in the dark and stormy woods along the way, knowing the three basic elements of a good story just might help you survive entrepreneurship.

Knowing the three stages of the hero’s journey just might help you identify where you are on the entrepreneur’s path and help you reach your intended goal.

Remember, it’s not just the destination, it’s the journey.

Step One: Departure or Separation. Entrepreneurship requires departure from the comforts and security of “normal” life. Sometimes, your departure from the standard path is solely your own choice to follow the vision you just have to follow. Other times, your journey might be prompted by a layoff, downsizing or other unexpected change in your previous corporate status.

Whatever the reason for the departure, it often feels scary and exciting simultaneously. Just how frightening or amazing it feels has a lot to do with how much choice you had in making that leap versus being pushed but, regardless why you stepped on your path, enjoy and congratulate yourself that you’ve gotten this far. As the Chinese philosopher Lau Tzu said, “the journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.”

Welcome to the path, fellow traveler.

Before you take that leap, here’s my advice: It’s going to be really, really hard. So you got to believe in your vision, in the problem you want to solve/in the need that yours can satisfy, because it won’t make sense any other way.

Meanwhile, you got to be OK with that your classmates who played it safe and earning a six figure income. He’s driving an Audi, eating in posh places like Andre’s, clubbing at Mink and dating that super-hot girl. He’s got the kind of brand name experience on his resume that’s a springboard to anywhere else. (He could easily be a she; reverse as desired.)

This is the price you pay if you do decide to run your own, and it’s real no matter how sexily the media dresses up entrepreneurship. The only way this cost makes sense is if you believe in your vision; to the point where it doesn’t even matter if you fail while pursuing it – the act of trying is enough.

Otherwise, the hours, the doubts, the persistent lack of extra money (where most money go to staff,regulatory cost and whatsoever hidden cost), the decisions that proved wrong, the friend you recruited who turned out poisonous…all those things will wear on you. You must believe in what you do and enjoy the process, otherwise the price is too steep.
 

Step Two: Initiation. Campbell calls it initiation, but you can think of it more like challenges. Maybe, when you started, you thought the world would embrace you with open arms but, now that you’re on your way, you realize it isn’t quite so simple.

Just like the hero in every story or myth you’ve ever been told, you have to earn your success through trials and challenges of growth, discovery and failure . This is rarely a brief stage of the story. In fact, this is where the bulk of the journey takes place. As an entrepreneur, this is where you can expect frustration and the agony of lots of setbacks, even failures and many ungodly late hours when all you want is rest. Luke Skywalker lost a hand. Odysseus had to face the Cyclops and almost died from the lure of the Sirens.
You will face a series of serious, sometimes disastrous challenges along the way but, if you remember the hero’s journey, you’ll find the skill, mindset and wit to overcome.

A good peer group can help! Luke had the rest of the crew to help him defeat the Death Star and get back the empire. Odysseus had his men tie him to the mast when he otherwise would’ve succumbed to the call of the Sirens and jumped ship to his ultimate defeat.

Keep your good friends and an understanding support group close by to master the challenges and overcome the failures of your entrepreneurial initiation.

Step Three: Return. The hero must eventually return to the beginning place to realize how far he’s come. So, too, will you at your success moment.
You will know you have come far and that the starting place, while still there, it’s forever changed because you are changed from the journey.
You will repeat the hero’s journey with each pursuit you have in life but never again as a novice.
You can never return home from the journey the same person.

That’s what ultimately makes the entrepreneurial journey worth it. When you’re battling initiation and grappling with defeat, you are also gaining experience, honing great skills and developing priceless relationships. You’ll start another project when you realize the success of this path, yet you’ll never travel as the same person again.

And while cash flow and business experience matter, the real secret, he says, “starts in your head with your success mindset, attitude and positive thinking.” This is what gets you through the struggle.

Be where your customers are … and communicate with them there.” – 

“Never stop networking, never stop pushing. It’s easy to give up when everybody around you … is telling you ‘you can’t do it’. You have to be around positive people. Then push on.”  

“Our first three years were brutally tough… every day was about survival. Then I remembered a lesson from my father. Your mind is everything, yet it’s not what you know, but rather how you deal with it. It is about your mindset and positive thinking.” 

“Entrepreneurship is one of the loneliest professions in the world. The entrepreneurs that are really successful reach out in networking groups and peer associations — or just to one person. They need that thought partner.”

Adam Toren

Contributor

Serial entrepreneur, mentor, investor and co-founder of YoungEntrepreneur.com

* Doing your own business is like a marriage. Starting it is probably the easiest stage. To persevere on mentally and emotionally is what creates the break through. Of course also with lots of prayers *

Project Inspire 2013 Recap + Upcoming Project Inspire 2014 (Social Entrepreneurshup In Plans)

The Finals for Project Inspire 2014 is COMING!
30th August 2014
Insead Campus in Singapore
12noon to 2pm

Project Inspire: 5 Minutes to Change the World is a joint initiative from the Singapore Committee for UN Women and MasterCard, to help young change-makers create a better world for women and girls in Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and Africa.
Launched in 2011, to mark the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day
and the 25th anniversary of MasterCard Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, Project Inspire presents 18-35 year olds with a five-minute platform to pitch their inspired idea, for the chance to win a US$25,000 grant.



If you are someone who has any idea on how you can contribute in making the world a better place, submit your idea here! The great thing this year is that one does not need to submit a video, just the write up will do!

Do it quick! For the dateline ends in 7 days time!
30th June 2014.

For some ideas to piece together what you have in mind,

Here's some social entrepreneurship showcase ideas
 
Wheels on Workers brings together volunteer mechanics and youth ages 18-28 to teach auto repair skills. The program seeks to empower workers to become marketable craftsman in the auto industry. Repaired vehicles are sold to the community, bringing money back to the organization, and sold below market value to help individuals coming out of workforce development programs.

Welding Artisan Center aims to train veterans, job-shifting adults, former inmates, and at-risk teens in the art and science of welding.
To learn more, Visit http://www.weldingartisancenter.com/

On The Rise Bakery  trains men recently released from prison or substance abuse programs. Every purchase at the bakery goes back to providing supportive housing, training, educational opportunities and more. 
To learn more, visit http://www.cskdetroit.org/bakery/


City Girls Soap  creates handmade soaps, lotion and laundry flakes out of goat’s milk. The company aims to employ young people in Pontiac, while also sourcing their ingredients locally.
To learn more, visit   http://www.citygirlssoap.com/

Vehicle City Tacos  is a food truck company committed to supporting sustainable, local, urban agriculture efforts.

The Detroit Food Academy  teaches young Detroiters a triple-bottom-line approach to food business.
To learn more, visit http://detroitfoodacademy.com/

And here's a recap of last year's entries.

Protsahan
Location: New Delhi, India.
Aim: To expand training in design and handicraft for at-risk women in slum areas.
Team: Sonal Kapoor (India), Shruthi Komandur (India), Tripti Bhauduriya (India).
“In 2010, during a corporate film shoot in Delhi, I came across a woman in a slum,” says Sonal Kapoor. “She had six kids and was trying to send her eight-year-old girl to a red-light district. Extreme poverty demanded that she sacrifice one child in order to pay for food for five others. [I decided then that] I would start a creative arts school, [Protsahan], for sexually abused girls in the area.”
To learn more, visit: www.protsahan.co.in


Global Press Institute
Location: Asia, Middle East and Africa.
Aim: To provide journalism training to
women in Bangladesh, Morocco,
Papua New Guinea and Tunisia.
Team: Cristi Hegranes (USA).
“Global Press Institute (GPI) reporters undergo rigorous, professional journalism training, which equips them to write and report stories that have already sparked great change for women, girls and the world at large,” says Cristi Hegranes. “They have caused law changes in Nepal and Rwanda, social protest in Zimbabwe, and heightened awareness for millions of readers all over the world. Our journalists are also earning strong living wages, so they are becoming economically empowered.”
To learn more, visit: globalpressinstitute.org

Empowering disabled women through Beekeeping
Location: Masaka and Luwero, Uganda.
Aim: To empower young women with disabilities via training in beekeeping and business literacy.
Team: Susan Asio (Uganda), Brian Mwiine (Uganda), Gerald Kikoyo (Uganda).
“We believe that our project will bring hope back into the lives of disabled women and girls, boost their esteem and identity in society, and lay a firm foundation for them to compete in the economic world,” says Susan Asio who, along with her colleagues Brian Mwiine and Gerald Kikoyo, truly believes “disability is not inability.”
To learn more, visit: www.katutandike.org

ILaw ng Tahanan - My Shelter Foundation
Location: Mandaluyong City, Philippines.
Aim: To train detainees at the Correctional Institution for Women in the production, use and sale of low-cost solar lamps.
Team: Atty. Margarita N. Gutierrez (Philippines), Atty. Doranne Lim (Philippines).
“It is through education that we can impart vital information to the women of our generation; information that will give them the necessary tools to decide for themselves, and gain the confidence and independence to live the life they want for themselves and their family,” says Margarita N. Gutierrez.
To learn more, visit: aliteroflight.org

Empower Generation
Location: Nepal.
Aim: To identify and support female entrepreneurs in the clean energy distribution business.
Team: Anya Cherneff (Netherlands), Bennett Cohen (USA), Sita Adhikari (Nepal), Santosh Bista (Nepal).
To learn more, visit: www.empowergeneration.org

 
Livelihoods through Livestock
Location: Ngorongoro, Tanzania.
Aim: To provide economic empowerment to marginalised Maasai women through livestock programs.
Team: Selina Nguruma (Tanzania), Paul Ngoitiko (Tanzania), Lilian Kilonzo (Kenya).
To learn more, visit: www.pastoralwomenscouncil.org
Peace and Development Drama Program
Location: Dili, Timor-Leste.
Aim: To create and develop a film aimed at educating
women on business and livelihood skills.
Team: Sierra James (United States), Joana dos Santos Camoes (Timor-Leste), Jacinta Pereira (Timor-Leste).
To learn more, visit: www.bafuturu.org
Shanti Uganda – Women’s Income-Generating Group
Location: Luwero, Uganda.
Aim: To improve the lives of poverty-stricken, HIV-positive women through the production and sale of eco-conscious jewellery and handbags.
Team: Sadie St. Denis (Canada), Salam Jeghbir (Canada),
Robina Mulangila (Uganda).
To learn more, visit: www.shantiuganda.org
The Masala Project
Location: Mumbai, India.
Aim: To provide training and support to women who run businesses producing masala.
Team: Nivedita Pohankar (Mumbai, India).
War-Affected Vulnerable Women Livelihood Innovation Project
Location: Jalalabad, Afghanistan.
Aim: To help marginalised widows in Jalalabad run a small business by teaching them computer programming and
design skills.
Team: Shafiqullah Shadab (Afghanistan),
Walayat shah (Afghanistan), Fawad Ali (Afghanistan). 

Everyone can make a difference for the community.
Its only about whether you want to do it.
Priorities in life. For others. Or for yourself.

Raw: the boy inside

Was informed by my friend about this play happening at the Esplanade Studio. Its been ages since I've been to a play (the last was Animal farm) when I was still taking literature in college. 

And boy am I glad I made it for this play.

\

This greeted us at the start. Bare. Emptiness. Just silence sounding in our ears. With the little chattering happening among the audience. And the lights came on.
Characters walked in.

This play writes about the character Nicholas a boy struggling with Ecezma  as he pursues his love for swimming. I loved how the play unraveled in silence, in soft sounds, in loud shouting tones, in darkness, in focus light and in strong light - interacting with our emotions as the story goes along.



In  this play, I thought about my brother who also is still suffering from Ecezma, and myself who had suffered from it when I was in primary school and was miraculously healed. The stares at my legs during PE because the night before I had scratched it till it was raw and red - some parts dried some parts still not. Me, pulling my skirt lower to my knees so its covers the scars on it. The treatment I went through - cockroach shell boiled bitter chinese medicine, bathing in tea leaves,drinking snake soup to cleanse the blood, cooling powder, butter moisturizer, sulphur powder to kill the germs - most of the remedy I should have tried it. Oh yes, and I stayed away from seafood for a long long time. I also came close to steroids injections that was proposed by doctors to be the quick but not sure solution. I did not go through with that. And not sure how, I grew out of it in secondary school. Just one day, I no longer itch. There are many people suffering from Ecezma actually. And it worsens in a hot humid country like Singapore. But to call it a disease during the play, made me feel uncomfortable.
I thought about my brother who gets the constant itch and to date, still scratches unknowingly till raw wounds appear on his body and face. I've grown up with it so to me, its common, nothing serious. But is it true that it scares people off? Can't one just brush off the dried skin thats left behind on the bed. Its just dried skin after all.

And if Ecezma is such a  minor problem, and it already causes discomfort.
I prayed for strength for the parents of intellectually disabled or handicap children , for they bear the brunt of the stares, of society unacceptance - more than that of their child. And I pray for the society and community to be kinder to them.

But yes people don't understand.
I mean how can I fault you if you havent been through it.


As the play enters the deeper into the story, it also brings about the theme of family ties. But not too much that it still allows me to focus on the main character Nicholas.
How the cycle goes on - just as the phrase goes " outer wounds can heal, but the inner ones are the monsters we all fight with" - Here we see the mother keep nagging to her father about how his off-handed method of letting the children grow as they are , is not how it should be, She wanted her father to tell her when she was young, not to run in the rain because she might fell sick rather than let her way and eventually fell really sick. I guess she can say that now. But would she really have wanted her father to do so in the past?
Made me ponder on the parental methods that I've heard. So whats' good for a child? In every method, I believe there's pros and cons. But most importantly, the child must feel the love, care and concern. The support that the family is meant for. In fears, for someone to confide in (without judgment), in struggles, for someone to hold on to for comfort and hugs and in unknown, for someone to bring one back to reality gently and with good constructive intentions.

And as each character goes into deciphering their inner monsters, the use of soft music plays in the background, as if calling the character to look inside oneself rather than the environment. And the pace slows, just right, for the audience (myself) to ponder on my own monsters.

I like how the synopsis writes " Maybe if one is so used to pain, then one might start becoming oblivious to it"