Belicia Tan

I love collaborations with customers. In this case, Dr Vivien Ng challenged us to this batik tiffin order. If you search online for batik tiffin, it's always slightly costly and I was about to tell Vivien that we will not be able to fulfil her order. However, customers as our community always have a way to share their ideas to us and we are always open to experimenting them to make sure that PichaEats as a brand and its cause is widespread to more people. After a few discussions and tweaks, we managed to work out a product that would satisfy the people at Ernst & Young. What's most amazing is how we could take this idea, incorporate into our product line and open up more opportunities to people who would work on the product in the long term. This is one of the few successful cases that happened and definitely looking out for more in the future. P/S : Do note that we don't necessarily execute all the ideas but those that we know we have the capacity and operational ability to fulfil.

50

What does a surfer and entrepreneur have in common? Questions were fired and answers were candid during the a private discussion + a fireside chat at the The American Chamber of Commerce in Singapore (AmCham Singapore) with Mr Ho Kwon ping from banyan group a few weeks back. From why a multi millionaire decides to shop at Uniqlo and Muji to picking himself up after business failures. I went from nervously shaking his hand (I blame the aircon 😂) to an engaging and lively conversation with him in the room (and even letting him taste our brownie brittles!) I loved his raw honest personality. Here’s what I learnt: Surfing 🏄 and entrepreneurship have a lot in common- need skill, timing, luck(to catch the right wave) to bring you back to shore (or closing that deal)💰 🔍Find your why – what drives you to wake up each morning, fueled and focused. Don't sleepwalk through life. Live with intention. 🤔When faced with a tough business decision, I always ask myself: What are the pros and cons? And, honestly, is my ego getting in the way? ⚖️Take calculated risks: He Invest up to 25% in new ideas, never 100%. Only bet what you can afford to lose. I highly recommend his book that I’m currently devouring - Behind the Banyan So any surfers (or entrepreneurs) here identify with what he said? P.s. He nodded in approval after tasting and later mentioned (to the entire crowd) how he actually enjoyed them and said ‘her cookies are nice!’ - I was over the moon!

53

24 Comments

Leon Foo knows coffee. For a decade and a half, he has played a pivotal role in Singapore’s exploding café scene.    From founding Papa Palheta Coffee (now PPP Coffee), to opening popular café Chye Seng Huat Hardware, to co-founding coffee equipment distributor Stellar M Pte Ltd, he has used his love of coffee and his entrepreneurial spirit to develop new coffee experiences.   He noticed an experience gap, however, in home brewing – specifically with coffee capsules. Convinced that there must be a way for convenience to be matched by quality and customisation of the brew, he co-founded Morning.    After working with designers at STUCK DESIGN and ACRE Design and taking a fast-tracked iterative approach to design and prototyping, the capsule coffee machine start-up launched its first model in 2021. MORNING created its own niche based on an unarticulated need in the market – one that Leon keenly felt but nobody else had addressed. He hasn’t looked back since.   Swipe left to read about how seeing things from a different perspective gave Leon the vision to embark on a business that has changed the game internationally.   –    Organised by the DesignSingapore Council, People of Design celebrates the everyday visionaries who are delivering extraordinary impact through design. These innovators defy the stereotype that design is only for designers or that it is merely about aesthetics – it is a tool for positive change that is accessible to everyone.    Know someone who’s making a difference through design? Nominate them at https://lnkd.in/g_FVhH-P for a chance to be featured.    #DesignSingaporeCouncil #PeopleOfDesign

32

This is both very interesting and strange at the same time! "'We're fully booked': S'pore businesses offering factory tours report strong interest as visitors relish chance to peek behind the scenes". "Behind-the-scene tours into the making of products such as probiotic drink Yakult and Tai Hua brand's soy sauce have surged in popularity Factory tour operators said that the demand can be "overwhelming" and tours are at capacity most of the time One tour organiser said that these visits introduce the public to the “unsung heroes” behind Singapore brands Participants spoke of how they enjoyed seeing the inner workings of their favourite brands For the businesses, such tours are a chance to raise brand awareness and give their employees a sense of pride in their work". When I was a kid I went on these kinds of visits for school but I really can't see the attraction as an adult. I suppose it's something different and the good thing is that it's away from screens for both parents and their kids and something more subtantial to do at the weekend and they are all "learning" something? Would you go? What do you think? If you’re a B2C entrepreneur and would like help finding new high net worth clients our Ultimate LinkedIn marketing and personal branding service can do this for you, our premium and highly recommended service details are here on this LinkedIn SmartLink: https://lnkd.in/dqWRi6EZ Link to story here: https://lnkd.in/gNtXRpRG

20

14 Comments

Arthur Lai, my sifu made my day yesterday! Unfortunately Art had deactivated his LI as he believes he should be fully retired already. He still works though, for fun; and a bit.of excuse to drive to Ipoh monthly to savour Ipoh food n get his stock of Chek Hup coffee, whose executives he coaches n mentors. For one whole year, when we were business partners in a training provider called "3i", he dilligently n patiently mentored me. We were requested to conduct a very remote online training, a sugar plantation n manufacturer in Bandar Lampung, Sumatera, Indonesia. The 2 companies we worked with for that whole year, during the MCO, belongs to the group of companies owned by the "Sugar King", Malaysia's richest man (last I checked). Art n me felt so honoured because the program was for a cohort of senior managers, reporting to the CEO n CXOs. Me, I felt like I seriously wanted to "terkencing"! I had a serious crisis of confidence. Though I am confident in public speaking, presenting n training delivery, this group of people had me "shat in my pants"! So to speak! The subject we had to cover was a wide range of topics for senior management. Beginning from leadership, communication, motivation your people, digitalisation, marketing n even procurement!!! I asked Art, how the heck would I do that?! The year-long program was 3 hours every 2 weeks, thus we had 24 sessions. The CEO gave us his nod, after a "trial" session which we presented on COLOURS/DISC. I gained the confidence to deliver online after I completed my VLC training with PLF Mohd Nadzrin Wahab n strengthened further when I completed the CVLF with Rosihan Juara Baharuddin. We combined Art's wealth of knowledge n experience n my reasonably fluent Bahasa Indonesia. Though at times we interspersed with a bit of English. We were proud when we asked the participants, to present in English. Yes, online. By that time we had helped to build their confidence. The CEO n deputy CEO was happy with the progress, half way (they attended too, though it was not in their plan!) through, they asked us to train another 5 cohorts! As the budget was limited, they wanted to focus on the topics of leadership n communication at Art's suggestion. To Art, Nadzrin & Juara, I am forever indebted to you for your guidance. Not forgetting Safura Atan (without "P"), thank you for your part too!

14

5 Comments

Congratulations to the Rize team. Engaging statistics that stood out to me: rice farming accounts for 10% of global methane emissions. Producing a single bowl of rice requires over 200 litres of fresh water. With sustainable farming practices like alternate wetting and drying (AWD) and direct seeding rice (DSR), Rize aims to reduce water usage by 20%, methane emissions by 50% and improve farmer incomes by up to 30%. Temasek, GenZero, Breakthrough Energy , Wavemaker Impact Source: The Edge #climateresilience #agritech #sustainability Agri-Food Tech Expo Asia, part of Singapore International Agri-Food Week

33

1 Comment

Listening to Tony Lim’s insights on how BananaBro scaled to over 30 outlets got us thinking about the importance of having the right tools to support growth—not just in F&B, but in every industry. Just as they needed the right strategy, we know how critical it is to have reliable equipment for smooth operations. Whether it’s ensuring crystal-clear communication with the Yellowtec m!ka Mic Arm TV (lower Mic Arm) or managing multiple audio sources effortlessly with the DHD smart mixer, we’re here to provide solutions that help businesses thrive. Just as BananaBro found its recipe for success, we believe the right technology can make all the difference. #YellowMicArm #DHDsmartmixer #audio #broadcasting #entrepreneurship

3

It's simple: If you want to check in early, then the person before you needs to check out early too. Otherwise there are no rooms for you to check into. If you want a late check out, then the guest after you cannot check in early. Rooms also need to be thoroughly cleaned and this takes time and manpower. I would rather wait for them to clean my room properly, than to demand or force for an early check in. Besides, you can always store your luggage at the concierge first and do other stuff while waiting for your room to be ready. Don't people know this?

4

Quote: "There is no way to sugar-coat this: 2024 has been a bad year for restaurants in Singapore. Chefs and owners who were predicting a tough year have found the going worse than they had dreaded. Every kind of food and beverage business has been hit – casual, mid-price, upscale, fine dining. The strong Singapore dollar has made the Republic expensive for tourists. People here are saving to spend overseas. The goods and services tax hike has made diners more wary of spending. People are going across the Causeway for groceries, haircuts, meals and entertainment. According to data from the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (Acra), 3,616 food businesses started in 2023 and 2,748 stopped operating. Figures for 2024 run until October and, so far, 3,301 food businesses started up. Another 2,747 have wound up, one fewer than the whole of 2023." An interesting article with strategies from owners and chefs who are pulling out all stops to survive, worth a read 📰 There is no clear light at the end of the tunnel in terms of policies, direction as well as economic outlook and it will only get worse once the Johor Bahru–Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link is completed in 2026, leading to further consumption outflow. A bumpy ride ahead into the perfect storm 🌩️🚈

37

4 Comments

This new pigeon management plan announced yesterday is quite an interesting development to managing certain types of wildlife in Singapore. I’ve always felt that the usual way agencies react to public complaints about animals is well, reactive. Complaints about animal x, y, z = cull, with many statements about public hygiene and safety etc. (recalling past incidents with jungle fowl, wild boars, stray dogs etc etc) I’m not discounting these issues. But as experts have pointed out repeatedly, including most recently by Anbarasi Boopal in this piece by Elise Wong , culling alone solves nothing. So this new action plan to pigeon management, which builds upon the results of an earlier study showing how access to food can influence fitness of adult birds and numbers of chicks, seems to be a more science-based approach to managing rock pigeon populations. Plus the fact that it’s carried out across a wider area to limit spillover is also novel, compared to past approaches where each agency/ authority manages its own area. Will be interesting to see how this pans out. https://lnkd.in/g6RRBzpx

82

1 Comment

We have had a lot of questions about non alcoholic wine since last week, and to respond to all the insightful queries, I thought I would put together an article which demystifies the category. Is Alcohol-Free Wine Halal? How is non-alcoholic wine made? Does non-alcoholic wine taste the same as regular wine? Is non-alcoholic wine suitable for pregnant women? Can non-alcoholic wine be used in cooking? What are the health benefits of non-alcoholic wine? Are there less calories in non-alcoholic wine? Can non-alcoholic wine age like regular wine? Is non-alcoholic wine suitable for people with dietary restrictions? All the answers are in the below blog post: https://lnkd.in/guWVD9B8

1

FnB suffering in Singapore: "Tung Lok, Japan Foods warn of losses as restaurants face tough environment". "Catalist-listed restaurant groups Tung Lok Restaurants and Japan Foods Holding (JFH) separately issued profit warnings on Oct 25, underscoring the challenges that restaurant operators are facing. The food businesses warned that they expect to incur net losses for the half-year ended Sept 30, 2024, with both noting the challenging economic environment. They did not comment on the extent of the losses. It said the net loss in the most recent financial first-half was due to a drop in revenue as a result of the challenging economic environment, which has affected overall sales. But it added: “Traditionally, the group’s performance in the first half of the financial year (April to September) is weaker than that of the second half of the financial year (October to March).” Meanwhile, JFH attributed its latest half-year’s loss to two main factors: higher selling and distribution expenses compared with the year-ago period; and the provision for impairment loss on a loan to its joint venture company. It had posted a slight profit in the year-ago period, but a loss in the previous half-year ended March 2024. On its selling and distribution expenses, JFH noted increases in the depreciation charges of plant and equipment and right-of-use assets, manpower cost and utilities expenses." Everyone is having the same challenges of manpower costs and increae in the rise of running a business so what can be done to help them? What can be done to help FnB outlets survive and thrive? If you’re an entrepreneur and would like help finding new clients our Ultimate and Ultimate LITE LinkedIn marketing services can do this for you, details are here on this LinkedIn SmartLink: https://lnkd.in/dqWRi6EZ Link to the story here: https://lnkd.in/gmVHTwXd

12

34 Comments

We explore emerging trends in retail tech in Southeast Asia and how they are impacting the region and different industries.

2

It's weirdly humbling that I was so busy at a client event the last few days [delivering the Sanpellegrino Young Chef Academy Awards for Asia] that I completely forgot about our own big milestone - Companion Communications turning 5! Thank you Linkedin for the reminder, and for all the kind messages from everyone. FIVE! So much has happened in the last year, though the most important was exiting the initial startup phase, and spending ALOT of time figuring out who we were, why we are, and who we do it for. Which led to a full rebrand, overseen by the really remarkable Camille Malloch of de.ca who spent hours upon hours helping us visualise our mission statement, and then creating beautiful collaterals to help support our brand refresh. This felt incredibly cathartic and gave us such a head start into 2024. And BOY did we rear off after that! Having been very clear that we only offered boutique advisory and strategic communications for Travel, Dining and Property, it felt like all 3 industries took note and sent us an email this year.  A little bit more about those wins below, but first I want to highlight some key partnerships and experiences. Interestingly, I was able to spend a bit of  time in the GCC - in Dubai and then my first visit to Riyadh as a speaker at Future Hospitality Summit – which  then led to deeper discussions on how to grow within this market and to our partnership with Andart Global, a bespoke advisory firm that offer strategy, reputation management and communications to governments and corporations, and to whom COMPANION adds deep knowledge and relationships within the hospitality industry. I am so excited that we were are thinking big and outside the box, and will be able to deliver services that are really unique to market. I was also able to travel far and wide for work - back into my old Travel PR groove from my pre-children and pre-Covid days. Some highlights included the Steppe of Mongolia, the tea hills of Sri Lanka, the souks of Riyadh, The American Bar at The Savoy, the Pacific Coast of Mexico, the central coast of Vietnam and the rolling countryside of the Dordogne. We grew the team this year, with the addition of a Senior Account Director in Hong Kong to help support our hospitality and travel clients, as well as a senior consultant in Dubai. I never actually wanted to grow COMPANION quickly as I think small is beautiful, particularly for something so niche as hospitality advisory and comms - but it feels good to find those missing pieces and placing them in the team to see them grow and fly. (continued in comments cause I'm feeling v chatty!)

72

5 Comments

After the Fire Part 6 The fire in February disrupted the whole program for three months. Moving on. The following is the work step to starting Dignity Kitchenette from May to September - Costing. he training, the marketing, the stall setup and starting up. - Promote and recruit from various organisations. Cancer recovery from Cancer 365. Mental from Anglican Care, dementia from Dementia SIG. Also cognitive impairment from National Neuroscience Institute. This was not easy to convince people with long term chronic illnesses. many were keen, something they were looking forward to but at the same same time hesitant, not knowing whether they can do it. Help from the social workers. - Interview and Selection. This is the difficult part as well. We have to select right. Dementia have to be early stage. Cancer are those recovering well but we got it wrong when one of the selected got worse. Same as one of the dementia that when we start training her condition worsen as the training progress and we have to stopped her training. Reason unknown. - Curriculum adaption. Change approach ro training and extend the training period. from our 22 days to 40 days. Cost increased. More practical and hand-on. More visual in the training room. Everything instructions are visually drawn and written on whiteboard. -Training. Three trainers assigned for the training program and one on standby to do the practical. Dignity Kitchenette from August to December - Looking for site. Approached SBS Transit who has a site at Yio Chu Kang Bus Station. - On Launch. Design, renovation, approval, permit and installation of equipment and shelving. - Maintain Dignity Kitchenette. Trainees on site for trial. Logistics. Delivery. Marketing. Administration and so forth. Total final investment $120,000 and not finished yet. The computerise POS is pending. On Saturday, I was invited by my favorite Saturday morning Money FM program hosted by Glen and Neil. An interview on Dignity Kitchenette. Here is the podcast: https://lnkd.in/guSnv8PU Please download, upload, share. No restrictions. To be continued

19

I know that the last line is "Technology will never replace love," but there are a few other things to take away from this -- 1. Mothers will never replace fathers (nor will fathers replace mothers for that matter). 2. There's really no reason why fathers should be absent or "disinterested parties" in the lives of their children. 3. Fathers help raise children too. This includes Dads holding their own children when they cry, or feeding them when they're hungry, or teaching them, or setting an example for them, etc. (In fact, Deuteronomy 6 specifically lays the primary responsibility for leading children in the way of the LORD on fathers, not mothers.) 4. Children need to be held. They need the loving embrace of their parents to help them develop properly. Children who are left alone too much suffer from "Failure to Thrive." 5. And, yes, "You're right there, man! Put down the smart-phone and hold your baby!" Are we so dependent on our mobile devices that we think that they can replace an actual person or an actual relationship? There's a difference between being "tech-savvy" and being "tech-dependent." https://lnkd.in/g9Fcpq8W

3

Always a yearly affair that I look forward to! Menu 2034 is Synthesis flagship Futures experience. This is the third year that they’re organizing this, & celebrating the milestone at their new office in Sg! 💯 Have you wondered how our diets will look like exactly 10 years down the road, in 2034? By 2034 our food systems will be under strain like never before. With a billion more people to feed there will be more demand for meat, eggs & dairy, more consumption of ultra processed food and more food waste. This will put pressure on our planet, increasing greenhouse gasses resulting in rising temperatures (yes, we are all feeling the effect now, in every part of the world 🔥) Synthesis Menu 2034 explored reactive and proactive strategies to future food, urging us to rethink how we SOURCE, STRETCH & increase SUSTENANCE in our food system, amidst the global climate & nutrition challenges. This includes food waste valorisation, plant-based proteins & sustainable fishing. Got to try out the Radical Transformation & Adaptive Resilence menu featuring dishes made from KARANA Foods, Prefer | bean-free coffee, Fogo Fungi Vertical Oceans Dole Sunshine Company etc, all 100% plant-based! Also got to meet Chef Oliver Truesdale-Jutras, ex-head chef at NOMA, part of the team preparing the amazing spread for us! PS: My fave dish has got to be the dessert, put together with Lemuel choc silken soy pudding, fudge made from Dole’s banana peel, leftover sourdough from Tiong Bahru Bakery turned into crumbles, & coffee ground whip! Who says food waste cannot be turned into a delicious dish! 😋 Kudos to Lee Fordham & the Synthesis team for putting together such a great event again! #sustainability #foodwaste #foodsecurity #supportlocal #plantbased #futurefood #agrifood

100

2 Comments