PHOTOSHOOT WITH THE STAR PUBLICATION

We never knew how supportive Alliance Bank is to the SMEs until we were selected as the top 20 finalists at the SME Innovation Challenge 2015. Since the announcement, we have been through various training and media exposure.  One of the many was the interview organised with the Star Newspaper.

The interview was conducted at the Bosko Restaurant, Bandar Utama Centrepoint. Amnan and I arrived early and we were greeted by Agnes Ong Poh Choo, Adrianne Emuang and Lilian Khaw. Together with us for the interview were Effon, the founder for Kakitangan, Mehedi Hassan, the founder for LYL Technologies and my Kelantan homeboys Syed Ahmad Fuqaha, the founder for Katsana.

Before the journalist Mek Zhin arrived, Agnes prepared and tip us on some Do's and Don't when dealing with reporters. After an hour of interview, we hang out abit and camwhore while taking a break before the next interview began.

INTERVIEW WITH THE START-UP FOUNDERS AT BFM 89.9

Get up close and personal with the founders of 20 successful small & medium enterprise whom was selected as the top 20 finalists at the recent SME Innovation Challenge 2015. The Top 20 Finalists whom had attended the first business training at the Alliance Bank BizSmart Academy on 2nd October 2015 will be interviewed by the business radio BFM 89.9 on stages. The interview will be done during the 'Open For Business' segment at 10am (refer to the picture above).

Tomorrow, BFM 89.9 will interview Sherlyn Tan, the founder of Twenty3 and John Ho Chee Kiong, the founder for Sang Kaya whom had recently launched 2 new outlets in Klang Valley. For more information on Twenty3 and Sangkaya as well as the 20 finalists, click HERE.

The 20 finalists are from 5 different sectors, namely fashion, F&B, Mobile Applications, E-Commerce/online stores  and online solution. 

There are 5 new start-ups in Fashion namely, (1) Ash Be Nimble, (2) KooshBoo, (3) Rent A Dress, (4) SimplyK, and (5) Twenty3. 

There is only 1 company in Floral which is the BloomThis.

5 companies in F&B and they are ChopStick Diner, Humble Beginnings, Lao PO Recipe, Sang Kaya and Signature Snack.

3 companies in mobile application but all are in different sector; CarBengkel is for automotive services, LYL Technology in content streaming apps and Servis Hero in general services. 

2 companies in e-commerce or online shopping; Freshcart Grocer offers an online fresh grocer and imported fruits and SnapSell is for the users to snap anything and sell.

There are 2 companies that provides online solution; Kakitangan provides HR data consolidation work and WOBB provides recruitments for best talent. 

 

THE 20 SUCCESSFUL SME FOUNDERS

It was such an amazing experience being in a room full of successful founders which I was given the privilege by Alliance Bank & the sponsors. I was one of the 20 finalists shortlisted at the recent SME Innovation Challenge 2015. For more information on the SME Innovation Challenge, please read here, here and here. They all have wonderful stories to share and a good made in Malaysia business concept especially for Malaysians and the world.

When my business prospers, I will certainly join the list of sponsors for the SME Innovation Challenge. Being with new founders, really injects alot of aspiration and motivation. It is not all rosey and beauty for the founders to be where they are today. I was in one of the group that was split into 5, and one of the founders said, she had multiple nervous breakdown and almost kill herself to keep her company afloat. Another founder attended the Biz Smart Academy today and left her barely year old baby in the hospital admitted for dengue. Such were the commitment and dedication by the founders to bring their company to the next level.

We attended the first of the 8 full day training courses organised to equipped businesses with essential ingredients for success. I attended the course with a burning desire to learn, apply and starving for knowledge and success. It was great to be in a hall full of founders with the same huge appetite. The energy was exemplary.

Today's first full day was a course on Strategic Influencing by Eric Lau from Leaderonomics. There are alot of things we took for granted while running a business and Eric, in his hip and passionate presentation backed with strong references to real life case study put alot of senses to many. You should check them out at www.leaderonomics.com. 

We also had the pleasure of meeting Christy Ng whom was the 2013 SME Innovation Challenge

Champion. She was generous with sharing her success story and gave some useful tips in tackling those judges during the final pitch. Another guest speaker was Ivan Lee from The Tapping Tapir, the Top 6 finalist for last year's challenge. Victor shared his experience in getting into the top 6. The biggest challenge faced by them two was in canvassing for public votes. They actually went to Pasar Malam and into universities to get students to vote for them!! Eeek!!! I cannot remember when was the last time I went to pasar malam.

RICE BOWL START UP AWARD 2015

We are so pleased to be nominated for the Rice Bowl Start up Award 2015. The Rice Bowl Startup Awards celebrates rising startups that are worthy of regional awareness and presence, uses technology and modern business strategies to deliver their service offerings.

It is called the Rice Bowl award as rice is a staple diet among Asians, so is technology for fuelling businesses of the future. The Rice Bowl Startup Awards is the first ASEAN awards that celebrate rising startups that harness technology innovatively to propel their business regionally. Companies participating in the event are from Malaysia, Myanmar, Brunei, Philippines, Cambodia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam. Malaysia is the host for the event this year.

The media exposure for this award is massive and will provide CarBengkel with sufficient exposure to go global by year end. Please pray for us to get into the TOP 30.