What made you embark on this venture choice?
Curry puff is something that I like to eat. But at that point of time, most of the puffs are traditional and there's nothing very interesting. So I decided that if I could make something that can be crispy even after 8 hours. It will be good. Since 16, I have been a chef, so I set my mind in experimenting this into his all time favourite food. decided to try to make my own crispy puff.

How does your business work?
Our factory will prepare the dough and ingredients and then it will be delivered to all the different outlets in Singapore. At the outlet itself, the chef will knead the dough on the spot and make it on the spot with the prepared ingredients and fry it there and then.

Did you have the capital to start the business or did you have to borrow from someone to get started?
I started off using my own saving (about a few thousand). The ingredients did not cost me much. So with the little saving, I started off with a small stall and slowly earn and raised money as the time goes.

Do your parents have their own businesses too? Have they inspired you in one way or another?
My parents used to be in fishball noodles business and I help out in the stall in the morning before I go to school. In a big family of about 10 siblings, I realised that food is very crucial; therefore I decided to go into the food industries.

What was your childhood dream? When did you decide that you would strike out on your own instead of working for someone else?
When I was young, I did not have much childhood dream. It was only until Secondary 1 or 2, I wanted to go into food industrial. I was from a poor family and the earnings from my parents' noodles stall are not enough to support the whole family. So I decided to drop out from school in Secondary 2 and went to sell noodles. I sold noodles for about 1 year and went on to find a job at one seafood restaurant. During the year 1977 when I started working with them, the restaurant's earnings increased from $60 to $80 and later years to $8,000 a month. As employees, we were very sincere and loyal. We go to work early in the morning. If the boss is not in, we will climb into the restaurant to start preparing the food.

Why does someone decide to be on their own rather than join an existing company?
I would prefer to do my own business, making puff will require skills and this are my skills and it's my secret recipe. And since I got the opportunity and I don't need to partner anyone, I just decided do it on my own.

Are there at any point in your life that you experienced a significant event (WW2, racial riots of the 1960s, the Economic Crisis of the 80s or 90s, SARS, new competition or shifts in market behaviour and trends) which affected or influenced you and your business that made you change the way you think and do your business?
During the down period, I was not really affected. As the prices (ranging from $1 to $1.50) of curry puff is affordable. There were quite a number of competitions from the traditional stalls and a few new stalls coming out, it is not really affecting me. From only one flavour, I experiment different flavours and now we have a total of 9 different flavours to suit the different customers' taste. As I always wanted to infuse more Asian flavours into 1A's crispy puff, we have a flavour of the month. Previously we had flavours like Mango, Tom Yam etc.

What are some of the challenges in starting a business from scratch?
Workers-not many Singaporeans like to work in kitchen. Nowadays, we can no longer use the "boss type" of tone on the employees, we got to work together with the staff and give them the benefits and perks they deserve. Building up the reputation was not easy. When you are small and "brand-less", nobody is interested in the puff. Therefore now, we are concentrating very much on our branding.

Who/What motivates you?
The unity of the family. Everybody in my family is very supportive. They tried and recommended it to their friends. Seeing a satisfied customer finishing the puff, I was very motivated.

Tell me about the first few customers and the first few years of business.
It started off in 1991 while I was working and on sun morning I would wake up at 5/6 o clock to make curry puff to sell and allow people to taste and try the puff. I started off by making 150 puffs, at it was all sold out in a very short time. People have not seen such nicely shaped puff. As I see customers selecting the puff, I was very happy. So I was determined to go into this venture. Seeing customer buying so happy, I was determined. Then instead of selling only on sun, I sold it on sat and sun and slowly, I sell it daily. Before I go work, I will start doing make the puff. The business slowly picks up as the years goes.

Please tell me some stories of your best day in business or your proudest achievement to date.
When I see customer finish eating his or her puff, I felt very happy. One of my best days is when I got the Takashimaya food retail space. I'm thankful to the management for giving me the opportunities and believing in us, despite being so new and young in the market.

Do you recall your worst day in business? Have you ever felt like giving up?
I'm the type of person who will not let any opportunities slipped by. So I would accept every orders that was made. Be it big or small. Making puffs is a job that requires skill and since all is hand-made, there is limit to the speed. Thus it was quite stressful and tough on the kitchen as the orders increased. I didn't realised this until one very good staff resigned as he can't coped with the stress, I was very sad then and I just blamed myself for his resignation. After that I had learnt that I got to stop and look from the viewpoint of the employees. Though I might feel down at times, but I will never give up. This is my interest, it a promise to myself. There a lot of flavours which I have not infuse into the puff, I must not give up. I did it for passion, otherwise I would have given up.

When was the moment you realised the business would work and support you?
Since the beginning, When I left I feel that there’s a future in this line. I left because of curry puff.

What are some of the things you have had to overcome to succeed?
Everyday will faced obstacles and overcome them. But I think I major thing to overcome is workers. A few workers cannot cope with the change of environment and thus leave. Only left with a few workers. I learnt how to manage the business before and how to be a good leader.

What are some qualities that you feel you possess which differentiate you from someone who works for others?
I faced all sorts of problem, I never avoid any of them. Courage and dare to try are very important too. As long as you perseverance you can go it.

To succeed in business, what qualities are essential? What are some of the secrets in making a successful business?
I treat my customers with sincerity. And in the business world, customers are very crucial. Another quality is Perseverance

Who or what inspires you?
I got some of my inspiration from small kid or younger generation as they are more open to new suggestion. If you ask an elderly, what you think of durian in puff, they will tell u no way where got puff filling is durian one.

Have you ever thought of expanding the business in some way or in multiple locations? How and where?
Currently I have 8 outlets and I wanted to open at least 15 outlets. I'm currently working on franchise Indonesia. And some other Asian countries like Thailand and Malaysia had shown interest in franchising but I would like to concentrate on Indonesia first. Within Singapore, I would like to have a total of at least 15 outlets

What aspects of expansion would you like to see for your enterprise?
In term of both retail outlets in Singapore itself and franchises in Asian countries.

In your opinion, how would you define entrepreneurship?
I would define entrepreneurship as to create something from nothing or to improvised and improve on an existing thing. It just like coming out with a new item or new product and to be creativity.

To what extent does one's educational level help or hinder entrepreneurial-ship?
With sufficient education, you would be more knowledgeable. With higher level of education, it will help entrepreneurial-ship. Even for myself, I continuous upgrade myself to keep up with this fast-moving society.

As we try to select the final 41 entrepreneurs, what qualities would you think a person should have to inspire others?
I feel that everybody has different qualities which will inspire different group of people.

What are some of your own values in doing business and what do you like to pass down to others, particularly the younger generation?
Do everything with a sincere heart.

What advice would you give young people who want to start their own business?
Dare to try. Not afraid of difficulties. First step is always the most difficult. Once you walk out the first step, second and third step will be much easier.

Student Interviewer's Personal Comment
Mr Ow is a successful entrepreneur who believed this success does not belong to him alone. Both he and the staff had contributed a lot to the success of 1A Crispy Puffs. He is always a person whom believes in giving the customer the best quality food which is served with love.