What is the nature of your business? (Business Profile of Asia PR Werkz)
Asia PR Werkz was formed in 1996 as Asia PR Comz, a boutique Public Relations consultancy specialising in Technology PR. We were well ahead of the Internet and Technology curve, starting our regional operations before the internet boom as a Public Relations (PR) firm, that serves the Asia-Pacific region and specialising in marketing and communications, with our niche in technology PR. Our distinguished clientele read like the who's-who of Fortune 500 blue-chip clients listed on US, UK and Asian stock exchanges. In 2002, Asia PR.Comz clinched the honours of winning the IPRS PRISM's 'Best Technology PR' award. In 2005, Asia PR.Comz was re-branded as Asia PR Werkz, to reflect the dynamism, relevance and expansion plans into a full-fledged PR consultancy, with Account Directors leading the Technology, Corporate, Financial, Government Relations and Consumer Lifestyle divisions.

What made you embark on this venture choice?
I spent more than ten years at IBM Singapore and was involved from sales and marketing, branding, advertising and promotions to launching of new products-e.g. ThinkPad, IBM AS/400the first IBM Demand Generation Centre. I worked in the pioneer team to set up the one-to-many demand generation model, where we set up the IBM Direct Centre in mid 1980's. We did everything from scratch then- writing invitation letters, pitching, presentations, creating data bases, marketing programs, solution fairs, PC shows etc. In fact, in 1988, I was invited by the IBM Asia Pacific Headquarters to write a handbook on how to do demand generation in Asia, with templates on the processes, SOPs, forms, questionnaires, letters etc; which was then used as a handbook manual for all marketers in Asia Pacific. My last job in IBM was in brand management, where I picked up the interest and skills in advertising, promotions, communications and public relations. When I left IBM after the birth of my third child, I was headhunted to manage the regional marketing for a US software company, and given a portfolio to manage marketing, channel management, business alliances, and public relations for the entire Asia Pacific geography, spanning nine countries. In 1996, at the prime age of 34, after my three kids started school, I decided that since I was at the height of my career, I had enough adrenaline and guts to venture out on my own. So I took that big giant step of stepping out of the comforts of all the corporate trappings and decided to start my own company - hence the birth of Asia PR.Comz.

How does your business work?
Currently, Asia PR Werkz offers the full suite of Public Relations and Marketing services, specialising in Technology, Corporate Affairs, Financial (IPO and IR) Lifestyle Consumer Marketing, Government and Legal PR.

Did you have the capital to start the business or did you have to borrow from someone to get started?
Modestly speaking, I started Asia PR.Comz with only S$2, as paid-up capital; never had to borrow from the banks, and never was in the red. Just as I was setting up Asia PR.Comz, one of my ex-bosses asked me to help him organise a Asia Pacific users group conference for 250-persons in Bali. I had to plan, manage and execute the entire program within six weeks from start to finish. I nervously prepared my very first proposal and was shocked when his first response was..."You've got to be kidding!". (I thought, a disastrous first quotation!)Then, with a twinkle of the eye, he said "Double it". With that as my 'foreign capital', I hired my first staff. My philosophy is to be prudent - never hire until I have enough retainer clients or project work that will pay for the next staff. At our peak, we had 25 staff. It has been a blessed venture. With my gung-ho-ness, I took a shop house at a T-junction at 58, Club Street (against all protests of Chinese feng-shui superstition of 'mm-fatt i.e. no-luck) and started as one-man show. My husband, a top corporate banker, eventually gave up his lucrative job to work alongside me in the starting of Asia PR.Comz. Together, we did everything ourselves - from business development, servicing clients, writing press releases to the media, pitching for new businesses, billing, delivery, media clipping, washing toilets, cleaning offices, recycling every bit of paper, etc. I was very prudent and never hired until I have enough business to sustain or self-fund the extra staff and is blessed that I was never in the red.

Do your parents have their own businesses too? Have they inspired you in one way or another?
No, my parents were civil servants. I am the first entrepreneur in the family.

What was your childhood dream? When did you decide that you would strike out on your own instead of working for someone else?
My childhood dream was to be a doctor, not in business. But when my father passed away during the midst of my A-level exams, circumstances led me to pursue a degree in business administration and Technology. But now, (in my 40s) I have come back to do my childhood dream, to be involved in the healthcare and wellness business. (Healthcare and Wellness Corporation was founded in 2004, and Penthouse Aesthetiques Centre was formed in 2005) I had always worked for large American MNCs and was very comfortable working in a global environment, with good staff welfare and corporate perks. When I started Asia PR.Comz, it was a fusion of east-west management style. Whilst we were a local boutique firm, we juxtaposed Western management techniques infused with Asian family culture. We created a convivial family atmosphere where staff could bring their new-born babies, breast-feed in the office, and also rewarded staff with awards and incentives based on performance and meritocracy.

Why does someone decide to be on their own rather than join an existing company?
The adrenaline rush and the autonomy of being your own boss is something that cannot be replaced if you worked for somebody else. It's the feeling of ownership and risk taking. Entrepreneurship is about seeing the big picture (having a vision), having a sixth sense (business acumen), taking initiative (action) and the guts (gung-ho-ness) to identify an opportunity, assess the risks, then plunge in whole-heartedly, giving it the best that you've got.

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?
For my PR business, it was all very good timing. My business was blessed from the beginning and continues to be blessed. We started before the internet boom, and we positioned ourselves as a service provider to the many technology firms that established their headquarters in Singapore. Hailing from IBM, and having served in the executive councils of many professional non-profit organisations, ( such as the Singapore Computer Society, Institute of Public Relations, United Nations Association of Singapore, Women's Business Council etc ) gave me a global perspective on technology and business trends. Hence, as an agency, we were able to provide the 'gatekeeper function' and 'bridge' for many of these foreign firms to venture into the Asia Pacific region, using Singapore and Asia PR as a base.

What are some of the challenges in starting a business from scratch?
The first three years (for any business) is tough, especially when you come from the corporate environment. Starting up, you have to do everything yourself. My basic principle in business is --'Respect for the individuals', something I learnt since day one in IBM. I had built up very good business relationships and friendships (not just client-vendor hierarchy) with my suppliers during my IBM and MNC days. It is what the Chinese say-- 'guan xi' and 'ren qin' that eventually led to my suppliers becoming my loyal partners in my own small business. They became my instant business partners and regional network - giving me moral and industry support, helping and encouraging me.

Who/What motivates you?
My children motivate me. I want to build a credible, self-sustaining business, one that brings decent income for the family and hopefully build up a worthy conglomerate that will have presence in Asia, a legacy that I can leave behind for my children. It is also the sense of pride and achievement, when I look back at the past ten years, to reflect that I had dared to have a dream, took the plunge against all odds, and have survived.

Tell me about the first few customers and the first few years of business.
Back in 1996, we managed a project for Cisco Systems (the top communications network giant from San Francisco) I had just started my company operations, and singled-handily hosted the Chairman on his whirl-wind 5-hour stop-over in Singapore. We successfully arranged for him to meet the then Education Minister, and organised one-on-one interviews with all the key media, resulting in full-page coverage of his visit on Business Times Raffles Conversation, Straits Times, and on TV. After the successful project, we were later invited by the CEO to Cisco HQ in the US, and subsequently won the one year contract. Hearing the visionary Cisco CEO John Chambers speak to me face-to-face, sharing his vision on the Internet explosion (before Internet was popular) was an extremely humbling and fulfilling experience for me.

Please tell me some stories of your best day in business or your proudest achievement to date.
My proudest achievement was in 2002, when Asia PR.Comz won the PRISM's "Best Technology Public Relations" awarded by the Institute of Public Relations Singapore. The win was a great endorsement and encouragement for me and my team. It was the first time a local boutique firm beat the well-known global international agencies in the hotly contested category, where more than 13 entries were submitted by international and local agencies. It serves as a strong encouragement because it came from the peers and the industry.

Do you recall your worst day in business? Have you ever felt like giving up?
My worst days in business are when staff leave me. Because we are a small company, I treasure every employee as a friend. I still keep in contact with my employee number two, number three and so-on. It pained me whenever we said good-bye -but being just a small SME then, it was very difficult to match the corporate perks, bigger pay cheques, posh offices, prestige and regional exposure offered by the larger international firms.

When was the moment you realised the business would work and support you?
I was rushing in between meetings in Suntec City one day, (as most of my clients were located in the then 'Singapore's Vertical Silicon Valley') when I bumped into my ex-boss from IBM, who asked me incredulously "Celene, what are you doing?" and my candid off-the-cuff answer to him was "Well, I started feeding one mouth-mine and now am responsible for feeding thirteen mouths, plus their families..." Just at that magical moment, it struck home that indeed, what started as an OMO, I had created a small but flourishing enterprise that provided good honest work, and steady income and employment for many others. That spurred me to work harder, and our efforts paid off with us gaining recognition within the industry, winning awards, and today, we are celebrating our tenth year anniversary in October 2006.

What are some of the things you have had to overcome to succeed?
On the business level, I had to face the prejudices that larger international firms with Caucasian staff can command bigger fees and can do better job, vs the local firms. It was also the FUD factor (fear, uncertainty and doubt) factor that the client never got into trouble for paying big bucks to hire big well-known international agencies - vs those that took a chance with the local boutique agencies. This had always been my pet peeve, because I believe that local agencies have the local knowledge, tenacity, agility and 'hunger' to provide equally good if not better, service and counsel to the clients.

What are some qualities that you feel you possess which differentiate you from someone who works for others?
As the owner, you must have the passion and the 'fire in the belly' within your innermost being. The sense of ownership and accountability are what differentiates between the employer and employee. At the end of the day, the feeling of satisfaction, achievement and fulfilment of a job well done are inexplicable rewards for the entrepreneur.

To succeed in business, what qualities are essential? What are some of the "secrets" in making a successful business?
To succeed in business, you need to have the 4-Cs: Competence, Capacity, Confidence and Compassion to do the job well. The enthusiasm and the x-factor, in providing the extra mile, thinking out-of-the-box and trying your best, are key differentiators that helped Asia PR clinch most of our deals. Our company philosophy has always been "Delighting our Client", and our delivery approach is "Service with a Smile" Yes, it sounds cliche, but it has always been a hallmark of Asia PR, and it works.

Who or what inspires you?
There are many mentors and role-models ( I call them 'angels' ) in my life. On the business front, it is Dr Jannie Tay, Vice-Chairman of Hour Glass and President of Women's Business Connection (WBC is a women CEO group of which Celene is the current Vice-President). Dr Jannie Tay taught me this --Not be afraid to ask 'why' and more importantly, 'why not'. Through attending global conferences, getting involved in numerous business ventures and fund-raising campaigns, I have learnt so much from Jannie, Elizabeth Sam and the group of female CEOs in the WBC ; just by interacting and learning from these successful entrepreneurs. In WBC, we have the "Project Godmother" programme to identify young ladies in which we nurture and mentor the next generation of leaders. On the personal front, it is my husband - who had always taught me to stand-firm in my beliefs, and he has demonstrated his love and support by being always there with the children - hence giving me the 'freedom' and 'peace of mind' to expand my businesses . My other angels are Mr PY Hwang (retired head of EDB and GSIC) and his wife Polly Hwang; who had been instrumental in providing the compass and moral support in guiding my family back to our Christian principles.

Have you ever thought of expanding the business in some way or in multiple locations? How and where?
Unlike restaurants or retail outlets, PR consultancy is a very service-oriented business where the personal client-agency relationships are not that easily replicable. In terms of multiple locations, we are considering expansion, through joint-venture, or setting up our own companies in growing markets like China.

What aspects of expansion would you like to see for your enterprise?
Currently, we are part of a regional network of like-minded founder-managed boutique firms. Our future plans will include joint ventures and the establishment of Asia PR in fast-growth areas, such as Beijing and Shanghai.

In your opinion, how would you define entrepreneurship?
Entrepreneurship is about having a dream, and daring to make that dream come true. I see myself as an accidental entrepreneur, because I didn\'t grow up thinking or yearning of becoming a boss. But after a while, the taste of ownership, accountability and success motivates and keeps me going. I am pleased that Asia PR.Comz had survived and succeeded for the past ten years. I am equally delighted that with the re-branding of Asia PR Werkz and the inclusion of two junior partners into the firm, Asia PR Werkz is now recognised and entrenched in the Corporate and Government sector; and continues to be invited by major clients to represent their interests, in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and China. With this, whilst I am still very much involved in Asia PR, I can now spend more time on my volunteer and community service, and focus on developing my first love - in healthcare and wellness business. Perhaps, that will be the next chapter.

To what extent does one's educational level help or hinder entrepreneurial-ship?
One's education level is not a pre-requisite to succeed as an entrepreneur. Learning is not limited only to academic excellence, and certainly not confined within the classroom walls. Learning is a life-long journey and one gets their lessons through the 'University of Life'. For me, my university education, rigorous IBM industry training and global exposure have provided good training ground for me. These have helped developed my professional marketing flair, disciplined my thought processes and inculcated my systemic approach to solving problems. These have augured well for me as I embarked on a professional consultancy career. On the other hand, someone who has no formal education will have more gut instincts than a graduate. They will be less 'kiasu' and 'kia-si'; more 'gung-ho' to 'cheong'; And his street-smartness may actually be his weapon to wheel-and-deal; where his survival instincts would have been more sharpened through the school of hard knocks. Hence, depending on which industry one is going, the educational level can help or hinder entrepreneurial-ship.

As we try to select the final 41 entrepreneurs, what qualities would you think a person should have to inspire others?
I think the person should have a story to tell and be an inspiration to others. Life is never a fairy tale. With each chapter there are always lessons and experiences to be learnt, to be shared. We should be open, honest and selfless in our sharing, so that others may benefit from learning about the challenges, issues and problems faced, and if possible, avoid some of the common pitfalls and mistakes. If our trials and tribulations, joys and jubilations may touch any lives and encourage others, then it would all have been worth it. Of course, it helps if the person is approachable, friendly, willing to share, mentor and train others. It should be a self-propagating process where the lessons and experiences are shared and exchanged for others to draw inspiration from.

What are some of your own values in doing business and what do you like to pass down to others, particularly the younger generation?
I guess PR is in my blood, where I think I can identify the various chapters in my life to be influenced or shaped by the mottos used... What I have learnt from my education in Fairfield Methodist Girls' School is, to be "Pure and Honest" in all our business dealings. In ACJC, it was "The Best is Yet to Be" never resting on our laurels, but always striving for excellence. In IBM, the key tenet was "Respect for the Individual" a lifetime philosophy that will guide my inter-personal relationships with others. "Women making a Difference" Through the Women's Business Connection, and Rotary Club, I was involved in many Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects and various mentoring programmes for guiding the younger generation and I know that, in my own small ways, I AM making a difference in the lives of my staff, colleagues, clients, mentees and the younger generations.

What advice would you give young people who want to start their own business?
I feel that young people should work for others first, whether in big or small companies, to learn and interact with other people, and more important, to observe the interplay of management styles, how others manage and resolve business problems, interpersonal relationship issues, how others lobby, negotiate and present their business cases in achieving their desired outcomes. I strongly encourage young people to take up part-time jobs and internships. The opportunities to work in different industries will enable them to understand what each industry offers (beyond the handbooks and dummy guides), to strip the job of all the glam and glitz that it is portrayed externally, to see the hard-work and efforts back-stage. When you are young, it really does not matter whether it is just photo-copying or even serving coffee, but what is important is the ability to interact, observe and learn from these seniors the real life experiences, and then to be able to assess for oneself, whether that is indeed the industry or career that one wants to embark in the future; let alone own and run the business.

Your Personal Comment
Celene is a capable and business-savvy woman whose passion and positive attitude reflects the modern enterprising Singaporean woman. During the interview, Celene displays great personality with her cheerful disposition and willingness to nurture and mentor the young. I believe that she will be a good role model and a respectable leader for young ladies. Her humble beginnings, success story and adventurous starting up experiences will hopefully be an inspiration for Singaporean youths. Her compelling story tells of a good leader whose aspiration can be realised with passion, hard work and courage. Celene exemplifies a successful Singaporean woman with great enterprising spirit, one who is daring to take on new ventures and realise her dreams while helping others.