What is the nature of your business? (Business Profile)
Stikfas Pte Ltd is the company behind the first international toy brand from Singapore – STIKFAS™. From 2002 to 2004, our brand was licensed to US toy giant Hasbro® Inc and was sold worldwide. A book about the company and products was also published in 2004 by a renowned Japanese publisher. While toys are our main product brand, our company really is about extending our creative ideas to all possible media.

What made you embark on this venture choice?
Since young I have had the interests in four major forms of entertainment media – comics, electronic games, animation and toys. Toys had always been a major passion for me and I’ve explored everything from collection to retail to design. It was a natural progression that led me to the desire to create something original.

How does your business work?
Our company is really about innovation. For STIKFAS™, we do everything from the design of the product, to marketing, logistics, advetising, packaging and web etc. We understand full circle about the birth cycle of a product from idea to shelf and we apply them to other ideas and projects. But essentially, we are all about creating and innovating.

Did you have the capital to start the business or did you have to borrow from someone to get started?
To take that first step, I had to sell a major portion of my own toy collection in order to fund the production. Back then, it was hard for people to envision the commercial viability of a toy company so support was hard to find. But more importantly I believe it was important I took the first steps in my own means,

Do your parents have their own businesses too? Have they inspired you in one way or another?
No. But like all parents, the upbringing always has its influences and inspiration for their children.

What was your childhood dream? When did you decide that you would strike out on your own instead of working for someone else?
As mentioned, I wanted to do comics, games, animation and toys. While my knowledge about the industry may have matured, my passion to pursue it never waivered. Having progressed well in my first job in design, I boldly made the decision that I wanted to pursue my own business, to fulfil my dreams. I have never looked back since. While my projects and businesses took various forms (mostly in the creative industry), my target towards my ‘Big 4’ (comics, games, animation, toys) never changed.

Why does someone decide to be on their own rather than join an existing company?
I believe in people, there’re always needs. Just that for entrepreneurs, the needs are different. They like the challenge, they look to create their own space rather than follow the directions meted out by others. And in these people, you can always see that ‘sparkle in the eye’ and the unwillingless to conform.

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?
A major incident for me was when my brother became critically ill and was close to death. The situation was dire and I couldn’t feel more helpless than I did. And I realised then, that people come before business. It should always be about people. Hence, I always emphasise, a company is quite literally about the company of the people.

What are some of the challenges in starting a business from scratch? (Modify question to what are some of the challenges in maintaining a family business if applicable.)
Funds, I believe would be the common answer. But I stress again, finding the people, the right team was a much bigger challenge - building the culture of the company so as to withstand the challenges that we would face in time. And of course, resources to get the job done, the knowledge gaps to fill – how do we go one full circle in our processes so as to grow and mature our operations.

Who/What motivates you?
People or projects that have made it. There are so many successful people and good projects out there, and you read about what they’ve been through and what they’ve done right, and you aspire to be able to overcome the odds like they have.

Tell me about the first few customers and the first few years of business.
The first customers, like many others that followed, were drawn by the unique elements of our brand and products and the real perk for them was actually the open channel of communication which we maintained since day one. We answer emails personally, we participate in forums and chatrooms. We are a company that speaks directly to the consumers and we listen as well. Hence some of the first customers that believed in us when we were just a small outfit are still around as active fans these days. And more are joining their ranks.

Please tell me some stories of your best day in business or your proudest achievement to date.
I think the best and worse is really not a gauge for us. Here in our culture, we believe more in ‘happily pursuing’ rather than ‘pursuing to be happy’. Every incident is an experience. If I could name some significant moments, the licensing to Hasbro was a good day. When our first book was published in Japan, that was a good day too.

Do you recall your worst day in business? Have you ever felt like giving up?
There wasn’t any worst day to be honest. Even when we do hit rough patches, it was merely problems to be solved. As I said, we were about ‘happily achieving’, so the thought of giving up never really arose.

When was the moment you realised the business would work and support you?
Again, there really wasn’t such a moment. We’re just focused on doing what we enjoy doing and continuing our ‘happy pursuit’.

What are some of the things you have had to overcome to succeed?
People. The sceptism of people when we started, the support we needed but were unable to find, and more importantly, finding the right people for the team to work together on a common belief.

What are some qualities that you feel you possess which differentiate you from someone who works for others?
I always want to do things different, I’m looking for challenges and I strive to be the best in what I do. These are not exactly traits that are unique to me but I think the biggest drive for me is the need. I am unable to accept a direction and I live for the challenge of carving a path for myself and the people around me.

To succeed in business, what qualities are essential? What are some of the secrets in making a successful business?
One must have a big vision, be willing to take small steps but have a deep conviction in the steps you take. And if there is one critical secret – I would say it’s ‘cash flow’. Cash flow is the boss of any business.

Who or what inspires you?
As mentioned earlier, successful people and projects are what motivates me.

Have you ever thought of expanding the business in some way or in multiple locations? How and where?
I believe small teams are the way to go for us. I have no plans to expand the current team to more than 15. We each fulfil specific roles and get the job done. And with a small and communicative team, it enables us to react to needs and problems and it grants us the speed and mobility. But in terms of branding, STIKFAS™ is already worldwide, with the major markets of US and Japan and we’re progressing into markets in Europe, Asia and even Africa. But this growth is progressive and requires the maturity of the consumer to take place. And on top of STIKFAS™, we are also building other brands and other media products and feeding them through our current channels. That, in itself, is also another aspect of our expansion.

What aspects of expansion would you like to see for your enterprise?
Not sure if that is answered in the previous question. But to further elaborate on organic growth, if there is a physical expansion, it would probably be related to the ownership of front and back end channels. Right now, the engineering expertise and distribution is outsourced. If we were to grow, we would probably buy over these channels as complimentary entities. But the fundamental team would still remain at its current strength and structure.

In your opinion, how would you define entrepreneurship?
The need to be different, to achieve something to call your own.

To what extent does one?s educational level help or hinder entrepreneurial-ship?
None. I believe an entrepreneur would be able to find the path and fill the knowledge gaps to his business. It is the drive and passion that makes them different. It can hardly be thought through an education process and we can certainly find many successful examples of entrepreneurs who weren’t achievers in school and were probably problematic in school even.

As we try to select the final 41 entrepreneurs, what qualities would you think a person should have to inspire others?
Selflessness. The willingness to share with the people around them and also be articulate enough to convey his vision such that the people around him can see, understand and believe in his vision.

What are some of your own values in doing business and what do you like to pass down to others, particularly the younger generation?
Same as the previous question, selflessness.

What advice would you give young people who want to start their own business?
I stress again. Think Big, but be willing to take Small Steps, and have a Deep Conviction. And also, be willing to take the first hard steps on your own. Many want the success but are not willing to take on the risk. If help is there right at the very beginning, it’s hardly entrepreneurship. Those who brave the weather on their own when noone else believes and carves a path for themselves through their own means, these are the entrepreneurs.