What is the nature of your business? (Business Profile)
My business involves all sorts of graphic designing. Including websites, print and interior design.

What made you embark on this venture choice?
I have always been interested in art, design and architecture. If I have am going to venture into the business field, I definitely have to tap on my forte and do something of my interest.

How does your business work?
It is providing a service. When a client wants a design, I provide a quotation, the alternative and solutions. Thereafter, I create and they buy my service.

Did you have the capital to start the business or did you have to borrow from someone to get started?
No. I did not have enough to start off. I borrowed from my family.

Do your parents have their own businesses too? Have they inspired you in one way or another?
Yes, in fact my grandmother, who was my first employer, used to own a chicken rice store not far from my current office. Doing business has always been in my blood and my grandmother really inspired me a lot.

What was your childhood dream? When did you decide that you would strike out on your own instead of working for someone else?
I have always dreamt of becoming an artist. May it be sculptures or paintings, I want to be involved from the beginning. It is my nature to want to create things, dismantle things and make things better. Ever since I started working. That was about 12 years ago. I feel that one cannot be truly happy working for another. The credit always goes to someone else.

Why did you decide to be on your own rather than join an existing company?
They are anti-establishment. They enjoy freedom and do not like to be governed.

Are there at any point in your life that you experienced a significant event which affected or influenced you and your business that made you change the way you think and do your business?
It has to be the birth of my son. Before his arrival, I was a freelance designer. But looking at baby Dylan changes my perception of the events happening around me. I want to have a legacy to pass down to him.

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.)
There are tons of challenges and it is hard to pinpoint a particular one. In my case, it would be convincing myself that I could make it. It was a huge mental challenge for me. The people around me were giving a lot of negative feedback asking me not to take the risk. So it was tough. On the other hand, once I convinced myself that this was going to work, the other things fall into place. E.g. looking for office location

Who/What motivates you?
My eighteen-month-old son, Dylan is my source of motivation. Watching him grow is tantamount to watching my business grow. No doubt the money serves as a motivator also.

Tell me about the first few customers and the first few years of business.
My first client was a furniture company. They were working on a website under a very tight budget. The low budget translated into me having to sacrifice a lot of my time and effort. It was tough as I did not have a strong portfolio and taking up the project meant undercutting my competitors.

Please tell me some stories of your best day in business or your proudest achievement to date.
Everyday is my best day in business. I see it as a necessity to maintain a positive attitude. My proudest achievement was setting up a weekly newspaper, without prior knowledge and experience of newspaper layout. Everything was like a crash course and I came up with the concept of a 30-page newspaper within four days. It was probably the most one could learn about layout design in a week.

Do you recall your worst day in business? Have you ever felt like giving up?
Never. I believe in functioning with a positive mindset. No doubts there are ups and downs in every business but it is essential to move on. E.g. getting over a rejection phone call in 30 seconds, believing that the next phone call would be a customer who will use my design. There are times when I was close to giving up, but I usually give up the thought. I have gone so far, done so much, put in so much effort and invested so much time that its wrong to harbour thoughts about giving up. Unless I am in debts, I do not foresee myself giving up my business.

When was the moment you realised the business would work and support you?
When I could afford more expensive diapers for my son. When I could afford a car, sustain rental and still have extra cash for consumption and holidays.

What are some of the things you have had to overcome to succeed?
Similar to Q9

What are some qualities that you feel you possess which differentiate you from someone who works for others?
It is my fighting spirit. As a salaried worker, one tends to just do his job. There is no incentive to go beyond the job scope. But it is my nature to add icing to the cake, to give more, something extra.

To succeed in business, what qualities are essential? What are some of the "secrets" in making a successful business?
Some of the qualities would be patience, perseverance, streetwise, social skills, maintaining relationships, knowing your boundaries, strengths and weaknesses. Also having the hindsight to spot opportunities and vision to foresee trouble. The only secret is hard work.

Who or what inspires you?
Spiritually, it is God. I have a habit of thanking him every morning when I wake up for letting me open my eyes, see my son and go to work.

Have you thought about expanding your business into other countries?
Yes, and it would to be to an European country. Things are expensive in Europe as compared to locally. There is a paradigm shift in mindsets of the Europeans. They no longer look to Eastern Europe for cheaper alternative. In fact, they look to Asian countries like China. In my opinion, Singapore, in the Far East, would be of their preference.

What aspects of expansion would you like to see for your enterprise?
I want to offer a full package service to my clients. This includes concept, design, print and patenting. I want a bigger office space with some co-workers and also a wider network of business ideas.

In your opinion, how would you define entrepreneurship?
I quote from Lexus, "the relentless pursuit of perfection". One who is continuously improving the business.

To what extent does one's educational level help or hinder entrepreneurial-ship?
An uneducated man may jump into the river and learn how to swim but the educated man will look for a bridge, but will he find the bridge? Education is important but it also depends on the type of business. Take for example a Rojak storeowner, if he is educated, he will not be just selling Rojak, he could be selling franchise. There are cons of education also. When one is fed with too much information, he may not start a business due to knowing the risks involved.

As we try to select the final 41 entrepreneurs, what qualities would you think a person should have to inspire others?
It has to be leadership. It is a very strong quality. There could be a billion people, but amongst them, there is only one leader.

What advice would you give young people who want to start their own business?
They must understand tolerance and patience. You must also have passion for what you are doing.

What advice would you give young people who want to start their own business?
Give it serious thought before starting. Do a lot of research and proper planning. Know what and how to do it and who to do it with.

Your Personal Comment
Mr. Terence Lim treats people with earnestness and portrays a fatherly image. It was more than a pleasure interviewing him and hearing him share his experiences.