Michael Lim has a never-say-die attitude. His innovation has made his unique remote-controlled kites the first in the world. He is applying to the Guinness World Records for having the "Most Number of Night Flying Objects in the Sky". His customers include not just teenage kite flyers, but even lawyers, doctors and CEOs. After experiencing the joy of GoFlyKite's remote-controlled kite, many have become kite enthusiasts. Nonetheless, Michael remains humble over his numerous achievements. Michael's kites bring pride to Singapore.

Company: GO FLY KITE PTE LTD Address: 30 Merchant Road, #02-12/13 Website: http:// www.goflykite.com Interview with Mr Michael Lim Koh Leong by Lex Leong Eu Xing on 22-Mar-2007. Student can be reached at lexleong@yahoo.com   Business Profile: GoFlyKite has been featured on many occasions- in presentations to the President, Ministers, at the Science Center's iFuture exhibition, for the King of Bahrain and other overseas events. Look out for his kites in the National Day Parade 2007. GoFlyKite has also been introduced at Bowen Secondary, Northbrooks Secondary, Sengkang CC, university flying clubs and more. You may see his kites being flown from 8.30pm onwards everyday at the open field beside Riverside Point.   Interviewer's Comments: Through the course of the interview, Michael strike me as being extraordinarily successful, and yet he is neither haughty nor showy. He patiently conversed with me over a cup of coffee. Interestingly, his famous kites were being flown nearby, in an open area by avid enthusiasts. His company's motto is "No strings, no limits", and I was much in awe of his magnificent kites that he showed me through a video. I was much regaled by his entrepreneurial story of perseverance.   1. What is the nature of your business? Kites without strings or Remote controlled kites. We have a flight simulator trainer and personal instructors to teach people how to fly the kites. We have "Night flyers" from age 7 to 74 years old.   2. What made you embark on this venture choice? I was in the jewelery business before starting on my venture. As an interest, I liked to fly traditional kites and remote-controlled planes. However, the cost of Remote Control planes is too expensive for an average person and traditional kites cannot be as maneuverable as a RC plane. So I decided to combine the advantages of the two and the Remote control Kite was born. Coincidentally, one day, I brought my daughter for a night stroll in the park, and she gazed in the night sky and said, "Daddy, I like the stars, can you bring them to me?" I fixed LED lights on the kite. I saw it as fulfilling the dream of my daughter. The next day, I brought my daughter to East Coast park to let see her see the lighted kite and she was very happy. The kite started to draw crowds and people were asking me where I got this product. That is when I decided to go into this venture.   3. How does your business work? From a thousand of years ago till now, people are still flying kites with strings. Now, I am trying to change history by introducing kites without strings which will definitely have the potential of lasting a few thousands years more. The good points are that they are easy to learn, light weight, crash-resistant, and battery-operated.   4. Did you have the capital to start the business or did you have to borrow from someone to get started? It was started by me. It was not easy at the beginning because I was new to the market.   5. Do your parents have their own businesses too? Have they inspired you in one way or another? Yes, my father owned a business but it eventually failed. So, I learned from my father, and desired to create a miracle so that my father will be proud of me. My father taught me that I must stand on my own two feet.   6. What was your childhood dream? When did you decide that you would strike out on your own instead of working for someone else? When young, I wanted to fly and be a pilot. Being Chinese-educated, the language barrier prevented me from this ambition. I was artistic, liked hand-made things, and have a strong interest in mechanisms. I was a disciple for a few years under a jeweler which dealt with the mechanics of the jewelery business. But, I was not satisfied, I wanted something more. Thus, after my NS, I started out on my own.   7. Why does someone decide to be on their own rather than join an existing company? If I am working for someone else, it will restrict my freedom. I might have my own way of thinking, which might disagree with that person's idea. That will restrict my life and the way I run my business.   8. 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 behavior and trends) which affected or influenced you and your business that made you change the way you think and do your business? No, they were not problems. Actually, during SARS, I actually had a new innovation, a product, which was a laundry helper which prevented bacteria and reduced water wastage. But due to some difficulties in implementing it in laundry areas, I have set aside the venture for now.   9. 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.) You will need to combine a dream with theory. Practical and dreams combine to form reality. I am embarking on something that has never done before, and others have thought it as a waste of time. The many aspects of the product has to be slowly discovered. I had to face failure too, so it is important to be logical and clear-minded.   10. Who/What motivates you? A lot of people have the same hobby as me. I get motivated when people beside me also fulfill their dream. My parents played a major part. I see it as giving children a healthier hobby- so that children will not be playing computer games and arcade games all the time. Because of the product, they can have disciplined teamwork, a sense of belonging and most importantly they enjoy the flying. The activity I have given them is not just a kite to fly, but a training program. We have different grades, from Freshman, Bronze, Silver to Platinum flyers, depending on how advanced they are. This gets adults and children involved in a common activity.   11. Tell me about the first few customers and the first few years of business. They are still flying the kite and they do drop by the shop once in a while. There was a lot of market potential from the start but I did not want to just sell a product. I wanted a kite flying community.   12. Please tell me some stories of your best day in business or your proudest achievement to date. Our tag-line is "No Strings, No Limits", which is also the tagline of the Singapore Night Flyers. Only in Singapore, not in elsewhere in the world, are there these kites without strings. There are imitations from China, but we see it as telling us that our products are good. We have performed internationally at air shows, in our National Day Parades, opening events for large companies, and the wedding of the Channel U artistes Darren and Evelyn.   13. Do you recall your worst day in business? Have you ever felt like giving up? My worst day was when setting up, because of the potential, I realized the "bubble-tea" concept. This means that competitors would always copy a successful product. Thus, in fact, "Go Fly Kite" is our name and a warning. It was given by my supporters when I started out, and I was unaware of the meaning at that time, but it became memorable after a while. "Go Fly Kite" actually sends out a warning to competitors not to copy the concept and buyers to buy the copyright. From our name, they should respect intellectual property.   14. When was the moment you realised the business would work and support you? When I designed the Firefly in the year 2000. Also, in 2004, I realized that with the establishment of my business and shopfront at its good location at Riverside Point, my business could support me. There are many kite-flyers who fly our kites around the Clarke Quay and riverside area.   15. What are some of the things you have had to overcome to succeed? During failure, I will look back in retrospect. I find my mistakes, and ask my friends for advice. Luckily, my friends supported me, and through teamwork, we share our experience. I had to overcome myself. Because of the high cost of living, I had to support my entire family's expenses, the burden being very real, and I had to overcome those difficulties. My family did not complain, making me guilty further. This inspired me to never give up and show to others that I can make it.   16. What are some qualities that you feel you possess which differentiate you from someone who works for others? I like to do my own business. I have my own views which others might be unable to understand. I have the ability to work hard and show to others what I have done. I like to show to others that I can succeed. Some people might not understand the concept upon my initial explanation. However, the task is something like being a magician. You can gain self-confidence when people give me good feedback.   17. To succeed in business, what qualities are essential? What are some of the secrets in making a successful business? I will let the product be a concept, like a community, and market it like a community. The kite is not just a toy. With this concept, the product will last for long. I see it as a lifestyle product.   18. Who or what inspires you? My daughters, who fueled my passion for the remote-controlled kite business.   19. Have you ever thought of expanding the business in some way or in multiple locations? How and where? I have plans to market it across the world, with a global concept. The product can be copied, but not the concept. From our management, the team, the package, the night flying, and the human relationships built, all of these are hard to imitate. The growth is slow, but the business will last very long and is sustainable. The kites are a tourist magnet, and the products will speak for themselves.   20. What aspects of expansion would you like to see for your enterprise? Being in R&D, our advantage is there. We can learn and support and consult knowledge experts. We need to recruit talents in order expand. I hope my "Pro 3", which is GoFlyKite's flagship kite and other different designs will have a smooth journey.   21. In your opinion, how would you define entrepreneurship? Trying to prove that you can do better than others. Entrepreneurship requires a lot of self-belief. You cannot give up on yourself and cannot let people influence your ideas. You must be able to do what others cannot imagine or do. Definitely, everyone will have dreams. You must dare to dream. Think for others and try to help others. People cannot be complacent. In the case of the GFK flyers, we educate them that they cannot be full of themselves and forget who they are.   22. To what extent does ones educational level help or hinder entrepreneurialship? In the past, I disliked studying; I felt that books could not teach me everything. I wanted to experience and understand things for myself. Education might not actually help the process. However, perhaps studying English more might have helped me in my journey.   23. As we try to select the final 2007 entrepreneurs, what qualities would you think a person should have to inspire others? First, one must do something that can attract and benefit others. Second, one must create a product that will be accepted by the people around them. Third, one's actions, values, and behavior should be an example for others to respect, and appreciated. Fourth, one must be humble and not be conceited about one's achievements. Lastly, one must cater to the needs of other people. For example, by creating a huge benefit for the country, and bringing economic growth to Singapore.   24. What are some of your own values in doing business and what do you like to pass down to others, particularly the younger generation? You do not need an overly large capital to begin your business, and you should not over-expand. Do not let your hopes get too high initially. Next, you have to improve continuously. Do not stop thinking of new ways to improve. To do well, look at things from a new perspective. A lot of young people might start their business, leading to over-expansion. They must examine their business carefully. In short, they must know when to let go. If their company still exists, they can expand, like in the 36th stratagems of the Art of War, one should know when to release, and when to seize the opportunity.   25. What advice would you give young people who want to start their own business? You do not need an overly large capital to begin your business, and you should not over-expand. Do not let your hopes get too high initially. Next, you have to improve continuously. Do not stop thinking of new ways to improve. To do well, look at things from a new perspective. A lot of young people might start their business, leading to over-expansion. They must examine their business carefully. In short, they must know when to let go. If their company still exists, they can expand, like in the 36th stratagems of the Art of War, one should know when to release, and when to seize the opportunity. Finally, understand the market, the environment, and the people's needs.   26. Do you foresee the future entrepreneurs conducting their businesses in a different way than entrepreneurs from the past 5 years? (Yes or No) Yes, last time it was through hard work. Nowadays, children grow up in a protective environment. They follow black and white rules. A better way is to make more friends and understand their ideas. Understanding others is very important.   27. Do you feel that the future entrepreneurs have a higher chance to succeed than the entrepreneurs from the past 5 years? (Yes or No) Yes, because they have previous processes and experience to learn from. Our Government has set up lots of platforms and pipelines for entrepreneurs to show-off their products. However, I feel that the future entrepreneurs should not be overly materialistic when venturing. They can gain support through these platforms and pipelines. 90% of those starting out do not survive, and only a small portion may become successful. There might be blockages but the future entrepreneurs have to overcome them.   28. What are your reasons for your answers in Q.26 and Q27? The future entrepreneurs need to have values and integrity when conducting business. They should cultivate a community concept. Flying the kite, is not just buying a product but also supporting a local innovation and introducing a refreshing concept for the nightlife of Singapore.   29. Here is a light-hearted and personal question. Are you going to teach your daughter your entrepreneurial skills? During this time, children are still in their youth, they still need parental affection before they are exposed to the material world. I will wait till she is older.   30. We are now at the end of our interview. One last question please- how have overseas visitors have viewed your enterprise in Singapore? Overseas friends have commented, "I have never seen this in my life. I have never see this in my country!" Foreigners who fly our kites help to promote Singapore as a vibrant country with a unique nightlife. It is compatible with the government's plan to expand the nightlife here The satisfaction and return from that is limitless. There is no limits to how high entrepreneurs want to go. You can tell that from our tag-line "No strings, no limits."