Mrs Areena Ng founded Bridge Learning in 2003 which had its humble beginnings in her own home. Since then, the centre has grown in reputation and expanded its client base immensely within 4 years. It now has 2 centres spanning across 8100 sq. feet with 30 to 35 classrooms at Choa Chu Kang Sports Complex and Clemenceau Ave North.

Company: BRIDGE LEARNING PTE LTD Address: 1 Choa Chu Kang Road St 53 Choa Chu Kang Sports Complex #02-07/08 Website: http://www.bridgelearning.com.sg Interview with Ms Areena Loo by Cassandra Zhao on 12-May-2007. Student can be reached at cassandra.zhao@gmail.com   Business Profile: Bridge Learning is the one-stop diagnostic learning centre for children's learning, behavioural, social-communication and emotional needs under one roof. It boasts of an impressive track record of positive progress through Bridge Methodology of diagnostic, ability-driven, cross-level and multi-sensorial learning integrated with brain exercises, based on international research and pedagogies fused with local relevance. Bridge's motto is, "Bridging Gaps... Building Lives".   Interviewer's Comments: Bridge Learning looks forward to Singapore taking great pride in locally developed methodology and programmes, and being a trailblazer in the field of education locally and regionally. It has set its sights on the nations right from the start, on expanding and exporting the Singapore brand of services and programmes to the region so that no one is left behind.   1. What is the nature of your business? Bridge Learning is the premium one-stop diagnostic learning support and specialised intervention centre for learning, behavioural, social-communication and emotional needs. We provide quality and more affordable diagnostic and specialised services for children with learning difficulties and Learning Disabilities, who may be otherwise be mislabelled and misunderstood as naughty, stupid, lazy, and hopeless. Bridge Five-Fold Services include 1) Consultation 2) Diagnostic Assessments 3) Diagnostic Learning Support and Specialised Intervention 4) Educational Resources 5) Training & Certification.   2. What made you embark on this venture choice? Bridge Learning was conceived in the midst of passion mixed with positive frustration. I gained intense experience while being exposed to meeting the broad spectrum of needs required by children. I came face-to-face with the realities and lack in society. The conspicuous call to act was both bothering and inspiring. Instead of sitting around, bitter and grumbling philosophically, I was prompted to set up Bridge Learning to supplement our educational system and benefit young Singaporeans by filling in the gap through our mission.   3. How does your business work? Children who come to the centre go through Diagnostic Assessment (DA) before they can be enrolled. As an analogy, DA is likening to a health check-up followed by immediate consultation. DA is like coming for a holistic learning and developmental check-up and receiving professional advice on whether your child needs support and intervention, and if so, the specific areas needed (without the stigma of Psychological Assessment, as some parents prefer so). DA is especially valuable in helping parents to understand their children in an enlightened manner instead of mislabelling them as lazy, maughty, stupidor defiant. This is exceptionally important for bridging understanding and realistic expectations. Our diagnostic and monitoring process systematically identifies and targets the learning needs needed by the child. A spectrum of learning skills and abilities are assessed to ascertain an individual's strengths and weaknesses that affect learning and performance by using standardised and criterion-referenced assessments. Mainly, DA uses reliable tools to: 1. Identify a child's learning strengths and weaknesses 2. Target the learning areas in need 3. Monitor progress and development Bridge Learning has a very strong social mission. Every year, Bridge sets aside funds to provide subsidies to learners from low-income families to receive our specialised learning support and intervention as such services are rare and much more expensive in the market. We channel our profits back to society for worthy charitable and social causes.   4. Did you have the capital to start the business or did you have to borrow from someone to get started? No! I just had great ideas that will work! I wrote my business concept and did my sales pitch to my friends and husband. They lent me money and I offered interests rates higher than what the banks can offer. I think they trusted me more than my amateur plan. I thank them for their confidence in me.   5. Do your parents have their own businesses too? Have they inspired you in one way or another? No. I only heard that my paternal grandfather was a wealthy and famous merchant who owned properties and businesses but that is about all. This business stemmed from my passion and a firm belief that it is a calling.   6. 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 definitely not to be a business person! Instead, I would like to be a UN or UNICEF Ambassador who goes round the world advocating for and providing humanitarian aid for the improvised and oppressed in a successful manner! This vision still burns strongly in me.   7. Why does someone decide to be on their own rather than join an existing company? If there was an existing company that has my concept and services, then I would have joined. But there wasn't. And that is what makes my ideas and organisation the innovative trailblazer. You get the copycats that follow after you but they cannot match the high standards set nor the breakthroughs we created.   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? Events like the NKF scandal and recession really made me think. The after-effect means lesser funds for welfare orgainzations. There is a place for charity in the world, but people shouldn't depend solely on charities. I am proud that my centre equips children at an early age with the necessary skills to do well in life. As the saying goes, "Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish; and you have fed him for a lifetime." -Author unknown However, I like to take a step further, we are revolutionalising the whole fishing industry instead of just teaching fishing.   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.) When the business first started, we had to do everything ourselves; from getting the photocopying machine, printing flyers and going door to door to distribute them. My staff never grumbles or think that such tasks are too lowly for them, they were with me all the way.   10. Who/What motivates you? My strongest motivation is the thousands and maybe millions of the poor, oppressed, orphans, street-kids and abused who are waiting for me to help them. They are the nameless and faceless whom I love and slog my life out for. I am highly motivated to make lots of money so that I am in a better position to reach out and help more lives.   11. Tell me about the first few customers and the first few years of business. The market then was very ignorant about learning difficulties; people think that all these children are in and belong to the profile in special schools. The market was also clueless about diagnostic programmes and specialized intervention. People thought that we are just another tuition centre. I find that pretty insulting. We had to keep educating the customers on our services and programmes. Then, customers tried to take advantage of us. They asked for discounts, changed their schedules every now and then, etc. But things are very different now. We are more established and popular, customers now have to queue up and follow our schedule.   12. Please tell me some stories of your best day in business or your proudest achievement to date. We had a child who is 17 years old son, has autism and a mental age of about 7 years old. He had many needs and even difficulty speaking. He was the oldest and biggest (in size) child we had and not the usual profile we accept. His mother was scouting for schools that deal with people with special needs throughout Singapore but no one wants to take him in for reasons that he was too old, severely impaired and had to wait for 1-2 years to know if there is a vacancy for him. She was despaired, sobbing and deprived of hope. I accepted him because love and compassion welled up in me. I have faith we could help him when all others write him off. This boy improved tremendously in confidence, social-communication skills, self-management and lifeskills under the Learning Specialists' loving care, patience and encouragement. He even picked up basketball and started to lose weight. When he improved enough to be accepted by a new special school, I recommended him there. I was told he is one of the best and well-behaved teenager! The parents thanked us profusely and everytime with tears that BRIDGE was the only one who gave them a chance. I cried because Bridge Learning truly bridges gaps and touches LIVES.   13. Do you recall your worst day in business? Have you ever felt like giving up? There are many times I felt like giving up. It is the vision that kept me going. Another reason is my staff. They are the people who believed in our vision and had invested their lives, and when I look at them, I just can't give up! God is the strongest pillar in my life. My husband is the other pillar who has also stood by me all the way.   14. When was the moment you realised the business would work and support you? It was right from the moment the idea was fully conceived after 2 years of dreaming. I know we are hitting the jackpot when parents from all walks of life keep reinforcing that we are the place they are looking for and the referrals keep pouring in from individuals and institutions even when we did not have any marketing dollars. We meet what the market is demanding and yearning for since decades.   15. What are some of the things you have had to overcome to succeed? Since I did not have a business degree, I had to learn to handle the business aspects of the business as I went along. I was the HR department, the accounting department, the marketing department all in one. Personally, I do not think I am good with numbers, and that is a limitation I had to overcome.   16. What are some qualities that you feel you possess which differentiate you from someone who works for others? I live and dream beyond myself and beyond money. I know who I am, what I believe in and what I want to accomplish in life.   17. To succeed in business, what qualities are essential? What are some of the secrets in making a successful business? Integrity, dedication and sacrifice. To be successful one must meet market needs, be innovative and have a unique selling point to differentiate yourself from other people's. Passion and interest for your own business is also very important, along with a good team to go all the way with you.   18. Who or what inspires you? Life inspires me. The fact that we only have one life to live.. this inspires me to live my life in a way that makes a difference to those around me, and to be able to help those who are needy.   19. Have you ever thought of expanding the business in some way or in multiple locations? How and where? We have opened our second centre at 420 Clemenceau Avenue North, beside Newton Food Centre Carpark. We are in the final phases to launch a regional training institute for professional development.   20. What aspects of expansion would you like to see for your enterprise? We already have requests coming from overseas. I really don't know how people so far away hear about us! Going regional will definitely be one aspect of expansion that I will like to see come to pass in the future.   21. In your opinion, how would you define entrepreneurship? To me, entrepreneurship is the concoction of innovative ideals and risk-taking blended with a large dosage of integrity and diligence.   22. To what extent does ones educational level help or hinder entrepreneurialship? I don't think there is a close association between having a high degree and entrepreneurialship. Of course, the entrepreneur must be literate and numerate. Other than that, I think it is much more important to learn much from the school of life fast.   23. As we try to select the final 2007 entrepreneurs, what qualities would you think a person should have to inspire others? A person should have passion for what he/she does, because what one truely believes in will show, and that can be an inspiration to others. Also, how you run the business, how you treat people, and how one stand up against challenges; integrity is important.   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? I will like the younger generation to recognise that everyone has a power of choice. Life is never fair. When bad things happen or you grow in a dysfunctional family, don't complain, go wayward and blame circumstances and whole world except yourself. Instead, learn your lessons fast and just once if you can, so that you will gain wisdom beyond your years.   25. What advice would you give young people who want to start their own business? If you can't be trusted with 1000 dollars, how will anyone trust you with 1 million? You must be faithful with the small things, and be willing to do the humble things. Only then, can you be trusted with greater things. You must have the character to fit the crown. If not, the money, the fame and power may overwhelm you.   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, because technology and globalization are setting the pace for change and we need to adapt and keep up with it. No, because the fundamental values of conducting a business should not change, like for example running your business with integrity.   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) No.   28. What are your reasons for your answers in Q.26 and Q27? The success of the business it is dependent on the person, whether the he/she has the guts to start-up and the diligence to see it through coupled with the right concoction of services/products to meet market needs. Every tide and era will have their heroes and success stories. I do think that the younger generation is more sheltered and pampered, and this may hinder because one has to be able to take hardship to succeed.