Catherine has worked with and supported her husband in the furniture business for more than three decades. All these years, she has commendably juggled the roles of a career woman, wife and a mother to three children. As a staunch believer in giving back to society, she has been very active in orchestrating community projects, and is constantly seeking innovative ways to positively impact lives. Her social efforts have been widely recognised and lauded, and have helped her establish Scanteak as a unique brand that carries with it numerous heart-warming life stories.

Company: SCANTEAK Address: 60 Sungei Kadut Drive Website: http://www.scanteak.com.sg Interview with Ms. Catherine Foo Ah Hiong by Hong Huiru Cheryl on 11-Jun-2009. Student can be reached at wlfan87@hotmail.com   Business Profile: Scanteak seeks to create furniture that promises timeless beauty and quality. The design and craft are inspired by Scandinavian ideology, whereby simplicity and functionality take precedence. Scanteak's lifelong vision lies in furnishing home solutions to the hectic pace of executive living. To date, Scanteak has expanded regionally and internationally, with more than 50 retail outlets and flagship stores in Singapore, Taiwan, Brunei, Japan, USA and Germany. It is currently the biggest furniture chain store retailer in Taiwan, with around 80 showrooms across the country. Wherever it may be, it is Scanteak's wish to bring the warm, restful and inviting experience to their guests upon the first encounter, hence the tagline, "feel at home".   Interviewer's Comments: Catherine's dynamic personality is made up of an interesting fusion of traditional and modern values. She is motherly, ingenuous, benevolent, passionate and compassionate. Her enterprising spirit permeates all aspects of her life and is highly contagious, making her an inspiring, all-rounded role model for many women. In spite of that, she remains very humble.   1. What is the nature of your business? As everyone knows, Scanteak sells furniture, especially teak furniture with Scandinavian design - simple, functional, contemporary, modern - complete with accessories. We are a chain store, and we already have a system in place, which we can direct, modify, duplicate and add avenues to. Scanteak furniture is simple yet very lasting. We offer timeless beauty and quality. We do not merely sell furniture. We are adding a lot of elements into the furniture; we are adding the dimension of lifestyle to it. We aim to inject life into the furniture. What is "life"? Life is made up of stories and the environment, and these can be reflected in design. Most of all, life means: when you sit on a piece of Scanteak furniture, you can start to build yourself some dreams. So if you ask me about the nature of my business, we are constantly injecting life into what we do. We want to bring our furniture and the stories behind them out to the world. (Cheryl: Which means, you want Scanteak to be a brand that is linked to some sort of experience and lifestyle, and not merely be associated to pieces of furniture.) Yes. When you step into a Scanteak store, you do not only see pieces of furniture, you see and feel the stories behind them. That is the kind of furniture I want to give my clients. In my opinion, business is not just about buying and selling; you have to add value to your products. Of course, we have the basic 5 Ps of business: product, position, people, promotion and politics. As for politics, we do not have that much of a problem with it in Singapore, so we concentrate more on the first 4 Ps. However, at the same time, besides these 4 Ps, we have to know how to add various elements to our business to make it livelier. Furniture need not be something stagnant and dead, it can be exciting and lively, in accordance with how you add value to it. This is the ultimate vision we now hold, after being 35 years in business.   2. When and why did you decide to become an entrepreneur / take over your family business? NOTE: If it is not a family business, ask: Do your parents have their own businesses too? Have they inspired you in one way or another? (Select appropriate question according to the entrepreneur being interviewed.) I do not think that one actually decides to become an entrepreneur. Instead, it comes with years of experience, and I believe that, sometimes, the indomitable, entrepreneurial spirit is inborn. This spirit is also shaped by one's environment. As long as you have that spirit, you will always find balance and success in life and business. I do not really call myself an entrepreneur, let alone consider myself a very successful entrepreneur, and I have never thought of being elected as one. I believe that entrepreneurship is all about the fighting spirit, and you are successful when your fighting spirit is so strong that it becomes contagious and felt by others. The entrepreneurial spirit should go on forever, and not cease after an entrepreneur has been recognized with an award. In other words, one should never be complacent. All in all, I do not think myself as a true entrepreneur, and I feel it is a title that is bestowed upon me by others. I don't know if it is right to say this, but this is my opinion. (Cheryl: That is to say, the enterprising spirit has always been in you, and all that you are doing is to simply put this spirit into your work and life?) Yes, into my career, my life, my friendships, my everything. To me, entrepreneurship is not strictly limited to having a successful business. It does not mean that I am not an entrepreneur if my business fails. I always believe in thinking of my life as a full circle. At the centre of it is my religion, my belief. As much as possible, I give my other aspects of life equal dedication: 25% for marriage, 25% for my children, 25% for friends and 25% for business. Of course, I believe that I can't obtain full marks for every single aspect. At this point of my life, I have done my best for my children but they still have a lot more achievements to make in future so I grant myself 18% in nurturing my children. As for my friends, I have put in a lot of efforts in maintaining my friendships so I will grant myself 20%. I am not sure about my marriage, since my husband should be the one doing the grading. However, I believe that I have at least passed. Business, with its ups and downs, is very unpredictable, so I cannot gauge my success until my moment of passing. There are many obstacles in business; you may overcome one, but be defeated by another. The best you can do is to always be prepared. When a difficulty arrives, how you are going to manage it is another story altogether. Having said that, whether your business remains successful throughout your life, I believe that it is always wise to have some reserves by the time you are 40. At the end of my life, if I could at least get a pass in all aspects, and excel in some, I would obtain an overall pass and be contented with my life. If, on the other hand, I choose to only focus on and invest in one particular aspect and neglect the others, I would not successfully find a balance and would lead an undesirable life. Since I left my university 20 years ago, I have planned my life in this manner. (Cheryl: So, the most important thing in life, is to find a balance.) That is right. You can only live your life once; you cannot re-live it once it is over, so make the best out of it.   3. What are your reasons for choosing to do business in this particular industry? When I was in university, back in 1975, my husband, who was my boyfriend then, was already in the furniture business. I felt that it was only right that I helped and supported my partner in his business. I was in Nanyang University (NU) then, and I helped him with sales in exhibitions everyday, after my courses. That was how I got roped into the furniture industry. At that time, I was a recipient of the PSC Study Loan. In order to repay the loan, I had to work as a probation officer after I graduated from NU . As a probation officer, I had to handle over 90 problematic cases and constantly interact with court personnel, and those experiences taught me to be dauntless. I learnt how to deal with juveniles who take drugs and sell their bodies. I had to pursue them in various places in order to ensure that they adhere by the probation rules. Also, I had to help them seek jobs. In spite of all these job obligations, I still helped out with my husband's business every night after work.   4. How did you put together all the resources needed to start your business? For example: getting the start-up capital, hiring staff, doing sales and marketing, advertising, etc. For an entrepreneur, the most important thing is to take a step at a time. Firstly, you obtain capital and set up the business. I do not think that capital is the biggest problem. As long as you work wisely with the amount of money you have, you will not have any major problems. The next step, is to hire staff. There are two ways to do that. The first, is through money. The second, is through sincerity. The most effective way for an SME, is to combine both methods. You may not have the financial means to satisfy the financial demands of an undergraduate. Moreover, there is also more risk involved in working for an SME since the business may fail in a short time, and you cannot guarantee your staff a very stable job at the beginning. Therefore, you have to use your emotions and sincerity to gain their trust and support. When our business first started, we did not require employees with a lot of experience. We were looking for employees who had certain abilities, and were willing to learn and commit. We were attentive to the cost of business and only hired whatever number of employees we could afford to. I always try my best to be sensitive to the needs and welfare of my employees and colleagues. When we were still a small firm in Joo Chiat, there was not enough space to house too many pieces of furniture. We had to deliver the goods efficiently to our customers, so that new batches of goods may be received. So, I used to load the goods onto the lorry and deliver them to our clients on my own. Since I have had experience in delivering goods, I could tell my deliveryman that I understand how he feels, and how hard he works, and show him care, support and appreciation. My brother-in-law used to be in charge of delivery department, and he would usually have to wait late into the night during peak periods for his workers to deliver the goods and bring the money back, and at the same time be ready to receive calls from unhappy clients. I would accompany him, to share the burden with him, and to give him moral support. I wanted to be there, because I would like him to know that we care. (Cheryl: The support and encouragement between one another is very important.) Yes, very important! Through little gestures like this, your staff will feel a sense of security and satisfaction in their work, and be willing to do much more for the company. As a boss, you have to create a great working environment for your people, so that they would be happy working for you, and would stay loyal to the company. I am glad that we have been able to build and maintain good relationships with my employees. In fact, even after leaving the company, some of them are very willing to work for us on a part-time basis, when we need help. Yesterday, a clerk who has left the company SMS-ed me to inform me that she just had her first child, and I immediately sent a bouquet to her. We do more than just care for our employees; we also make extra efforts to care for their family members. We know that most of our male employees, being the breadwinners of their families, may get so involved with work that they may sometimes neglect their wives. Therefore, our company sends a gift hamper to our employees' wives every year, to express our thanks to them for being understanding towards their working husbands. We would also inform them about the company's progress and vision, and invite them to our company dinners and trips. This has been our practise for over ten years. It is not a company policy or routine to us; it is a sincere appreciation on our part. Even when we have to dismiss certain employees, we explain the reasons for their dismissal patiently, wish them all the best in their future endeavours, and will not dismiss them until they have found another job. When they leave, we bid a nice farewell. We do not wish our employees to leave our company with bitter feelings.   5. You have talked a lot with regards to your employees. Would you say that they are your most important resource in business? Yes, my employees are definitely my most important business resource. How far they would go with you depends on how you manage and lead them. You have to understand that your employees make up a significant part of the company, and can help you add value to your business. No matter how good a system you may have, it is useless if your workers do not believe in it as you do. A company is just like a body, with many different parts that are interlinked with each other by the nervous system. It takes only one part to shut down to affect the functions of others. In order for the body to remain healthy, you have to take good care of all the different parts. Money alone cannot create a comfortable working environment. Therefore, you must value your employees and make them feel important. When it comes to money, you have to be smart. When it comes to people, you not only have to be smart, you have to use your heart!   6. What can customers expect from the Scanteak brand? I feel a need to deliver a brand that promises timeless beauty and quality. Previously, we had a tagline, "A Civilised Response to Sanctuary", and that means that our furniture help to create a environment that one can relax in. I want customers to "feel at home" (Scanteak's current tagline). There are various elements to allow customers to feel at home. Firstly, I hope that Scanteak furniture can help construct a comfortable home that my customers would love to go back to everyday, and help instil the importance of the family and family values. Secondly, not only must the furniture be comfortable and lasting, it has to also be affordable. This is why we have developed into a chain store, so that we could engage in mass production, and we could easily manage designs, costs and quality. Thirdly, when people think of Scanteak, I do not wish them to just think of furniture, but the community. Our company has been involved in many community projects. In that way, our customers may feel touched when they learn of these projects, and be pleased that they have been indirectly involved in meaningful gestures. Ideally, we want the Scanteak brand to be linked to premium customer service too. Right now, we are still trying very hard to enhance our customer service. Therefore we have implemented the Customer-Centric Initiative (CCI) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). We have encountered customer service problems, especially in the area of delivery. We cannot control the deliveryman once he is on the road. He may decide to stop along the way for a coffee, or a meal, while the customer is waiting for the goods. It is a duty and a challenge for us to constantly maintain good communication with both the deliveryman and the clients, and to make sure neither of them will end up unhappy. If we were to frustrate the deliveryman, he may just decide to switch off his mobile phone to cut off contact with us, and worse still, not deliver the goods. If the clients were discontented, they would have a bad impression of our business. In such challenging cases, we would usually ask the deliveryman to provide the time when he can arrive at the client's apartment, then immediately explain to the client that the goods would arrive later, and take extra efforts to apologize to and comfort him/her. Sometimes we would also appease clients in advance with complimentary gifts, in order to remedy the situation. Most of the time, the customers do not expect such gestures from me, but by taking the initiative to ensure premium service, Scanteak would leave a good impression in them and they would remember us. During our showroom exhibitions or the launching of new stores, we would go through lengths to issue invitation cards to customers, give out door gifts and offer free refreshments. It does not matter to me if they buy any of our products; I just want to make them feel as welcome as possible, and to create awareness of our presence. We have limited control over external circumstances, but we are currently trying very hard to incorporate our service into our brand. Branding does not only apply externally to your products, it also applies internally to the service your employees provide. If you want to be truly successful, your branding has to match up with customer expectations. You have to fulfil and deliver your promise to your customers. In doing this, however, as the leader, no matter how rich and successful you may be, you should not be too proud and reprimand your employees every time something goes wrong. You must be harmonious and tactful, and always strive to achieve a win-win situation in all cases. Branding is very important. My husband always says that it is not enough to just have a product and sell it cheaper than your competitors. The key to success lies in how you add value to your product, and give it a brand that is one of its kind. If the brand is sound and well-received, and your products remain affordable, you will naturally attract consumers.   7. I understand that you have three children, and there have always been plans to pass on the business to them. How have you prepared them for the journey of entrepreneurship? I believe that planning contributes to success, so I have done all I can to plan my children's lives carefully, down to their education choices. Besides inborn traits, I believe that the environment plays a great part in shaping one's mindset and personality, so I have made sure that I surround them with good influences. I believe that a businessman should be well-versed in many things, so I have also offered them all-rounded learning opportunities, and allowed them to learn sports such as golf and diving, so that they could socialize with potential business partners in future and proceed to close deals. By the age of 15, Jamie, my eldest daughter, already held two golf memberships. Whenever any of my children express an interest in something, I would never deprive them of the opportunity of learning it, and will source for the best resources I could find to help them in the learning process. I would involve myself in their learning process, and help to make it as interesting for them as possible. Besides that, I also believe that I have to set a good example for them. Whenever my husband and I go on overseas business trips, we always bring our kids along with us. When Jamie was 4, we were in Milan to sign a contract with Fly Furniture, a French company. She tagged along for the business meetings in the day, and in the night we brought her around the city. Therefore, since young, my children are taught to understand the workings of the company. When my son was studying in NTU, he would come down to the company after school and attend business meetings with his father. I would also arrange for him to attend as many seminars as possible. We create as many opportunities as possible for them to expand their networks. I understand that my children have their own interests, so I give them the freedom to pursue them. I do not force them to stay with the company right from the start. My son wanted to learn Spanish in Mexico, so I allowed him to be there for three months to pick up the language. When I knew that he was interested in Japan and the Japanese language, I supported his decision to go to Japan for six months to attend a full language course. Right now, he has already finished his global MBA in the Ross Business School of the University of Michigan, and has started his journey in Scanteak. He wishes to take over the Japanese branch and aspires to build 100 shops in the country, to continue his father's dreams. Jamie studied in the States and worked in Hollywood for some time. When she came back to Singapore, I knew that she would need an avenue to fulfil her passion in filmmaking, so I encouraged her to lead a production team to make a video advertisement for the company. She recently won The Viewers' Choice Awards for her work. The award raised her confidence, and she has been in charge of Scanteak regional branding for a few years now. I believe that my children will naturally come back to the family business, when they are ready. And when they do return, I shift my position and take the backstage, so as to let them implement their ideas freely, and manage their people independently. Whenever they call for my help, I will be there for them. However, in times when they do not need me, I would not interfere with their work.   8. Scanteak has worked very closely with Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP) for some time now. Could you share more with us about your projects with NYP students? We often need innovative, outstanding designs to helps us penetrate the international market. Instead of relying solely on recruiting professional designers, I wanted to tap into the fresh ideas of young minds. If I could engage many young, creative minds, and at the same time, cut down on my costs, why not? Moreover, through hands-on projects with us, the NYP students could receive numerous learning opportunities and accumulate experiences. Therefore, it is a win-win situation. I happened to meet up with the director of NYP, so I went personally to NYP to talk to the teachers, and took a look at the students� works. The NYP students were very intelligent and outstanding! Therefore, we developed a few local and regional projects with NYP. Even if the company may not eventually use the students� exact designs, we are able to draw inspiration from them. On the other hand, we can offer these students a platform to showcase their talents, give them the recognition they deserve and raise their confidence. For example, we worked closely with NYP students on one of our bigger branding events - Christmas at Ngee Ann City. The project was to transform the Civic Plaza with Scanteak furniture and bring a feeling of �Home like Christmas� to Orchard. A group of NYP design students helmed this project and we garnered excellent reviews from the public.   9. From what you have talked about so far, I can see that you believe very strongly in family and community values. That is right. And I always tie in such values together with my business and my brand! (Cheryl: Yes, I know you have always been very active in your social efforts. Do you believe that an entrepreneur has to always think of giving back to society? How do you allow social efforts to work alongside entrepreneurship?) Compared to many others, I am not doing a lot! But I try to make all my events meaningful. I have always believed that everyone is capable of compassion. In times of crises, I have observed that Singaporeans are always very willing to lend a helping hand to those who need it the most. However, how to organize a project that would bring out this compassion, is another story altogether. It can be very challenging. I am always thinking about how I could get people together as a community to do something meaningful for society, and how I could rope in the Scanteak brand and my Scanteak team to support me. I am happy that I have managed to tap the Scanteak brand and team to help me with projects that spread family and community values. I am also glad that I have managed to get other companies to support me in these projects, to do something for the general good. Having many people benefit from the contributions of a company will create awareness of the company and contribute to its branding, right? Besides, they can benefit from publicity by the media. I continue to look forward to cooperating with other companies in social events.   10. Could you share with us your most unforgettable social event? Why has it left such a deep impression? That would be "True Love Waits", an AIDS awareness campaign in 2000. Back then, awareness of AIDS was not that strong yet. My children were still young then, and I was determined to include AIDS awareness in moral education. I was very touched, because the ex-CEO of Television Corporation of Singapore, together with his wife and songwriter Wu Jia Ming, gave me tremendous support. He provided me with a lot of famous artistes to record a song that Wu Jia Ming wrote specially for the campaign. I was also very thankful to Kym Ng and Diana Ser, who helped out with a video that taught children and youths the right values. Scanteak sponsored the video, which was later distributed to schools to caution students against casual and premarital sex. At that time, AIDS was still a topic that people generally avoided. However, Minister George Yeo's wife, Mrs. Jennifer Yeo, was courageous enough to step out as the guest-of-honour for the event. Mdm Margaret Wee, the chairwoman of the Nanyang schools, was also extremely supportive throughout the whole project. Besides that, I had many helpers to gather 50000 signatures in support of the campaign. In fact, I am still working on AIDS awareness programs. I plan to have another big project, in which I would gather signatures in support of a mandatory HIV check before marriage. I have asked many people of the younger generation, and they have confessed that they find it very difficult to verbally request their future spouses to go for such body checks. Now that AIDS awareness is already strong, I hope to get huge support, perhaps even regional support, to legalize such a move. Of course, Scanteak could again come in as a sponsor for such an event!   11. What were some of the challenges you faced when you first went into business? How did you overcome these challenges? When we were doing well, we had a lot of revenue, but we did not have sufficient knowledge to succeed in international trade. When you engage in international trade, you got to have a good grasp of current affairs, foreign exchange trends and policies, as well as international laws. We went into the international trade, without doing our market survey proper. We managed to obtain the distribution right for Fly Furniture from France. At that time, Japanese products were good in quality and low in price, therefore they were popular. On the other hand, French products were old-fashioned and traditional, and at the same time expensive. So, we were losing out. Furthermore, we started off without air-conditioning in our shop, since traditionally oriented businesses used to function without air-conditioning. Shortly after, we decided to move to another location, where the rental costs were much lower. Even after installing an air-conditioning system, we could function at half the original costs. Be decisive in business. When something is not going right, do not get caught up with thinking about it, because you cannot afford the time and money to do that. Do something to cut your losses and salvage the situation immediately. However, we did not expect that the then oil crisis would hit us badly. The advisor told us that it was financially wiser to shut down our company, but my husband and I were determined not to give up on our then company, Hawaii Furnishing Pte Ltd. So we approached the boss of Fly Furniture, and told him honestly the mistakes that had led to our failure, and to plead for a longer period of time to pay off our debts. With the bank's help, we also pulled through the financial difficulties. That was a very difficult time for my husband and I, but we persevered on, and slowly built up Scanteak. We started to diversify our business. Because of our honesty and goodness towards our French business partners, they allowed us to be the agent of export for Asia. These opportunities allowed us to learn the ropes of the export business. From Fly, we also learnt branding strategies that have helped us a lot in our business. Today, Hawaii Furnishing remains the name of the company, but Scanteak is our brand, our trademark. In future, we may have many more brands other than Scanteak, but Mr. Lim and I believe that we have to put our heart and soul into whatever we do. There is a right time to do everything. If you were to get distracted easily and scatter your attention across many things at a time, you would not be truly successful in any of them. Focus on doing well in one main area, before you proceed to diversify your business.   12. Was there any time when you felt like giving up? There have been a few times when I felt like giving up. But I would immediately ask myself: are there any real benefits in giving up? After all, I have toiled so hard with my husband and our team to build up this company. Therefore, giving up would let down not just myself but the team's efforts as well. Giving up will only be justifiable when I feel that it is not the right move or the right thing to do, and not the right time and right place to do it. However, as long as there is a glimmer of hope, giving up is unjustifiable.   13. How are current events such as the recent recession or the H1N1 flu pandemic affecting your business, and how are you coping with such challenges? When you are in good times, you have to always prepare for bad times. Remember: whatever revenue you receive, it is not all yours. 30% of it is your profit, but out of this 30%, perhaps only 1% is for your enjoyment, while the rest has to be kept as reserves. For my husband and I, we never use our capital to invest in stocks and shares, because we believe that the money should be used to develop the products, and to ensure that progress of our business. Therefore, we have always been prepared for economic downturns, and this global recession has not really affected us negatively. In fact, it has helped us in a few ways! Right now, a lot of people own apartments that they cannot sell, but can rent. So, the renting market is growing. Now that the times are bad, many of these people are cutting costs by seeking furniture that can last a long time. Rather than changing the furniture every few years, they add or change accessories to modify the look and feel. Therefore, right now, part of our clients comes from the rental market. Another group of clients is the expatriates, especially those who come from India, the Philippines and Europe. Expats used to buy furniture here and discard them when they go back to their countries. They are less wasteful nowadays, and the current trend is to buy furniture here and send it back home. Therefore, the simple and lasting teak furniture from Scanteak answers to their needs and wants. So, our market has actually grown a little during this recession. Another advantage of the recession is this: the number of orders in the global market has decreased, so employees would take every order more seriously, be more willing to listen, thereby increasing the quality of our brand and service. All in all, there are a few factors that have helped us cope with the economic downturn. Firstly, we have reserves. Secondly, we have always been very careful when it comes to expanding our business, so we are not tied down by heavy operating costs. Moreover, a lot of our old employees who have left the company are willing to come back on a part-time basis to help us, so we are also able to cut costs in the area of human resource. Thirdly, we have already gone regional, so we could shift certain operations to other countries to reduce costs. As long as you do your planning carefully and do not be complacent, you can sail through the good times and the bad times.   14. Scanteak owns more than 90 retail outlets and flagship stores in Germany, Singapore, Taiwan, Brunei, Japan and USA. In Taiwan, you are currently the biggest furniture chain store retailer, with over 80 showrooms across the country. That is to say, Scanteak has achieved immense worldwide success, which is definitely not an easy feat. Could you tell us, what is the key to making and sustaining such great global achievements? As the boss, you are a problem solver. If you have a global business, you cannot be always staying in the headquarters. There are two principles you must follow. Firstly, you have to be an international passport holder. You have to be ready to travel to any of your overseas branches whenever you are needed. Secondly, you have to always have the relevant foreign currency. That means that you have to constantly be aware of Forex trends. This is very important; our largest downfall occurred because of inadequate knowledge of the foreign exchange market. Even if you do not have a global business, your mentality has to be a global one. Another very important aspect is managing people. Like I have said, you have to use your heart, your sincerity, to manage your people. I admire Mr. Lim (Catherine's husband, founder of Scanteak) a lot in this aspect. In Taiwan, we have a total of 5 Scanteak stores along one single street. However, due to Mr. Lim's good management, the store managers are always ready to help each other in times of difficulties. They do not see each other as rivals, but as friends and colleagues. Mr. Lim has taught them to see the big picture, and see themselves as belonging to one big family, and inspired them to work hard together. Because they believe in such a philosophy, business in all 5 stores are equally good. As a leader, you have to instil your beliefs and philosophies into your employees' minds and inspire your people, in order to unite the company towards your goal.   15. What do you think some of your proudest business achievements to date, and why are they so important and meaningful to you? I feel honoured when Scanteak�s new branding and marketing strategies, helmed by my daughter Jamie, take off and take this company to a new level. I also feel accomplished when I know that there are people out there who have become fans of Scanteak. I feel accomplished when the employees who have left my company remember me, and take the initiative to update me on their lives. Lastly, I get the greatest satisfaction from bringing out the best in people and motivating them to fulfil their dreams.   16. How do you differentiate your business from your competitors'? We believe that having competition is a good thing, as it constantly pushes us to improve. I used to complain about competition, but I have learnt that without it, you will not grow. That is why our government is always trying to bring in foreign businesses. First of all, we have already established Scanteak as a brand, with the help of many professionals and experts. Secondly, we have been actively promoting the brand. We have sponsored many events. Our furniture is used in a lot of television serials and variety programmes. I want people to feel for Scanteak furniture, so we select meaningful programs to participate in. There was a girl whose sister was handicapped, and she wanted to be selected as a participant in one of the variety shows, so that she could fulfil her wish of transforming her room into a cosy place for her and her sister. I immediately agreed to be part of the show, because I was moved by the girl's love for her sister. There was another family who had a daughter suffering from cancer. They really liked Scanteak furniture, but could not afford it. We gave a set of furniture to them during Christmas. Whenever visitors come to my showroom, I always offer gifts and refreshments to make them feel welcome. Therefore, some people like Scanteak because it carries certain stories, meanings and emotions that make them feel good.   17. With such a big business and so many employees attached to the company at multiple levels, what measures have you taken to maintain control and consistency of high standards in all aspects? We have implemented various systems, such as the ERP. No matter how busy my employees are, we insist on doing the ERP. If my full-time employees are too occupied with work, we could always hire undergraduate interns, who are intelligent and teachable, to take over the work of compiling a handbook. This handbook holds all the information we need to meet our various targets, like the turnover rates, the salability of all goods and the efficiency measurement of employees.   18. What do you see for your business in the next 5 years, and does it include any plans for expansion? Ever since Jamie has joined the business and renewed our branding and marketing strategies, our international growth has tremendously increased, especially in Taiwan. We are developing Singapore into the headquarters of Scanteak, and plan to expand the Japanese market, perhaps with the help of International Enterprise (IE) Singapore and Spring Singapore. Our Japanese branch is still immature, and it has great potential to be transformed into a direct chain store and franchise. We are thankful for the great support the Singaporean government has shown towards local businesses.   19. In your opinion, what does it mean to have the "spirit of enterprise"? As an entrepreneur (but this does not apply only to an entrepreneur), take everything in your stride, and always be forward-looking. When a storm comes, do not ask, why does the storm come in your way? Instead, focus on getting through it, and when you have done that, reflect on what made you survive the obstacle. Remember the factors that have helped you survived, but do not stay complacent, and keep going. If, on the other hand, you are defeated by the storm, take some time to reflect on what was lacking, work on the flaws and get yourself going again. Do not get hung up on demoralizing questions and turn stagnant, because that will cause your entrepreneurial spirit to deteriorate. As a leader, even in peaceful times, you have to anticipate problems and source for solutions in advance. The what-ifs are very important. One should not emphasize on his/her successes. You may have a lot of experiences, you may have made very good decisions, but keep creating what-if scenarios so that you will not be too proud and will keep seeking to improve. This is how the spirit of enterprise should be. Even a housewife can have the spirit of enterprise. Entrepreneurship is not restricted to the world of business. A housewife has to juggle various housekeeping matters, and deal with unexpected domestic situations. She has to take care of the family's well-being, make sure that the family eats well, and care for her child's education, etc. If, with a given amount of household allowance, she is able to manage all kinds of household issues effectively, she is also a successful entrepreneur to me. Most of all, she helps the society to nurture entrepreneurs. This is a noble spirit that is worthy of appreciation and praise. All in all, the spirit of enterprise can be found anywhere, in anybody, and not just in successful businessmen or businesswomen in the domain of work. An entrepreneur's success also relies on his/her way of managing people. He has to learn to appreciate those who have helped him. Even if older staff fall behind time, and fail to catch up fast enough with the evolving times, there will always be something he could help with. Older, more experienced employees could offer very good help to the younger ones. A lot of MNCs are quick to retrench portions of their workforce once they consider certain employees unsuitable for their new systems. With my traditional Chinese mentality, I disagree with such actions. I believe in taking care of those who have been toiling with me in business. I ensure that they have sufficient resources to care for their families, that they get great satisfaction from their jobs, and take pride in their work. Once an employee feels satisfied with and proud of his/her career, he/she will be highly self-motivated, his/her productivity would surge, and he/she would be able to achieve greater heights. In the safe and peaceful environment of Singapore, together with excellent governance, the younger generation has lost much of the entrepreneurial fighting spirit. So, the nurturing process is especially important nowadays.   20. What are some entrepreneurship qualities that you possess, which have helped you come this far? I did not come from a well-off family, so I had to work hard to provide myself with a good tertiary education. Under such an environment, I have always believed that I have to be independent. I believe in working hard, and I never depend on luck and chance. That is why I have never bought 4-D! Upon marriage, I officially entered into the furniture business. Besides sales, I started getting involved with bookkeeping matters, although I was not knowledgeable enough in the area of accounting. I made a lot of mistakes, and was reprimanded by the accountant. After a few years, I felt that I had had enough, that I could no longer depend on others to tell me what to do. I had to make sure that I had the right knowledge. So I signed myself up for an intensive 5-day course in the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry. After the course, however, I was still uncertain about accountancy concepts, so I consulted several friends who had studied accountancy. I then enrolled myself in another training course, and made significantly less mistakes in my following bookkeeping. My accountant, however, was still dissatisfied. I told him firmly that he should appreciate me instead for making so much effort to pick up accounting skills, so as to lighten up his load, and be ready to take over accounting assignments in emergency situations. Since then, he has shown me a lot of respect. Since then, I have also decided, that I must know everything that is happening in my company. A leader does not have to be involved in every aspect all the time, but he/she has to be equipped with adequate skills and knowledge, such that when a difficulty arises in any of the areas, he/she will always be ready to solve the problem. This is called, "risk management". I may not have control over external circumstances, but up to this point of time, I am content to say that I have been effectively managing my company's internal problems. I believe that sincerity, humility and the willingness to bear responsibility are important in risk management. These qualities help you solve problems that money cannot solve.   21. Who or what motivates and inspires you? A lot of people say that I am extremely energetic. I believe it is my religion that gives me strength. When I am set on doing something, I would put my heart and soul into it. As a Christian, I am inspired to excel in my talents, and use that vehicle to make a difference to others. Be it to lead, to serve, or simply to show concern and care for my family, friends, staff and society, I seek to always do my best in even the littlest things. I take great care of matters of the workplace. In everything I do and towards everyone I meet, I have a very simple principle: be sincere, fair and forgiving.   22. Could you describe some of your business values and principles? Always be willing to learn from mistakes, take initiative and stay determined. You will definitely meet obstacles. The question is, how are you going to solve the problem, and how ready are you to solve the problem? Do not be arrogant. Be sincere, humble, honest, and always treat others with respect. Do not run away from your problems. Face them with courage and integrity. In good times, help others whenever and wherever you can. Establish and maintain healthy relationships with others. Once you have done all that, others will naturally support you in times of crises, because they trust you. This is what I believe, and what our whole team believes.   23. With the changes in the market today, do you think it has become easier or tougher to succeed in business? Why do you say so? To me, there are no fixed easy times and tough times. Like I have said, this recession has actually created good opportunities for my company. As long as you have aspirations, set your target right, plan the right moves at the right time, make use of the right opportunities and launch the right product, you have passed the first stage. The next step, which is a very important step, is to manage your resources properly. (Cheryl: So, as long as you believe in what you are doing, and make appropriate plans, you will do fine?) Yes! It is important to be adaptable too. In the past, a lot of people considered Scanteak furniture as old-fashioned, and felt that it catered only for the older generation. Therefore, we started to observe the trends of the youth market, held projects with NYP students and sourced for designs from all over the world, so as to understand the tastes of young people. Then, we modified our products and renewed our strategies accordingly, and now we are popular with young consumers too.   24. What advice would you give to young, budding entrepreneurs? Take things one step at a time. You need to have dreams and a lot of ideas, and the courage to realize your dreams and ideas, but at the same time, always be prepared to meet and overcome obstacles. As a businessman, you have to hold the right information, analyse your business steps, especially the amount of risk you can bear. Do not go into a business only for short-term thrills; you have to consider long-term issues. Do not compare yourself to your other businessmen who own larger enterprises and blindly attempt to follow their example. You can admire and respect others, but you must follow your own dreams and aspirations, and achieve them realistically, one step at a time. Accumulate experiences, and if you fall, do not give up. Persevere, get yourself up and going again. Do not count on luck. You cannot be rich and successful overnight; you have to take time to learn and understand things. You must understand that you have to make sacrifices and go through obstacles before you achieve your goals. Also, always give yourself some allowance to make risks and mistakes. Do not suffocate yourself! Mostly importantly, remember: a degree is not everything. Even after completing your education and achieving a degree, do not be proud and lose your motivation. You should keep working hard to prove your abilities. Do your very best in everything, and others would recognise your worth.