Kaede International Pte Ltd is a company with different businesses in various industry. From trading in shower equipments to providing piano entertainment for events and teaching. Currently, the owner is forcusing on her Japanese bookstore/cafe, Bon Gout.

Company: KAEDE INTERNATIONAL PTE LTD Address: 60 Robertson Quay #01-01 The Quayside Website: http://www.bongout-cafe.com Interview with Mrs Hideo Sekine And Setsuko Sekine by Lee Jian Jin Alvin on 02-May-2009. Student can be reached at canoepolo7@gmail.com   Business Profile: Bon Gout was first opened as a combination of Japanese bookstore and a cafe serving Japanese drinks and food since December 1997. It was originally located at UE Square. It is the first second-hand Japanese bookstore in Singapore, and since the opening, many people have enjoyed their dual-themed style. In the year 2000, it is relocated to The Robertson Quay, their present location. It is a sunny and cozy space by the riverside. This quiet spot overlooking the river is perfect for catching up on reading while dining on affordable, homestyle Japanese food. The daily set meals are selected from 400 recipes created by the shop owner, Setsuko Sekine. Floor-to-ceiling racks display colourful book spines and serve as a backdrop to the dark, wood furnishings.   Interviewer's Comments: Mrs Setsuko Sekine is a very humble Japanese lady with a mission to bring authentic Japanese food to Singapore.   1. What is the nature of your business? Kaeda International has a restaurant, Bon Gout which is cafe and bookstore combined. This is the main business. My daughter plays jazz piano for entertainment event and teaches piano. We used to import toilet and shower equipment. However, now not so much into this area.   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.) My husband's father used to have his own fashion business in Japan. Importing clothes and supplying to other shops. However, it is no longer in operation for a long time. My husband was influenced by his father because he always helped out with his father together in the shop. So I also help out with my husband.   3. What are your reasons for choosing to do business in this particular industry? Because I live in Singapore for a long time and many years ago there were very few Japanese restaurants around. Japanese book is very expensive. Japanese restaurants taste very different for Japanese. So I wanted to eat Japanese curry, drink Japanese coffee and read Japanese book. So I was thinking of combining everything into one, thus the birth of Bon Gout. At first, we advertised to everyone that we can buy any used Japanese book. The response was good and we bought over many books. So my husband said, "Ok. We will open the 2nd hand Japanese book store in Singapore." Since Japanese books very much expensive, we wanted to read and we hope there is a relaxation place for Japanese in Singapore, so we set up Bon Gout where the books are cheap and sell authentic Japanese food.   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. When I just started, I hired one young boy to be the chef but he didn't know about our taste. We slowly teach him and make a menu. The taste back then was very good that time, but now he already resigned. He worked 7 years. After this, we look for experienced chef, but the taste will be different. So we have to teach them and adjust to Japanese taste. So I will check and check until it is ok. We usually advertise on newspaper for staffs. We had a lot of savings so we used it to set up our business.   5. Do you have any businesses in Japan? If not, why? No. Because we were already in Singapore for a long period of time and the family is here too.   6. Why did you chose to start your businesses in Singapore? My husband wanted to start in Singapore because he was already working in Singapore under a Japanese company. So when he finished working in that company, then he started his own business here. This is very unique. Not many restaurants have this concept in Singapore.   7. What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of doing businesses in Singapore? Singapore is very small, not a big country. Japanese food is very popular in Singapore and so many locals come here. Singaporeans like to eat and very easy accept other country's food especially Japanese.   8. Why did you choose this place? At first at UE square, rental fee suddenly go up after 3 years by a lot and the shop floor too big for us. So thinking of transferring to somewhere. When we first came here at Robertson Quay, not many shop around and slowly slowly more and more people came. This area have many Japanese because of Daimaru used to be here, supermarket meijiya and Liang court is here.   9. What are some interesting stories you have about your first few customers/first few years in business? At first at UE square and here, many movies and tv show filming location is at Bon Gout. Beach boy movie shot here. Sometime, locals like to take wedding photo in the shop. They think it is very interesting here. We have a lot of regular Japanese customers and locals too.   10. Why you chose to go in Japanese Food? Don't you think it is very saturated and competitive in Singapore? Yes. There is a lot now. But I think every Japanese food restaurant almost the same. A concept like Bon Gout, don't really have. Of course, it is still very competitive. So I show the customers my selling point of Bon Gout. Very unique concept with Japanese books and interesting home cooked menu.   11. What are some of the challenges you faced when you first went into business? I always think "How can I get the customer". Because my husband and me, this is our first time opening a shop. Initially, I wanted to be a cooking teacher and not this. I don't how to do. So slowly I learn, not with professional thinking but just housewife thinking. My husband had a lot plan and bought many posters. We overspent. I can understand English but not too fluent. So communication with staff is a little difficult. Now I can handle it.   12. With the changes in the market today, do you think it has become harder or easier to succeed in business? Why do you say so? I think it is difficult. Everybody do not have the same thinking, all different.   13. Can you remember your worst day in business or a time when you felt like giving up? What happened that made you feel that way and how did you triumph over it? After UE square rental went up, I wanted to give up. But my husband want to continue. I was thinking that he should get a better job. Because I am not experience in running the business. It is very hard for new shops to survive for the first few years.   14. Can you share some of the lessons you learnt from overcoming your own business challenges that you think will help other businesses? I think short time cannot get money. Trust also. You must slowly slowly get from your customers and build over the years. Always think as a customer what will I do or what I should do. Cannot be perfect. Must keep trying. Service is very important.   15. When was the moment you realised the business would work and support you? Customer keep coming back.   16. What are some of your proudest business achievements to date? And why are they so important and meaningful to you? Whenever customers say today the food taste nice and will come back again. It makes me very happy.   17. How do you differentiate your business from your competitors? Please provide specific examples. We are very unique and interesting because we are book and restaurant combined. This is very important. Because if it is the same everywhere, then it will not be unique.   18. What are some business ideas you have implemented that created great results in your business? I always think as a customer whether if this menu is nice or interesting. Basically I am thinking I want to eat which one and I provide it. I want to make it interesting. So our menu is very interesting. Many different type because we change it everyday.   19. Where or who do you get your business ideas from? I always check Japanese book. Everything looks nice but I have to think if it is suitable for Bon Gout or not. In addition, our kitchen is not so big and Japanese vegetables can be quite expensive, so I will change and substitute it. Customer. When we advertise for the books, the customer gave us idea that we can sell. Other peoples were also happy that they can buy cheap Japanese book.   20. What do you see for your business in the next 5 years, and does it include any plans for expansion? No.   21. Have you thought of franchise your businesses out or selling this businesses away? Last time my husband was thinking about it but now I do not want to franchise.   22. What does entrepreneurship mean to you? Very hardworking. Need a lot of money. Cannot quickly give up. Must keep working until success.   23. In your opinion, what other qualities does a person need in order to be successful in business? And why? (e.g. Educational qualification, work experience, family influence, attitude, etc) No need education. Need to work hard. Do not give up. Once you give up, you are finished. Remember to always stand by customer side and think like customers.   24. In your opinion, do you think that your Japanese upbringing helps you with your businesses? If so, in what way does it help you? Of course Japanese and Singaporean very different but it still very much depends on the person.   25. Who or what motivates and inspires you? We all need a meaning in life to live. Because we must live our life. So I need to work and my husband is sick so I need to work more. Motivated by myself.   26. What are some of your business values and what would you like to pass down to others, particularly the younger generation? In this job, must always think as a customer.   27. Can you share some of the more significant events / incidents that affected or shaped your business philosophy and the way you conduct your business? I.e. SARS, new competition or shifts in market behaviour and trends, etc. No. Still the same.   28. If you could turn back time to change anything, what would you change? I want to start a shop which is a lot smaller than this. Just a few persons to run the shop. I want to see the whole shop because I want to see my customers and serve them personally. If I am young, it is still ok to run a big shop like this, but I am old now very hard to run it.