Being Better & Benefitting All - with Pamela Chng - Part 1

Host Helen Lee interviews Pamela Chng, the founder of the Bettr Group, a socially responsible business in Singapore that aims to change lives through coffee. Pamela shares her journey of personal growth and the inspiration behind creating a for-profit social business. She discusses the challenges of operating in a profit-driven system while prioritising impact and the importance of creating inclusive environments for growth and change. Pamela also highlights the need for businesses to be socially responsible and the potential for positive change in the world, stressing the importance of aligning values with actions and the transformative power of individual and generational impact. Pamela has been a judge in several international coffee competitions including the World Barista Championship. And, she is also the first Singaporean on the Board of Directors of the global Specialty Coffee Association. Her company now has 8 coffee bars in Singapore and is expanding into the region as well.  It has trained some 15,000 people from 30 countries or more, through their Bettr Academy which offers two training programs, one which is entirely coffee-related and the other which includes physical and emotional training as well. KEY TAKEAWAYS The Bettr Group, is a for-profit social business that aims to change lives through coffee. They have a holistic approach to training individuals, including marginalised groups, to help them secure jobs and thrive. The company is Singapore and Southeast Asia's first certified B Corporation, which means they balance profit and purpose. They prioritise impact and contribute to solving societal problems. Pamela believes in the importance of aligning personal values with business practices. She emphasises the need for businesses to prioritise impact and contribute positively to society. The coffee industry is facing challenges, including climate change and the unsustainable income of farmers. Pamela is actively involved in global initiatives to address these issues and create systemic change. Pamela's grandmother was a significant influence in her life, teaching her important values and pioneering a business that provided opportunities for young girls. Her grandmother's example inspired Pamela to create a business that makes a positive impact on individuals and communities. BEST MOMENTS "We all have finite time on this Earth. And what do we do with this one life that we have?"  "If we could make the endeavour of work one where we could really try and get ourselves and everybody else around us in work to be doing things that made an impact, things that made a difference, then maybe we could start solving a lot of the problems that we create."  "I think each person has tremendous potential. When they're really aligned internally and externally, clear about who they are and what their purpose on this Earth is for, then that completely changes how you do what you do and the definitions of success."  "We're in extremely complex and challenging times. But I guess I'm hopeful because the human civilisation is very resilient. We will find some solutions and create other problems in the process, but that's just the cycle of life."   VALUABLE RESOURCES To become a member of the Transform and Thrive Club and benefit from powerful monthly live sessions on Zoom video calls and multimedia coaching, check out and sign up here: www.transformandthrive.club www.leeheiss.com www.facebook.com/leeheiss https://www.facebook.com/helenleeheiss/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/transformandthriveclub www.instagram.com/helenleeheiss [email protected]   ABOUT THE HOST Founder & Principal Coach of Lee Heiss Coaching, Helen Lee coached thousands of clients worldwide and multinationals in Asia-Pacific in the last three decades. She created a powerful ontological coaching methodology that ignites the true greatness or invincibility in people. Thoroughly tested and honed over 20 years, this methodology consistently and rapidly produces desired results. Helen was also a journalist who later ran her own communications consultancies in Australia and Asia. The Business Times listed her in its “Who’s Who of Women Shaping Singapore” while The Straits Times named her “The Leader Prodder” in a feature on Singapore’s top coaches. ABOUT THE GUEST The Bettr Group, a home-grown speciality coffee company founded in 2011, became Singapore and Southeast Asia's first certified B Corporation, a company that balances profit and purpose. They are a leading provider of specialty coffee education, and are a certified Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) Premier campus. Certified B Corporations (or B Corps) are businesses that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, and public transparency. B Corp Certification is a designation that a business is meeting high standards of verified performance, accountability, and transparency on factors from employee benefits and charitable giving to supply chain practices and input materials The B in B Corp stands for ‘BENEFIT FOR ALL, in that Certified B Corporations (or B Corps) are businesses that have been certified by B Lab (that's us!) to benefit all stakeholders. It also runs a four-month programme for vulnerable women and at-risk youth, which teaches them vocational skills and in-depth life skills. Certified B Corporations are leaders in the global movement for an inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economy. Unlike other certifications for businesses, B Lab is unique in our ability to measure a company’s entire social and environmental impact.