Sasha Tan, Founder and Principal Brand Strategist of The Brand Shaper, a local enterprise that provides PR & Marketing Solutions, joins us to discuss her journey from an entrepreneur to a brand strategist and unpack key lessons she’s learned along the way. From the importance of understanding your audience to the role of authenticity in brand communication, we discuss how Brand Shaper aims to help businesses create lasting impressions through strategic branding, the challenges that come to s...
Mar 10, 2025•36 min•Transcript available on Metacast Founded in 2015, A&D Nature has blossomed into a profitable one-stop centre for plant enthusiasts, generating RM1.16 million in revenue and RM117,213 in net profit in the first eight months of 2024. In this episode, A&D Nature’s Founder and Managing Director, Dayvenn Khaw, and Co-Founder and Operations Director, Yek Sheen Chee, share how they grew the business from a single kiosk to a 7-figure operation. We explore the challenges of managing a plant-based retail business, their strategie...
Mar 09, 2025•43 min•Transcript available on Metacast Eco-friendly products are sprouting across Malaysia, but are they truly sustainable? And are Malaysians willing to pay or go out of their way to purchase them? We explore these questions with Tan Yet Mee, the Founder of ecoMinim, a homegrown brand offering plant-based, biodegradable home and personal care products. In this episode, we discuss what it takes to build a sustainable business, the challenges of competing with big brands, and the future of conscious consumer choices in Malaysia. See o...
Mar 06, 2025•35 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode of Open For Business, we speak with Azizul Othman and Al Khan Abdul Gani, Co-Founders of Lekir Tech, the AI startup behind the Assistnify AI Agent and platform. Founded in 2019, Lekir Tech has built a bootstrapped business offering AI-driven workflow automation, SaaS solutions, and business intelligence tools to government agencies, enterprises, and SMEs. With over 80% year-on-year revenue growth and 7-figure revenues, profitable Lekir Tech shares how they achieved this without e...
Mar 05, 2025•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast This 2-year old TikTok media company is on track to make RM40 million in revenue in 2025. In this episode of Open For Business, BFM sits down with Yubin Ng and Joel Lim, Co-Founders of MantaYaY, a pioneering media company that has harnessed the power of TikTok to build a thriving business. Founded in 2023, MantaYaY started as a TikTok agency in Malaysia and has rapidly expanded its offerings to include influencer marketing, content creation, live streaming, and e-commerce services. The company m...
Mar 04, 2025•39 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, we explore the booming sport of pickleball, a fast-growing activity that's taking Malaysia — and the world — by storm. Join us as we sit down with Janet Teo, the founder of Picklefox, a local business specialising in pickleball equipment and accessories. From high-quality pickleball paddles, grips, and eyewear, to being an official distributor of top brands like Ronbus, Proton, and Paddletek, Picklefox is making waves in the pickleball community after officially launching the bu...
Mar 03, 2025•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast Since 2014, Australia-based Valta Technology Group has been automating finance and procurement processes through a blend of technology and consulting, with operations in Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Jussi Karjalainen, Founder and CEO, shares Valta’s journey to AUD $5 million in annual revenue, its unique market positioning, and how the company aims to leverage e-invoicing mandates and incentives to drive both value for clients beyond compliance and Valta’s own growth. We ...
Mar 02, 2025•35 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, we sit down with Tejvinder Singh, Co-Founder and CEO of Great Pyramid, a leading HR solutions provider in Malaysia. Founded in 2015, Great Pyramid offers a comprehensive range of services, from immigration solutions and talent acquisition to workforce management and HR consultancy. Today, they serve over 450 clients globally, including major brands like Qatar Airways, ByteDance, and Harvey Norman. Join us as Tejvinder shares the story behind Great Pyramid’s journey—how they buil...
Feb 27, 2025•28 min•Transcript available on Metacast From a side hustle to a nearly seven-figure tech business, Daren Tan, Founder and CEO of ALPHV, shares his journey from freelancing in 2017 to leading a fast-growing company. ALPHV, incorporated in 2023, now operates across four key pillars: software development (Alpha Tech), corporate training (Alpha Academy), developer relations (Developer Kaki), and tech job placement (Alpha Recruit). Daren’s entrepreneurial journey began during his master’s studies in data science, freelancing to sharpen his...
Feb 26, 2025•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast As ASEAN’s digital demand surges, so does the need for telecom infrastructure to keep us connected. On Open For Business, we speak with Suresh Sidhu, CEO & Founder of EdgePoint Infrastructure, about how the company has built over 15,600 towers across Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines, and its plans to surpass 20,000 towers in the coming years. A telecom industry veteran, Suresh previously led EDOTCO Group and has over 20 years of experience, dating back to the rollout of 3G in Malaysi...
Feb 25, 2025•43 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, we speak with Royston G. King, the founder of Master Scaling, a company focused on helping businesses rapidly grow through digital marketing and strategic scaling techniques. He’s an investor, a multiple best-selling author, and has been recognized on platforms like Forbes for his contributions to business and entrepreneurship. We'll be discussing his journey into entrepreneurship, how Master Scaling helps businesses achieve exponential growth, the challenges he’s face...
Feb 24, 2025•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast Is pet influencer marketing really a thing? In this episode of Open For Business, we chat with June Kweh, Founder of Hey Pawfriends!, a platform that connects pet brands with pet influencers (yes, that’s a thing!). The idea came about after brands started approaching her to promote pet products on her dog’s Instagram account with Hey Pawfriends! launched in mid-2024. Leveraging her background in e-commerce and digital marketing, with stints at Group M, Lazada, and Shopee, June was driven by the ...
Feb 23, 2025•25 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, we’re joined by Tan Ding Jie, Co-Founder at Prefer, a Singapore-based coffee startup that’s transforming the industry with their innovative “bean-free” coffee. Founded in 2022, Prefer manufactures sustainable and affordable ground coffee compatible with standard espresso machines, catering to businesses such as cafes, coffee chains, distributors, and flavor houses. In February 2024, Prefer secured US$2 million in seed funding, led by Forge Ventures and joined by global investors...
Feb 20, 2025•27 min•Transcript available on Metacast Asia Digital Engineering (ADE), the maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) arm of Capital A, aims to redefine aviation maintenance in Southeast Asia. In this episode of Open For Business, CEO Mahesh Kumar details ADE’s evolution from AirAsia’s in-house engineering team to a full-fledged third-party MRO provider. With a state-of-the-art 14-line hangar at KLIA and expansion into markets including Indonesia, Cambodia, and the Philippines—with plans to enter Thailand and the US—ADE is setting ambit...
Feb 19, 2025•42 min•Transcript available on Metacast How can brands better connect with digital creators (at scale) to elevate their storytelling? Enter Cult Creative, a Malaysian creator-first platform that connects brands with a dynamic network of content creators. Founded in 2020 by Shermaine Wong, Cult Creative began as a simple matchmaking tool and has evolved into an ecosystem that streamlines brand collaborations and empowers creators with campaign management and analytics. After securing RM500,000 from The Hive Southeast Asia and receiving...
Feb 18, 2025•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast Autism Cafe Project is more than just a business. It’s a place where young adults on the autism spectrum gain real work experience, build confidence, and find purpose. Founded by Mohd Adli Yahya, this social enterprise was born out of a father’s love and a mission to create meaningful opportunities for those often overlooked in the workforce. But turning this vision into reality wasn’t easy, with challenges in funding, public awareness, and shifting mindsets about inclusivity. In this episode, w...
Feb 17, 2025•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast Established in 1957, Xin Seng Fatt Industries has been brewing soy sauce for over three generations, supplying restaurants and food businesses with traditionally fermented soy sauce. In 2019, under the third generation leadership, the company entered the consumer retail space with Mu Artisan Soy Sauce, a premium, handcrafted soy sauce brand. In this episode of Open For Business, we speak with Shirley Chia, third-generation Director of Xin Seng Fatt Industries and Founder of Mu Artisan Soy Sauce,...
Feb 16, 2025•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, we speak with Catherine Goh, CEO at Santan, a brand under AirAsia's non-airline subsidiary, RedBeat Ventures. As of December 2019, Santan marked their first foray into the retail food business, serving meals from countries in ASEAN, including Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. We’ll discuss how this all came about, the challenges she had to overcome to bring Malaysia’s famous nasi lemak to the skies and her ambitions ahead for the b...
Feb 13, 2025•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast From failures & setbacks to success & profit, on this episode of Open for Business, we speak with Bryant Gan, Founder and CEO of Niagawan Plus—a Malaysian cloud-based accounting software company dedicated to simplifying financial management for small businesses. On the back of winning the All-Star Award at Cradle Fund’s PLUGIN 2024 conference, Bryant shares his entrepreneurial journey with us, from developing an MVP for a friend to seizing a critical market gap in finance management. Fou...
Feb 12, 2025•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast Managing distributed and multi-site teams often leads to mountains of paperwork and hampers productivity. In this episode of Open For Business, we speak with John Lee, Founder and CEO of Caction , about how digitisation can streamline workflows and solve these challenges. Founded in 2017 by John Lee, a former GE engineer, Caction wants to improve how companies manage distributed workforces by digitising processes that traditionally relied on tedious paperwork. John explains how their SaaS soluti...
Feb 11, 2025•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode Open For Business, we dive into how MYCRS Sdn Bhd is trying to transform the construction industry by digitising concrete testing. Founded in 2021 by Thomas Yap—whose 18 years of experience include landmark projects like the Burj Khalifa and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge—MYCRS aims to bring transparency and reliability to material testing. Thomas explains how the company is tackling data manipulation in concrete testing through innovative R&D, leveraging advanced technolo...
Feb 09, 2025•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast Today on Open For Business, we’re serving up some pizzas. We speak with Alan Goh, the Founder of Round, a pizzeria dedicated to authentic Neapolitan flavours and traditional pizza-making techniques. But behind every perfectly charred crust and fresh mozzarella topping lies a journey of risk, reinvention, and the pursuit of quality. What does it take to carve out a niche in Malaysia’s competitive F&B scene? From securing capital to standing out in a crowded market, we uncover the realities of...
Feb 06, 2025•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast Originally founded in 2016 and restructured in 2022 as The Farm Shop, the company has rapidly scaled its operations—achieving RM4.6 million in revenue in 2024 and setting ambitious targets of RM14.4 million in 2025 and RM56 million by 2026. In this episode of Open For Business, Founder and Managing Director Dr. Tan I-Lene delves into the company’s vertically integrated model, which spans sourcing high-quality dairy from local farms, processing it, and delivering fresh products through retail out...
Feb 05, 2025•49 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode of Open for Business, we explore the journey of Vepro Group, a Malaysian robotics and automation company founded in 2003 by graduates of the University of Malaya. Over 23 years, Vepro Group has grown steadily and now aims to reach RM100 million in revenue by 2030. Today, the company represents and collaborates with major brands such as Fuji and Omron and is a member of the International Federation of Robotics. Vepro Group specialises in industrial automation, offering solutions i...
Feb 04, 2025•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast Join us as we chat with Duncan Ross, Founder of Xzotic Pens, a Malaysian-based company specializing in personalized, hand-turned wooden pens. Founded in 2021, Xzotic Pens has quickly become a standout in the fine writing industry, with seven retail stores across Selangor and Johor Bahru. In this episode, Duncan shares his journey of turning a passion for craftsmanship into a thriving business, the challenges along the way, and how he’s scaling in Malaysia’s competitive market. See omnystudio.com...
Feb 03, 2025•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast Discover how a Sarawak startup is leveraging AI to enhance environmental sustainability in agriculture and forestry. In this episode of Open For Business, we take a closer look at EB Tech, a technology startup using artificial intelligence to tackle environmental challenges. Founded in 2021/2022, EB Tech initially developed AI solutions for the palm oil sector—employing robotics and autonomous drones to address operational inefficiencies—before pivoting to broader sustainability initiatives such...
Feb 02, 2025•35 min•Transcript available on Metacast Join us in this episode of Open For Business as we chat with Wajih Ghauri, Founder of Katin Life, a luxury bedding brand that’s redefining comfort, quality, and ethical values with its premium Egyptian cotton products. Launched in 2023, Katin Life has already achieved six-figure monthly sales and is Malaysia’s highest-rated bedding brand. With recent expansions into Singapore and Pakistan, Wajih is now eyeing new markets and using modern strategies like live commerce and personalized customer en...
Jan 30, 2025•38 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, we dive into the intricacies of biohacking with the co-founders of AMANI, an exclusive, members-only club designed to help corporate executives optimise their mind, body, and soul for peak performance. With 96% of senior leaders experiencing some level of burnout, AMANI aims to address this gap with a unique approach tailored for the Malaysian market, where biohacking is still emerging. Join us as Yann and Anabelle share their journey, the challenges they’ve faced, and their vis...
Jan 27, 2025•43 min•Transcript available on Metacast On Open For Business, we speak with Jamie Lim, the founder of Zoey’s Homemade by Zoey Food Supply, a brand that has grown from a home-based venture into a thriving business with RM4.8 million in revenue in 2023. Jamie shares her journey, from starting the business during a personal challenge to raising RM2 million in equity crowdfunding. Tune in to hear how Zoey Food Supply champions preservative-free, frozen meals while navigating scaling challenges and ambitious growth plans, with a target of ...
Jan 26, 2025•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast Today on Open For Business, we’re melting into the world of Chocolate Concierge, a brand redefining chocolate by showcasing Malaysia’s rich cacao heritage and crafting bold, unforgettable flavours. Founded by Ong Ning Geng, it’s more than just a chocolatier — it’s a quest to create meaningful experiences through sustainable practices and local innovation. We'll explore how Chocolate Concierge is becoming the go-to brand for thoughtful gifting and indulgence. See omnystudio.com/listener for priva...
Jan 23, 2025•44 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
