Open For Business

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Episodes

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Open For Business

The flagship entrepreneurship show on BFM, featuring personal business stories from early stage start-ups, all the way to billionaire octogenarians in Malaysia and abroad. Notable guests include Martin Cooper (father of the mobile phone), Julian Assange (founder of WikiLeaks), Ralph Henry Baer (father of video games), Tony Buzan (Mindmap Guru), Isaac Tigrett (Hard Rock Cafe founder), Robert Kiyosaki (Financial Guru), Nick Vujicic (motivational speaker) and more. Tap into this valuable resource of shared experiences for the SME industry, which also touches on news, issues and trends affecting the business community and beyond.

Episodes

Paper vs. Pixels: How Bootstrapped Mossery is Navigating a Digital-First World

In a world dominated by smartphones and tablets, is there still room for a premium stationery and notebook brand? As Mossery celebrates its 10th anniversary as a full-time business, we sit down with Jun Lim, co-founder and CEO of Mossery, to explore the brand’s evolution from a pet project among graphic design students to a homegrown stationery brand with an international presence. We delve into Mossery's unique journey, discussing the founding story and early challenges, the brand’s design phil...

Aug 11, 2024•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast

From Peas to Power

Founded in 2015 by a group of friends united by a passion for fitness and a commitment to healthy living, Soluxe Nutrition emerged from a shared desire to redefine the world of nutrition. Dissatisfied with the artificial-laden products that dominated the market, these long-time fitness enthusiasts embarked on a mission to create an alternative that not only supports optimal health but also stays true to the power of natural, plant-based ingredients. What began as a small startup with a single fo...

Aug 08, 2024•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast

Geomax’s Rubber Revolution? Turning Rejected Gloves into Footwear

With his 20 years of experience in the rubber industry, Steven founded Geomax Rubber in 2018 with the aim to revolutionise the footwear industry by upcycling rejected nitrile gloves into eco-friendly soles and shoes. The company has developed an effective method of converting rejected nitrile gloves into high-performance eco-friendly rubber compounds, leading to the creation of their unique product line under the brand Solewell. Their offerings include safety shoes, sandals, boots, and soles. To...

Aug 07, 2024•35 min•Transcript available on Metacast

ReU Living: Redefining Senior Living and Post-Op Care

ReU Living builds communities for senior living and post-hospitalization recovery. It's a joint venture between eldercare solutions provider Meaningfull Life Sdn Bhd and Tan & Tan Developments Berhad, a wholly owned subsidiary of IGB Bhd. Anna Chew, following her experience at CARE Concierge, co-founded ReU Living to fill a crucial gap in the market by offering premium eldercare services and post-hospitalization recovery. Described by The Edge as a “retirement village, elder care centre, and...

Aug 06, 2024•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast

Putting A Modern Twist on Traditional Keropok Lekor

We speak with Yeo Kwong Jin, Founder at Fiskor, a contemporary Malaysian cracker brand which uses cutting edge technology in the production of lekor chips. We’ll discuss Jin’s rationale for entering the lekor business as well as how the business is managing the challenges in a tough and challenging F&B industry and their future ambitions going forward. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aug 05, 2024•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast

Connecting Arts and Audiences: Inside CloudJoi’s Ticketing and Streaming Platform

CloudJoi is a ticketing service, streaming platform, and community hub designed for the performing arts. Founded in 2020 as CloudTheatre, the company has undergone several rebranding phases, evolving into CloudJoi in 2022. Since its inception, the platform has supported over 1,800 shows, partnered with more than 400 organizers, facilitated the sale of over 600,000 tickets, and generated over RM30 million in Gross Merchandise Value. With strategic funding from Cradle in 2022 and expansion into Ta...

Aug 04, 2024•43 min•Transcript available on Metacast

Eco-Friendly Living with Tiny Houses

We hear from Big Tiny, a property development company transforming the dream of serene, nature-immersed living into a reality. Founded by Jeff Yeo and his co-founders Adrian and Dave, Big Tiny combines eco-friendly tiny homes with the beauty of nature, offering a sustainable travel experience. With an initial investment of S$100,000, they broke even in their first year and now boast a portfolio of 300 tiny houses across the globe. In this episode, Jeff Yeo shares their journey from inception to ...

Aug 01, 2024•28 min•Transcript available on Metacast

Paywatch's Ambitious Plan: New Era of Financial Access for the Underbanked?

Paywatch is a financial services company that provides earned wage access (EWA) services to help employees get banked, receive credit, and improve their access to financial products. Richard Kim, Co-Founder and CEO of Paywatch, founded the business in 2019 with his brother Alex. Together, they have built Paywatch as the only bank-backed and regulator-approved Earned Wage Access solution in Asia. Today, they have expanded their business not only in Malaysia and South Korea but also in other Asia ...

Jul 31, 2024•44 min•Transcript available on Metacast

Infinity8: Beyond Coworking Spaces

Founded in 2017 with the aim to redefine workspaces, Infinity8 today offers dynamic coworking environments that cater to both local and international businesses. With a focus on flexibility and comprehensive support services, Infinity8 provides not just physical space but also recruitment, HR payroll, and enterprise solutions. These offerings make it a differentiating player in easing market entry for foreign companies and supporting Malaysia's economic framework. Today we speak to Lee Sheah Lia...

Jul 30, 2024•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast

Cleve.ai - Personal Branding Made Easy

Today, we speak with Ashvin Praveen, Co-founder and CEO of Cleve.ai . They're an AI-powered content workspace for creators to create, get inspired, and organise content with one tool.  Ashvin founded the business back in December 2023 with his co-founders, Lizzie and Rashad, after the company secured funding from Antler, the global early-stage VC firm, earlier this year. Since their inception, Cleve has now grown to have over 120 weekly active users and steadily growing after also securing ...

Jul 29, 2024•28 min•Transcript available on Metacast