In this episode of the iSearch podcast, Benjamin Lim (iSearch) discussed with Roger Loh (Forvis Mazars) on how business owners can value their business and prepare for a successful exit in 1-3 years. The areas of discussion include: 0:00 - Introduction 1:28 - Roger’s opinion on whether all businesses are sellable 2:56 - Making your business more sellable if it has key man risk 4:53 - Commonly used methods to value businesses in Malaysia 7:57 - Using EBITDA for valuation 8:39 - Obtaining data for SME businesses 9:43 - Common mistakes business owners make when valuing their business 11:50 - Roger shares real life experiences of business exits 15:17 - Key financial metrics in business valuation 20:21 - Other factors that affect business valuation 23:41 - Red flags that may scare off potential buyers 25:23 - Working with a valuation expert 26:22 - Steps to take for business owners planning to exit in the next 2 years Check out Forvis Mazars here: https://www.forvismazars.com/my/en #RogerLoh #ForvisMazars #business #businesstips #businessexit #businessexitstrategy #entrepreneur #entrepreneurship #entrepreneurmalaysia #businessmalaysia #isearch #isearchmalaysia #isearcpodcast
In this episode of the iSearch podcast, Benjamin Lim (iSearch) discussed with Dr. Ingky (Ventamin) on his journey with building and scaling a global DTC brand from scratch. The areas of discussion include: 0:58 - The story behind Ventamin 3:31 - Validating the idea before launching 8:53 - The ideal waiting list 10:56 - Get started with building a waiting list 14:18 - The biggest challenges in bringing Ventamin to the market 15:55 - Complying with international regulations 16:52 - Ventamin’s key marketing strategies 19:01 - The best social media platform for Ventamin 20:18 - Advice for those starting e-commerce or a DTC brand from scratch 24:04 - The process of finalising Ventamin’s products 25:38 - Utilising Shopify for Ventamin’s website 26:48 - How Ventamin is using AI in their business 32:02 - Strategies for going global and selling worldwide 33:51 - Pricing structure for the global market 34:29 - Future plans for Ventamin Check out Ventamin here: https://ventamin.com/ #dringky #ventamin #dtc #dtcbrand #ecommerce #entrepreneur #entrepreneurship #entrepreneurmalaysia #isearch #isearchmalaysia #isearchpodcast
In this episode of the iSearch podcast, Benjamin Lim (iSearch) discussed with Tan Aik Keong (Agmo) on Agmo's journey from a startup to IPO. The areas of discussion include: 0:00 - Introduction 1:03 - The idea of starting Agmo 3:19 - Current programmes like Shark Tank for aspiring entrepreneurs in Malaysia 4:42 - How Agmo got their first few clients 6:38 - Evolving from SMEs stage to bigger companies 9:37 - Marketing internationally 10:59 - The biggest challenge of running Agmo 14:58 - Platform recommendations for entrepreneurs to get started 18:42 - Advice for entrepreneurs aiming for IPO 23:14 - Future plans for Agmo #tanaikkeong #agmoholdings #agmo #startup #tech #technology #entrepreneur #entrepreneurmalaysia #sme #smemalaysia #isearchmalaysia #isearchpodcast #isearch
In this episode of the iSearch podcast, Benjamin Lim (iSearch) discussed with Dr. Selina Chew (Disruptive Doctors) on her journey from being a doctor to establishing a startup, and how they have been impacting healthcare in Malaysia differently. The areas of discussion include: 1:03 - The idea and inspiration behind Disruptive Doctors 9:24 - How doctors can impact healthcare differently and benefits from joining Disruptive Doctors 10:54 - Disruptive Doctors’ community and events 12:06 - A real life example of impacting healthcare differently 13:19 - The best marketing strategy that has worked well for Disruptive Doctors 14:38 - How Disruptive Doctors got their first 100-500 users 16:48 - How Disruptive Doctors makes money and their future plans 20:08 - Free vs. paid membership on Disruptive Doctors 20:43 - Dr. Selina’s vision for Disruptive Doctors 22:20 - Advice for those facing setbacks in their career and wish to pivot Check out Disruptive Doctors here: https://disruptive-doctors.com/ #selinachew #disruptivedoctors #startup #healthcare #healthcareinnovation #entrepreneur #entrepreneurmalaysia #sme #smemalaysia #isearchmalaysia #isearchpodcast #isearch
In this episode of the iSearch podcast, Benjamin Lim (iSearch) discussed with Raymond Chou (Owners Circle) on hiring and retaining a team of A-players, and preventing burnout as an entrepreneur. The areas of discussion include: 0:48 - Common challenges faced by entrepreneurs when building a high-performing team 2:30 - How entrepreneurs can overcome these challenges 4:06 - Breaking away from the mindset of not delegating 8:12 - Determining the right time to hire 11:39 - Burnout among entrepreneurs 13:39 - Creating the right environment for employees 17:08 - Providing a path to growth for A-players 19:38 - Identifying A-players during the interview stage 25:33 - Some ways entrepreneurs can find support and guidance Check out Owners Circle here: https://ownerscircle.asia/ #raymondchou #ownerscircle #entrepreneur #entrepreneurmalaysia #hiringstrategy #hiringemployees #hiringtips #sme #smemalaysia #isearch #isearchmalaysia #isearchpodcast
In this episode of the iSearch podcast, Benjamin Lim (iSearch) discussed with Eric Siew (Choobub Creatives) on his journey from being a doctor to establishing a marketing agency, and some effective tips for SMEs to build their online branding. The areas of discussion include: 0:00 - Introduction 1:18 - The story behind Eric's interesting career change 3:19 - Why Eric chose the marketing field 5:55 - How Eric navigated his decision with his family 7:40 - The challenges Eric faced and the mindset shift needed to go from employee to entrepreneur 9:57 - Finding a business partner 11:27 - How long it took Eric to land his first client 14:48 - 3 marketing strategies for SMEs to stand out and build their online branding 18:23 - Eric's advise for shy people who want to build their branding 20:25 - How to get started with content writing 22:23 - Eric's thoughts on creating organic content vs. running ads 24:31 - Boosting organic content as ads 26:17 - LinkedIn as a platform for B2C businesses 28:16 - Style of content writing for B2C businesses on LinkedIn 30:47 - How businesses can measure performance of their content 32:45 - How Eric overcomes a creative block 35:32 - Building a personal brand vs. building a corporate brand 37:42 - How entrepreneurs can join Eric's community Check out Choobub Creatives here: https://choobub.my/ #ericsiew #choobubcreatives #choobub #digitalmarketing #marketingagency #marketingtips #branding #entrepreneur #entrepreneurmalaysia #sme #smemalaysia #isearchmalaysia #isearchpodcast #isearch
In this episode of the iSearch podcast, Benjamin Lim (iSearch) discussed with Mark Chong (Big Tiny) on how to invest in tiny homes and the couple of ways to earn monthly passive income. The areas of discussion include: 0:00 - Intro 2:24 - Experiences at tiny homes overseas 4:42 - How to invest in a tiny home and what to expect 12:09 - Co-owning a tiny home without buying 16:22 - The negative connotation on passive income 18:41 - How BigTiny sustains during off-peak seasons 21:16 - BigTiny’s co-ownership programme 24:16 - How you can get more information from BigTiny 25:30 - Mark shares more on BigTiny 27:29 - BigTiny’s upcoming event Check out Big Tiny here: https://www.bigtiny.com.sg/ #bigtiny #tinyhouse #tinyhousemovement #tinyhomes #entrepreneur #entrepreneurmalaysia #businessmalaysia #startup #startupmalaysia #isearch #isearchmalaysia #isearchpodcast
In this episode of the iSearch podcast, Benjamin Lim (iSearch) discussed with Jeff Yeo (Big Tiny) on the brand's story and key strategies and challenges of their rapid expansion from 2 tiny houses to 450 tiny houses in 7 years. The areas of discussion include: 0:00 - Introduction 0:59 - The story of Big Tiny 3:37 - Design of Big Tiny houses 4:54 - Big Tiny team's prior experience 6:22 - Big Tiny's business model 10:21 - How you can book a stay with Big Tiny in Malaysia 11:33 - Key strategies of Big Tiny's rapid growth 14:13 - Assembling a tiny house and Big Tiny's mantra 15:35 - Popularity of Big Tiny 16:17 - Safety and security in Big Tiny homes 17:02 - Key challenges during Big Tiny's expansion 20:21 - How Big Tiny stands out against bigger booking platforms 22:32 - Sale of Big Tiny houses 24:50 - Future plans for Big Tiny Check out Big Tiny here: https://www.bigtiny.com.sg/ #bigtiny #tinyhouse #jeffyeo #entrepreneur #entrepreneurmalaysia #businessmalaysia #startup #startupmalaysia #isearch #isearchmalaysia #isearchpodcast
In this episode of the iSearch podcast, Benjamin Lim (iSearch) discussed with Sam Shafie (pitchIN) on what Equity Crowdfunding (ECF) is and how businesses can raise funds via ECF in Malaysia. The areas of discussion include: 0:00 - Introduction 1:14 - The story of pitchIN 4:37 - What is Equity Crowdfunding (ECF) and how it differs from other types of funding 8:28 - Prerequisite for companies to raise funds via ECF 11:25 - Do’s and Don’ts of ECF 15:24 - How to value your company 23:28 - Equity distribution on pitchIN 27:28 - How investors can sell off their shares 31:33 - Caveat on investing via pitchIN 32:01 - Accessing companies’ financial statements 32:47 - Types of businesses that are suitable for ECF 37:41 - An important tip for investors 38:56 - Success stories of fundraising via ECF on pitchIN 44:17 - How companies can get started with the pitchIN platform Check out pitchIN here: https://www.pitchin.my/ #pitchin #equitycrowdfunding #raisefunds #entrepreneur #entrepreneurmalaysia #businessmalaysia #startup #isearchmalaysia #isearchpodcast
In this episode of the iSearch podcast, Benjamin Lim (iSearch) discussed with Wayne Yap on buying a boring business and making it profitable, where Wayne bought a boring business and turned $2,500 to $380,000 a Month! The areas of discussion include: 1:17 - Wayne’s definition of a ‘boring business’ 1:54 - Examples of ‘boring business’ 2:40 - Key considerations before Wayne buys over ‘boring businesses’ 3:43 - Strategy on buying over ‘boring businesses’ 4:31 - The process of buying over a business 7:27 - Having relevant experience before acquiring a company 8:56 - Document requirements to conduct due diligence 9:58 - How Wayne approaches potential sellers 11:01 - Wayne’s due criteria for buying businesses 15:18 - Changes made and lessons learnt from Wayne’s successful business 17:41 - Wayne’s thought process before acquiring a beauty business 19:33 - Wayne’s strategy to go from $2,500 to $380,000 per month 22:19 - Wayne’s current portfolio of businesses 24:17 - Evaluating the price of a business for acquisition 26:08 - Marketplace to find businesses for sale 27:14 - Engaging a consultant for inexperienced buyers 28:11 - Hiring a lawyer for the acquisition process 29:45 - Wayne’s current personal projects Check out Wayne Yap here: https://www.wayneyap.com/ #boringbusiness #businessmalaysia #businessgrowth #businesstips #businessstrategy #businessacquisition #entrepreneur #entrepreneurmalaysia #startupmalaysia
In this episode of the iSearch podcast, Benjamin Lim (iSearch) discussed with Richard William (RW William) on the implementation of e-invoicing in Malaysia and how businesses can prepare for it. The areas of discussion include: 1:06 - What is e-invoicing and how it’s different from the current invoicing structure 4:11 - E-invoicing timeline and regulations 7:20 - E-invoicing regulations for B2C businesses 8:55 - Further explanation on e-invoicing regulations 11:17 - The purpose of e-invoicing 13:47 - E-invoicing for imports 14:41 - Obtaining invoices for services like Google Ads, Facebook, etc. 18:18 - How businesses can start implementing e-invoicing 24:25 - E-invoicing for individual agents 25:27 - Average cost for accounting software 27:36 - Final piece of advice Check out RW William here: https://rwwilliam.com.my/ #einvoicingmalaysia #einvoicing #entrepreneur #entrepreneurmalaysia #businessmalaysia #startup #isearch #isearchmalaysia #isearchpodcast #rwwilliam
In this episode of the iSearch podcast, Benjamin Lim (iSearch) discussed with Venon Tian (Zus Coffee) the story behind the brand and how it grew from 0 to 360 outlets in a short span of 4 years. The areas of discussion include: 1:33 - How the idea of Zus Coffee came about 2:52 - Key strategies in Zus Coffee’s rapid expansion 7:19 - Zus Coffee’s goals for 2024 8:19 - How funding was secured to boost Zus’s growth 10:11 - The biggest challenges and lessons from running 300+ outlets 15:54 - Zus Coffee’s hiring philosophy 19:03 - The ultimate vision for Zus Coffee 21:44 - How Zus maintains quality and consistency across their outlets 25:52 - The role technology has played in Zus’s growth 31:22 - A valuable lesson for aspiring entrepreneurs Check out Zus Coffee here: https://zuscoffee.com/ #zuscoffee #venontian #entrepreneur #entrepreneurmalaysia #businessmalaysia #startup #startupmalaysia #isearch #isearchmalaysia #isearchpodcast
In this episode of the iSearch podcast, we have compiled the top business advice from our 2023 guests. The areas of discussion include: 0:00 - Diversify your investments if you're a busy investor 0:58 - Raise funds to grow, not to survive 2:06 - Providing value is the best TikTok strategy 2:52 - Careful planning is a MUST 3:28 - Rest drives productivity and efficiency 5:06 - The best branding platform is where your customers are 5:45 - Build a team that you can work with 6:46 - Demonstrate that you can win 7:10 - Business is all about capturing and keeping your customers 7:52 - Great startups are built by solving problems 8:45 - Know your business potential and expected ROI before deciding to reinvest in the business 10:04 - Systems are powerful 11:10 - Take care of your team #entrepreneur #entrepreneurmalaysia #businessadvice #sme #smes #smemalaysia #isearchpodcast #isearchmalaysia #isearch
In this episode of the iSearch podcast, Benjamin Lim (iSearch) discussed with Jeevan Sahadevan the 8 keys that entrepreneurs can apply for incredible success in their business. The areas of discussion include: 0:46 - Important advice for business owners 2:22 - Setting goals for your business (The 1st key) 5:34 - Generating prospects (The 2nd key) and effective strategies to do so 9:29 - Important tips for prospect generation 11:48 - Sales conversion (The 3rd key) 13:53 - Tips for creating a solid sales conversion process 14:59 - Repeat purchases (The 4th key) 16:30 - A simple structure for repeat purchase 18:52 - Promotions (The 5th key) 19:17 - Real-life example of implementing promotions 19:57 - Effective strategy to implement promotions in your business 21:09 - Systems (The 6th key) 21:45 - The 3 P’s for systemising 22:06 - How systems can help your business 22:40 - Teams (The 7th key) 23:02 - 3 practices for a high-performing team 24:49 - Investments (The 8th key) 25:47 - Investment tips for entrepreneurs to grow wealth 28:36 - Summary of the 8 keys Check out Jeevan Sahadevan here: http://jeevansahadevan.com/ #jeevansahadevan #entrepreneur #businessmalaysia #sme #startupmalaysia #isearch #isearchmalaysia #isearchpodcast
In this episode of the iSearch podcast, Benjamin Lim (iSearch) discussed with Kevin Brockland (Indelible Ventures) on the potential of startups and entrepreneurs in Malaysia, and building a startup that can scale globally. The areas of discussion include: 1:23 - Why Kevin left the U.S. to settle in Malaysia 8:08 - Key strengths and weaknesses of Malaysian founders 10:50 - Kevin’s thoughts on Malaysians’ mentality for taking risks 13:06 - Current opportunities in Malaysia for aspiring entrepreneurs 16:50 - Advice on finding good developers 19:26 - Equity sharing with developer 21:00 - The mindset that entrepreneurs should have to go global 24:04 - Choosing a country to scale to 25:41 - Penetrating the U.S. market without having to travel often 26:55 - Key criteria to get seed stage venture fund 32:10 - Getting a co-founder vs. working solo 33:20 - Final sharing Check out Indelible Ventures here: https://indelible.vc/ #indelibleventures #entrepreneur #businessmalaysia #sme #startup #startupmalaysia #smemalaysia #isearch #isearchmalaysia #isearchpodcast
In this episode of the iSearch podcast, Benjamin Lim (iSearch) discussed with Eric Lam (Recast Ventures) on how entrepreneurs can start a business, scale, and exit in 36 months. The areas of discussion include: 1:18 - The reason startups fail and how to avoid it 4:13 - Validating a product or service before working on your ideas 7:26 - How to proceed when your product has little traction 10:57 - Finding a different angle for your product 14:15 - Best and worst type of businesses for entrepreneurs planning to exit within 36 months 21:10 - Working solo vs. having a co-founder 24:22 - Eric’s experience finding a team in his ventures 26:10 - How entrepreneurs can asses market size and potential 28:28 - The process of raising funds for first-time entrepreneurs 34:23 - Effective marketing strategies with minimal funding 40:20 - How Eric gets his ventures in the news 42:07 - Key things to consider before exit 47:05 - Final sharing Check out Recast Ventures here: https://www.recastventures.net/ #recastventures #thefastfounder #sme #startup #startupmalaysia #smemalaysia #isearch #isearchmalaysia #isearchpodcast
In this episode of the iSearch podcast, Benjamin Lim (iSearch) discussed with Sasha Tan (Dear Hustlers) on her unique branding blueprint to help brands stand out against competitors. The areas of discussion include: 1:02 - Definition of a brand 1:47 - How Sasha discovered this unique branding blueprint 2:49 - How the blueprint works and how brands can start implementing it 3:29 - The C.A.C blueprint explained 7:04 - Sasha’s practice of effectively prioritising 8:15 - Advice for businesses with a wide target audience 12:03 - A benchmark for startups 13:06 - How businesses can validate their products 13:29 - Real life implementation of the C.A.C blueprint 14:38 - How startups and SMEs can standout against bigger corporations 15:54 - Measuring the progress and success of brand development 16:43 - Why high online engagement isn’t converting into sales 17:55 - Best platform to maximise branding with limited resources 19:37 - Determining which platform your customers are on 20:57 - Get access to Sasha’s branding blueprint Check out Sasha Tan here: https://sashatan.com/ #branding #digitalmarketing #branding101 #brandingstrategy #isearch #isearchmalaysia #isearchpodcast
In this episode of the iSearch podcast, Benjamin Lim (iSearch) discussed with Azran Osman Rani (Naluri) the common signs and symptoms of burnout and how entrepreneurs can strengthen their mental resilience to tackle it. The areas of discussion include: 1:31 - Burnout among entrepreneurs vs. the general population 2:36 - Signs & symptoms of burnout and how normal stress is different from a burnout 5:21 - Identifying burnout through the 6 categories 6:58 - Some ways to overcome burnout 10:00 - The importance of rest 12:06 - The science of sleep 13:54 - What to expect when consulting a psychologist / therapist 16:45 - How entrepreneurs can develop strong mental resilience 20:08 - Focusing on behaviour goals 21:41 - Azran’s morning routine 23:18 - Advice for those transitioning from employee to entrepreneur 24:54 - Benefits of having a co-founder 25:14 - Advice for entrepreneurs who are scaling their business 27:18 - Final piece of advice for founders Check out Naluri here: https://www.naluri.life/ #naluri #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthmatters #mentalhealthtips #entrepreneur #entrepreneurship #isearch #isearchmalaysia #isearchpodcast
In this episode of the iSearch podcast, Benjamin Lim (iSearch) discussed with Sam Dogen (Financial Samurai) on some personal finance tips for entrepreneurs to achieve financial independence. The areas of discussion include: 1:06 - The definition of financial independence 1:51 - Being financially independent in the 40s 5:27 - Achieving 80k annual passive income 6:54 - Thoughts on entrepreneurs investing in real estate 9:39 - Stocks investment 10:27 - Sam’s background story and its role in his financial independence 12:45 - Entrepreneurship vs. investment banking 13:43 - Common financial mistakes among entrepreneurs 15:54 - Cash vs. loan for purchasing a car 16:29 - Golden rule for buying your own property 17:31 - Reinvesting profits vs. putting it in savings 19:29 - Sam shares what early retirement is like 20:28 - Why Sam wrote “Buy This, Not That” Check out Financial Samurai here: https://www.financialsamurai.com/
In this episode of the iSearch podcast, Benjamin Lim (iSearch) discussed with Brandon Lee (Padan Social) on how businesses can build branding and generate leads on TikTok. The areas of discussion include: - Strategies for businesses to grow on TikTok - How brands can leverage on TikTok trends - Finding quality influencers on TikTok - Nano influencers vs. Major influencers - Thoughts on TikTok ads to generate leads - Why so few Malaysian brands have succeeded on TikTok - Common misconceptions of TikTok - Posting TikTok content - Success stories on TikTok - No.1 tip for brands looking to get started with TikTok Check out Pandan Social here: https://pandansocial.com/ #digitalmarketing #tiktok #tiktokmarketingstrategies #tiktokmarketing #isearch #isearchmalaysia #isearchpodcast