At Tech Collective, we interview some great entrepreneurs who have achieved great success over time and we thought it best to share some of their best advice for those looking to start the next big thing in Southeast Asia.
Eric Dadoun, Chief Commercial Officer for Twizo
A serial entrepreneur, investor and entrepreneur mentor, Eric shares his thoughts on getting started in the startup business.
There is no elevator to success, only stairs. That straight line to 100 simply doesn’t exist. The entrepreneurial journey is an exciting one but it has its challenges, to say the least so make sure you’re working on something you are passionate about. Keep working, be your own biggest critic, adapt when needed and keep going forward.
Read his full interview here.
Karl Vaan, CEO and Co-Founder of BitofProperty
At only 25 years old, Karl has built a proptech startup that has gotten funding from Japanese real estate giant LIFULL and Singapore-based Spaze Ventures.
I think there are many things what a person needs to know if he or she wants to become an entrepreneur. Some of the things she just has to experience and learn along the way, but if I would have to give advice, then these are the three important things, which an entrepreneur has to bear in mind no matter what.
Firstly, read books and share experiences with other entrepreneurs. Reading books is the simplest way to learn from others and avoid doing the same mistakes. Of course, books are theoretical and not everything what you read applies to your business, but there are certainly some easy tips and tricks you can follow. Must read books for every entrepreneur, before starting are: Lean Startup, Lean Analytics, Mom Test, Zero to One and Start With Why. Also, try to meet other founders/entrepreneurs and ask about their journey. They just might have some good suggestions on how you should start your business.
Secondly, make sure that you do decent market research before you start your venture. This does not only mean googling about other companies and reading articles. Talk to people! Try to find events which are related to your startup. Validate problems before finding solutions. You should constantly keep yourself in Build Measure Learn loop, in order to fail fast and iterate your business to find a product-market fit as soon as possible.
Thirdly, make sure that you have enough savings in your bank account and/or you have family/friends that can support you. There will be tough times and moments where you have either financial troubles or you need support from your friends or family when the results have not been what you were looking for. This doesn’t mean you should stop, it just means that you need to take a step back to rethink and start again. To minimize the risks of getting to this point follow the first two steps closer and that should keep you on the right track.
Read his full interview here.
Evangeline Leong, CEO and Founder of Kobe Global Technologies
Evangeline bootstrapped her way to a multi-million dollar startup that is changing influencer marketing in the region.
Goals without routines are wishes; routines without goals are aimless.
I would say set your eyes on the stars and put your feet on the ground. Set a vision that excites you and have the discipline to work and achieve the vision. This cycle will go on. Review your vision, and have the discipline to put in the work. The process is never-ending.
We have the answers, all the answers; it’s the questions we do not know.
If you have a business idea or you’re struggling to get your startup kickstarted – congratulations! You know an awful lot about your idea and your industry – and I know with enough grit, you’ll find the answers.
Just make sure you’re asking the right questions and working on the right ones! You will be able to find your way out.
Read her full interview here.