Rilek1Corner

Tag: entrepreneur

  • Rilla Melati: There Are Good Companies Helmed By Malay Singaporeans

    Rilla Melati: There Are Good Companies Helmed By Malay Singaporeans

    Mini Monsters started off in 2008 as the Education Outreach arm of award-winning Dua M Pte Ltd. The company aims to revise an interest in the Malay language by offering an interesting and fun approach to the teaching of the language.

    Its motto “Berhibur and Belajar” (Entertain and Educate) sums up the company’s philosophy in its approach of developing educational materials, courses and syllabus that are relevant to today’s generation of children. We interviewed Rilla Melati Bahri, Director of Content  Development and Co-founder of Mini Monsters. 

    We’ve heard of stories of successful entrepreneurs playing dual roles in juggling personal and working life. While it’s common to hear of women doing that, Rilla seems to excel in it.

    By day, Rilla actively plays the role of content creator for Mini Monsters. In the afternoons, she’d be busy running off for a shoot for her social issues talk show, “Rudy and Rilla” which has gotten her top spot in Mediacorp for 6 seasons in a row since it was first aired. While she admits being a single mom is a 24/7 full time job, Rilla is on top of her game and certainly at her finest despite challenges she faced as a female Malay entrepreneur.

    Q: What are some of the difficulties you face as a female entrepreneur in Singapore?

    I think Singapore is one of the safest countries in the world for a woman to become an entrepreneur, it is a waste if you don’t become one.

    Complete mobility is important when you are venturing out on your own and a woman can be super mobile without fearing for her safety here. The only difficulty I encounter in Singapore is not about being a woman but more so about being Malay. The difficulty in going onto the mainstream platform and convincing Singaporeans at large that there are good companies that are helmed by Malay Singaporeans.

    I don’t understand why when Malays are outstanding, their achievement is only celebrated within the community. That only the community ought to know them and recognise them. The rest of Singapore seems oblivious to their existence. Either that or the same Malay individual is showcased again and again. That is the difficulty I face. How do I exist beyond being just a token representation of a Malay female entrepreneur in Singapore.

     

    Source:  https://ladyboss.asia

  • Osman Sulaiman: Join Me, Achieve Our Dreams Together

    Osman Sulaiman: Join Me, Achieve Our Dreams Together

    I had a privileged childhood, but not many know I was once broke and penniless.

    At the peak, home was a 3 storey penthouse in a condo during my secondary school days.

    Things took a drastic change when my dad was declared a bankrupt during the 1997-1998 Asian financial crisis.

    I served my national service in 1997 and at that time, my allowance from the state was a meagre $290 p/mth.

    During the two years serving the nation, I depended on handouts from relatives and friends. There’s not even enough money for anything except basic necessities. I went into deficit every month.

    After national service, I worked at my sister’s event company for 10 yrs. Finances were better until the business eventually fizzled out. Im back to square one. Destitute.

    Searched high and low for a ‘proper’ office job. Its amazing that I couldnt land any with a diploma in hand. In the meantime, i tried all kinds of work to make ends meet.

    It was while I’m working part-time as a security guard that I got to know there’s an opening for an admin assistant at the place where im working. Broken and broke, what have i got to lose? (yup, im prepared to start from the bottom rung at age 30).

    I applied. Was told to wait for what seems like an eternity. I secured the job after 2 months of convincing them (I pestered the person in charge a few times to be given the opportunity)

    Worked diligently although sometimes like a cow. Covered 2 roles frequently whenever someone would resign. After 3 yrs, i got promoted to supervisory level. Stayed on for another 2 yrs and moved for greener pastures. Lasted a total of 10 yrs in the corporate world with my last designation as a Payroll & HR Exec in an MNC.

    Then the opportunity came to co-own a renovation company. Took some calculated risk and plonked my entire savings into the venture. The very first big risk I took.

    After a year, I did what many people would consider foolish. I quit my cushy paying full time job and go for broke. And the rest is history.

    osman-sulaiman-business-1

    Today, I’m calling out to people who want to live their dreams to join me. Not as an employee but rather as someone to partner me and grow the business together. You will be one of the shareholders and work in the company to build an empire.

    People would naturally ask why would I want to share my business with others? To the cynics, it’s nothing unusual. I use unorthodox ways to expand my business and this is one of them.

    If 10 years ago you are dreaming of making it big, and today, you are still stuck with the same old thing, then it’s time you do something different or the next 10 years will be a history lesson of your previous 10 years.

    Create your own fate. Im luring you for the chance of a lifetime to have a better life with God’s grace insyallah. Fortune will favour the brave. Ive started the train. Hop on and take advantage of it. Now it’s over to you.

    #Jgncakapabangtakpayung
    #syukuralhamdulillah

     

    Source: Khan Osman Sulaiman

  • Leza Parker: I’m Sorry That Our Community Is Judgmental And Negative

    Leza Parker: I’m Sorry That Our Community Is Judgmental And Negative

    I have an apology but not for the misconception of the video showcase, defending my company. The initial comment made is not a review I am not willing to accept. I am a business owner, it was those reviews that have educated me in the last 6 years as an owner. I was more taken aback with the way it was written, with its clear intention to run its course to aggravate negativity. When they was an option to settle in a more amicable manner, I take offence after 200 shares of the review went viral without giving our company a chance to offer a rectification. It was, at that time, in my thoughts it was clear to me, that the writer’s only purpose was to kill a company brand I built. It took me back to the memories of how painstaking it was to get here, and how it was not fair that someone else, at their pleasure to give an opinion as such without a deem care of how anyone feels. Even the word cheapskate, became a topic, when its a word all of us have used on anyone else. A word I sometimes call myself, and in no way degrading a person close to how a vulgar would impact. The video did sent a message, for us to consider sensible options to solve issues instead of acting upon it, like we are the authority. It was totally misconcepted to depict me as an arrogant CEO based on one count of behaviour over the many years I have been one. Then it went on to escalate from the actual problem with the product to the fact that everything about me is flawed from my accent, to my history, to my family, to my name and to anything people feel they have the rights to connect the dots to.

    But this is what I am sorry for.

    I am sorry for the community we live in, that we prefer to hate than to give a chance to know somebody. In the community, we pass judgements too quickly forgetting as a human, we do not differ from making mistakes. I am sorry for in this community, we think we have the rights to punish, instead of letting things flow its natural path. I am sorry that we welcome negativity openly rather than the positive vibes. I am sorry that in this community, people feel they have the rights to speak but condemn when you do the same. I am sorry that as fellow humankind, we would not even allow someone a chance to change. We rather uncover someone’s history to make a mockery of, when we do not have one that is perfect and pleasing ourselves. We rather find flaws in people we do not know, and find gratification to hope the person crumble beneath our crude words. We rather spend our time pulling down someone else, instead of concentrating to lift ourselves up. We rather seize opportunities to get attention on the expense of someone else’s name as the black sheep. We would go all out, and do anything to add fire to fire than to reflect upon our actions for the day on what our character has made us become. We go around cursing with a light mouth yet we know, we can’t accept if someone did the same. We find people’s soft spots to kill them slowly, instead of being compassionate and kind. We believe strangers we connect on social media, that we refused the truth we know we can discover for ourselves. We allow our minds to think badly of someone first before we allow sight of their good nature. In this community, we believe only what we want to believe even when the content is far from the truth.

    So here is my long overdue apology.
    I am sorry to no one else but to my children, because I have no other choice but to raise them in this community. The very community we are living in.

     

    Source: Leza Parker

  • Osman Sulaiman: Forget Get-Rich-Quick Schemes, Learn How To Become An Entrepreneur

    Osman Sulaiman: Forget Get-Rich-Quick Schemes, Learn How To Become An Entrepreneur

    Dear Friends,

    Forget about MLM. Forget about all those so called get rich schemes. Forget about earning money by sitting down at home. Let’s get real. There is no shortcut to success.

    Im sharing ideas where some serious money can be made. It will not make you rich but enough to sustain whatever lifestyle you wish and quit your mundane 9-5 job.

    I’l be speaking at ‘The Real Entrepreneur Club’ on Friday 29 April 2016 @ 7.45pm together with my business partners, Ahmad Shukri Munir and Sumarleki Amjah, who are both successful in their own rights.

    Let me know if you are really keen. I can sneak you in even if the seats are full. There will also be stand-up comedy by the famous comedian Mr Alias Kadir.

    Its time to quit your job like what I did.

     

    Source: Khan Osman Sulaiman