Open For Business

Founded in 2004, Summer Academy has grown from a single learning centre into a full education network. And now, it’s launching Malaysia’s first Dutch-inspired secondary school, with happiness as the foundation for lifelong learning.We speak with its Directors, Yanesly Widjaja and Julie Lee, about the evolution of Summer Academy and the opening of Summer International Secondary School (SISS) in Malaysia. We explore what it means to build a school rooted in joy, student ownership and real-world relevance, and why rethinking education starts with rethinking success.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Angeline Mahsuri Cheah left a career in B2B tech sales to start her own venture from scratch, sparked by a single client request. Five years later, her technology consulting business, Citrus Cloud, is generating multi-million ringgit revenues serving major clients in the telco and financial sectors.Angeline shares her founder journey, from the early days of freelancing to forming a joint venture to tackle larger, more complex projects. She discusses her personalized approach to winning B2B clients, the art of pricing and project management, and the key lessons she learned about navigating the non-tech challenges of starting a business.We discuss:The leap from a corporate tech career to solo entrepreneurship.The journey from a freelance side project to a structured company.How they win B2B clients through pilot tests and proof-of-concepts.The art of pricing services and managing project profitability.Key advice on navigating the early challenges of a new business.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Heirloom vanilla once grew in Malaysia, and Alfred Phua is on a mission to bring it back. Through Vanilla Impact Story, he’s building more than just a business — he’s restoring a forgotten crop, empowering rural farmers, and preserving a slice of agricultural heritage.In this episode, Alfred shares what drew him to vanilla, what it really took to get the business off the ground, and why he believes storytelling is just as powerful as farming in creating lasting impact. It’s a conversation about purpose, patience, and turning one spice into a social movement.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Indonesia's healthcare system faces a critical staffing gap, leaving hospitals under-resourced while many medical professionals seek flexible work. Healthpro.id, an on-demand platform connecting facilities with vetted healthcare workers, is tackling this challenge head-on, having already deployed over 32,000 shifts since its launch.Co-founder Rendy Alfuadi joins us to share their journey of finding product-market fit. He discusses the crucial pivot that took them from just $400 to over $52,000 in monthly revenue, their B2B business model that is already profitable, and their plans to scale towards a $2 million annual revenue target.We discuss:The strategic pivot that unlocked their rapid growth and profitability.Their B2B business model and the unit economics behind it.How they built a defensible moat in a high-barrier-to-entry market.Their strategy for managing the supply of licensed healthcare workers.Their future targets, including a $2M revenue goal and a potential acquisition exit.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After a family member fell ill from an unregistered supplement, Nash Mohamad set out to fix a broken industry. His biotech startup, Alt Synergy, is now building an AI-powered platform to help brands, especially micro-influencers, launch compliant functional food products without needing a scientific background.Co-founder and CEO Nash Mohamad joins us to explain how their platform acts as a bridge between brand owners and compliant OEM manufacturers. He discusses their unique business model, their strategy for using Malaysia's halal certification as a key advantage for international growth, and their vision for bringing trust and traceability to the wellness industry.We discuss:How their AI platform simplifies product R&D and ensures compliance.Their focus on the micro-influencer and small brand market.The business model combining launch fees, subscriptions, and distribution.How they aim to leverage Malaysia's halal certification for global expansion.Their plan to build traceability features and expand into enterprise services.For entrepreneurs in the wellness space, or anyone interested in how AI is transforming product development, this is a look at a unique B2B startup with big ambitions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Large-scale productions used to dominate the animation industry, but a new wave of creators is proving otherwise.We speak with Charlie Chan, Managing Director of Metal Brain Studio, about how Malaysian-made Oko Lele became a worldwide sensation on YouTube, amassing 3.6 million subscribers and over 4 billion views. From monetising content like an independent creator to licensing IP and launching merchandise, we explore the unique path of growing a slapstick series into a scalable business, and what it would take to build Southeast Asia’s next global franchise.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a "red ocean" flooded with digital marketing agencies, how does a new player stand out and deliver results that go beyond just creative ideas? For Kredence Creative Solutions (KCS), the answer lies in a results-driven, full-funnel strategy that has seen them grow from a small startup to a seven-figure agency purely on the back of client referrals.Co-Founder and CEO Tan Suet Keem joins us to share the journey of launching in 2020 and scaling the business from serving SMEs to landing big brands. She discusses their evolution towards "humanising digital" through online-to-offline solutions and their ambitious vision to build a marketing holding group.We discuss:Their strategy for thriving in a "red ocean" agency market.The evolution from performance marketing to an integrated O2O approach.How they grew to a 7-figure agency purely on client referrals.Their plan to scale beyond services with e-commerce and ebooks.The long-term vision to become a holding group and pursue an IPO.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Finding a reliable and trustworthy handyman in Malaysia can be a frustrating gamble of opaque pricing and uncertain quality. Handibee is trying to fix this broken market with a different approach: a membership-based home warranty service that offers homeowners peace of mind.Founder and CEO Mohamed Shakir joins us to share how a personal negative experience inspired him to launch Handibee. He breaks down their unique business model, where members get access to certified technicians at fixed hourly rates, and how they plan to scale by partnering with property developers to reach their profitability target of 15,000 homes.We discuss:The membership-based model for home repairs and maintenance.How they differentiate from on-demand platforms by focusing on trust.Their growth strategy through partnerships with property developers.How their risk aggregation model works (like insurance for repairs).Their path to profitability and future plans for expansion.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Approaching the RM1 billion milestone and serving over 320,000 users, wealth tech platform Versa is a key player in Malaysia's wealthtech scene. But in a competitive market, how do you build a business focused on fostering long-term financial habits, not just facilitating short-term transactions?Founder and CEO Teoh Wei Xiang joins us to share Versa's journey and its strategic evolution. He discusses their recent RM30 million Series A funding round, their new focus on using AI for personalisation, and the playbook for scaling a mobile-first wealth platform for the next generation of investors.We discuss:The strategy for reaching the RM1 billion asset milestone.Why they focus on "selling financial behaviors," not just funds.How their Series A funding will be used for AI, product, and growth.The importance of their partnership with lead investor AHAM Capital.Their path to profitability by balancing acquisition costs and customer lifetime value.For founders in the fintech space and anyone interested in building a consumer tech brand, this is an exploration into product strategy, digital-first marketing, and the future of wealth management.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most people think vegetarian food means salad bowls, grain bowls, and the occasional tofu stir-fry. But what if it could also mean laksa, sambal petai pizza, or even orh-luak – all without the meat, and still full of flavour?That’s the idea behind Roots, a modern vegetarian fusion restaurant founded by Ian Tan and his brothers. Ian shares how he turned familiar Malaysian favourites into plant-based dishes that appeal to vegetarians and meat-eaters alike, and what it takes to build a brand that balances creativity, culture, and business sense.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.