SINGAPORE - Budding entrepreneurs can pick up nuggets of wisdom
from local success story Kenny Yap, 47, the executive chairman and
group chief executive of Qian Hu Corporation Limited.
Mr Yap started his business at the age of 25 and today, Qian Hu
is the only ornamental fish service provider which is a
public-listed company on the Singapore Exchange.
Here are Mr Yap's tips for school-leavers and young
entrepreneurs:
Experience
A tertiary education can give you a foundation, but you need to
build up your experience by learning on the job.
Wisdom
Experience comes from making mistakes, but the ultimate aim is
to become wiser. Without wisdom, you will continue to make the same
mistakes.
Passion
Do the things you really like, which can create value or have a
positive impact on others. Automatically, you will have work-life
balance because you enjoy working.
Motivation
Money should never be the goal. There are jobs which will pay
more than what you may earn as an entrepreneur.
But true entrepreneurs want the freedom of creating their own
rules.
You must want to be an entrepreneur so badly that you feel you
will die with regrets if you don't.
Responsibility
You must be able to create something out of nothing from limited
means.
You must enjoy being responsible for the lives of your employees
who depend on you.
Right attitude and perspective
Understand that failure is necessary. You must dare to take
risks and bounce back from setbacks.
Despite failure, you must try again. Be sincere and earn the
trust of clients by your actions.
Forget your ego
Confidence comes from within.
People who care too much about losing face will be afraid of
failure.
