Taking time to walk boosts creativity — just look at Charles Dickens, Virginia Woolf and William Wordsworth

If you’ve ever watched a professional tennis match, you’ll know how much stamina the sport requires. From thigh slaps to squats to light jumps, players will do just about anything to maintain their high energy and laser-focus.

A crucial part of the match, however, occurs in the brief pause between games: the 90-second changeover break, when players rest before switching sides.

Watch closely, and you’ll see how players make the most of these precious moments: burying their heads under a towel to meditate, changing their racquets, or fueling up on water and energy drinks.

Some players, like the great Serena Williams, have even sipped a quick coffee before returning to the court.

Whatever their method, these pro athletes understand the value of a break. A brief reprieve can provide a fresh surge of energy and motivation for the next game.

Much like a tennis match, the workday can also be a daunting mental and physical challenge, especially if you want to perform your best throughout the day.

In addition to finding your optimal work hours, taking multiple breaks can increase your productivity all day long.

I’ll repeat that for emphasis.

Taking breaks can increase productivity.

Our workaholic culture and the business epidemic tend to villainize time-wasting behaviours during work — like leisurely lunches and web browsing — but research proves that breaks can enhance your performance, on many levels.

Brief periods of distraction have been shown to improve both decision-making and creativity. On the other hand, prolonged attention to a single task can actually hinder performance. Pulling an all-nighter for one assignment? Not such a good idea after all.

There’s also evidence that waking periods of mental rest can improve memory formation.

Apparently, during rest periods, your brain reviews and ingrains what it has previously learned. Without rest, you run the risk of experiencing the old “in one ear, out the other” phenomenon.

At my company, JotForm, I incorporate intentional breaks throughout the day — and not only do I take breaks, but I try to take the right kind of breaks.

I wanted to share a few ways that help me add breaks to my workday; how to properly waste time.

How to take constructive breaks

You might be wondering, what kind of breaks should I take? Or, if you’re a manager, what kind of breaks should I encourage my employees to take?

1. Give your prefrontal cortex a breather

Generally, a good break is one that allows your prefrontal cortex to rest. That’s the part of your brain dedicated to logical thinking, executive functioning, and using willpower to override impulses.

There are many ways to do this, but it can be as simple as letting your mind wander.

Also Read: Grab wants to take Indonesia from Go-Jek with US$6.5b funding goal

One report found that daydreaming or zoning out has similar benefits as meditation. And meditation not only increases focus, but it gives your overworked prefrontal cortex a break.

2. Get your blood flowing

Taking a quick pause for physical activity can be extremely beneficial — and that doesn’t mean you have to squeeze in a SoulCycle class at lunch.

Just a 5-minute walking break every hour can improve your health and mental well-being. And mental wellness is critical on a personal and a professional level because research shows that happier workplaces are more productive.

Not only are walks good for your health, but prolonged sitting is actually bad for us. That’s one of the reasons we offer most of our 110 employees both standing and normal desks.

Walking can also boost creativity. A study from Stanford University showed that when people tackled mental tasks that required imagination, walking led to more creative thinking than sitting.

In the literary world, many accomplished novelists and poets have improved their craft by walking. Just a few of these famous walkers include Charles Dickens, Virginia Woolf, Henry David Thoreau, and William Wordsworth.

I’m one of these workday walkers, too. Whenever possible, I walk to lunch and take long strolls with new employees, so we can get to know each other better. At our San Francisco office, we take scenic walks on the Embarcadero and enjoy the calming bay views.

3. Linger by the water cooler

If taking a break is good, taking a break with colleagues may be even better.

Social breaks are important for both personal and professional well-being. For example, social breaks can reinforce bonds, improve morale, and increase opportunities for collaboration.

After observing the social habits at a Xerox corporate office, one study found that copy repair people who hung out in the coffee room were not wasting time — they were engaging in productive conversations about on-the-job challenges.

Other studies have shown that informal, casual conversations between call centre workers increased productivity by 20 per cent.

To make the most of social breaks, time management expert Laura Vanderkam recommends grabbing a coffee with a mentee or taking an afternoon walk with a direct report.

4. Go green

Trees, plants and green spaces are not only aesthetically pleasing, but taking breaks in a natural environment can significantly boost employee well-being, reduce stress, enhance innovative potential, and strengthen personal connections.

Time in nature dramatically improves our ability to think expansively and make better decisions.

It also seems to make us more helpful. For example, people who have just walked in a park or other natural environment are more likely to notice when others need help — and to provide that help.

It’s no coincidence that forward-thinking companies like Google and Facebook prioritise plant life in their office designs. In fact, Facebook’s most recent update to their Menlo Park headquarters included a sprawling rooftop garden.

In many East Asian countries, “forest bathing” has also become a popular office practice, because just a few minutes in nature has measurable benefits for our psychological well-being and our physical health.

5. Grab a bite or surf the web

Is the vending machine calling your name? That’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Snack breaks are a great way to refresh during the workday. According to the University of Roehampton researcher Leigh Gibson, your brain works best with a consistent blood glucose level: 25 grams is optimal. So don’t forget to fuel yourself throughout the day.

Even web surfing, in moderation, can have a positive effect. Researchers at the National University of Singapore found that browsing the internet “serves an important restorative function.” That mini-break spent shopping on Amazon can revive you for the next task.

6. Keep it work-related

Ultimately, almost any mental time-out is effective, as long as you’re giving your prefrontal cortex a rest. Some studies, however, do recommend that these breaks should still be work-related.

Your break should be a time to learn something new, reflect on the big picture, or make positive connections with others.

How long should my break be?

With looming deadlines and colleagues waiting for answers, forcing yourself to take breaks can be challenging. At JotForm, I pre-plan my day to include both dedicated work and constructive break times.

According to MIT Sloan Senior Lecturer Bob Pozen, you should take a time-out every 75 to 90 minutes. This is based on studies of professional musicians, who are most productive when they practice for this amount of time in a single sitting.

“Working for 75 to 90 minutes takes advantage of the brain’s two modes: learning or focusing and consolidation,” says Pozen. “When people do a task and then take a break for 15 minutes, they help their brain consolidate information and retain it better.”

Also Read: Arming small businesses with big cyber defences

Another approach, called the Pomodoro Technique recommends working for 25 minutes before taking a five-minute break. This may be a better approach when a single task requires your full focus.

By using trial and error, you can figure out which technique works best for you.

Create a break-friendly work environment

It’s tempting to shun the habit of taking breaks in your workday.

“Wasting time” can feel like a productivity killer. But when they’re done thoughtfully, constructive breaks can leave you and your employees feeling focused and re-energized.

While you can’t force others to take breaks, you can encourage them to take a breather from time to time.

Managers, for example, can schedule periodic breaks throughout the day and, if possible, your office should offer pleasant break spaces — complete with coffee, snacks and plant life. If caring for plants seems burdensome, try succulents, which require little-to-no care at all.

Try creating walking clubs and schedule walking meetings. And, remember to lead by example — give yourself breaks, too.

—

Originally published on Jotform.

e27 publishes relevant guest contributions from the community. Share your honest opinions and expert knowledge by submitting your content here.

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Plus, South Korea police bust US$19 million bitcoin Ponzi scheme using artificial intelligence

iflix raises funding from Japanese entertainment company and forms joint venture — [e27]

Japanese entertainment conglomerate Yoshimoto Kogyo Co. Ltd today announced a “significant” strategic investment in Southeast Asian streaming platform iflix, which marks its first investment in overseas media.

Through the investment, Yoshimoto Kogyo aims to accelerate development of its future projects in Asia.

The two companies also announced the formation of an exclusive joint venture (JV) out of Singapore to showcase Yoshimoto Group’s most popular content across iflix’s territories in Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, and the corresponding distribution of iflix’s content in Japan.

The joint venture will also produce localised versions of proven content formats out of Japan.

Grab sets sight on US$6.5 billion funding round — [e27]

Today, Southeast Asian ride-hailing giant Grab, announced plans to raise up to US$6.5 billion by the end of this year.

Explaining the move forward, Grab’s president Ming Maa shared that “In line with the tremendous transformation that South East Asia is currently undergoing, the opportunity is ripe for (Grab) to further grow in domains like healthcare, financial services amongst others”.

In a jab at rival GOJEK, which has set out to raise a $2 billion in its Series G round, Grab’s CEO Anthony Tan, said they “expect to be four times bigger than our closest competitor in Indonesia and across the region by the end of the year”.

South Korea police bust US$19M bitcoin pyramid scheme — [The Next Web]

South Korean police have arrested about a dozen people over a Ponzi scheme designed to use bitcoin to take advantage of people who have limited knowledge of the technology, according to The Next Web.

An interesting part of the arrest was that the perpetrators were collared by a special Artificial Intelligence Investigator, which was not a human being. The police taught the program to find patterns that point to a ponzi scheme.

The company, called M-Coin, were able to defraud US$18.7 million worth of payments from 56,000 people.

B Capital closes US$406 million in first tranche of new fund — [e27]

B Capital, the tech fund which was co-founded by the infamous ex-Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin, announced the first close of its second fundraising at US$406 million, detailed in its US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing.

According to DealStreetAsia, B Capital confirmed that it has attracted 62 investors since its launch last month with no closing date or target of funding amount detailed.

In total, this first close has given the tech fund a total amount of US$766.1 million spread within two funds. Starting with US$360 million for its first fund called B Capital Fund followed with B Capital II LP.

Raj Ganguly, B Capital’s co-founder, and partner, will manage the fund as stated in the regulatory filing.

MM Digital raises seed funding — [DealStreetAsia]

MM Digital, The Burmese IT-services provider, has raised a “six-digit” seed funding, according to DealStreetAsia.

The money will be used on hiring and building its operational infrastructure.

The company raised the money from Seed Myanmar and Theta Capital.

—

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Making the power dynamic work takes good communication, good planning and the proverbial top-down approach

This article was co-authored by Prasad Vanga (Founder & CEO, Anthill Ventures) and Ms Lim Seow Hui (Director, Startup Development Division, Enterprise Group).

Corporations today have to innovate to stay relevant. Understanding this, many global corporations run internal programs and initiatives. However, these tend to be incremental innovations, which are important but not game-changing.

To achieve more ambitious innovation goals, large organisations must have the right talent, an innovation-centric culture, and the necessary enablers and processes to fulfil these aspirations.

Startups, on the other hand, have the single-minded goal to solve specific problems through constant technological innovation. This razor-sharp focus, strong internal team alignment, and agile development allow startups to innovate with speed.

There is, therefore, a compelling reason for corporates to work with startups to co-innovate.

Consider the power dynamics between corporations and startups

On one hand, we have the corporation’s ability and vast resources to achieve scale, and on the other hand, we have the startup’s ability to create rapid and value-creating disruptions.

Also Read: Cryptocurrency platform Liquid.com closes the first part of Series C funding, seals unicorn status

While they usually view each other as David and Goliath, there exists a synergy between them and they should explore collaboration. A structured program could extract most of the innovation potential through this collaboration.

Start from the top

The proverbial top-down approach is extremely crucial to percolate the vision down from the corporate leadership to the rest of the organisation. Carefully-designed programs involving the leadership and relevant business units will help craft the vision better and achieve the desired outcomes. The corporate could work with partners that are able to facilitate the co-innovation process.

It begins with an independent innovation audit to identify gaps that need to be addressed. Those gaps must be aligned with the corporate vision and strategy, thereby maximizing strategic impact. The corporate must then embark on the process of clearly defining the problem statements and gaps.

Three phases of corporate-startup collaboration programs

The program for such corporate-startup collaboration typically has three phases: design, build and operate.

At the design phase, it’s important to plan for internal resources such as budget, staff, infrastructure, operating model, legal documentation, and governance mechanisms, as well as external resources such as mentors and other industry partners.

During the build phase, key staff members are inducted into the program who will build and detail the program aspects such as using case creation, startup sourcing process, and relevant marketing efforts.

During the operating phase, the designed plan is executed along with the startup cohort. Some programs conduct carefully-curated business interventions that are aligned with specific business gaps. Periodic audits and reviews are required to assess the cohort’s progress and administer necessary course corrections to the program.

Good communication is key

Communication – both internal and external – is key to the program success. For the corporate that is engaging the startup ecosystem for the first time, it is crucial for the leadership to pay attention to communication.

Positive reinforcement after every success during the program helps everyone to rally around the new process of collaborative innovation. Portraying the appropriate public image is also necessary to attract the right startups and partners.

As this article is not meant to be an exhaustive list of the ingredients for a successful corporate-startup collaboration, these three ingredients have been identified as most essential.

Singapore offers a good location for co-innovation

Singapore is the gateway to the rapidly developing Southeast Asia region, with a population of more than 600 million people that is relatively young. Furthermore, the startup ecosystem in Singapore is ranked highly, with more than 150 VCs and over 100 accelerators and incubators on this tiny island.

Also Read: He scored poor grades at school, landed first job through nepotism, and is now a successful entrepreneur

In addition, Singapore has more than 5000 MNCs that have set up an office here and a number of them are involved in co-innovation. Enterprise Singapore supports the ecosystem through its Startup SG initiatives.

In 2018, L’Oreal launched the L’Oréal Innovation Runway, a partner competition with SLINGSHOT, a global startup competition. As a SLINGSHOT judge, L’Oreal was exposed to the many startups that took part in the competition and was able to pick out interesting startups to work with. They also piloted a co-innovation programme to work with startups based in Singapore.

Home-grown ST Engineering launched an engineering-based incubator, Innosparks, that aims to address needs in mobility, energy, and healthcare. It provides startups with up to S$500,000 (US$369,000) in funding, co-working space and includes access to ST Engineering’s expertise and networks.

With an increasing number of exciting and innovative startups in the region, a track record of corporate innovation, and the availability of partners who understand how to run co-innovation in Singapore, companies can consider Singapore as a strong base for such collaboration.

—

About Lim Seow Hui:
Armed with Bachelor in Electrical Engineering from NUS and a stint in the Human Resources industry, Ms. Lim Seow Hui joined SPRING Singapore’s Industry Development Group in 2008 where she managed key SME accounts in the Electronics & Printing Industries. In 2011, she went on to head a team in the Planning Unit where she represented Singapore at international fora on SME-related policies development such as ASEAN and APEC SME Workgroups. Seow Hui is now the Director of Enterprise Singapore’s Startup Division where she works closely with partners from the startup ecosystem to further strengthen the community.

About Prasad Vanga:
Prasad Vanga is the founder & CEO of Anthill Ventures, a speed scaling platform for early growth stage startups. Within four years, Anthill has built a startup portfolio of 30 companies across India, US and SE Asia that has grown by 3X in portfolio value. In his current role, Prasad leads the strategy, fund management and venture building at Anthill. Prasad has over 18 years of experience in helping senior executives from large organizations like Symantec, Nike, Nestle, Novartis, Wachovia, HSBC, and YES Bank to drive business transformations. His expertise is to help senior leaders discover the core competence of their organizations and design a change management framework that allows them to leverage their culture to drive large transformations. Prasad also has the experience of an Entrepreneur who built a $25M company within 3 years and as an Investor, he has backed several successful companies like Medplus, Zenoti, and Tynker which provided exits of >12X.

Image by stockasso

e27 publishes relevant guest contributions from the community. Share your honest opinions and expert knowledge by submitting your content here.

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The venture capital arm of Thailand’s Siam Commercial Bank participates in Pagaya’s Series C funding

Thailand-based Digital Ventures, the VC arm of Siam Commercial Bank, has returned to join the US$25-million Series C funding of Israel-based AI-powered asset management firm Pagaya, as reported by Deal Street Asia.

This round was led by US-based venture fund Oak HC/FT and besides Digital Ventures, participating in the round were seed investor Viola Ventures, Israeli insurance firm Clal Insurance Ltd, New York-based GF Investments, and former American Express chairman and CEO Harvey Golub, all has participated in Pagaya’s Series B round in August 2018 raising US$14 million.

Pagaya said it plans to use the funding to develop its technology and pursue new asset classes such as real estate and other fixed-income assets including auto loans, mortgages, and corporate credit.

Using machine learning and big data, Pagaya manages institutional money focussing on fixed income and alternative credit like pension funds, insurance companies, and banks.

The company claims to manage US$450 million for banks, insurance firms, pension funds, asset managers, and sovereign wealth funds.

Also Read: Cryptocurrency platform Liquid.com closes the first part of Series C funding, seals unicorn status

A US$100 million actively managed asset-backed securities (ABS) was announced by the company in February. It will use AI to select and purchase individual loans for the ABS, instead of the traditional ABS mechanics of securitising a pool of previously assembled assets.
–

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Fintech is set to be a vibrant part of the global financial system, shaping and innovating the world of finance

Contributed by Benjamin Wong, co-founder and CEO of TranSwap

My Fintech idea came to me in 1997, about 20 years ago.

Back then, I had adequate knowledge on the US currency and wanted to hedge it with an FX forward contract but it was exorbitantly costly. Fortunately, I found a friend overseas with US cash, looking to buy Singapore money. We agreed to swap our currencies at an agreed mid-market rate and that’s how the idea of cross-border FX swapping model came to me.

However, the internet, technologies and regulations were not suitable for fintech innovation back then and I dropped the idea.

Fast forward 20 years later, I finally took the plunge to establish TranSwap, a cross-border payments platform for businesses.

What has changed since then?

Major regulators in respective countries are now beginning to allow fintech companies to operate in the regulated space by providing a fintech-friendly environment and the relevant licenses to operate.

In the United Kingdom, the Bank of England has extended direct access to real-time gross settlement systems (RTGS) accounts to non-bank service providers, giving them direct access to key payment systems.

In Europe, the Bank of Lithuania has given non-financial institutions access to Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) through their own infrastructure, enabling non-financial institutions to innovate and serve their customers directly, avoiding the need to rely on brokering services of many traditional commercial banks.

Closer to home, Hong Kong is poised to issue the city’s first virtual banking licence by the end of 2019, and Singapore is exploring opening up its real-time, round-the-clock payments system, known as FAST, to Fintech firms to broaden access to various payment players.

Also Read: Yangon’s TOP100 champ sees itself spearheading the future of freelance

Even in Japan, their regulator has announced that it will allow non-bank companies to handle money remittances of over 1 million yen (about US$9,000), lifting a limit that has previously prevented start-ups from providing faster and cheaper services in an area dominated by the banking sector.

Evidently, the payments environment has evolved from a stricter space to a much friendlier one, and the tide is rolling in favour of fintech.

The Cross-Border Payments arena is currently a US$22 trillion market. 80 per cent of these payments are B2B related, with banks currently dominating 95 per cent of this market; banks are still the default option most people and companies for cross-border payments.

With fintech’s leaner operations and utilisation of technology to facilitate such cross-border transaction, companies like TranSwap are able to offer an enticing alternative that is more cost-effective, and quicker too.

As fintech continues to inspire more innovative solutions, it would prove to be challenging for banks to maintain the overwhelming majority in these transactions at current specifications.

With all these deviations from the once traditional and comfortable methods with financial institutions, the disposition has shifted massively from a business-centric view to a consumer-centric perspective with the focus centred squarely on customers’ needs.

Collaboration is key for growing the market

As famous Fintech evangelist Dan Cobley said, the future of innovation in finance will be driven by partnerships between fintechs, who bring innovation, and incumbents who bring distributions.

Essentially, while financial institutions are stable and strong, fintech firms are versatile and offer refreshing ideas.

Financial institutions have a great infrastructure that has been built over many years. This allows for a strong brand recognition with established trust among their consumers. Fintech companies, on the other hand, may not have such strong brand recognition at the start compared to financial institutions.

However, what fintech lacks in it makes up for in an innovation-oriented mindset, agility, consumer-centric perspective and flexible infrastructure created for digital. Financial institutions, on the other hand, are big ships, difficult to manoeuvre, and weighed down by heavy cost-structure and huge staff count that restricts their ability to quickly implement new processes.

But together, they can create new opportunities and fill new market gaps to expand the market.

For example, at TranSwap, we are working with certain local and international banks, not just as a usual banking customer, but partnering to develop innovative financial products and expanding our customer base together with them.

What lies ahead

In the next 10 years, we believe fintech will be a vibrant part of the global financial system. It will take on a major role in shaping the industry and leading the way for innovative financial solutions.

Also Read: Thai VC Digital Ventures invests in Israeli fintech startup Pagaya

Some Fintech companies will eventually become a virtual bank, while some will collaborate with financial institutions and many will thrive in their own area of niche service. It will not be a ‘winner takes all situation’ — the market is huge enough to accommodate those who continue to innovate with customer-centric products.

I look forward to the next 10 years!
—
More about Benjamin Wong: 

Having worked in senior management roles in a range of industries, Benjamin is familiar with the issues of settling overseas payment and has now committed himself to help other businesses simplify their FX payments by establishing TranSwap, a cross-border payments platform targeted at businesses. TranSwap is also on the Networked Trade Platform—a Singapore Government initiative—as a Value-Added Service offering local importers and exporters seeking to make payments internationally a cost-effective and convenient solution.

TranSwap offers the most competitive rates through its proprietary online transaction portal and a wide network of FX partners to enable businesses to fulfil payments overseas at the lowest cost efficiently.

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A solution in search of a problem has put Singapore at number one on yet another list — overreacting to fake news

In the startup world, we are familiar with the idea of creating a solution in need of a problem. We are also familiar with the idea of our solution creating a brand new problem.

This week, the Singapore government seems to be enthusiastically passing a fake news law that creates more issues than solutions.

The new law gives immense powers to individual Ministers and has led to widespread concern within Singapore (no, it’s not just international folks projecting their ideals onto the city).

Ministers can individually flag “fake news”, where it will then be arbitrated in court — a ridiculously idealistic scenario with no basis in how media works. Furthermore, it gives expediated rights to request corrections or removals and makes it nearly impossible for media to fight back in a timely manner.

Finally, the law applies to all stories about Singapore, whether or not it originated in the city-state.

It is important to mention that Singapore does not have free speech protections and never has shown any intention of embracing dissent. This new law does not particularly change anything legally, but rather it speeds up the process — and creates a situation where the article comes down first, and then is adjudicated later.

The logic is the same as the procedure behind nuclear weapons: the Executive gets carte-blanche decision-making powers because the situation moves too fast for traditional government avenues. It’s fair enough. A lie travels halfway around the world before the truth has put on its trousers.

The problem comes in the grey areas. It tilts the legal power so heavily in one direction that the process is no longer a fight for truth but just plain ol’ censorship.

What has been fascinating about the roll-out of the law is the accompanying PR blitz. We regular folk here in Singapore have been inundated with articles explaining why this is necessary — usually quoting a politician with skin in the game. It almost feels as if the government knows this is a terrible law but is trying to convince itself, and thus the constituents, otherwise.

The scary part is that law is not government policy. It will be around a lot longer than the Ministers who pass it and while this crop of lawmakers may have benevolent intentions, it is written in such a manner that it can be easily abused by a rogue Minister or a new regime with less altruistic intentions.

As pointed out in a fantastic explainer written by Cherian George, the law provides an avenue for the government to leverage pedantic errors or differences in perception to request a full takedown.

The law provides an avenue — the courts — for a journalist to challenge the takedown request, but that is an unrealistic solution. Journalists have deliberately chosen a life of low-pay and a lot of media companies can’t afford the legal fees necessary to take a fake news case to the High Court.

If the journalist loses a case they could be fined S$20,000 (US$14,800) and face a year in jail.

It also puts responsibility on tech companies like Twitter and Facebook to clamp down on fake news with fines up to S$1 million (US$740,000).

The law is wilfully placing faith in companies that have failed miserably in markets that are much more important to their bottom line. If Facebook can’t figure out fake news in America, there is no chance it will do so in Singapore.

Alan Soon, of Splice Media, pointed out on Twitter, that the law transforms tech companies into agents of government policy. It is a valid point, but as someone who watches tech closely, the reality more likely to be like the television show “Veep” whereby failures in corporate policy are defined more by incompetence than malevolence.

Also Read: Looking to accelerate your career in the exciting world of startups? Check out the Echelon promo code inside

The problem nobody is talking about is self-censorship, a much more serious issue than fake news. Fundamentally, when, not if, this bill passes, it is unlikely to change much of what the public sees. What it will change is what the public does not see.

Self-censorship, more than fake news, is a real problem across the globe. It is a means for authoritarian entities (often corporate) to wilfully keep their people ignorant in an effort to achieve a goal (be it power, money or fame). Even in countries that support free speech, financial and political incentives often result in stories being killed.

Fake news, on the other hand, is a peculiarity of our times; just like penny presses in the 18th century,  Yellow Journalism in the late 19th century and the rise of partisan political news at the end of the 20th century.

The public should ask itself how many stories will never threaten this law because they were killed long before they even had a chance. In a corporate media structure like SPH or Mediacorp, that number is going to be higher than we’d care to admit.

Take, fore example, the debacle around 38 Oxley Road. How would that have been handled if some intrepid reporter had the scoop instead of a Singaporean princeling? Would Mediacorp or SPH really have published that story? Maybe I am cynical, but I seriously doubt it.

As said Tim Harford in his article,“Why there is no need to panic about Fake News”:

“It is all too easy to turn legitimate concerns about false information into a situation where the government decides what can be said and who can say it. We need to be careful that the cure is not worse than the disease”

Plus, Singapore does not have a fake news problem. This is exemplified by the necessity to cite foreign cases and one (ONE!) domestic case of an article that went mildly viral and had zero actual impact on society.

(If I am going to be a real jerk about it, 1,716 shares, 754 reactions and 157 comments does not qualify for the word “viral”).

Again, a solution in search for a problem. At this point, the government might as well use blockchain to create a smart contract and make sure the law is real.

Also Read: The force is strong in this Echelon Asia Summit 2019 Starter tickets giveaway

Finally, and it is crucial to point out, the term ‘fake news’ has been bastardised (thanks largely to Donald Trump) and most people do not fully understand what it means. A project from the University of Hong Kong is working to educate the masses on what fake news actually looks like, and readers will quickly realise there is a huge gap between perception and reality.

Companies like MSNBC or Fox News tilt in certain directions, and that is problematic, but they do not traffic in fake news. Fake news, by definition, is creating a fantasy story.

Fake news is claiming Hillary Clinton was operating a human trafficking organisation out of a Pizza Parlour. It is NOT suggesting this new law is an embarrassing slip up for a country that has grown into one of the most admired cities in the world but still is still dragged down by perceptions of having an overbearing, stifling, government culture.

This is not to say that fake news is not a problem, but of all the issues that plague our modernity, it is very low on the list.

The law being tabled is the definition of, “cutting off your nose to spite your face” and Singapore is providing a model for copycat authoritarian governments across the world.

Congratulations.

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Starting a small business is one thing, but sustaining it is a whole new ballgame

Let’s say you had a great idea to start your own business and you’ve successfully managed to do just that.

Well, congratulations but that’s just the beginning. There’s a lot of planning required before setting up a business.

However, once the business starts, it’s a completely different game altogether.

Growing a business takes both effort and planning. You need to make sure that everything is perfectly in line once you start off. As a small business owner, there will be hundreds of things on your mind, even after you’ve set everything up.

Here’s every step that you need to take just after starting your business.

1. Start off on the right foot

It is extremely important that you start off your business on a strong footing. While this won’t guarantee that your business will succeed, it will definitely reduce the chances of failure.

Make sure that you have a second stream of income flowing when your business starts. You will need money to sustain it until the business takes off. Having a continuous flow of money also reduces the need to borrow.

Conduct thorough market research to get a better understanding of your industry and your target audience. You must also pay attention to your legal and tax issues. Get them in order right from the get-go and you’ll have fewer headaches and responsibilities later.

You must also be ready with professional materials such as business cards, email addresses, and a business phone number.

2. Delegate work

It’s common to see entrepreneurs who think that they can do everything on their own. However, you need to learn how to delegate work to your employees and trust them with it. This will not only ensure that the work is done efficiently but it will also give you time for more important things.

Remember, employees are the very foundation of your small business. Make sure that you hire the right team for your business. While you should definitely take the skills of employees into account, it will also help if you get along well with them. This will ensure that the work environment remains both productive and fun.

You should also get support and advice from your friends, family, and mentors. This will help you broaden your vision. And don’t try to save money doing the jobs you aren’t qualified to do. For instance, if you need help with accounts, hire an accountant to do it. You may lose out on a lot of other things trying to do their job.

3. Build your web presence

No business can get ahead without having a web presence nowadays. Your web presence shouldn’t be limited to just having a website. You need to be proactive to ensure that people who search for relevant things in your industry find you.

For this, you should first build a website and get it listed on the search engines. Once that is done, you can start putting an effort into search engine optimisation. Using advanced SEO techniques, you can improve your search rankings and get more traffic.

Also Read: He scored poor grades at school, landed first job through nepotism, and is now a successful entrepreneur

Along with this, you should also establish your presence on social media. With over 2 billion monthly active users, Facebook is the largest social network in the world. You should take advantage of this tremendous audience on social media.

By establishing a social media presence, you can interact with your customers on a more personal level. You can even keep them up-to-date with the latest happenings in your business. Additionally, you should connect your website to your social media profiles. This can help you get traffic on your website as well.

4. Reduce your overhead

You should create a budget for your business so that you can keep track of your expenses. Then you’ll be able to find unnecessary expenses that may be burning your cash. You can then find a way to reduce those expenses and use that money to push your business further.

For instance, if you have an office space that isn’t being used much, you can use a co-working space. There’s also the option of working from remote locations virtually. This can help you save on office rent and probably offer more competitive prices for your products or services.

5. Connect with other businesses

You also need to start building contacts and connections with both your customers and other businesses. Make sure you visit your competitors and introduce yourself and your business. It’s a good idea to even refer customers to them when it makes sense to do so.

As they are more experienced in the industry than you, they can provide valuable insights and advice. While they may be your competitors, each business has its own specialisation and niche. You must give them credit for the things they do instead of fearing them. There are good chances that it will be reciprocated from their end too.

6. Create thoughtful content

To become an authority in your niche and industry, there is no better way than to create high-quality content. Thoughtfully crafted content can win the trust of your potential customers. When this does happen, they will be more likely to support your business and sometimes, even refer it to others.

Also Read: The world should wish the Singapore fake news law is Fake News

Good content can also get you some publicity. When the content is shared by people or gets featured in a publication, you’ll reach a wider audience. Becoming a respected voice in your industry can help your business succeed.

Content doesn’t necessarily have to be limited to blog posts and webpage content. You can create videos, infographics, case studies, webinars, and more. It’s also a good idea to write guest posts on blogs of other notable websites in your industry.

Final thoughts

Starting a small business is no easy task. You need to plan and execute everything with thorough perfection. By hiring a good team and building a strong presence both online and offline, you can help your business grow.

You need to judiciously use your capital and make the most out of your available funds too.

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Photo by Heidi Sandstrom. on Unsplash

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Nest Tech, specialises in funding seed stage tech startup, has added Singapore-based mobile F&B ordering company Waitrr into its portfolio

Singapore-based F&B ordering startup Waitrr has formed a strategic partnership with Nest Tech, a VC that invests into seed-stage tech startups, in which the latter also invests in Waitrr. The partnership will also look into international expansion.

Founded by Tim Wekezer in 2015, Waitrr’s solution maximises the capacity of floor staff, table-turns, and average ticket size with no up-front cost while capturing consumer insights and enabling restaurants to re-market to their customers.

Waitrr enables diners to order ahead from over 200 restaurants in Singapore via mobile app and provides the diners with payments solution. It provides dining experiences for both guests and restaurant partners.

For F&B outlets, the company said that using Waitrr would improve the operational efficiency of both dine-in and takeaway establishments as it automates the order taking and payment processes. This approach allows restaurants to increase the operational capacity of their staff, so they can provide personalised service to their guests.

For diners, Waitrr offers a fully integrated loyalty and rewards program and partners with F&B outlets such as The Daily Cut, Guzman y Gomez, PAUL, and Da Paolo Gastronomia.

Also Read: The world should wish the Singapore fake news law is Fake News

“We see Waitrr’s technology as the logical next step in the F&B space. Our strategic partnership will see Waitrr expand across other countries in Southeast Asia starting with Vietnam and Myanmar,” said Soe Moe Kyaw Oo, Managing Partner, Nest Tech.

Soe Moe Kyaw Oo established Nest Tech in 2018 to support technology startups in Singapore, Vietnam, and Myanmar, seeking to back entrepreneurs with vision and passion at seed stage.
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Reviews serve as that tangible form of trust for your business and your online marketplace

“Google it.”

We have definitely heard those two words before — probably even spoken them ourselves. The word Google has become synonymous with researching anything on the Internet!

Now consider Yelp.

Some people, especially those living in San Francisco, might consider Yelp the Google of food reviews. They turn to it to look for new cuisines and food joints, relying on its reviews and ratings to instruct their decision.

Now, picture this. You did a quick search on “Japanese restaurants near me”, and multiple relevant eateries pop up. You then narrow down your options to the final two, but to your horror, you find that the two cannot be distinguished. What do you do to resolve that awful conundrum?

You turn to Yelp, and you notice that small yet stark difference. Restaurant A has multiple five-star ratings by exceptionally satisfied customers raving about its food and ambience, while Restaurant B suffers a little in the review department. Alas, we have arrived at our decision: Restaurant A.

Reviews are so critical in our decision-making process. While the recommendations of friends and family rank first in our minds, online reviews come in a close second. According to a Fan & Fuel Digital Marketing Group survey, 92 per cent of respondents mentioned that they would hesitate to make a purchase on items with no reviews.

Reviews serve as that tangible form of trust for your business and your online marketplace. While we may not necessarily believe all reviews – and even empathise with restaurants that receive irrational, negative reviews from accusatory customers – relying on the opinion of others to influence our choices is human nature.

Also Read: Startup Weekend Jakarta 2019 will help young entrepreneurs and businesses succeed in Indonesia

Airbnb has a Superhost status for the crème de la crème of hosts; Uber has a star rating for drivers and passengers; Etsy has written reviews from happy customers that praise the workmanship of the good delivered. To users, these reviews are perceived as “real experiences” and are a helpful reference point for them to refer to.

We’ve raved about the benefits of reviews, but how does one get off on the right foot with regards to reviews for their online marketplace or business?

Getting started – reviews and reputation systems

The simple yet fundamental first step as a marketplace or business owner is to encourage buyers to leave reviews for sellers. After a good has been purchased or service rendered, buyers may be prompted to leave a one to five-star rating, coupled with a written review to justify the rating given.

For example, a marketplace that rents outdoor event spaces. A buyer of that marketplace has had a great birthday party hosted at her chosen venue, so she leaves vibrant compliments about its spaciousness and cleanliness. After her, another satisfied buyer leaves similar reviews commenting on the quality of the space. There is a consensus building up that the outdoor event space lives up to the seller’s claim.

Collectively, these ratings and reviews hold tremendous weight. While sellers can post photos and rave endlessly about how roomy and scrubbed their event space is, a review or two solidifies that description’s trustworthiness.

More about reputation systems

One way that businesses and online marketplaces can implement a rating system is through gamification. This happens when a user (buyer or seller) is awarded points, badges, or higher status in the community for “playing a game,” like performing an action or achieving a quantifiable goal.

Typically, these accumulated points lead to a reward, which could also serve as a reputation status.

Here are some quicks questions to get you started!

• What is the objective of your marketplace: one-time purchases, or repeated ones?
• What kind of user behaviour are you tracking?
• Which behaviours are worth rewarding, and which worth penalising?

Your answers to those questions will determine the design of the reputation system (or game) most suited for your marketplace. For example, if the goal of your reputation system is to allow buyers to determine whether a seller is trustworthy, then a relevant indicator would be to monitor the seller’s percentage of fully completed transactions, service ratings and comments.

Also Read: Our TOP100 Taiwan champion says let’s bring chatbots to real estate!

There is a lot to explore in reputation system and reviews, and it might even seem overwhelming initially. Nevertheless, the first step to get started is simple – encourage and build a culture of review giving in your marketplace.

Reviews build trust among potential buyers, which is so valuable and essential in any online marketplace. But more than that, it also helps to validate a buyer’s decision post-purchase.

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Image by inueng

Samuel Kuek is from the Business Development Team at Arcadier, a SaaS company that provides ideas that allow you to build your own marketplace in minutes. You can follow Arcadier on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn for the latest insights on marketplaces and the Sharing Economy.

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Thailand’s Digital Economy Promotion Agency or depa signs MoU with the companies to receive know-how and technology

Back in February 2019, Thailand’s Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa) has signed agreements with six regional Internet of Things (IoT) companies from Singapore as a symbolic partnership. It will see the six companies provide know-how and technology to Thai government, as well as boosting the agency’s Digital Park Thailand and IoT Institute Initiative.

The six companies involved are Willowmore, UnaBiz, Gobi Partners, Ascent Solutions, Unity, and Spotwerkz, as reported by FutureIoT.

The MoU covers opportunities like the opening of a training center within the Thailand EEC digital park, looking to explore the development of IoT solutions for Thailand’s small medium enterprises and large companies.

The agreement is also a nod to Thailand 4.0 policy, the government’s 20-year strategy to make Thailand a more tech-centric and value-based economy.

“These partnerships will strengthen and enhance Thailand’s resources and help us gain a competitive position in the IoT industry within the ASEAN market,” said Dr. Passakon Prathombutr, Senior Executive Vice President of depa.

Also Read: Asia Pacific: the beacon of growth and opportunity for entrepreneurs

Signed in Singapore, the companies involved are expected to provide technologies based on their expertises.

Gaming platform Unity provides professional 3D automotive design, industrial, and architectural services as well as film and animation services. depa will utilise Unity’s capability to support the digital transformation efforts for SMEs and manufacturing as well as Thailand’s creative industries in film and animation.

Spotwerkz, as a big data analytics company, will play a role as the licensee of Unity in Thailand.

With UnaBiz, that claimed to be Asia’s first IoT dedicated network operator in Singapore and Taiwan, depa will develop digital capabilities in the area of industrial automation, agriculture, tourism, education, and healthcare, as told by Henri Bong, CEO and founder of UnaBiz.

As the provider of enterprise-grade smart padlock, smart cabinet locks, and portable Sigfox-Bluetooth gateway SigWAV, Willowmore will work with depa in developing access control, security systems technology, and IoT gateways.

Also Read: Startup Weekend Jakarta 2019 will help young entrepreneurs and businesses succeed in Indonesia

Gobi Partners, on the other hand, will be providing depa and the Thai government with expertise on funding startups.

Ascent Solutions, the company that provides services in various industries such as warehouses, logistics, freight forwarding, intelligent transportation, and e-passport tools will help Thai government to develop technologies and provide its solutions to the Digital Park Thailand and IoT Institute in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC).
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