At e27, we have kickstarted a new article series called work-life balance to learn more about tech enablers and executives and their lives beyond working hours.

Kenneth Tan is the Co-Founder and CEO of BeLive Technology. Tan grew up in Singapore and has diverse interests, including video games, concept art creation and DJ-ing.

He was Director of Strategy for the Japanese company DeNa when he was first introduced to live-streaming and decided to start BeLive Technology soon after. 

Initially, he focused on offering a platform that was likened to “virtual busking”, but over time he realised this was not the ideal model. After partnering with Japan’s most popular e-commerce platform Rakuten, Tan felt BeLive found its beat by offering live-streaming solutions to retailers and big companies.

Today, BeLive has partnered with clients in various sectors, including e-commerce, retail, electronics, beauty and social media. As of 2021, BeLive has streamed over 55 hours of live content.

He is a regular contributor of articles for e27 (you can read his thought leadership articles here). 

In this candid interview, Tan talks about his personal and professional life.

How would you explain what you do to a five-year-old?

With the rise of global video platforms like TikTok/YouTube and the high exposure rate to digital natives, it makes explaining to children a little easier. I would tell them that we help everyone connect online via videos and easily buy things online while also liking and commenting on the product, all at the same time.

What has been the biggest highlight/challenge of your career so far?

It would be seeing the company’s growth over the years. We started with a four-person team, and now we are proud to work alongside our 50 teammates serving the largest brands in the world and becoming a household name in live and video streaming solutions. We have proven that we can continue to help enterprise clients with groundbreaking and scalable solutions for their business needs.

Also Read: Try to look at the world through a beginner’s eyes: Joey Alarilla of Playfix.io

The journey has been challenging yet exciting, with us making many difficult decisions to ensure business continuity. One of the difficult decisions we made was in 2017 when we pivoted from a B2C platform to a B2B solutions provider. There were countless factors to consider, but we are proud to say it was one of the best decisions we have made in our business.

Today, we are proud to say we power the best global brands with our live and video commerce solutions.

How do you envision the next five years of your career?

I would say it will only continue to be very exciting as we are experiencing good growth within the live-streaming space. As video continues to take centre stage and the world inevitably adopts video as its primary content consumption medium, BeLive Technology will continue to grow exponentially. Working alongside my teammates and partnering with them to build the future of video streaming is incredibly exciting and is a key focus for me.

What are some of your favourite work tools?

Other than the usual MS Office suspects, some not-so-common tools I use include Photoshop, Notability, and Overcast.

I like to brainstorm by sketching and quickly prototyping, and Photoshop/Notability is perfect. Overcast (Podcast app) saves my long commutes by allowing me to take a breather and learn from the best in the industry. I recommend the 20VC and How I Built This podcasts.

What’s something about you or your job that would surprise us?

The amount of hard labour and sheer hours put into building relationships with partners, colleagues, and stakeholders. This effort has to be intentional, tracked, and followed up upon.

Do you prefer WFH or WFO, or hybrid?

I firmly believe in in-person interactions and the water cooler conversations we were sorely missing during the pandemic.

Also Read: Your identity should not be limited to what you do at work: Sheryl Chen of Qualgro

However, I’m all for a hybrid work model if managers can hold their teams accountable.

What would you tell your younger self?

Destroy your enemies by making them your friends. In business and life, partnerships are always better than rivalries.

Can you describe yourself in three words?

Inquisitive, self-aware, and lucky.

Firstly, I’m fortunate to be able to help provide for my colleagues and their families. I’m also ridiculously lucky to have a loving and supportive wife, son, and mother. Being self-aware of my weaknesses, admitting when I’m not doing things right, and seeking the right answers, asking for help has always been a big part of my life.

What are you most likely to be doing if not working?

I’m with the family. My three-year-old son is an absolute riot now, and I love spending time with him and the missus.

What are you currently reading/listening to/watching?

I’m revisiting Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari. My first read-through was so enjoyable that I blazed through it. Of course, I have been going back to a few of my favourite chapters during a weekend afternoon with a hot coffee.

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