The terms “vicious cycle” and “virtuous cycle” originate from Latin – circulus vitiosus (flawed circle) and circulus virtuosus (excellent circle). This describes self-reinforcing feedback loops where negative outcomes perpetuate decline or, when positive, outcomes compound growth.

Welcome to the Fractional Executive hiring playbook. This is the field guide for leaders who are intrigued by the fractional promise but terrified of the potential fallout.

Part one: Is this role even fractionalisable?

Do you need a scalpel or a Swiss Army knife?

• Scalpel (fractional friendly):

You have a specific, well-defined problem. IE: “We need to be SOC2 compliant in 10 months” / “Our Series B pitch deck needs a complete overhaul”

These are projects for a specialist.

• Swiss Army knife (full-time required):

The role is a blend of strategy, team management, cultural leadership, and crisis-of-the-day firefighting. “We need a lead to build our culture from scratch and also manage payroll”. That’s not a fractional job; that’s a co-founder you haven’t hired yet.

Can the outcomes be measured independently?

• Yes (fractional friendly):

The success of the role can be tied to clear, objective metrics. “Increase the headcount of the R&D team by 10 per cent.” “Reduce customer churn by 50 per cent.” “Successfully implement the new systems by Q4”

• No (full-time required):

Suppose success is deeply intertwined with team morale, cross-functional collaboration, and lots of cultural influence. These are nearly impossible to achieve in 15 hours per week.

What’s your corporate bureaucracy score? (be honest)

• Low (fractional friendly):

A Fractional Executive can get a decision from the CEO in a single discussion. They have access to all the data and people they need.

• High (full-time required):

Decisions require three committees and a VP’s sign-off. Accessing data involves a formal request to another department. If your Fractional Executive needs to spend the duration of their entire retained time emailing back and forth, they will leave out of frustration.

Part two: Spotting the master from the Mercenary

Once you have confirmed that the role is fractional friendly, the next filter would be a series of interview questions you should not forget to ask. This is not for assessing skill; you are assessing mindset.

Fractional talent interview questions:

Walk me through your most successful and least successful fractional engagements. What was the difference?

• A maestro will talk about client readiness, clear objectives, and their own abilities. A mercenary will blame the client for the failure.

Here’s our current challenge. (Describe your scalpel problem.) What would your first 30 days look like?

• Look for a bias towards action, and an analytic mind towards diagnostics. They should be talking about looking into your data, interviewing key team members, and delivering a concise plan – not about “getting to know the culture.”

How do you usually handle knowledge transfer at the end of an engagement?

• This is the million-dollar question. A great Fractional leader is obsessed with making themselves obsolete. If they have a clear methodology for documenting their work, plus training your internal team, and ensuring a seamless handoff, you’ve won. If they look confused by the question, they are the type of consultant who plans to be on your payroll forever.

Like every successful relationship, an immediate note-taking of red and green flags would be of interest for a successful fractional project outcome.

Also Read: Why inclusive hiring matters for a startup ecosystem

Red flags to watch out for:

• Mr Big (Name Dropper) – talks more about the big logos on their CV than the specific problems they solved
• Madame Woof – a process-worshipper, they are dogmatic about a specific methodology, “We have to use my eight-step framework”, without first understanding your needs and context.
• Mr #ForeverAlone – has a lone wolf mentality and is likely to be found in the jungles of Bali as a buff digital nomad. They seem uninterested in mentoring your team. They see their job as doing the work, not upgrading your organisation.

Part three: Onboarding blueprint pitfalls and pleasures

Not all gloomy news here, though. Research shows that there is a high success rate in hiring Fractional talent – it comes with a giant, bold print: if onboarding is deliberate. A fractional executive that is poorly onboarded is just a very expensive consultant.

Here is what deliberate onboarding looks like:

• Effective meetings

The CEO and our hire sit down with the executive team. The CEO gives the mandate: “Ms Lee is here for the next six months with one goal: to fix our hiring needs. She has my full authority to get it done. Your job is to help her, not hinder her.” This grants our Fractional hire the political capital they need to be effective.

• Be good at interviewing, and interview the right folks

Week 1 consisted of interviewing all the people that matter, right from the senior exec us to the junior analyst who actually knows where the data is buried. This provides powerful context for our hire.

• Data-driven immersion

Weeks 2–3: Our Fractional hire takes a deep dive – unrestricted access to all relevant dashboards, reports, and historical data without any delays.

• The Master Plan

By Week 4, they present their 30, 60 and 90-day plan to the executive team. It should be strong, outcome-focused and have concise metrics. This document becomes the capstone of the engagement.

A big plus: the Fractional Executives who do not forget about the exit plan – if he is a true maestro, he should begin planning his departure from day one. Their last deliverable might be a comprehensive playbook that documents everything they’ve built, why they built it, and how to maintain it. It’s the instruction machine for the machine they’ve created.

Final thoughts – Escher’s staircase – The two fates of fractional hiring

Four years prior, I was lucky to have the time to visit the exhibition of M.C. Escher’s work in Europe. There is a paradoxical beauty to M.C. Esher’s 1960 lithograph, Ascending and Descending. It depicts a monastery rooftop where two lines of identical, cowled monks trudge alone a squarish, continuous staircase.

One line shuffles endlessly upwards, the other, endlessly downwards. They are busy; they are moving with purpose. Yet they are trapped in an impossible loop.

This architectural illusion is known as the Penrose Staircase, an impossible object that can be depicted in a 2D drawing but cannot exist in three-dimensional space. It creates the paradox of a perpetual climb or descent.

For a leader, this is the unintentional perfect allegory for the two destinies that await any company that steps onto the path of fractional hiring.

Also Read: Levelling the playing field: How AI can transform SME hiring

Here’s how to avoid the descending staircase

For a startup founder, the risk of accidentally building a Penrose staircase to nowhere is particularly high. Here are four steps on how to avoid it:

• Hire for the battlefield, not the boardroom

Prioritise hires who have recent, relevant experience in your startup’s size and stage. A VP from a 10,000-person company has a different skill set than someone who helped a 50-person company get to 200.

• Define the mission, not the title

Be ruthlessly specific about the one or two key outcomes you need. This forces clarity and makes it easier to measure success. Don’t just hire a “Fractional CMO”, hire a “Lead Generation Builder for a B2B SaaS Product.” A vague title invites a vague approach.

• Rent the scalpel, not the surgeon

You are not hiring a person, you are hiring a specific, high-impact skill for a limited time. Make it clear from the start that their goal is not to “run the department” but to solve a specific problem and, most importantly, to upskill your internal team in the process.

• Give them a crowbar, not a suggestion box

If you’ve decided to bring in an expert, empower them. A Fractional leader bogged down by politics and bureaucracy is a waste of everyone’s time. Grant them the authority to make changes and show your team that the hire has your full support. If you are not ready to do this, you are not ready for a fractional hire.

Consider how hiring the right fractional talent can create a positive, self-reinforcing loop.

The five-step virtuous cycle

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Marketing for startups has been a buzzing topic for many years. Still, no matter how much it gets discussed, early-stage tech startups often wrestle with some persistent misconceptions about how to handle marketing.

Let’s clear up the confusion and steer you away from some of the classic marketing pitfalls, so your startup gains unstoppable momentum right from the very beginning.

“Our product is so good, it’ll sell itself”

This is a phrase often spoken by founders who come from a strong technical background. The reasoning often is: “We’ve invested considerable effort into creating something exceptional—surely it will naturally attract attention and draw people in.”

The truth? Even remarkable products need to be seen and understood to catch on.

As a mentor, I’ve met a hardware startup that dedicated all its resources to perfecting the technical side of its product. However, when they finally launched, they realised that their brand was virtually unknown to their potential customers. This forced them into a costly scramble to create quick advertising campaigns just to appear on their customers’ radar. Had they started their marketing efforts earlier, they could have avoided this scramble and used their resources more efficiently.

“Marketing means advertising”

Many technical founders consider marketing as synonymous with ads—Google banners, Instagram promos, maybe a couple of paid posts on digital media. But that barely scratches the surface.

Marketing is much broader: it is how you figure out if your offering fits what your potential customers actually want, what price they’re willing to pay, and how you’re different from (and better than) your competition. A smart marketing plan is as much about understanding people’s problems and mapping their journey as it is about running campaigns.

Ideally, you start thinking about this the moment you’ve got a product hypothesis, not waiting until launch time.

Also Read: The human factor: B2B marketing in 2025

“We’ll just handle marketing ourselves”

It’s tempting to try everything yourself, especially when budgets are tight. But unless you have a knack and experience for marketing, it’s easy to get stuck running inconsistent campaigns, trying random tactics, and chasing what your competitors are doing.

Sometimes, bringing in marketing expertise—even if just for guidance—helps you stretch your limited resources much further. For instance, one deeptech company realised early on that they needed help with product marketing and positioning. By working with a marketing advisor to define their positioning and messaging before launching, they set themselves up for a much stronger debut and better long-term outcomes than if they had gone it alone.

“We’ll start marketing once we launch (or gain traction)”

It’s common for founders to want to wait until the product’s “ready”—or even until there’s already traction—before thinking about marketing. But doing so misses out on the huge value strategic marketing brings earlier in the journey.

Getting marketing involved from the get-go means you’ll better understand market needs and avoid costly missteps. You’ll be far less likely to end up launching something nobody’s interested in. The sooner you start, the stronger your launch will be—and the faster you’ll find your real target audience.

Of course, there are other myths out there, but these four tend to pop up again and again. If you’re a founder, rethinking these beliefs can unlock new possibilities and significantly improve your startup’s chances for success.

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Many of us discover new things by accident. A curious click, a small experiment, a playful idea. That is how Aunty Good Good began.

When I first started playing with AI, I did not plan to build a project or brand. I was simply curious about how AI could speak Singlish, make videos, or tell stories. It was meant to be fun, a bit of learning mixed with laughter.

But somewhere along the way, that fun became something more serious. Play turned into purpose. And that shift is what creativity in the age of AI is all about.

Curiosity is not childish

Adults often forget how to play. We are taught to be efficient, serious and productive. Yet curiosity is the first step of every innovation we admire.

Playfulness opens space for discovery. It gives us permission to fail safely. And when there is no pressure to be perfect, imagination comes alive.

When Aunty Good Good started teaching Singlish through AI, it was not part of a business plan. But the laughter that followed showed something deeper. People learn faster when they are relaxed. They connect better when they can laugh at themselves.

Small experiments lead to big ideas

Every major innovation begins with a small “what if.” What if AI could speak our language? What if seniors could use AI to tell their life stories?What if midlifers could create digital art without training?

These small questions are seeds. When we water them with play, they grow into solutions that serve real needs.

In my workshops, I notice that once adults stop saying “I am not creative,” ideas begin to flow naturally. A little curiosity removes fear. A little success builds confidence. That combination creates transformation.

Also Read: A prettier you: How AI avatars make storytelling easier for midlifers

The mindset that matters

Technology changes fast, but mindset changes slowly. The people who thrive in the AI era are not the ones who know the most tools. They are the ones who stay curious, adaptable and open.

You do not need to be a coder to be creative. You only need to ask better questions and dare to explore.

When we treat AI as a partner instead of a threat, we rediscover the joy of making things again. That joy is what keeps us relevant. It turns learning into living.

From curiosity to contribution

Purpose is born when curiosity finds direction. Once you learn to play with AI, you start to see ways it can help others.

Teachers use it to personalise lessons. Artists use it to explore new media. Midlife creators use it to tell stories and reconnect with their communities.

Play opens the door. Purpose keeps you walking through it.

When I see learners light up after completing their first AI project, I realise that the real innovation is not the tool itself. It is the courage to try.

The gentle reminder

Play is not a waste of time. It is practice for a purpose. When you allow yourself to explore without fear, clarity follows.

The age of AI rewards the curious. Those who start small today will lead with wisdom tomorrow.

So the next time you open an app or try a new tool, do not worry about results. Just play. You might discover not only how AI works, but how imagination works inside you.

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I have spent almost all of my adult life keeping track of as well as analysing digital trends, and I am fascinated by Meta’s latest move to bring ads to WhatsApp. For the first time, WhatsApp is stepping into the advertising world.

This is a huge change for everyone who uses the platform, and I want to share my take on what’s happening now and what I think the future holds.

The current state: WhatsApp’s big shift

For over a decade, I saw WhatsApp as a simple and private messaging app. It was free from the ads I see on Facebook and Instagram. The founders had even promised that it would never have ads. That promise started to change when Meta acquired WhatsApp in 2014. Now, in 2025, we are seeing the platform’s biggest step towards ads.

Ads are appearing, but in a specific place. They are only in the “Updates” tab, which is separate from my private chats. This is the area where I browse Channels and Status updates. About 1.5 billion people use this tab every day, so it’s a massive space for advertisers. Meta has been clear that our personal messages, calls, and statuses will remain end-to-end encrypted and free of ads.

WhatsApp is introducing three main advertising features:

• Status ads: Similar to Instagram Stories, ads will appear as you scroll through Status updates.
• Promoted channels: Businesses and creators can pay to increase their channel’s visibility in the Discovery section.
• Channel subscriptions: Channel owners can charge users for exclusive content, with Meta taking a cut – typically around 10 per cent.

The Ads targeting is based on data like your age, location, language, the channels you follow, and your interactions with ads – but not your personal messages, calls, or group memberships. If you link your WhatsApp account to Facebook or Instagram, expect more personalised ads.

Facts and figures: What’s at stake

Let’s ground this in numbers and context:

• User base: WhatsApp boasts over three billion monthly active users, with 1.5 billion visiting the Updates tab daily.
• Monetisation potential: Analysts at Morgan Stanley predict that WhatsApp ads could generate US$3–5 billion annually for Meta, with an optimistic scenario reaching US$6 billion. Cantor Fitzgerald raised Meta’s price target to US$807, citing upside from WhatsApp’s new ad features.
• Privacy: WhatsApp emphasises that ads will not use the contents of your private messages or calls for targeting.
• Global reach: About 95 per cent of WhatsApp users are outside the US, which means monetisation rates may be lower than on Facebook or Instagram, but the sheer scale is staggering.

The user experience: What changes, what doesn’t

My core WhatsApp experience of messaging friends and family remains the same. The ads are kept in the Updates tab. I can choose to ignore that tab or even disable it in the settings. Since I mostly use WhatsApp for chats, I don’t see a difference in my day-to-day use.

Also Read: Why AI is essential to understanding consumer behaviour for marketing success in 2025

However, when I do engage with Channels or look at Status updates, the experience is now more commercial. I see sponsored content next to updates from creators I follow. This was a deliberate choice by Meta to keep ads out of our private conversations. It’s how they are trying to make money while protecting the app’s reputation for privacy.

The business perspective: New opportunities

For businesses and marketers, this is a watershed moment. WhatsApp’s massive, engaged audience is now accessible through native advertising formats. Retailers can promote products via Status ads, boost their channel’s visibility, and even monetise content through subscriptions. The ability to target users based on location, language, and interests – without touching private data – offers a unique blend of reach and privacy compliance.

Performance marketing experts are calling this the next big opportunity for customer engagement, especially for online retailers looking to connect with audiences in emerging markets. The integration of click-to-message ads from Facebook and Instagram, directing users to WhatsApp for direct interaction, is already a proven channel. Now, with in-app ads, the funnel becomes even more seamless.

The future: What’s next for WhatsApp ads?

I believe the introduction of ads is just the start. Meta has a history of slowly adding more ads to its platforms over time.

Here’s what I foresee:

• Expanded ad formats: I expect to see more interactive ads, similar to what I already see on Instagram and Facebook.
• Increased personalisation: As more data is shared across Meta’s apps, the ads will likely become more tailored to my interests.
• Global growth: I think WhatsApp ads will become a key tool for businesses to grow, especially in markets outside of the West.
• User backlash: I do worry about potential user backlash. Not everyone will welcome this change. In places like the UK and Europe, WhatsApp is seen strictly as a messaging tool. There’s a risk that users will get frustrated if ads become too intrusive. Meta has to be careful to balance making money with keeping user trust.

Also Read: From one-off deals to long-term partnerships: The new rules of influencer marketing

My perspective: Balancing growth and trust

As someone who values both innovation and privacy, I see this move as a double-edged sword. On one hand, it’s a logical step for Meta to monetise one of its largest platforms, especially as traditional ad markets mature. The Updates tab is a sensible place for ads, keeping them separate from private conversations.

On the other hand, I have always loved WhatsApp for its simplicity. My main concern is that it could slowly become more like Facebook or Instagram—cluttered and commercial. This might cause it to lose the trust of users who, like me, appreciate its clean design.

For now, the changes are measured and respectful of user boundaries. But as Meta pushes for more revenue, the challenge will be to maintain that balance. If ads become too pervasive or the Updates tab feels forced, users may look elsewhere – especially in a market where privacy-focused alternatives like Signal and Telegram are waiting in the wings.

Final thoughts

WhatsApp’s entry into the world of ads marks a new chapter for the platform and for Meta. The current state is one of cautious experimentation, with ads confined to non-private spaces and targeting based on non-intrusive data. The future is bright for businesses and marketers, but the true test will be whether WhatsApp can grow its ad business without alienating its core user base.

As an avid WhatsApp user, I’ll be watching closely – hoping that Meta remembers what made WhatsApp special in the first place, while embracing the opportunities that this new era brings.

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During my recent interactions with a number of founders at Founders Forum Asia 2025, I noticed that there’s this massive blind spot that’s driving me nuts. Everyone’s obsessing over the next unicorn, the latest funding round, or which AI tool will revolutionise their workflow, and rightly so. But something that’s taken a backseat that could actually make or break them: strategic communications.

You might say that’s probably because I work in the industry. But this isn’t some shameless plug; this is about safeguarding the license to operate in a market.

The “we’ll figure it out later” problem

The reality is that brilliant founders with game-changing ideas treat communications like that friend you only call when you need something. They’re out here raising millions, building incredible products, and then… radio silence. Or worse, they say something that goes completely obtuse.

Take that whole Chocolate Finance mess. The way they handled the suspension of its instant withdrawal was like watching a masterclass in how NOT to communicate. Zero transparency, confused messaging, mismatch in audience platforms, and suddenly everyone’s questioning whether they ever knew what they were doing in the first place.

That’s what happens when you treat comms as an afterthought. It doesn’t matter how brilliant your product is if people think you’re sketchy.

Stage one: Don’t be a hot mess from day one

In those early days, pre-seed through “holy crap, people actually want this thing”, your story is YOU. There’s no fancy office or impressive team headcount to hide behind. It’s just you, your pitch deck, and your ability to convince people you’re not completely insane.

Also Read: Singapore’s green future – Are homes and condominiums ready for EVs?

Singapore’s business community is tight-knit. Word travels fast, and reputations stick. Mess up your narrative early, and you’ll be explaining that fumble for years. Meetings can get tanked even before they even started because their LinkedIn was a disaster or they couldn’t explain their vision without using seventeen buzzwords that meant nothing.

Here’s the thing: credibility isn’t just about what you say, it’s about saying it consistently, authentically, and in a way that doesn’t make investors want to run for the hills.

Stage two: Growing pains are real (and public)

Once you’re scaling, things get messy fast. More employees, more customers, more opinions, and more ways to screw up publicly. Southeast Asia’s media landscape is like a game of telephone played across six countries with different languages and cultural contexts. One poorly worded statement can go viral in ways you never imagined.

Look at what happened with eFishery in Indonesia, the regional agritech darling until internal drama exploded online. Suddenly, everyone’s talking about poor governance and fraud instead of their innovation. That’s millions in reputation value down the drain because they didn’t have proper internal and external communications strategies.

When you’re growing fast, communications becomes less about telling your story and more about making sure your story doesn’t spiral out of control.

Stage three: The big leagues have big consequences

By the time you’re eyeing IPOs, acquisitions, or major market expansions, every word matters. Regulators are watching, investors are scrutinising, and the media’s ready to pounce on any inconsistency. This is where founders discover that their casual approach to communications isn’t going to cut it anymore.

Also Read: Singapore’s regulatory vision is shaping cross-border payments in Asia: Report

At this level, you need someone who understands that communications isn’t just about managing media, it’s about protecting and building the asset that is your reputation. Because let’s be honest: you can fix a product bug overnight, but rebuilding trust? That takes years.

The bottom line (from someone who actually does this for a living)

I’m not saying every startup needs a full communications team from day one. But treating communications as “something we’ll deal with when we have money” is like saying you’ll worry about brakes after you learn to drive. It’s backwards, and it’s dangerous.

The best leaders I’ve worked with understand that communications isn’t about spin, it’s about building authentic relationships with everyone who matters to your business. Customers, investors, employees, partners, even competitors. In a place like Singapore, where reputation and relationships drive everything, this isn’t optional.

So here’s my challenge to Singapore’s startup community: Stop treating communications like it’s beneath you or “just marketing.” Start seeing it as what it really is — your competitive advantage. Because in a world where trust can be lost in a tweet and built over years, the companies that master authentic communication are the ones that’ll still be standing when the dust settles.

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Editor’s note: e27 aims to foster thought leadership by publishing views from the community. Share your opinion by submitting an article, video, podcast, or infographic.

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Did you know that 59 per cent of marketers say email drives their highest ROI, yet most startups treat it as an afterthought. Ok, ok, I heard you. I know that you know that email works, and you are busy building awesome products and don’t need another ‘did you know’ post! 

So let me get straight to the point and share some actionable checklists that you can use to streamline your email strategy. I aim to get you thinking about how to engage your customers, drive meaningful conversations through email, and build a long-term relationship because a robust email strategy has been proven to work!

Let’s accept that startups come from an entirely different ecosystem than a well-established brand. At a hyper-growth phase, the main aim is brand awareness, acquisition, and ultimately sales. If thought through well, a boot-strapped and resource-crunched start-up can aim for organic growth through a well-established email strategy.  

Why Startups Need a Robust Email Strategy (or, well, at least a basic one)

So, where do you begin? While building your business, you may have come into contact with people or companies that showed interest in your products along the way. Whether it was a very early stage investor, a friend, an ex-colleague, mentors, VCs, etc., or you already have a fair idea of your ideal target customer. At a trade show, you accumulate name cards from visitors who may have some early-stage interest, curiosity, or collaboration potential.

Let’s not miss your site visitors who have willingly given their email addresses in exchange for valuable information on your site. These highly heterogeneous mixes of contacts could become your starting point for gathering leads and building your email database. This precious list of emails becomes your starting point for creating a snowball effect to build email databases.

Like your product, not one size fits all in marketing. Personalisation and custom-tailoring messages go a long way in building meaningful conversations with your contacts.

Thoughtful strategy will help you focus on where you want to acquire new leads, or have a thought-provoking discussion that helps retain your audience, and take the opportunity to showcase your product’s benefits that help solve critical business challenges.

Just a little bit of effort goes a long way!

Also Read: Unlocking email marketing success: 5 foolproof tips every startup must embrace

Some common mistakes startups usually make are:

• Sporadic sends without proper audience segmentation. (emailing a finance executive about technical specs of your services- mail lands in bin or worse, tagged as ‘blocked!’) 
• Infrequent email sends or just too many!
• Emails that look and sound like spam (sorry, but host providers may automatically label them as spam).
• Incoherent, inconsistent message flow, randomisation of messages.
• Unsure of the conversation flow and when to make the final proposal. 
• Not looking at the right matrix to evaluate the effectiveness of your email strategy.

Key components of a high-impact email strategy

• Audience segmentation

We know that in this highly heterogeneous mix of audiences, one size fits all fails to achieve a desired outcome. A highly personalised email strategy considers the audience type according to the industry, geography, product familiarity, audience seniority, and stage in the funnel, and then builds an entire chain of communication email content right from onboarding, to nurturing, enticing, and conversion.

It may sound like a lot, but to maximise the most out of crunched resources, priortising high-value clients is a good way to take the first look in email marketing. For example, create a simple matrix that maps your customers based on high vs. low value on one axis, and level of product familiarity on the other.

• Metrics that matter: Open rates, CTR, conversions

Track only the metrics that matter. A considerable number of emails sent with a low open rate might mean the irrelevance of the message to the recipient. What the post click conversion rate, unsubscribe rate, and mql rate tell a lot about the lead quality, bounce rate. The inbox placement rate is just one metric that guides your email strategy.

• Personalisation and automation

Why not get creative with your messaging and include a video in emails? Email is typically seen as a text-to-text, one-way messaging platform. Incorporating a hook with a call-to-action, infographics for visual appeal, using a first-person voice, adding GIFs, humour, and trivia as a sublime.

Also Read: Think you can spot email phishing? Privacy Ninja puts you to the test

• Test and iterate

I couldn’t emphasis more the test-learn-optimise loop. A broad-level strategy might cut across companies of all levels, but a customised approach needs first-hand data to establish best practices that work for your company. A gut feeling approach may help you take the first step, but moving on with experimenting with the timing, subject line, content form, content type, headlines, images etc will help you take data-driven, informed decisions. 

Some common pitfalls to avoid

• Overloading subscribers with too much information.

Once you’ve defined your goal, stick to it—and build a clear narrative around it. Don’t start with your hobbies or recent private yacht trip when introducing yourself to someone new. Lead with what matters. Make it relevant, purposeful, and aligned with the impression you want to leave.

• Don’t fall for sales offer trap

While making a sales pitch to every email sent may be tempting, placing yourself in the recipient’s mind and empathising with the email reader will help you define the messaging and proposition.

• Unethically gathering email database

I’ve been cleaning up my inbox by unsubscribing from emails I don’t even remember signing up for. Most of them are outdated or irrelevant, and they clutter my inbox, making me worry I’ll miss something important. Remember: open rates are influenced by how often your emails are opened, not by the size of your database.

A bloated list doesn’t help performance. Use a double opt-in process to improve deliverability and avoid the spam folder. It ensures your audience actually wants to hear from you—and keeps your list clean and engaged.

In short

Startups can’t afford to treat email marketing as an afterthought. With the right strategy—focused on segmentation, personalisation, and clear communication—email becomes a powerful tool to drive growth, engagement, and trust. Avoid the common traps of spamming, irrelevant content, and vanity metrics.

• ​​Start with a clean, relevant email list—quality beats quantity.
• Segment your audience by role, funnel stage, and familiarity, etc. with your product.
• Personalise your content to build real conversations, not just clicks.
• Focus on key metrics like open rate, CTR, and conversions—not just send volume.
• Test, learn, and iterate—your strategy should evolve with data, not assumptions.

And most importantly, improvise as you grow—just like your business.

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Public Relations (PR) has always been about building relationships, crafting compelling stories, and managing reputations. Traditionally, this involved a lot of manual work—researching media contacts, writing press releases, and monitoring coverage.

However, the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation has ushered in a transformative era for PR professionals. Programmatic PR, which combines AI and automation, is revolutionising how we approach outreach, making it more efficient, targeted, and personalised.

Understanding p PR

Programmatic PR refers to the use of AI and automation tools to streamline and enhance PR activities. This includes automating routine tasks like media monitoring, sentiment analysis, and press release distribution, as well as leveraging data analytics to craft more targeted and effective campaigns.

Key components of programmatic PR:

• AI-powered media monitoring: Tools that scan vast amounts of media content in real-time to track brand mentions and sentiment.
• Automated press release distribution: Systems that distribute press releases to targeted media lists based on relevance and past engagement.
• Predictive analytics: AI algorithms that analyse data to predict media trends and audience responses.
• Personalised outreach: Automation tools that tailor pitches and messages to individual journalists or audience segments.

Benefits of programmatic PR:

• Enhanced efficiency: Automation reduces the time spent on repetitive tasks, allowing PR professionals to focus on strategy and creativity.
• Improved targeting: AI analyses data to identify the most relevant media contacts and audience segments, increasing the likelihood of coverage and engagement.
• Real-time insights: AI tools provide instant feedback on campaign performance, enabling quick adjustments and more agile PR strategies.
• Cost-effectiveness: By streamlining processes, organisations can achieve better results with fewer resources.

Also Read: Community in thought leadership: Highlights from the e27 Contributor Programme Roundtable at Echelon Singapore 2025

Implementing programmatic PR: A step-by-step guide

• Step one: Identify Objectives

Before integrating AI and automation, clearly define your PR goals. Are you aiming to increase brand awareness, manage a crisis, or promote a new product? Understanding your objectives will guide the selection of appropriate tools and strategies.

• Step two: Choose the Right Tools

Select AI and automation tools that align with your goals. For media monitoring, consider platforms like Meltwater or Cision. For press release distribution, tools like PR Newswire or Business Wire offer automated services.

• Step three: Integrate with Existing Systems

Ensure that your chosen tools can integrate with your current CRM, email marketing, and analytics platforms. This integration facilitates seamless data flow and more cohesive campaigns.

• Step four: Train Your Team

Provide training for your PR team to effectively use new tools. Understanding how to interpret AI-generated insights and adjust strategies accordingly is crucial for success.

• Step five: Monitor and Adjust

Continuously monitor campaign performance using AI analytics. Be prepared to make data-driven adjustments to optimise results.

Case study: AI in action

A leading tech company aimed to launch a new product in the Asia-Pacific region. By implementing programmatic PR strategies, they achieved remarkable results:

• Media monitoring: AI tools identified key journalists and influencers discussing similar products.
• Personalised outreach: Automated systems crafted tailored pitches for each contact, increasing open and response rates.
• Sentiment analysis: Real-time monitoring allowed the team to gauge public perception and adjust messaging promptly.

The campaign resulted in a 40% increase in media coverage and a 25% boost in positive sentiment compared to previous launches.

Challenges and considerations

While programmatic PR offers numerous benefits, it’s essential to be aware of potential challenges:

• Data privacy: Ensure compliance with data protection regulations when using AI tools that process personal information.
• Over-reliance on automation: Maintain a balance between automation and human touch to preserve authenticity in communications.
• Tool selection: Carefully evaluate tools for reliability, scalability, and support to avoid disruptions in your PR activities.

The future of programmatic PR

The integration of AI and automation in PR is not a passing trend but a fundamental shift in how we approach communication. As technology continues to evolve, we can expect even more sophisticated tools that offer deeper insights and greater personalisation.

PR professionals who embrace programmatic strategies will be better equipped to navigate the fast-paced media landscape, deliver impactful messages, and build stronger relationships with their audiences.

Programmatic PR is transforming the public relations industry by combining the power of AI and automation to create more efficient, targeted, and effective campaigns. By understanding and implementing these strategies, PR professionals can enhance their outreach efforts, achieve better results, and stay ahead in an increasingly competitive landscape.

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Editor’s note: e27 aims to foster thought leadership by publishing views from the community. Share your opinion by submitting an article, video, podcast, or infographic.

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A recent LinkedIn post asked a simple question: How much do people think startup founders earn?

The answers were telling. Many assumed six-figure salaries. Some imagined overnight wealth. A few guessed correctly — far less than expected.

The conclusion was blunt: don’t start a startup if you want money.

And that statement isn’t wrong. But it’s incomplete. Because it assumes there’s only one way to be a founder, and that’s where the narrative quietly breaks.

What the post gets right (and why founders should listen)

Let’s be clear: building a startup is not glamorous.

Early-stage founders are often:

• Underpaid
• Overworked
• Doing sales, ops, product, and customer support at once
• Carrying far more risk than their corporate counterparts

Compared to a stable corporate role, entrepreneurship can look irrational in the short term. In a company, you trade time for predictable income. You climb a ladder. Your pay increases with seniority. Bonuses are tied to performance. The rules are known.

Founding flips that entirely.

In the beginning, you may have no base salary at all. You earn nothing until something works. And even when it does, money doesn’t show up neatly in a payslip.

That reality alone filters out many people, and it should.

If someone starts a startup expecting quick, easy money, disappointment is almost guaranteed.

So yes: startups are not a shortcut to wealth.

Where the narrative becomes too narrow

The problem isn’t the warning — it’s the assumption underneath it.

Most conversations about founder income quietly assume:

• VC-backed startups are the default
• Exits are the only real wealth event
• Salary equals success
• Sacrifice is unavoidable

That’s a very specific lane of entrepreneurship. It’s not the whole highway.

Also Read: Why Southeast Asia’s founders can no longer afford to wing their communications

Venture capital is one option, not the definition of success. A sustainable business is still about sales, revenue, and profit. A strong P&L gives founders leverage with investors, partners, or no one at all.

Just like in a corporate career, founders start “low.” The difference isn’t effort — it’s mechanics.

Employees earn by position. Founders earn by design.

Founders don’t get paid — they design income

This distinction matters.

Founders don’t “get paid” the way employees do. They design income structures.

Early on, that might mean:

• No base
• Performance-based payouts
• Irregular cash flow
• Reinvestment instead of take-home pay

As things mature, income becomes more structured — sometimes a fixed base, sometimes distributions, sometimes upside deferred to exits.

In my own journey, different ventures behaved very differently.

A tech startup I run pays a modest base. The meaningful upside comes later through scale or exit. Another venture doesn’t have a base at all, but it generates a monthly cash flow. Both are businesses. Both are valid. They just optimise for different outcomes.

The mistake is measuring founders by salary alone. That’s like judging an investor by monthly allowance instead of portfolio growth.

Cashflow vs exit is a design choice

Not every founder is building for a billion-dollar exit.

Some are building:

• Automated solopreneur businesses
• Profitable service models
• Portfolio ventures
• Lifestyle-aligned companies generating six figures a month

With today’s tools, it’s entirely possible to:

• Automate operations
• Use AI to replace early hires
• Design lean, profitable systems
• Maintain control over time and direction

A solo founder earning consistent cash flow with control over their calendar is not “less successful” than a VC-backed founder waiting seven years for liquidity.

They’re just playing different games.

And success depends on how you define it.

Also Read: The art and science of feedback: A guide for first time founders and new managers

The sacrifice myth is outdated

The idea that founders must work 365 days a year and sacrifice everything is often treated as a badge of honour. In reality, it’s usually a sign of poor system design.

With AI and automation, the rules have changed.

One example: I launched an AI product in under a month — not as a grand “startup idea,” but as a lifestyle solution. It solved a real problem I personally had. It worked for me. I offered it to others.

What didn’t work in the past were abstract ideas disconnected from real pain. This shift matters.

The most sustainable businesses today are not built on suffering — they’re built on usefulness. If something works in your life, there’s a good chance it works for others, too. That approach reduces risk, shortens feedback loops, and removes unnecessary sacrifice.

Wanting money isn’t a red flag

There’s a common belief that investors can “smell” founders who want money, and that this is inherently bad.

That’s not quite right.

Wanting money isn’t the issue. Wanting money without patience, skill, or systems is.

Money is not evil. It’s leverage. It accelerates outcomes. It makes processes easier. It allows you to build faster and smarter.

The difference is whether money is coming from desperation or intentional design.

Founders who treat money as an accelerator — not a lifeline — tend to make better decisions.

Who shouldn’t start a startup

Not everyone should be a founder. And that’s okay.

If you:

• Don’t want to do the work
• Dislike problem-solving
• Want certainty above all else
• Expect effort without discomfort

Don’t start a startup. Invest instead. Or build skills first. There are no miracles here.

Entrepreneurship is not superior to employment — it’s simply different. One trades predictability for optionality.

Also Read: SEA Founders, take note: Nvidia’s ecosystem strategy is your 2026 survival guide

The real wealth lever most people miss

The biggest misconception about founder wealth is thinking it comes from one moment — an exit, a valuation, a big cheque.

In practice, wealth compounds through two quieter forces:

• Control over your calendar
• Compounding reputation

Time autonomy allows founders to choose where to focus.
Reputation creates deal flow, trust, and optionality over time.

Those two together unlock opportunities that salaries never will — regardless of how high they climb.

So… do startups pay well?

That depends. Well when? Well how? Well by whose definition?

Startups are businesses. Businesses exist to solve problems. Solve real problems, structure them intelligently, and revenue follows.

The problem isn’t that startups don’t pay well. The problem is assuming they pay like jobs — when in reality, they reward design, leverage, and patience.

And for those willing to play that game properly, the upside isn’t just money. It’s autonomy.

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Editor’s note: e27 aims to foster thought leadership by publishing views from the community. Share your opinion by submitting an article, video, podcast, or infographic.

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In a year of market shifts and pivotal moments, the Southeast Asian tech ecosystem has once again proven its resilience. At e27, we’ve had a front-row seat to this remarkable journey, and as we close out 2025, I want to share not just our accomplishments, but the deeper story of what we’ve built together, and where we’re headed.

Over the past 11 years, we’ve evolved our understanding of what it means to truly serve Southeast Asia’s tech ecosystem. This year, we made a significant shift in our vision and mission. Read more about why we changed our vision and what we’re committing to moving forward.

2025 by the numbers: What we built together

This year, we moved beyond talk and focused on tangible action. The results speak for themselves.

Product & platform innovation

We launched Milestones, a feature that fundamentally changes how founders tell their stories. Rather than static profiles, founders can now showcase key business achievements – funding rounds, product launches, partnerships, user milestones—directly on their e27 profiles. We received 700 milestones from founders celebrating their wins, from Good Bards’ collaboration with e2i on AI Advantage to Deep Insight Labs’ partnership with Causality.AI. This simple innovation has profound implications. It gives investors a real-time window into company momentum. It gives founders a platform to celebrate progress. And it transforms e27 from a directory into a living, breathing record of the ecosystem’s growth.

This is what product innovation in service of the ecosystem looks like: building tools that create genuine value for all stakeholders.

Events that bring the ecosystem together

Our flagship Echelon in Singapore and Philippines, and the focused Flux series brought together 12,000 attendees across Southeast Asia in 2025. These events drive real business outcomes – from deal-making and strategic partnerships to thought leadership conversations that shape the future of Southeast Asia’s tech ecosystem.

Also read: Building real traction: Echelon Singapore 2026 introduces demo stage

Content that drives accountability

Our editorial team didn’t shy away from the tough stories in 2025. We covered the Indonesian Chromebook scandal, the TaniHub whistleblower case, the CXA shutdown, and countless other stories that demanded transparency and accountability. With over 1,200 articles published by 700+ active contributors, we’ve become the trusted source for what’s really happening in Southeast Asia’s tech scene.

But we didn’t stop there. We launched Writing Sprints, a new initiative designed to amplify more voices from the community. These sprints bring together 40+ contributors at a time to collaborate, learn, and publish. It’s our way of democratizing the narrative and ensuring that the ecosystem’s stories are told by the people living in them.

Partnerships that create real impact

We believe that our success is inextricably tied to the ecosystem’s success. That’s why partnerships are at the heart of everything we do. In 2025, we worked with over 80 partners across Southeast Asia, from global brands like Lenovo, Alibaba Cloud, and Meta to innovative startups and foundations.

We co-organized an AI-focused event with Manus AI and HubSpot for Startups that brought together active participants in Singapore. We launched the first-ever Meta Llama Incubator Programme in Singapore, designed to drive AI adoption among local SMEs and startups. We supported Prudence Foundation’s Safe Steps D-Tech Awards, giving climate and health tech companies a regional platform to showcase their solutions. And we partnered with Megaworld to co-develop a new launchpad for the Philippine startup ecosystem.

These aren’t vanity partnerships. They’re strategic collaborations that create tangible value for founders, investors, and the broader ecosystem.

Also read: Beyond the hype: Why Echelon is evolving to drive Southeast Asia’s AI future

The gaps we see, the vision we hold

While we’re proud of these accomplishments, they also reveal the work that lies ahead. For every company we’ve supported, there are thousands more building in the shadows. For every market we’ve reached, there are countless others waiting for their moment. For every story we’ve told, there are voices from underrepresented communities that deserve to be amplified.

This is not a failure of effort. It’s a reality of scale. And that’s precisely why our mission for 2026 is one of intentional expansion and deeper impact.

2026: Moving beyond our established hubs

We are not just scaling e27. We are scaling our collective commitment to building a more equitable and powerful tech ecosystem for all. Our focus for 2026 is built on three pillars:

Broader reach: We will be launching new initiatives to support startups and SMEs in emerging markets across Southeast Asia. There are dozens of cities and regions with incredible entrepreneurial energy that haven’t had the same level of support as Singapore or Manila. That changes in 2026.

Inclusive growth: We are committed to creating more platforms and opportunities for underrepresented founders and companies – women, SMEs, and founders from tier-2 and tier-3 cities, founders from non-traditional backgrounds. The ecosystem is stronger when it’s inclusive, and we have a responsibility to make that happen.

Deeper impact:

Also read: Why we changed our vision after 11 years: Building a unified Southeast Asia

The invitation

Building this ecosystem is not something e27 can do alone. It requires the commitment of founders, investors, partners, government agencies, and community leaders across the region. If you share our vision and want to be part of this mission, we want to hear from you.

The future of Southeast Asia’s tech ecosystem is not something we predict. It’s something we build, together.

Thank you for being a vital part of this journey. Here’s to 2026.

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This week’s developments highlight a world where capital, tech, and policy are increasingly intertwined, shaping how markets grow and compete. In Southeast Asia, VENTENY’s US$5 million funding round underscores sustained investor confidence in financial inclusion. By strengthening its B2B financial services and expanding access to financing for MSMEs across Indonesia, the company reflects a broader push to digitise and formalise underserved economies, even amid global uncertainty.

At the same time, geopolitical considerations continue to redraw the boundaries of innovation. The passage of the US National Defence Authorisation Act, which restricts investment in Chinese technology and military-linked firms, signals Washington’s firm stance on national security and strategic competition. These policy moves inevitably ripple through global supply chains.

Against this backdrop, Nvidia’s plan to ship H200 chips to China from existing inventory illustrates how companies are navigating tightening regulations while meeting market demand. Together, these stories reveal a delicate balancing act between growth ambitions, technological leadership, and geopolitical realities.

REGIONAL

VENTENY secures US$5M funding from Symbiotics: The funding will be used to accelerate VENTENY’s B2B Financial Services expansion, particularly in strengthening operational capabilities, enhancing technology infrastructure, and broadening access to financing solutions for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across Indonesia

REPORTS, LISTICLES, AND NEWS

Web3 gaming evolves to prioritise fun over blockchain hype in 2026: In an interview with Sunyoung Hwang, CEO of NEXPACE, this sea change came into sharp focus. “The industry’s perspective has completely shifted from ‘putting a game on the blockchain’ to ‘dissolving blockchain into the game’.”

Why SEA’s tech exit problem persists: Globally, signs of public market exits are emerging, marked by rising volumes of Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) across exchanges like the NASDAQ, HKEX, and SSE Star. In H1 2025, the Americas and the regions of Europe, the Middle East, and Africa saw IPO volumes increase by 11 per cent and three per cent, respectively, compared to H2 2024.

Why legal’s biggest AI problem isn’t technology: Implementing process changes is https://e27.co/why-legals-biggest-ai-problem-isnt-technology-20251218/. For example, in large law firms, gathering all stakeholders is rare, resulting in uneven adoption and unclear communication.

Why transparency, trust and AI accountability will define the next CX era: By 2026, transparency, trust and real-time accountability will no longer be differentiators; they will be baseline expectations. According to Nicholas Kontopoulos, Vice President of Marketing, Asia Pacific & Japan at Twilio, brands that fail to adapt risk rapid customer attrition in a market where competitors are only a tap away.

GLOBAL

Trump signs defence bill restricting investment in Chinese tech, military firms: The bill, known as the National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA), cleared both the House of Representatives and Senate earlier this month after months of negotiation. The Senate passed the bill on Wednesday in a 77-20 vote, following its passage in the House 312-112 last week

Nvidia aims to begin H200 chip shipments to China by mid-February: The US chipmaker aims to fulfill the order from existing stock, with shipments expected to total 5,000 to 10,000 chip modules.

ChatGPT launches a year-end review like Spotify Wrapped: That is, the OpenAI-owned chatbot is now rolling out year-end feature called “Your Year with ChatGPT” to eligible consumers in select markets, including the United States.

Waymo resumes service in San Francisco after robotaxis stall during blackout: Numerous photos and videos posted to social media captured Waymo robotaxis stalled on roads and at intersections as human drivers were either stuck behind them or weaved around them.

New York governor Kathy Hochul signs RAISE Act to regulate AI safety: State lawmakers passed the RAISE Act in June, but following lobbying from the tech industry, Hochul proposed changes to scale the bill back. The New York Times reports that Hochul ultimately agreed to sign the original bill, while lawmakers agreed to make her requested changes next year.

SEMICONDUCTOR

AI drives CapEx chip equipment to record US$156B in 2027: This forecast signals a clear shift away from traditional consumer-driven cycles toward a new “Giga Cycle,” in which major tech companies are investing heavily to compete in the AI era.

Pax Silica marks end of globalisation’s golden age: Convened by the second Trump administration, this coalition signals a move away from post-Cold War globalisation toward a new model of economic statecraft focused on securing artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductor supply chains.

AI

OpenAI says AI browsers may always be vulnerable to prompt injection attacks: OpenAI launched its ChatGPT Atlas browser in October, and security researchers rushed to publish their demos, showing it was possible to write a few words in Google Docs that were capable of changing the underlying browser’s behavior

50,000 Copilot licences for Indian service companies: For large organisations, the embedding of AI into workflows is important. A firm shouldn’t have to rebuild its toolchain to experiment with AI, but rather start using AI in the software and documents its workforce already uses

Marketing agencies using AI in workflows serve more clients: WPP and Stability AI note that off-the-shelf models “don’t come trained on your brand’s visual identity”, so outputs can often look generic. The companies’ remedy is fine-tuning, that is, training models on brand-specific datasets so the model learns the brand playbook, including style, look, and colours

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

Charting the rise of ETA in SEA – Part 4: In this concluding instalment, we analyse the existing gaps within the ETA ecosystem that hinder its broader adoption as an asset class and outline the specific initiatives we are undertaking to cultivate an ETA ecosystem uniquely tailored to the SEA context

Profit is fleeting but community is forever: In the ruthless churn of the modern economy, relying solely on superior product features or aggressive pricing is a fast track to irrelevance.

AI augmented development: Business leaders are being told AI will replace their development teams. Make everyone 10x more productive. Eliminate the need for senior engineers. Some of this is true. Most of it is dangerously misleading.

SEA founders can no longer afford to wing their communications: A decade ago, few local entrepreneurs thought of “communications strategy” as a core business function. Today, it’s becoming a survival skill.

Asian markets are rising while crypto quietly crosses a US$3T threshold: Japan’s Nikkei 225 climbed nearly two per cent, while both the Shanghai Composite and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng posted gains, reflecting a broader regional momentum.

Global investors can’t afford to overlook Bangladesh — Part 2: In this second part, we shift from theory to practice and look closely at the startups, investors, and success stories that demonstrate what is already happening on the ground.

How AI solopreneurs are reinventing ESG: Powered by artificial intelligence, a new class of AI-enabled solopreneurs—single innovators who use generative and analytical AI as full-time partners—are transforming ESG from compliance to commerce.

2026’s fintech imperative: As 2026 approaches, fintechs, especially those reshaping the housing finance industry, stand at a defining moment. The following year will separate those who simply scale from those who endure, adapt and build responsibly for the long term

Data-driven or gut-led? In practice, the best leaders do neither. They pair fast, comprehensive analytics with adaptable human heuristics and simple rules honed by context to make sharper, faster, and more resilient choices

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