People buy from people

Becoming a globally prominent expert authority is something many authors strive for, but struggle to achieve. The name of the game for most experts is exposure and credibility.

Expensive PR campaigns and enormous time and effort are expended to secure exposure, with the expectation this will increase credibility and overall ROI.

In researching the platforms of today’s leading content experts, including Dr. Phil, Tony Robbins or Wayne Dyer, and resource experts like Dr. Oz or Oprah, I have found a common denominator.

Even on the expert platform of lesser-known experts, I see the same pattern for experts and authors who have been effective in increasing their audience and attracting opportunities that surpassed their hopes and goals.

Here are the insights that will move you from exposure and credibility to global loyalty and conversion for your message.

Shift your perspective

Your initial message should be focused on how people will experience their lives emotionally and how they will feel, rather than what they will do, based on your work. Experts typically provide strategies and specific tools to help people, but they often do so without creating a tangible emotional connection, or emotional brand, first.

Also Read: The biggest legal traps startups fall into

Information is better received once we can determine trust that the expert is truly invested and committed to our well-being and that we can foster a meaningful connection. The academic approach will attract strong media interest, but it will not typically build a platform to effectively build your business.

Step back

Take the time to re-evaluate the emotional presentation and impact of your brand. Choose a few key words that reflect how you want to help your audience to experience life, regardless of their circumstances.

Once they feel a strong emotional connection with you, your strategies and credibility will be far more relevant. Be very specific and choose emotional words. Avoid words that describe a state, like ‘happy’. ‘Excited’, ‘content’, ‘satisfied’, ‘joyful’ — these are emotional words. There are many thesauruses online that focus on emotional words.

The stronger and more unique your words are, the more you will create a unique and powerful presentation for your message and brand that will connect with audiences.

Create a content map

Utilising the emotional words you have chosen to reflect your brand, create an editorial map of potential articles that speak directly to audiences you want to reach. Your content should closely correlate to your emotional branding.

Leading with your emotional message and then including strategies and research tie ins will increase conversion to your products and services and attract media, speaking and other business opportunities.

The “Tony Robins effect”, as I call it, is about creating a powerful, sincere and meaningful belief in the impact of his work to people who are looking for his specific expertise. Effective experts impart a profound and intense sincerity about their audience.

They are also extremely accessible emotionally to their audiences. Utilise a specific content design to build that bridge, based on your emotional brand.

Brand integration

Review your website, current and past content and related materials. Look for ways to incorporate your emotional branding into your entire body of work. It should be clear, prominent and repetitive.

Sound bites

Create media sound bites and short quotes that represent your emotional branding. As you build your exposure with your emotional message in front, audiences will begin to connect with you personally, and then to your work.

The more methods you have to communicate your message and your emotional brand, the more people will remember it and identify the concepts with your work.

Branding evaluation

Review how audiences are reacting to your new branding and build on the messages and emotions that resonate the strongest. As you create your emotional messages, you will be able to evaluate which messages truly connect with people.

Also Read: Blockchain-based fintech company Everex signs deal with Krungthai Bank, SHWE Bank

As long as the response is consistent with your brand, you can let audience response help direct your path to new content, products and services.

Message compartmentalisation

Rather than creating content and media segments based on demand from media outlets, focus on creating ongoing materials that closely mirror your EB words and concepts. Stay on brand.

Tony Robbins could write about anything, however, he maintains a clear voice to reflect his message and maintain his audience. It becomes tempting as interest in your work increases to broaden the scope of your work. However, you can dilute your brand all too easily in today’s world.

Avoid the common mistakes of being too broad and scattered in your messages, accommodating media requests regardless of the content and its relevance to your brand, and being too fragmented in your work creation.

You can create a platform that lacks continuity and an emotional presentation crucial to creating a meaningful connection and long term loyalty from the public. Too many authors and experts find they have been spinning their academic wheels and end up feeling burned out, as they didn’t build their PR on a solid foundation of emotional branding.

People buy from people.

Credentials, media appearances, great content, proven strategies and attractive branding are all meant to support an emotional brand and meaningful messages that truly connect with audiences. They are not meant to be the entire branding process.

It is this crucial difference that builds powerful platforms with global impact and provides the opportunity to change millions of lives.

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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 fundraising of the Singapore-based startup was led by Tencent’s Co-founder Jason Zeng

Koku, the startup that provides foreign exchange (FX) technology solution in Singapore, announced today that it has raised a Pre-Series A funding for US$2 million led by Jason Zeng, Tencent Holding’s Co-founder and founder of Chinese angel investment company Decent Capital.

In its official statement, Koku mentioned that the funding will be used to accelerate Koku’s product development roadmap and for regional expansion into new Southeast Asia markets.

The expansion in question itself is said to be focussing on the growth of Koku’s FX TechUP suite, onboarding of deep technologies such as AI, and machine learning to leverage data in order to maximise benefits for users within the ecosystem

Founded in 2016, Koku works with Non-Bank Financial Intermediaries (NBFIs) including non-bank remittance companies and liquidity providers. Its Foreign Exchange (FX) technology solution allows these NBFIs to provide cheaper, quicker, and digital-first remittance services to their customers.

“Tech-enabling non-bank remittance service and liquidity providers requires quite a complex and different business model, it’s hard work,” said Calvin Goh, Founder and CEO of Koku. “Having said that, it’s extremely rewarding when we’re able to tech-enable this group of NBFIs and help them succeed in scaling their operations. We’re confident that we’re in good standing to further develop our offerings and expand into new markets as we move towards Series A.”

Also Read: mobilityX introduces all-in-one transport app Zipster

According to Chris Cao, Vice President of Decent Capital’s Angel Investment Department, Koku is the first company in Singapore that Tencent’s Co-founder Jason Zeng has invested in since co-founding Tencent.

Since the initial funding round, Koku said that it is able to increase cross-border collaboration between non-bank remittance service and liquidity providers in the region. Koku aims to raise a target of US$10 million in Series A funding by H1 2019.

Currently, the company is already working with NBFI partners in Singapore, Hong Kong, and the Philippines. Koku said that this round will set them up to achieve growth in headcount, increase transaction volume of US$10 million per day to US$22 million, as well as potential entry into markets in Southeast Asia including Vietnam, Myanmar, Indonesia and Cambodia over the next six months.
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Image Credit: Koku

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With the funding round led by FirstFloor Capital, the company is looking at strengthening its regional expansion

Southeast Asia-based TheLorry, the logistic platform headquartered in Malaysia, announced its US$5.85 million Series B fundraising led by FirstFloor Capital. Participating in the round were PNB-INSPiRE Ethical Fund I, Cradle Seed Ventures, and Axiata Digital Innovation Fund, as well as SPH Ventures who made a comeback after joining the Series A round.

The company stated that it plans to use the funds raised to strengthen its operations in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Indonesia.

TheLorry was founded in September 2014 with the vision of providing efficient and affordable logistics. It focusses on a logistics platform operation that connects both individuals and corporate clients to lorry, truck, and van owners in their database across Southeast Asia.

Using the platform, individual customers can do a transparent and reliable house moving and furniture transport. TheLorry highlights that it also serves multinational corporations in the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), retail, industrial, and e-commerce sectors with technology-enabled distribution and long haul transport solutions.

Aside from using the funding to strengthen its position in the four mentioned markets, it will also be used to develop and improve the perception of lorry and truck drivers in their respective communities.

Also Read: Blockchain-based fintech company Everex signs deal with Krungthai Bank, SHWE Bank

“There is a lot of value in a lorry and truck driving career that many people have yet to see and appreciate,” said co-founder and Executive Director, Nadhir Ashafiq, “We want to be the agent of change in uplifting the status and income of lorry and truck drivers in this region.”

Since its Series A funding in 2016, TheLorry has managed to expand to Thailand and Indonesia just in 2018. According to Co-founder and Managing Director, Goh Chee Hau, TheLorry’s built ecosystem and optimised logistics technology continue to bring down logistics cost for its customers.
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Image Credit: TheLorry

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The app will give single point access to multiple transport options

Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) company mobilityX announced that it has officially launched the beta version of Zipster, an all-in-one transport app, as reported by The Straits Time. The transport app will facilitate a single point access to transport options such as MRT, buses, private-hire vehicles, shared mobility devices, and car-sharing services.

Zipster will also put on trial its Zipster card that will enable users to access all Zipster functions and pay for the fee using the card that’s integrated into the app’s wallet.

mobilityX aims to integrate journey planning, booking, and payment in one app so users can compare available transport options, their estimated duration and cost, and proceed to arrange the selected trip all on Zipster.

With recent MoU signing between mobipityX and OCBC Bank, the latter’s digital payment app OCBC Pay Anyone has been integrated to allow the use of OCBC credit and debit cards within Zipster’s ecosystem.

The year-old company has been in partnership with the likes of SMRT that’s also one of the company’s investors, Grab, Go-Jek, bike-sharing platform Anywheel, e-scooter startup Neuron, and EZ-Link.

Also Read: Blockchain-based fintech company Everex signs deal with Krungthai Bank, SHWE Bank

The users of mobility X and Zipster are also subjected to coverage for personal accident, accident medical reimbursement, and personal liability from AXA Insurance Singapore.

Both Singapore’s Land Transport Master Plan 2040 and the land use Master Plan 2019 aim to make Singapore’s transportation experience more seamless and connected, which are in line with the launch of Zipster.
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The appointment was part of Gobi Partners’ “Crouching Panda, Hidden Tapir” strategy

Beijing-based venture capital (VC) firm Gobi Partners announced the appointment of Nobuyuki Idei as their Advisor for the Japanese market.

Idei was Chairman and Group CEO of Japanese consumer electronics giant Sony until 2005. He subsequently founded Quantum Leaps Corporation, an executive advisory company that helps technology-driven venture companies to enhance competitiveness through corporate transformation and network building.

He will be working with the firm to identify Japanese startups that have the potential to expand their business to Southeast Asia.

“I established Quantum Leaps Corporation to share my knowledge, experience, and rich network for the benefit of Japan’s younger generations, and to ensure the future of the country’s competitiveness. Today, my mission remains the same: to help Japanese home-grown companies build bridges between themselves and the rest of Asia, which will provide them with the opportunity to grow and develop into the next generation of global companies and leaders,” Idei said in a press statement.

Also Read: Today’s top tech news, February 20: Gobi Partners and Sonae IM invest in AI company ViSenze

Gobi Partners stated that his appointment is part of the firm’s “Crouching Panda, Hidden Tapir” strategy, which aims to connect the venture capital ecosystems of Northeast and Southeast Asia.

“The combined ‘Crouching Panda’ economies of China, Japan and Korea are the size of the US economy today, and their companies are global leaders in consumer brands, such as Sony, LG, and Huawei. Gobi believes that by connecting these companies to the ‘Hidden Tapir’, i.e. Southeast Asian economies, an unbeatable and industrious market will be established; in fact, ASEAN as a region has an emerging consumer market that is rapidly growing in size. For example, in 2050, Indonesia alone will be the fourth largest economy in the world,” it explained.

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Image Credit: Gobi Partners

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From renting the power of a computer to eliminating single points of failure, dApps has much to offer for your business functions

These days, Decentralisation and Decentralised Applications (dApps) are the talk of the town because of the attraction they bring to every industry from various developers in various parts of the world.

What makes dApps so special?

dApp development services provide businesses with advanced software programmes or tools that operate using the decentralised platform of blockchain. It intrigues many developers around the world regarding its functionality and operability.

Unlike traditional applications, dApps does not require third-party entities to connect developers and users. It connects peers together directly and instantly provides a strong P2P connection.

This kind of permissionless accessibility has increased the demand for blockchain dApp development services globally. Thus, newer dApps development companies are emerging by the day.

The rules of developing a dApp cannot be changed once built. This there is no central authority or there is no single point of failure. This enhances payment distribution dApps to function more effectively and increase user experience.

Everyday, dApps are incorporating more into our lives. This article discusses how blockchain-based distribution dApps are changing the basic business functions.

Features of dApps that make it the best in blockchain-based payment scenarios

1. A consensus in operating without central control
With dApp, validation of any transaction can be accomplished without the requirement of any kind of centralisation. Every dApp will have its own nodes that connect with each other instantly and directly without the need for a central clearinghouse to pass through payments.

Also Read: A decade of innovation: How East Ventures is building Indonesian tech ecosystem from the ground up

Thus, the transaction process is faster and more secure.

2. dApps are open-sourced and less risky
Typically, in a closed-source application, users can only trust the developers for security as they do not have direct access to their data or how their data is handled. This is due to centralisation.

This also increases the risks of trust between the user and dthe eveloper. But, with dApps the trust is enhanced as it creates a strong P2P kind of business model where users can track all their transactions and data in real-time.

Users have the ability to govern their payment information without anonymity and autonomy.

3. Continuity in operations with no single point of failure
Since dApps do not rely on any central server or single central authority, the chances of data loss or data manipulation are pretty much lower than traditional applications.

dApps store data across different nodes within a system and each node is independent of each other. Thus, even when one node fails, data can be accessed and retrieved from other active nodes.

Distributed Hash Tables (DHTs) and Interplanetary File Systems (IPFS) can be used to develop such dApps for an efficient distributed payment dApp.

4. Generation of tokens and mining of cryptocurrencies
There is no problem with currency since dApps use its native system of token and cryptocurrencies as a means of transaction.

It is even better that users get accessibility in mining their own cryptos based on their custom preferences. This serves to be as proof of work and proof of value.

Thus, completing instantaneous transactions in transparency and security is a promise made by dApps.

Some real-life scenarios of how dApp changes business operations

1. Changing insurance functions
dApps help to provide proof of evidence of documentations uploaded digitally as well as proof of stake for digital asset liquidation. Thus, in the industry of insurance dApps provide a tamper-proof environment.

With the integration of smart contracts, dApps can also automatically trigger payments from user accounts (eg. Aigang Network).

2. Changing functionalities of real-estate operations
Using blockchain Software as a Service (SaaS), dApps reduce the time taken to process mortgage applications. It helps to address and focus on challenges that arise in application submission by making it digital and direct submission of sellers.

Thus, financial operations are transparent and there is no possibility for fraudulent activities (eg. Red Swan).

3. Shaping IPR and media operations
dApps help media industries protect content from digital piracy and extend its audience simultaneously without border limitation or legal restriction. Licensing of media and review is faster than ever.

Tapping into the value creation for smart media content is highly possible with decentralisation (eg. Hearo.fm).

4. Renting the power of a computer
dApps is highly beneficial for designers, animators and anyone who require large computational loads for their work.

Also Read: A hyper-intelligent workforce and the future of work

Using dApps, peers can connect with each other and instantly rent computer hardware, software or even use virtual machines to share computing power and pay for them all through tokens or cryptocurrencies.

Say goodbye to buying computers. Instead, users can avail this Airbnb type of concept for renting computers (eg. Golem).

The dApps framework will increase the scalability of all business entities

The successful implementation of dApps outlines the idea that it will allow business operations to take place smoothly without any hindrance.

Though the technology is new and its potential has yet to be realised globally, the demand for it has still been robustly increasing by the minute.

With blockchain, dApps also help with decentralised storage of data, identity protection, managing financial volatility and controlling autonomous operations without error.

So, how are dApps changing your business function?

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Image Credits: theromb

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

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This marks the first international money transfer that accepts PayNow

TransferWise, the global remittance fintech company, announces that it will allow customers to fund their remittances using Singapore-based mobile payment service PayNow. TransferWise becomes the first international money transfer company to do so.

The launch will allow TransferWise customers in Singapore to have four options for making payments: credit card, debit card, bank transfer, and PayNow, which allows it to offer the most number of payment methods in Singapore.

“PayNow has become a widely-used method of instant payment by consumers in Singapore. Our customers told us they like PayNow for its speed and convenience, so we added the implementation of PayNow to our engineering plans and worked to launch the feature as quickly as possible,” said Timothee Ledure, Lead Product Engineer at TransferWise.

TransferWise was founded in 2011 and headquartered in London with a mission to make international money transfers instant, convenient, transparent and eventually free. The company said that it handles US$3.9 billion (S$5.34billion) in cross-border transfers every month for its 4 million customers.

TransferWise was launched in 2016 in Singapore and said to have moved over US$1.3 billion (S$1.7 billion) in and out of Singapore every year ever since.

Also Read: Gobi Partners names ex-Sony Chairman as advisor for Japan

PayNow Corporate was launched in August last year, giving businesses and corporate bodies access to peer-to-peer instant payment service PayNow which allows transfers using just mobile phone numbers eliminating the need to exchange bank account numbers.

Users who choose to pay via desktop browsers or mobile apps using PayNow by either inputting the TransferWise Unique Entity Number (UEN) – which is 201422384R – to their PayNow app or scanning a QR code provided.

Later on, TransferWise will also offer a form of instant verification for new users when it was made available to businesses here with MyInfo.

To date, TransferWise has sent money from 43 countries to 71 countries.
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Waterdrop Company consists of three business lines; Waterdrop Crowdfunding, Waterdrop Mutual, and Waterdrop Insurance

Waterdrop Company, China-grown insurtech with subsidiaries in Southeast Asia, announced the closing of its Series B funding. The company’s business that focusses on crowdfunding platform and insurance reportedly completes nearing US$74 million fund.

The funding was led by Tencent and co-invested by Banyan Capital, IDG Capital, BlueRun Ventures, Sinovation Ventures, DST Global’s Founder Yuri Milner, former CEO of Tencent’s E-Commerce Company Wu Xiaoguang, and other reputable investors.

Waterdrop noted that the fund raised will be used to build a more seasoned and extensive health insurance team and to better utilise AI application in the company’s insurance services. ’

“In the year 2019, we are aiming to provide more affordable medical alternatives including crowdfunding, mutual, and insurance products. We will also try to better our user experience by establishing a complete medical support system,” said Waterdrop’s founder and CEO Shen Peng.

“We believe that providing healthy individuals with sufficient insurance protection, as well as aiding those who are in need of help during disease-stricken times is a very philanthropic cause. We have a strong belief that Waterdrop would become the next business leader in the Insurtech space,” said Banyan Capital’s co-founder Zhang Zhen, representing the VC that has co-led Waterdrop’s angel series and co-invested in waterdrop’s Series B financing.

Also Read: PayNow Singapore partners with TransferWise, facilitating international money transfer

As the unicorn of insurtech in China, Waterdrop managed to expand its business in China’s third, fourth and fifth-tier cities over the past three years.

Waterdrop Crowdfunding is the illness support internet platform in China, as well as the zero service fee business model in the industry highly aligned with the government’s plan of poverty alleviation, in specifics issues such as poverty resulting from high medical-care expenses and providing medical-care services.

Waterdrop Mutual is the medical funds internet mutual support platform that works through each members’ mutual aid effort to help each other during plague times and prevent the aforementioned poverty resulting from medical-care expense issue. Waterdrop provides its members with value-for-money, low threshold, and affordable medical-care protection.

As for Waterdrop insurance, it is an Internet insurance platform in cooperation with more than 50 renowned insurance companies domestically and launched more than 60 value-for-money insurance products. Waterdrop Insurance has “traffic-directive scenarios” and claims to have over 10 million users.

Also Read: Gobi Partners names ex-Sony Chairman as advisor for Japan

Data collected from platforms including Itjuzi, Sinovation Ventures, and Crunchbase shows that the Series B financing of Waterdrop is one of the largest deals in the Insurtech and healthcare market in China, since the global economic slow-down in 2018.
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There has been no information on who is going to replace her position at Facebook, and where she is heading next

As reported by Kumparan, Facebook Indonesia has confirmed the resignation of Country Director Sri Widowati from the position that she has held in the past three years. There has been no information on who is going to replace Widowati, and where she is going next.

A Facebook spokesperson told DailySocial that “Widowati has decided to develop her career beyond Facebook. We extend our gratitude for the positive impact that she had given in the past three years in executing Facebook programmes in Indonesia, and we wish her the best in her future endeavour.”

Also Read: Today’s top tech news, March 18: Cambodia’s largest funding round and Tony Fernandes quits Facebook

Prior to leading Facebook operations in Indonesia, Widowati had extensive experience in the FMCG sector, particularly in beauty industry.

As a Country Director, Widowati supervised the prevention of hoax dissemination on the social media platform by working together with Tirto as third party fact-checker.

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The article Facebook Konfirmasi Pengunduran Diri Country Director Indonesia Sri Widowati was written by Amir Karimuddin in Bahasa Indonesia for DailySocial. English translation and editing by e27.

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SALATECH’s aim to improve the quality of tertiary education for Cambodian students is as heartwarming as it is commendable

At the TOP100 competition in Phnom Penh, only one startup managed to clinch the Judges’ Choice award — SALATECH. The company will get to enjoy the privileges of a free exhibition booth space at e27’s Echelon Asia Summit 2019 and a chance to win S$50,000 Startup SG grant.

But while only one received an award, there will be three others representing Team Cambodia on Echelon’s TOP100 stage. These companies will also enjoy intimate investor meetings and inclusion to corporate business matchings on top of five starter tickets and TOP100 Tour access in Singapore.

Without further ado, here’s more on the winning pitch:

SALATECH

For the 70,000 students in Phnom Penh entering adulthood, pursuing a university degree seems like the next viable step to take. However, costly travel expenses and administration fees, coupled with paper-based enrollment methods have become a big deterrent for choosing the most suitable university.

Fortunately, SALATECH recognises their plight and seeks to automate the enrollment system and lower administrative costs so that more K-12 graduates can have access to quality education.

With SALA’s digital platform, all prospective students need to do is log in, find a suitable university, enrol in it, and manage their curriculum from there. No paper and pens required!

Its freemium business model provides free university listings and admission, and has already been rolled out across 19 universities and five K-12 schools.

An upgrade to its ‘Basic’ mode for just US$10 a year will add scoring, timetabling and attendance-taking services to the student’s account. For US$20 a year, an ‘Enterprise’ mode will help manage bills, HR issues and transport fares.

Founders Leap Sok, Thavorac Chun and Matt Rybin, who hail from IT and software engineering backgrounds, plan to tap on Cambodia’s market opportunity of three million students.

Their ultimate goal? Transforming and automating educational systems for affordable quality education.

Also Read: Gobi Partners names ex-Sony Chairman as advisor for Japan

Hats off to SALATECH! Now, here are the other three qualifiers who scored themselves a discounted exhibition booth space in the TOP100 Zone at Echelon Asia Summit 2019.

• Sousdey Cambodia

This tech company provides you with the tools to profile your users and improve marketing engagement via a 1-1 approach.

• Cryptoasia

Cryptoasia is the leading digital currency innovator in Cambodia and is a platform for merchants to buy and sell digital moolah.

• Muuve

Founded by youths, Muuve is a local-food delivery service that makes the whole ordering and delivering process much simpler and convenient.

Congratulations to all who have qualified! Catch us at our next qualifiers in Kazakhstan! Get your Echelon 2019 tickets here.

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