Disqus - Latest Comments for dt

Re: How To Community Blog

dt — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 11:30:03 -0000

Thanks for the great props. Please keep in touch.

Re: Too Much Nick

dt — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 02:51:53 -0000

I love that song, what is it?

Re: Street Fighter II Fans? › Yongfook - Web Producer

dt — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 23:23:10 -0000

Ahhh for me was with Chun-Li, those up-skirt times really prevented me from getting good with Street Fighter.

Re: Building Your Blog’s Community Using MyBlogLog

dt — Mon, 17 Jul 2006 01:44:44 -0000

I really like it too, especially when you have friends that visit frequently.

However the mybloglog interface needs a lot of work. Right now acessing account details as well as getting the code widget working is difficult to see. Also it would be great if the tracker and the visitor list is the same java script. Speeds up load times.

Re: Apple WWDC 2008: Hear Singaporean developers screaming their heads off

dt — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 02:33:33 -0000

Oookkkaaayyy...this is too weird on so many levels.

DTs last blog post..Why You Should Always Determine Your Own Design Schedule?

Re: IDSKETCHING>PROPS

dt — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 21:20:26 -0000

Nice work guys. We need more ID sites on the web that focuses on helping.

rdgs
DT
www.DesignSojourn.com

Re: Sketch It. Tweet It. Rock It. Industrial Designers on Twitter

dt — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 11:37:24 -0000

I think #industrialdesign is no good. It's 18 characters out of 140, eats up a lot of typing space. I rather go for #ID that might be more micro-blog efficient?

Re: http://jackcheng.com/stickyscreen

dt — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 22:29:12 -0000

Hey Jack,

I see this application as more a phrase of inspiration or just a few pointers to get you through the day. I don't think as some commenters have put it is meant as a powerful to-do list. I have my A4 sheet of paper or Moleskin for it.

What could be cool if you could sketch on it? I've seen a few post-stick pads here in my studio are little inspirational sketches.

Great Stuff!

Re: http://jackcheng.com/maxing-out-your-triangle

dt — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 22:30:44 -0000

Damn good. Very simple and very powerful. I have a sketch book full of triangles and this is probably the best I've seen.

Re: http://jackcheng.com/on-permanence

dt — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 22:31:20 -0000

Hey Jack,

Another great post. The trouble with computers is people tend to jump right in before the design is really completed and waste time struggling with code or software when the design is not really done.

Nothing executes a design better than a pen/pencil on paper.

Re: 2008/12/28/best-blog-post-of-2008/

dt — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 04:50:41 -0000

Here is mine "30 Essential Books for Industrial Designers" for you to enjoy! Thanks!

http://www.designsojourn.com/30-essential-books...

Re: Tonic for the Soul

dt — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 09:52:13 -0000

Amazing Photo! Skies like this are so hard to come by in todays urban jungle.

Re: New Mix Wordpress Theme

dt — Fri, 11 Aug 2006 09:51:35 -0000

A release please????? Please email me?

Re: Real Mind Control: The 21-Day No-Complaint Experiment

dt — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 09:30:11 -0000

I really LOL on your mac experience.

I have always said, that Macs are so damn simple that its difficult to use.

I am beginning to suspect that easy to use is now a myth. Or perhaps people forgot that Windows OS has gotten a lot better?

Re: 10 Computer Shortcuts: Obvious to Techies but Unknown to the Rest (Plus: New World Record)

dt — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 07:00:45 -0000

Hi Tim,

My favourite is actually holding down the Ctrl and rolling your middle mouse roller.

What it does is it zooms in or out your window or increases or decreases your font size.

It works for almost all windows applications including firefox, IE, Word, Powerpoint etc.

Try it out!

Re: How to Fly Without ID and Skip Lines

dt — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 21:28:09 -0000

Tim, what a great way of turning a painful and negative situation into something great and positive.

Well done!

Re: Lifestyle Investing: “Compound Time” Like Compound Interest?

dt — Tue, 20 May 2008 03:15:28 -0000

Amazing post as usual and with so few words. I am still looking for your book here in Asia, in particular Singapore. It is no where to be found.

Perhaps we are missing something here in the hot house that is Asia.

Re: Hacking Japan: Inside Tokyo for Less than New York

dt — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 23:59:52 -0000

Hi, I just came back from Japan actually.

I have to chime in here with support that Japan is actually affordable these days. Also the lack of the ability to speak Japaneses is not so important these days. But give yourselves plenty of time to get around. If you get lost be brave and ask for help, most Japanese are very helpful. Just know the key words.

I would suggest though you pay a little more for a better hotel, with good service. From there you can get great recommendations for good and cheap restaurants and directions to go where you need to go.

Go by train for sure, it is cheaper than a cab.

The Fish Market is a must go, but it is not quite clear, that tourists are NOT allowed into the fish auction that runs from 5-6am. Infact tourists are not allowed in most of the areas we see pictures of. So my advice is to get off at Tsukiji station, and sneak in the back way. Also prams are not allowed and the place is not child friendly at all. Needless to day, we learned the hard way, but got to see it all.

My other pick is Akihabara, the electronics city. If you are a foreigner, shop at a large chain store to get duty free, ie a 5% discount. Also do shop in the small stores as they often have massive discounts of products up to 50% off for the older but still new products compared to western shops. Most Japanese electronics brands launch in Japan first before the rest of the world.

Oh one more thing, bring cash and keep your coins so that you can buy drinks from vending machines all over the place. They are the cheapest way to go. They clock in anywhere from 100 to 150 yen for a bottle of coke or ice green tea.

Good Luck and Enjoy!

Re: How to Read a Peashoot Report

dt — Mon, 11 May 2009 03:22:53 -0000

Was on Gum, am I on this pre-testing list too?

Re: How Many Chores Does It All Add

dt — Tue, 05 May 2009 08:41:05 -0000

I agree, but it makes sense for someone who is doing this full time. For those like myself who also have a day job, these "chores" do add up and I have to prioritize. As such important things like reading other blogs and leaving comments get left behind email which is noise most of the time.

However understanding the value of these chores do help in prioritizing.

Re: Can trademarks be defended in Second Life?

dt — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 04:57:44 -0000

Now the big question is then who owns this "virtual mac", developers of second life, Scobleizer's son, or Apple?

Re: Themeshaper Acamas Themelet giveaway

dt — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 19:55:08 -0000

I would love to use a variant of this theme on my website www.designsojourn.com

<abbr>DT´s last blog post..Bridging The Language Gap: Who Cares about My Design?</abbr>

Re: My view on the Apple-Creative fiasco

dt — Mon, 22 May 2006 02:04:49 -0000

My take on this is more on the design aspect, but I for one thing this is a good thing for Creative.

1) Apple is notorious for "ripping" off other people's tech and not paying for it. A new Microsoft in the making? Notice the horizontal icon bar in the mac OSX? That was a rip off of a poor independent developer. I think this time Apple has bitten off more then they can chew.

2) Patents are touchy issues, all you need is a 10% modification on the design and the patent is circumvented. However the creative interface is very similar, and the issue here is confusion. The moment a user is confused and thinks this is an Ipod interface, but in a creative product then creative has a problem.

3) Branding and marketing has got nothing to do with apple stealing someone elses tech or patent infrindgement. Poor branding and marketing and, if i may add, design is yes as you say one of the resons why creative is in a distant second place. But it should not be confused in this discussion of patents.

4) Other main issues of creative's failure also has to do with the fact they focused alot on product costs, and playing in the consumer market that has tons of cheaper competitors. Apple is a premium mp3 player, and the marketing/design/branding all reflects this.

5) Actually you are right to a certain extent about releasing the product closer to home, however, the us market IS one of the biggest in the world. At that time very few countries in Asia are able to comprehend what an mp3 player is. Of cause now its a lot different. In fact the zen juke box was the FIRST HDD mp3 player, but plagued with tons of problems. As in any business the first mover, like KK Fong and his I-one kiosks, will suffer the brunt of the implementation phase.

Hoped this cleared up a few issues.

Re: Aftermath of the 7th Start-Up@Singapore Finals

dt — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 05:37:34 -0000

Wow congrats, its always a huge vote of confidence for a business plan to win an award.

Good stuff and keep use posted on how it goes?

Re: Innovation in Singapore Inc - Oxymoronic?

dt — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 02:59:52 -0000

I think we are moving in the right direction at least in the last 3-4 years.

But like in most government systems in any country it really took awhile for it all to sink in thru the different ministries.

For example its only in the recient year or two that singapore has been pushing outstanding individuals in creativity, design and entrepreneurship. For the longest time the country push organisations, and the net result is already what everybody knows, singapore is a good place to start a business.

Its about time the country looks to within and be proud of its own citizen's achievements.

Re: Thoughts on What Singapore Lacks

dt — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 03:54:21 -0000

"What I am trying to say, even if the government is the problem, the entrepreneurs should find their way around it. Otherwise, itÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s not entrepreneurship but molly-coddling."

I love this quote. I hope people sit up and listen.

Something that I have been saying for a long time and vital to creativity is that Singapore lacks the ability to laugh at itself. Meaning that it lacks the ability to look on the lighter side of things, and not take everything and itself so seriously.

Re: How to file a patent in Singapore I

dt — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 00:12:08 -0000

I say dont! Here is my take:
http://www.designsojourn.com/index.php/2006/06/...

Re: The Pied Pipers of Singapore Entrepreneurship

dt — Wed, 14 Jun 2006 23:39:24 -0000

Check out my take on the designer version of the "snake oil" design and creativity teachers at: http://www.designsojourn.com/index.php/2006/06/...

Re: Not Save Our Souls but Save Our Entrepreneurs?

dt — Sun, 18 Jun 2006 13:15:02 -0000

Article also at: http://www.designsojourn.com/index.php/2006/06/...

Re: Can Singapore companies brand? YES!

dt — Mon, 19 Jun 2006 10:28:50 -0000

*cracks knuckles*
Ok the inside story with creative is Sim is an engineer and thus is a dollars and cents man. Thus to him every cent counts in the total product margin. However, any sucess branding concept requires a 360 degree application of the brand promise in all aspect of the company.

Here is another pont to note. Nothing shouts louder about a brand than a product in your customer's hands.

Thus combined together, simply, creative's product does not reflect its so called "technology superiority" it keeps in insisting it has. Its dinky plasic, volume dials, lousy fonts and screens all do not reflect the brand promise.

Its easy to say, but to truly implement such a brand strategy thru out a company, unless the CEO is 100% behind it, the company's legacy baggage will continue to hold out thru the people.

Acutally apple was similar to creative's institution, however when Steve Jobs came back to apple he shook the entire company and everybody within it.

And the only way creative can compete if for the company to be shaken up, and do you think Sim will step aside?

Re: Not Save Our Souls but Save Our Entrepreneurs?

dt — Mon, 19 Jun 2006 10:34:57 -0000

Hi BL,

I suppose you can call it the Winner's Curse?

Hi ken,
I totally agree with you. It will be nice at least to analyse the factors that make our society so poor in entrepreneurship. Makes a good list for perhaps a entrepreneurship course for the people attend to realise the sub-conscious factors they wil have to deal with should they take this path.

Re: Quick Tips for Networking I

dt — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 10:44:12 -0000

Hah hah nice one. My problem is i always run out of cards!

Re: Not Save Our Souls but Save Our Entrepreneurs?

dt — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 10:34:40 -0000

Hi all,

See thats the thing and I can only speak from my experience in the past. The main worry is that i dont want people to think the only way to start business is to win or even take part of such competitions.

For my naieve mind then, thats what i thought.

Thus the hyping or over hyping of such activites, in my opinion counter productive to entrprenaurship.

The other concern darius as your brought up is that such activites is contrary to being "hungry" enough to survive in the business environment. I personally see that in china, such activities are few, and thus the people there struggle and yet are hungry and thus as my point become great entreprenaurs. Again such compeitiions are contrary to the hunger. Why? Simple, you get people teach you how to be a businessperson, they fix your business plan if there are problems, give you money to start etc etc. So dont you think this is molly-codding all over agian?

Re: About SG Entrepreneurs site down yesterday

dt — Sat, 24 Jun 2006 03:30:38 -0000

Good stuff, glad to see it back!

Re: What are you waiting for? Just Do It!

dt — Sun, 25 Jun 2006 11:22:42 -0000

Nice one BL, very encouraging for a amature entrepreneur like myself!

Re: Nintendo DS Lite Review

dt — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 03:09:48 -0000

Good stuff eh. Originally i was hesistant, but I eventually caved in!

Lets have a game or Mario Kart DS eh?

Re: Crossing the Threshold 2

dt — Thu, 29 Jun 2006 10:08:08 -0000

Thanks for the comment, yes we intend to be. But to a certain "freelancing" is not quite the right term as this implies that the designer designs and we link them up.

What FWP does instead is collobrates, so its a joint development, sharing of ideas, and really all about enjoying the process!

Getting to work with different designers is really a great joy. I love working with designers!

Re: Crossing the Threshold 2

dt — Thu, 29 Jun 2006 11:10:08 -0000

Thanks so much for the encouragement, its still a work-in-progress, but I do hope the idea is sound.

Re: Nintendo DS Lite Review

dt — Tue, 04 Jul 2006 02:12:44 -0000

Hi Kat,

You can get them all here in Singapore but they are mostly sold out. White is the most common though.

Singapore get them directly from the US so what ever they have we get too.

However its not officially launched in Singapore so whats avaliable is paralle import from US.

Its seems you can get the European black version as well but its more expensive.

Good luck in hunting, I was luckly to get mine in the first run as a friend picked it up for me.

Re: SG Entrepreneurs 2nd Pub Crawl Gathering

dt — Thu, 06 Jul 2006 22:21:27 -0000

Am i invited?

Re: An Interview with Chua U-Zyn, the innovator behind Ping.Sg and TodayRSS

dt — Thu, 06 Jul 2006 22:24:33 -0000

Ping is great little clever program! Much better IMHO than Digg or in our case Sigg. Now all it needs is a plug in to automatically add the url track back in your posts!

Thanks uzyn, you are going into my "Links to clever people"!

Re: Asian Companies able to Embrace design as a business strategy? (Part 1)

dt — Sun, 09 Jul 2006 23:00:29 -0000

I'm in agreement with you, and unfortunatly we are in the minority.

I think the main issue is not so much the technical skills, but the communication aspect of it. Remember reciently there was a media expose on doctors with poor bed side manners?

The issue is very similar here. Lets hope as time goes on this gap can be bridged.

Re: Can Social Entrepreneurship take off in Singapore?

dt — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 12:42:01 -0000

Great one BL!

Re: The best way to keep talents is to let them go!

dt — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 02:33:21 -0000

Hi Wonderdoggy,

Thanks for your comments, I agree with what you say. Many times though we must look at hiring with a different points of view in the sense that often we hire the best people for the job, but we also need to consider is the job the best for that person!

What a lot of HR peole and hiring manager fail to note is this second part. Thus it becomes really difficult to match a job for that person.

But what i find with my strategies, is people actually decided to stay!

Hi BL,

I agree, in many cases, people need to see that the grass is not always greener, and there are cases of people coming back after a "tour" of duty on the outside!

Rdges

Re: The best way to keep talents is to let them go!

dt — Thu, 13 Jul 2006 00:39:02 -0000

Hi Ken,

Thanks for your response. Actually I dont run the company i work for but I run my in-house consulting department and am responsible for its budget/expense and performance.

Actually I think the situation we are in is very similar. I cannot afford to pay top dollar for the best designer hence my term "hire the best you can find" or in other words "the best that will take your pay package".

"Good" or how "good" is also subjective and a mind set. We do not have many window in our office, we use old PCs and furniture, we do not allow designers to wear jeans or casual outfits, lunch and office hours are very strict. So interestingly if you ignore all our drawings in the room, we look like a bunch of cubical executives. Hardly your typical design studio.

Buffering is, you are right, a luxury, but its also all about cost control and people orientation management. If you can get two people that can do the job adequatly for 2.5K, rather than one for 5K that does it very well, i will go with 2 executives @2.5k anyday. I will then have a system of QC at the end to support this.

You mentioned: "I can train people. The less they know, the better they fit my needs." This does tell me we are in different industries. In my industry I need my guys to think, if not I cannot survive.

Finally if you notice, my discussion actually focuses very little on the pay package and money, simiply because as i mentioned I cannot pay top dollar. Hence my advice is founded based on creating a work environment that the person will find it hard to walk away from. And many of my suggestions are about a mind set and mentality. Things you can do for free.

Re: Asian Companies able to Embrace design as a business strategy? (Part 2)

dt — Thu, 13 Jul 2006 00:43:00 -0000

Hi Ken,

Totally true. The best bosses know what they dont know.

Re: The best way to keep talents is to let them go!

dt — Thu, 13 Jul 2006 04:51:12 -0000

Hi claris,
I think the comments you have made are very insightful. Thanks.

Perhaps the title is misleading, but in actual fact, by adopting a "you are free to go at anytime" i have found people actaually dont leave.

In many cases the intangiables of a great corporate environment is wort its weight in gold. Its funny, the more you hold on to someone to more that person will leave. In my experience the opposite is true. In the last 2.5 years my department of 5 people has existed I have only lost 1 designer who left with our blessings as another company made an offer too good for the to refuse.

Re: The Dark Side of Young Entrepreneurial Students

dt — Sun, 16 Jul 2006 11:12:49 -0000

BL great write up. Echos what we talked about the other day.

One thing about mentorship and aspiring young people, i suggest to leave it to the young people to look for the mentors. I'm a strong supporter of giving help when help is asked and needed. I've left comments to myself most of the time.

Re: Interaction with Isaac Mao, co-founder CNBlog.org (LIVE)

dt — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 12:46:09 -0000

Very true about the advice in the control and spread of innovation.

Re: The Entrepreneur’s Bookshelf: Pirates of Silicon Valley

dt — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 10:55:54 -0000

Nice. I'll check it out if I have the time as well.

Re: FOC! Free-Of-Charge: Online Resources for the Entrepreneur

dt — Mon, 28 Aug 2006 00:13:41 -0000

Check out my list of "bootstrapping software":

http://www.designsojourn.com/index.php/bootstra...

Re: How I almost got killed by logistics and distribution!

dt — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 22:48:34 -0000

Hi alvin,

You might like to look at my previous posts on "The art of the very small start" at

http://www.designsojourn.com/index.php/2006/08/...

for some ideas and primers on how to start. Often its about the marketing angle and how you deliver your product. If you need more help or questions please email me.

Re: How I almost got killed by logistics and distribution!

dt — Sun, 10 Sep 2006 09:07:04 -0000

I think you should look at other means of promotion, blog marketing, viral marketing, are all other good ways. But it this way we are in a cusp of a revolution on how people transfer and absorb data.

Its would be a good idea for you to embrace the technology as more companies that do often have first mover advantage.

Re: There are more factors to a successful business than having a good product

dt — Tue, 10 Oct 2006 08:30:38 -0000

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the feedback.

So hmmm what else would you like to know? ;)

Re: There are more factors to a successful business than having a good product

dt — Wed, 11 Oct 2006 06:03:07 -0000

No kidding, we were really sweet talked the whole lot of us into this mess of his. Its amazing, it was only when all of us got together and compared stories did we realise this was all happening.

Re: There are more factors to a successful business than having a good product

dt — Tue, 17 Oct 2006 09:18:24 -0000

Great advice for everybody! Thanks for stopping by.

Re: Why do I always get rejected? 10 tips on how to get buy in. Part 1

dt — Tue, 17 Oct 2006 09:25:21 -0000

Hi Boss Stewie,

Thanks for stopping by and leaving your comments.

Meeting the decision maker in a large organisation is one of the most difficult things to do.

Simply because in some organisations, one man makes the decision, in some other organsiations, its actually a group of executives. So you will need to do your home work.

Often you might like what you wish for. From my experience meeting the decision maker often leaves me wondering. Most of the time I only have 15-30 mins to talk to him/her, that leaves me hardly any time after spending the first 5 mins, getting organised.

From my experience the best way is to leg work, get your product into the system, so that when you do meet the decision maker he/she already know what you are talking about.

I also find if your "internal avocate" is your best friend, its also easy to meet the decision maker just ask him, or offer to help him sell to his boss.

Re: Singapore should consider Intrapreneurship rather than Entrepreneurship

dt — Sat, 21 Oct 2006 01:59:32 -0000

Ladies and gents. I am an Intrepreneurer. The work that I do and projects I create, create value for the organisation I work for. Now granted I'm not in civil service, but I work for a typically Asian run company, and all sterostypes apply.

I was actually planning to write an article on "how" to do it, as an extension to this artical's "why" we should do it. Please stay tuned.

Re: News Stop: Singapore GST to rise to 7%. Who will survive?

dt — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 23:58:59 -0000

Actually you dont have to apply for GST unless your SME's turnover is more than a certain amount. I cant remember what.

But it is true it will add to the bottom line from consumer all the way to the manufacturer and raw material supplier.

Re: Tips on Being Creative - Military Style

dt — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 01:41:22 -0000

Hi Shang Lee.

Ive read your post and i sympthise. My company is also very similar. Poor internal process, lousy managers, but the fact of the matter is most SMEs in singapore are like this.

If you want systems, empowerment, process then you need to join a MNC.

You are right to say that its all about your perspective, its up to you. Let me tell you in most situations you are facing, people will:
a) bitch about the process or boss etc and do nothing.
b) do nothing and just go with the flow to earn their pay cheque.
c) want to do something and get fustrated and leave.

My article at www.sgentrepreneurs.com is for a 4th option, which is you decide to stay and want to be sucessful in such an environment.

Ultimatly, you are correct to say that the decision is yours. But you also need to be aware what is good or bad is a matter of perspective as well. A labourer sweating in the sun every day would probably love to have this job of yours.

Many of my friends are shift workers, cooks, technicians, and they always envy me that I sit behind a desk in air con.

Anyways good luck in your decision. :)

PS: This post is that same as that in your article.

Re: Tips on Being Creative - Military Style

dt — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 02:21:15 -0000

Haha, not really but I have one friend that owns a sugar cane drink store at a hawker center. That guy is a fantastic business man and he has given me many tips the low down on the hawker business in Singapore. So much so, I even am interested to open a food store!

Re: Tips on Being Creative - Military Style

dt — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 04:47:56 -0000

Hi Jimmy,

Very true, very true. Its really when you are a reservist these officers learn to work with the men instead!

Re: Young Singaporean Entrepreneurs are not Pop Idols

dt — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 22:05:12 -0000

Hi BL,

great article. i think the overall factor here is how u define an entrepreneur. i often ignore such polls as they often dont display their rating formula therefore the results could be skewed towards as what u say the lime light.

also in many situations and many professions the hits are a lot less than the misses. Thus to build a sucessful group of entrepreneurd one needs to build a critical mass of people wiling to try.

Re: Thoughts on Singapore’s prospects

dt — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 22:14:38 -0000

Hi all,

often times we look around for answers when the solutions to look at ourselves in the mirror.

Many times i find the way to help the not so sucessful is to learn financial intelligence.

give a hungry food he will starve tomorrow. Teach a hungry man to fish, he will go hungry no more. thus to me this aspect is missing in all aspects of life.

and thus most sucessful business mesn come from a family of business men.

Re: Intrapreneurship in an Asian context. Possibility or Myth?

dt — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 12:36:51 -0000

Hehheh,

Quite true actually. At the end of the day you will need to access if such a role is important to you or to your organisation.

But dont forget eh, a lowely tea aunty can come up with an idea and it becomes a changing idea within a company! Such as at colgate, a tea aunty suggested increaing the opening of a tooth paste tube by 10% so as to increase sales by 10%.

Re: Intrapreneurship in an Asian context. Possibility or Myth?

dt — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 18:58:36 -0000

Hi Oliver,

Thanks for your great feedback and comments. I totally agree with what you say.

Perhaps I need to clarify, when I said to be patient and taking things slow, I dont mean be passive or less proactive. I mean exactly that patient and take things slow.

What I have found is often being pro-active is very important, but pro-active and being over enthusium is the problem. I've read a lot about P&G;, and perhaps the subtlties of the corporate culture is very different, but as I mentioned in my article such over-enthusium pro-active or other wise often rub Asians the wrong way.

Thus my advice of being patient is so that a promising intraprenaur does not get fustrated or burnt out.

However what you say about being accountable, making good proposals, strong arguments are very valid points and I can attest to that.

Re: Wanted: S’poreans to develop the next YouTube or Skype. Can it be done?

dt — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 21:49:47 -0000

Here are some points to ponder:

1) Creative is WAAAAYYYY TOOOOO far away. Soooo Farrr away that the MP Vivian forgotton EDB refused to fund Creative when it came out with its first sound card. I'm sure Creative is rolling in it, but my point is could it mean non-funded = success?

2) Youtube is and was NOT about money. Infact it was LOSS making from the start. If it did not had VCs to inject capital the company would have flopped and we would not hear of this "cha ching" story. Also we should not assume the exit strategy is to be bought out by AOL, Google or Yahoo. This is wrong and a mistake, and the downfall of many many web 2.0 startups.

3) Getting the programmers are a nightmare in Singapore. Simply because the strength of the computer programming is very low in Singapore. We can have the ideas but have no one to code it. This is the problem I am facing now. I cant find anyone to do the coding work. I would expect the next google or youtube to come from India or China.

Lets see how it goes eh, you never know we may have an influx of programmers after all the money had been distributed.

Re: Startup Ideas that don’t make the mark

dt — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 23:34:38 -0000

Hi BL,

Good write up and point 2 is very true. One of my entrepreneurship sites that I set up was a derivitative of a similar site in europe and US. I mistakenly wanted to create an Asian version on it. As a result it has not been very sucessful. Simply because I did not understand how the market here ticked. Being such a well connected market and with the boundaryless of the internet, creating such localised versions will only be sucessful if you really understand the Web 2.0 and its relation to the local market. Can you say Youtube is the American's funniests home videos of the Web2.0?

Also such boundaryless scope with the internet will mean you will get alot of derivitatives/imitation business plans which will be the big problem and possibly the bulk of your submitted business plans. Infact MDA saying they want to create, from singapore, the next youtube or google implies exactly that.

Only when people start to understand what Web2.0 is and how can apply this to, localised content as well as new ideas, you will get workable business plans.

Good Luck.

Re: Because our men and women get hitched too young, and more!

dt — Fri, 30 Mar 2007 20:34:43 -0000

What you are kidding me right? People, let me tell you getting married is a business decision, and the best one I have ever made. Even the "richest man in babaylon" said to make money you need to get your home and life in order.

Depleted after the wedding? Breakeven maybe, but never depleted, if so honestly that person ain't business savvy enough to be even considering to try entrepreneurership!

Think about this one whole minute. Dual INCOME people...twice the amount of CPF for home loans, that being said, quitting now to start out is so much easier, especially if one partner is still working.

Businesses succeed because of a team of people, or at least a partnership, and if you belief in that in your business, why not apply it to your personal life as well?

Re: Because our men and women get hitched too young, and more!

dt — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 03:26:39 -0000

Very true, guys entrepreneurship is not easy, and like what Justin, Colbalt, and a few other said, having a partner gives the moral support that is very hard to get.

Actually single entreprenerers find it tough, after the made it of failed they have spend so much time with their work they forget to socialise. Actually dating agencys in Silicon Valley BIG business. BIG.

Re: 10 Influences the Web 2.0 has on Running Businesses Online

dt — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 08:49:51 -0000

Hi Bill,

Actually I dont. The little that I do does not sustain the business. Personally I feel monetization is not the way and is overhyped by those who claim to have made 6 figure sum by monetizing their websites. I tried to hint about this in the post as well and calling the title of this post an doing "business online" instead of "Web 2.0 business".

Sure you can try making 6 figure by monetizing your blog but I hope my point 8 can advice why this should not be your business's main focus. Its just something everyone is doing.

Good Luck!

Re: Why does China Copy Designs?

dt — Sat, 26 May 2007 09:45:48 -0000

I think so life is hard in China, and every one is hungry. No mercy for the weak. You just need to see the way they live to understand it.

Re: Press Release: tenCube Launches WaveSecure - Revolutionary Mobile Phone Security Service

dt — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 20:13:46 -0000

Interesting, there are only 9 cubes in the logo?

Re: One Year On with Chua U-Zyn, Ping.SG

dt — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 21:36:39 -0000

Nice work U-Zyn,keep it up.

As discussed with you before, perhaps you should consider bundling up the technology and let people apply it on their own web site. A backbone and distribution model very similar to say wordpress.

If you like to talk more on such strategies, please do not hesistate to contact me.

dt [at] designsojourn [dot] com