Helen Elizabeth Read is the founder and managing director of MS. READ, a retail chain that offers fashionable clothes for plus-sized women, ranging from size 12 to 24. MS. READ was launched in March 1997 in Jaya Jusco, One Utama. Now, there are 11 MS. READ retails outlets in the Klang Valley, Penang, and Johore. Some of these stores also have their own DELIcious cafés.
Ms Read recently spoke at the Women’s Summit in Kuala Lumpur. More information about her can also be obtained from eHomemakers.
Ms Read has the distinction of having set up the “Privilege To Care” (PTC) Programme to encourage others to give back to the community. Ms Read utilizes its catalogues as an avenue of promotion for the PTC. Each catalogue highlights an opportunity for the
reader to exercise the privilege to care – whether it is a charity, or a non-profit organization, the PTC feature brings about awareness of the needy and gives the reader the chance to respond to it.
Ms Read is a volunteer Counselor at Calvary Life Ministries and Grief Facilitator at Grief Support Group at Calvary Life Ministries. She also belonged to the Asian Institute of Ministries Counseling at Calvary Life Ministries (1999) and has been involved with Shelter II, Birthright, Kajang Prison Ministry.
She was also one of the nominees of the Inaugural Malaysian Ernst & Young Woman Entrepreneur of The Year (2002).
SUMMARY
My Road to Entrepreneurship
According to Helen Read, as women, and women in Asia, we hear that we are no good, and we can’t do this or that. We trap ourselves in others’ paradigms and we may be led to think that we don’t amount to much. But Ms Read is emphatic that we all have to break out of this mindset.
In her speech, Ms Read shares the various lessons learnt on her road to entrepreneurship. Among these are:
Keep goals simple (“If I had immediately concentrated on building a giant manufacturing corporation, I would have been so overwhelmed I would probably have given up”).
Never underestimate the driving force behind the desire to protect what is important to you (“For me, it was my children”).
The ability to care for someone is a privilege (“I thought about how I could use the success that God has blessed me with, to bless someone else”).
DR. KAMAL JIT SINGH
Dr Kamal Jit Singh is CEO of British Telecom Multimedia Malaysia and Head of the Asian Research Centre (ARC) in Kuala Lumpur. He is also the Executive Director of Global Innovation Research Centre (GIRC), a strategic think-tank setup by BT to instill innovation in Malaysian industry, government and education sectors. He has a Doctoral degree in Strategic Management and his underlying expertise is in developing Competitive Strategies using Innovation and Disruptive Technologies.
Kamal has an MBA whilst his first-degree is in Information Technology. He is a Chartered Information Technology Practitioner (UK) and a Chartered Marketer (UK). He is active in the local and regional ICT industry and sits on various industry advisory boards and panels. Kamal is a Technical Resource Group (TRG) member
of Malaysia’s Third Industrial Master Plan (IMP 3), being developed by Ministry of International Trade & Industry.
Before joining British Telecom, Kamal was the founder of a Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) Company and led the R & D for Interactive Multimedia Computer Aided Training (IMCAT) – an authoring and content management system. Prior to this, Kamal spent 8 years with Panasonic New Zealand, where he left as the General Manager.
Kamal is a regular speaker at many international technology conferences and a columnist in “The Edge”, Malaysia’s premier business weekly. His “Mental Protein” column emphasises the usage of Innovation and Disruptive Technology as strategic competitive tools in the new economy, particularly in the face of AFTA and globalisation trends. Kamal’s passion is Innovation and he believes that innovation is a direct result of our core thinking processes. If we can change the way we think, we can become more creative and design strategies that will enable us to increase our competitiveness.
SUMMARY
Innovate Before You Act – Innovating Entrepreneurship
The road to entrepreneurship is filled with the graves of those who tried, failed, tried again and eventually gave up. Entrepreneurship used to be about stamina and perseverance. Today, that alone is not enough. Entrepreneurship today is about how you can compete and survive in a world that is increasingly becoming one large playground for big and powerful companies. How do you compete when the ground rules have changed? How do you even consider taking the plunge and becoming an entrepreneur when you yourself can see the obstacles and challenges in front of your own eyes?
If you want to survive in the business world tomorrow, you have to innovate today. Innovation is not about technology – it is a mindset that we can adapt and apply to any given situation. It is about bouncing back with fresh and creative solutions. Innovation can be learnt and this session will explore the fundamentals of innovation that you need to grasp.
S MURTHI
SUMMARY
Bad Debts And Legal Remedies
What are the bad debts and legal remedies available to small businesses to recover bad debts (non-payment of invoices)? How do SOHO owners make strategic decisions on whether or not to pursue a debt? The speaker will discuss each of the legal remedies available and the criteria to select the right legal remedy for a given situation. The issues of costs and time involved in pursuing these legal remedies will also be presented.
Gary Gilbertson
“Entrepreneur Extraordinaire”
Mr. Gilbertson is an exceptionally accomplished entrepreneur and a business leader of the highest caliber. He founded his first corporate business more than thirty-five years ago, achieving profitability in its first year and revenues in excess of USD $1 million in its second year. He went on to start or acquire additional businesses and establish a high growth international holding group which generated consolidated revenues of nearly USD $400 million in its seventh year (almost 30 years ago). In acknowledgement of these extraordinary achievements he was honored as US National Entrepreneur of the Year by the President of the United States at the White House. These remarkable successes permitted him to achieve his “financial independence day” before the age of thirty.
His strategic vision and skilled leadership enabled The Synergy Group to continue to expand and diversify, consistently generating year-on-year growth and profitability for more
than thirty-five years. Today the Group is comprised of more than eighty core business units and in excess of three hundred investment interests which operate globally through twelve functional and industry divisions, employing several thousand “team members” worldwide. Group competencies include biotech, information technology, manufacturing, agriculture, marketing and branding, international trade, franchising, education, strategic management services, economic development and entrepreneurial growth, among others.
Throughout his noteworthy career, Mr. Gilbertson founded more than two hundred companies and served as a director, officer, senior manager, advisor or mentor of more than one thousand businesses worldwide. His contribution has spanned an extensive range of industries and business models at all stages of growth and development. He established an acclaimed leadership development and employee empowerment strategy which enabled his succession and the attainment of his “personal freedom” from operational responsibilities at the age of fifty. He continues in his role of Chairman and visionary of the Group. Pursuing his passion to “contribute to the greater good” he devotes much of his time and expertise to mentoring and the enablement of economic and entrepreneurial development worldwide.
Mr. Gilbertson has clearly demonstrated world class credentials as an entrepreneur, manager, investor and mentor in the areas of business development, growth, sustainability and success. He attributes his success to an unquenchable curiosity and keen interest in learning. Personally, and most notably, he is modest and unassuming, always appreciative of the uniqueness, value and potential of every individual.
SUMMARY
On Course and On Purpose; Charting Your Journey to Success
Entrepreneur often have an idea and start a business without thinking about or fully understanding the requirement and demands that will be made upon them. They get started and get lost in the sea of details and if they are not careful, will become distracted and overwhelmed – losing sight of both their desired destination and their reason for starting. It is critical that they clearly envision their destination and their path and stay on course and on purpose.
Miss. Janice Lee
Janice Lee is Head of the Funding Development Unit, Technopreneur Development Division (TeDD), Multimedia Development Corporation Sdn Bhd (MDeC). TeDD is tasked with implementing MSC Malaysia’s Technopreneur Development programme which focuses on the development and growth of Technopreneurs and ICT SMEs. Janice has more than ten years experience in planning and strategy development, financial management and marketing in the Information, Communications and Technology Industry including international experience. Janice has an Honours Degree in Law and Business from the University of Westminster, London. Prior to joining MDeC, Janice was Senior Manager, E-Commerce for panpacmedia.com, a SESDAQ listed global internet powered travel and leisure business and one of Singapore’s leading homegrown and multimedia publisher. She also previously held the position of Marketing Manager for ICM Inc, one of the world’s leading business information companies delivering intelligence and strategic business information through a variety of media serving world class companies worldwide and was based in the United States.
SUMMARY
Catalyzing Technopreneurship- MSC Malaysia Technopreneur Pre-Seed Fund Programme, Up to RM150k for ICT Prototype Development
Since 1996, one of the MSC Malaysia’s key strategic thrusts has been the development of Technopreneurs and ICT Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). SMEs are seen as substantial contributors to economic growth as they create new wealth and job opportunities in the knowledge-based economy. In recognising the need to further enhance MSC Malaysia’s efforts to develop Technopreneurs and ICT SMEs, the Technopreneur Development Programme was launched in November 2001.
Budding or existing Technopreneurs (Individuals) may have a good ICT business plan but at such early stages are unable to secure the funds to develop their business plan into a commercially viable proposition. The MSC Malaysia Technopreneur Pre-Seed Fund Programme is a new RMK9 initiative which addresses this funding gap providing up to RM150k conditional grant to Technopreneurs (Individuals) allowing them to develop their ICT business plan into a ready prototype for commercialisation and growth into MSC Malaysia companies. The presentation will cover the model, eligibility, terms and condition, scope and quantum of funding and steps on how to apply.
