The 4 reasons why you should become an entrepreneur

Why should you become an entrepreneur? Here are the 4 main reasons:

1. Work where you like

You can decide where you want to work. Work from home, at the beach or from any other place in the world. You are in charge of the work place, which is a nice alternative to typical offices with a chair and a desk.

2. Work when you want

You have the complete freedom. You can work with your own schedule. This does not only mean that you can make the work fit your rhythm, but you can also set priorities. Take time for your family or do other things you really like.

3. Work with whom you want

When you are an entrepreneur you can work with whom you like. You do not have to deal with people you do not like or that you simply cannot work with.

4. Work how you like

If you become an entrepreneur you can actually do whatever you want. Of course, you have to keep your own business in mind. If something goes wrong you get all the blame. Still, you get all the glory as well when you are a successful entrepreneur. Another important aspect is the job security. There is no boss that might fire you. You are your own boss!

What Motivates You?

Everyone has their own personal motivators. Identifying what motivates you, both in your career and your personal life, can help you design a more enjoyable, satisfying work-life balance.

The power of personal motivators is that they are personal. They cannot be taught. They cannot be forced by authority. They are simply the intrinsic force that drives an individual’s behavior. Every action, even the most basic task of getting out of bed in the morning, is motivated by some goal you want to achieve. In addition, your personal motivators are dynamic – they can change over time or fluctuate depending on the situation. The one constant is that your personal motivators are the reason why you make choices, take action, or avoid tasks. It makes sense, then, that job satisfaction is maximized when personal motivators are aligned with the goals and outcomes of the job.

Five common personal motivators that relate to job satisfaction areContribution, Achievement, Security, Money, and Recognition. Those who are strongly motivated by the personal satisfaction that comes from a sense of contributing to a worthwhile cause will enjoy a job that feeds into their Contribution motivator. For these people, it is not the daily tasks that drive action; it is the perceived effect of those tasks that drives action. Note that the key work is “perceived”. Personal motivators are entirely dependent on a person’s perception – there is no right or wrong job for a particular motivation. One can imagine that a medical doctor would perceive a great sense of contribution from helping patients. However, a custodian could perceive the same satisfaction by contributing to a clean work environment.

Those with a strong Achievement drive will enjoy a job with measurable, quantitative goals that clearly track performance relative to a target. Students who thrived on the goal of achieving high test scores or a 4.00 GPA likely have a strong sense of Achievement motivation. For these people, a position with a performance quota, such as sales, may be a good fit.

Those motivated by Security are likely to be drawn toward jobs that are not perceived as high risk, but instead provide a sense of long-term stability. The Security motivator is often highly correlated with one’s personal life. Financial responsibilities or being the sole provider for the family can contribute to the need for a sense of security. This motivator may be stronger during certain stages of life than others.

Money is a common motivator. It applies to almost everyone who has a paying job, but the level of Money motivation varies. For some, the financial compensation itself is highly motivating. It’s about more than just getting a paycheck or achieving an appropriate salary. For those with a strong Money drive, there is great satisfaction from the perceived success of high earnings.

Recognition is another common motivator. For these people, it’s about more than performing or achieving work-related goals. They derive satisfaction from having others recognize their work. Recognition-motivated people enjoy awards, certificates, and public announcements of their achievements. Jobs for which the results are highly visible are a good fit.

Personal motivators can be highly related. For example, it is easy to imagine that a person with a strong Achievement drive might also have a strong Recognition drive. Security and Money motivators can also go hand-in-hand. For most people, there are specific motivators that are more highly related to personal satisfaction than other motivators. Understanding what motivates you can help you recognize why you like or dislike your job and guide you in finding the best fit for your needs. The next time you are considering a job, remember to analyze yourself in addition to evaluating the job.

My Full List Of Reasons To Be A Entrepreneur

 To be proud of what I did, to make my family proud.

 To know my bills are paid, and money is in the bank..

 To be able to spend time with my nephew as much and whenever I want.

 To never have to work for any one else ever again.

 To wake up at 3am and start working on my new idea with no worries.

 To feel the excitement of a new challenge completed.

 To bring my nephew to school and pick him up.

 To travel around the world by car, plane and train.

 To work with and partner with great people.

 To leave something to my family or kids one day.

 To be able to work on a new idea for hours.

 To give back to my local community.

 To have the freedom to learn new things every day.

 To wake up in the morning and know I already made money that day.

 To be a motivational speaker and inspire people.

 To be able to take risks “calculated ones  ”

 To make mistakes and learn from them.

 To try new things not worried if I will fail.

 To walk in to a snobby car dealerships and buy a car with cash:)

 To be financially set to start a family when I am ready.

 To walk into my office and have everyone greetings me "boss".

 To be able to act on any idea I have and believe in.

 To start a foundation similar to Make A Wish – for kids with Kidney Related Diseases.

Common Characteristics of Successful Entrepreneurs

1. Entrepreneurs are highly self motivated and they believe in themselves. If you are a type of person who wants someone to tell you what to do, then entrepreneurship is not for you. Entrepreneurs know that if a task needs to be done, they should start doing it themselves. Moreover, they decide how they are going to work on that task and if they are not sure how to proceed, they try different alternatives. However, they still stay positive and believe in themselves that they can finish what they started.

2. Entrepreneurs are risk takers. They can make decisions without solid data. Nevertheless, this doesn’t mean that they don’t calculate the risks they take. For example, jumping from the top of a hill is very risky. As a result, you can lose your life or become disabled. However, jumping from the top of the same hill with a parachute involves a smaller risk. Although, it is still a risk, you have more chances of surviving. Entrepreneurs are similar to these people who jump with a parachute. They plan everything and try to mitigate their risks as best as they can.

3. Entrepreneurs are disciplined. Since they manage their own time, they should prioritize their tasks and stick to their plans. Also, they should be able to revise their plans when conditions change. They should overcome any obstacles along the way that prevents them from reaching their goals as well as be willing to work longer hours in order to keep their business going.

4. Entrepreneurs are not scared to fail. According to studies, one of the biggest fears which prevent people to start a new business is the fear of failure. An entrepreneur understands that even though he makes the best decision under given circumstances, sometimes things don’t go according to the plan and fail. Nonetheless, failing is part of the process that eventually leads entrepreneurs to success.

The Genting Story

When it comes to the Genting story, most Malaysians will recognise it as  synonymous with the rise of its namesake hill resort,Genting Highlands Resort. Many though may not have truly appreciated the mammoth task involved in its construction and the vast resources and reserves mobilised to ensure what has proven today to be an unprecedented success in resort development.

Looking Back with Pride

The idea of a hill resort was chanced upon by late Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong amidst the crisp air of Cameron Highlands in 1964. Tan Sri Lim was then working on a hydro-electric power project at the popular hill resort, patronised mostly by British colonials seeking cool refuge from the tropical heat, when he foresaw a prosperous Malaysia of the future desiring a cool mountain holiday resort within the reach of all Malaysians.

The Challenges

A study of the maps and Kuala Lumpur’s vicinity located the ideal site - the 1,800-metre Gunung Ulu Kali, just 58 km from Kuala Lumpur. Amidst the dense virgin tropical jungle and rugged terrain, the task to transform a remote mountain into Malaysia’s premier holiday destination seemed impossible… but not for Tan Sri Lim.

The Mammoth Task Begins

Setting up a private company called Genting Highlands Berhad on 27 April 1965, with the late Tan Sri Haji Mohammed Noah bin Omar, Tan Sri Lim successfully obtained approval for the alienation of 12,000 acres and 2,800 acres of land from the Pahang and Selangor State Government respectively between the years 1965 and 1970.

On 18 August 1965, a technical and construction team began the herculean task that would take four years to complete the access road from Genting Sempah to the peak of Gunung Ulu Kali.

To ensure the sound and prompt construction of the hotel-cum-resort, Tan Sri Lim devoted all of his time, capital and resources, including the reserves of his family company, Kien Huat Berhad towards the making of this "dream resort".

The Beginning

On 31 March 1969, the late YTM Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia’s first Prime Minister graced the official laying of the foundation stone for the company’s pioneer hotel, the then Highlands Hotel, marking the completion of the access road to Genting Highlands Resort.

The Prime Minister was impressed that the private sector, without the assistance of the Government, could develop a mountain resort for the enjoyment of all Malaysians; a gaming licence was suggested to help accelerate the development of this remote area.

In 1971, the first hotel at Genting Highlands was successfully completed and was then named Highlands Hotel (now renamed Theme Park Hotel).

The Development - Genting Highlands Resort

Since the opening of the first hotel in 1971, Genting Highlands Resort continued to grow from strength to strength. The development of the area continued to this present day to enhance Genting Highlands Resort as the premier holiday destination in the region while ensuring that the natural beauty of the rain forest is maintained.

To date, Genting Highlands Resort has five hotels (namely Genting Hotel, Highlands Hotel, Resort Hotel, Theme Park Hotel and First World Hotel) and two apartment blocks (Ria and Kayangan Apartments) at the hilltop and Awana Genting Highlands Golf and Country Resort.

Together with integrated world-standard entertainment facilities encompassing various leisure, indoor and outdoor theme parks and gaming facilities, Genting Highlands Resort has become the "City of Entertainment" and Malaysia's Premier Resort.

In 1997, Genting Highlands Resort further boosted its facility attraction with Genting Skyway cable car system that provides a 3.38 km transport to the hilltop. Genting Skyway is also recognised as the "World's Fastest Mono Cable Car System" with a maximum speed of 21.6 km per hour and the "Longest Cable Car in Malaysia and Southeast Asia". 

The Expansion - Genting Group

Genting Group, founded by Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong and with Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay as its Chairman and Chief Executive, has since expanded and diversified from its initial hotel and resort activities to plantation, power generation and oil and gas exploration and production.

Today, Genting Berhad is a leading multinational corporation in Malaysia that has constantly been acknowledged by various organisations for its exemplary leadership and management. Genting Berhad was acknowledged as the No.1 Leading Company in Malaysia for 10 years, i.e. in 2004 and from 1994 to 2002 by The Asian Wall Street Journal 200 (formerly Far Eastern Economic Review 200). Genting Berhad was also rated No.1 in Malaysia and No.2 in Asia for Overall Best Managed Company for the Decade by Asiamoney.

The Passing of a Great Man

Sadly, our Founder Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong passed away peacefully on 23 October 2007 and was laid to rest at Gohtong Memorial Park on 29 October 2007. He will be greatly missed by the management and staff of the Genting Group.

Biography of Mr. Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong Biography

Mr. Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong

Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong (February 28, 1918 – October 23, 2007) was a prominent wealthy Malaysian Chinese businessman. He was renowned for his vision and courage in transforming Genting Highlands from an unexplored hilltop to one of the world's most successful casino resorts. He was once the 3rd richest man in Malaysia with a net worth estimated to be 4.2 billion USD, making him the 204th richest person in the billionaire list compiled by Forbes.

The Japanese invaded Malaya in 1942 and caused Lim to have a few near-death occasions. During the early Japanese Occupation, he earned a living as a vegetable farmer, but decided to switch to petty trading for a better living. Later on Lim ventured into scrap-metal and hardware trading. When the Japanese Occupation ended, there was an urgent demand for heavy machinery for resumed operations in mines and rubber plantations, Lim seized the opportunity and engaged in second-hand machinery trading, making his first fortune.

From used machinery trading, Lim strayed into iron mining fortuitously. Lim joined as a partner in an iron mining company which couldn't settle the outstanding payment of two bulldozers with him, and this proved to be a successful venture as he earned a substantial amount of profit from the mining industry, including forming a joint-venture tin mining company which was one of the first Chinese tin companies to utilize dredges in mining tin.

While dealing in heavy machinery, Lim accumulated a wide range of reconditioned machines as well as a substantial amount of cash to move into the construction and related industries. In the name of his family construction company, Kien Huat Private Limited, Lim began taking on several contracting jobs with help and guidance from his uncles. Kien Huat won accolades and became recognized as one of the leading construction companies after successfully completing many major projects. Among the biggest projects completed was the Ayer Itam Dam, the first time a local contractor had been given the construction job of such magnitude.

Lim went on the brink of bankruptcy when construction work was facing problems in the Kemubu Irrigation Scheme, but managed to overcome the obstacles and completed the project.

The idea of building a hilltop resort was first conceived when Lim Goh Tong was having a dinner in Cameron Highlands. As he was enjoying the soothing cool breeze of Cameron Highlands, an idea struck him that as the standard of living rose steadily in Malaysia, more and more people would visit mountain resorts for relaxation and recreation, but Cameron Highlands was too far away from the capital city Kuala Lumpur, therefore building a mountain resort nearer to Kuala Lumpur would have great business potential.

After doing some research, Lim found Gunung (mountain in Malay) Ulu Kali at a place called Genting Sempah to be an ideal location for his plan. He formed an expedition and explored the place, collecting a wealth of data on the topography, drainage, soil conditions and other relevant aspects of the region, this proved to be very useful in drawing up the plan for developing the resort.

Upon conceiving this idea, many naysayers were skeptical of Lim turning a wilderness into a tourist resort. Most thought it was really risky and reckoned Lim who was financially comfortable to be foolish to invest heavily in money and time to develop Genting, but Lim brushed off all these negativities and went ahead firmly with his plan.

After getting approvals from the federal and state governments, Lim began the project in the face of a colossal task. Among the problems were building the access road towards the hilltop, water and electricity supplies, sewerage system and fire safety. Lim managed to build the access road towards the summit in three years when it was estimated to take fifteen years. Several sources of water in the mountain were identified, water supply was secured by building water-collection stations and water filtration plants with treated water stored in reservoirs. Electricity is supplied through a central electricity generation system with 12 big generators.

During the construction, Lim survived six close brushes with death. Meanwhile, Lim had to administer another major project in Kelantan, the Kemubu Irrigation Scheme at the same time. This stretched his physical endurance to the limits as he had to shuttle between Kuala Lumpur and Kelantan and he worked seven days a week.

During the Genting project, Lim spent all he had without earning any income. He sold an 810-hectare rubber estate to raise RM2.5 million. In addition, he invested all the money he had made from iron mining, sub-contracting and hardware business. The project was a heavy drain on Lim's finances. When asked to invest in this project, Lim's friends turned him down and counseled him to drop the entire scheme instead.

Genting was granted the only casino license after Tunku Abdul Rahman, the prime minister of Malaysia then, visited Genting Highlands and commended Lim's effort to develop a resort contributing to Malaysia's tourism industry without government help.

Lim managed to obtain a pioneer status for Genting Highlands and tax incentives despite its resort development not qualifying for it. He did so by convincing the government that tax incentives in the early stage of development of Genting Highlands were not only vital for them but also profitable to the government later on.

The whole Genting project was completed in January 1971, but prior to officially commencing business, Kuala Lumpur and its surrounding areas were hit by the worst rainstorms in a century, the road to Genting was closed by landslides at 180 locations, the damaged sections took four months to repair. Genting opened its door for business on May 8, 1971.

In the next 30 years, Lim continued to develop and expand Genting Highlands beyond its original idea of a hotel with basic tourist facilities. Among the projects were the construction of more hotels, indoor and outdoor theme parks, and a convention centre. A new road was built to shorten the journey to Genting from the northern states, and RM120 million was invested to widen a 10 km stretch of the access road to reduce congestion. Another RM128 million was spent on constructing a cable car system to provide visitors with an alternative mode of transportation.

In 1993, at the suggestion of Tun Mahathir, the prime minister of Malaysia then, a township was developed on an 81-hectare piece of land around the site of the Genting Skyway cable car station. It was named Gohtong Jaya after Lim as a token of remembrance for his efforts in the development of Genting Highlands.

As of now, Genting Highlands is one of the most successful casino resorts in the world and is one of the primary tourist attractions in Malaysia. Lim's company, Genting Group operates Genting Highlands and has diversified into many other industries such as plantations, property, paper, power generation, oil and gas exploration and cruise industries. In the process new company brands were created that have become distinctive names in their respective fields, namely Asiatic, Genting Sanyen and Star Cruises.

On December 31, 2003, Lim handed his chairmanship of Genting Group over to his son, Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay.

Lim died at 11.20am, October 23, 2007, at the Subang Jaya Medical Centre (SJMC).

Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong

            Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong (February 28, 1918 – October 23, 2007) was a prominent wealthy Malaysian Chinese businessman. He was renowned for his vision and courage in transforming Genting Highlands from an unexplored hilltop to one of the world's most successful casino resorts. He was once the 3rd richest man in Malaysia with a net worth estimated to be 4.2 billion USD, making him the 204th richest person in the billionaire list compiled by Forbes.

            The idea of developing Genting Highlands was first conceived when Lim Goh Tong was having a dinner in Cameron Highlands. An idea struck him when he was enjoying the soothing cool breeze of Cameron Highlands that as the living standard rose in Malaysia, more and more people would visit mountain resorts for relaxation and recreation, but Cameron Highlands was too far away from the capital city Kuala Lumpur, therefore building a mountain resort nearer to Kuala Lumpur would have great business potential.

            Upon conceiving this idea, many people were skeptical of him to turn a forest into a tourist resort. Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong ignored all the negativities and went ahead with his plan although most thought it was really risky and reckoned him who was financially comfortable to be foolish to invest heavily in money and time to develop Genting.

            After Tunku Abdul Rahman, the prime minister of Malaysia visited Genting Highlands and commended Lim's effort to develop a resort contributing to Malaysia's tourism industry without government help, Genting was granted the only casino license. The whole Genting project was completed in January 1971but opened its door for business on 8 May 1971.

            In the next 30 years, Lim continued to develop and expand Genting Highlands beyond its original idea of a hotel with basic tourist facilities. Among the projects were the construction of more hotels, indoor and outdoor theme parks, and a convention centre. In 1993, a township was developed on an 81-hectare piece of land around the site of the Genting Skyway cable car station at the suggestion of Tun Mahathir, the prime minister of Malaysia. It was named Gohtong Jaya after Lim as a token of remembrance for his efforts in the development of Genting Highlands.

As of now, Genting Highlands is one of the most successful Casino resorts in the world and is one of the primary tourist attractions in Malaysia. Lim's company, Genting Group operates Genting Highlands and has diversified into many other industries such as plantations, property, paper, power generation, oil and gas exploration and cruise boat industries.

His eventual success was attributed to his entrepreneurial spirit. "The Genting project fitted my idea of an ideal business," he wrote. "No one was interested in it, which meant no competition." Lim Goh Tong had won many awards together with his company Genting Group for his entrepreneurship and his contribution, among them were Malaysian Entrepreneurs Award 1985, Manager of the Year Award 1986, Business Achiever of the Year Award1994, Number 1 ranking of 10 Malaysian Leading Companies 1999 and The Best Employer Award 1996.

After I read all the three articles about Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong, I found that to become a success entrepreneur, we need to have some of the characteristics. First of all, an entrepreneur must be creative. Just like Lim Goh Tong, he had the idea to develop a hilltop resort when he visited Cameron Highlands. Besides to develop the resort, he designed Genting to become a place suitable for a family trip. The second characteristic I saw from Lim Goh Tong is brave. This can be showed when he had the idea to develop Genting, although many people said that it was really risky and foolish, Lim Goh Tong ignored all the negativities and continue the project and lastly, he was success. Last but not least, an entrepreneur should be innovative. Although Genting is successfully developed but Lim Goh Tong still make innovation on it to become more attractive and involved in more sectors. For example, he get the license of casino, plantations, property, paper, power generation, oil and gas exploration and cruise boat industries.

Ten Reasons Why You Should Become an Entrepreneur Today

Continuous Improvement

The only way to improve your product, service, or performance is to continuously improve on what you know and how you do things. You’ll grow as a person, both street smarts and book smarts, because you’ll always be learning something new.

Building Relationships

On your quest for improvement, you’ll come across other people that’ve been there before or are going through the same thing you are. As you ask advice, share tips, and partner together, your network of friends and relations will grow.

Learning to Value Money

For some reason, I value the $20 I make from an online sale more than the $100 I might earn in daily salary from my employer. Maybe it’s because my paycheck comes only twice a month as direct deposit and I don’t really ever see the money. Maybe it’s because my employer pays me every two weeks regardless of my performance, whereas when I make money on my own, if I don’t perform, I don’t make squat. For whatever reason earning money directly for yourself vs. getting a paycheck from an employer makes you appreciate the value of a dollar even more.

Creating Something of Value

As an entrepreneur you’re taking a personal stake in building a product or service that you can call your own and will become part of your legacy.

Earning Extra Money

Whether you need it or not right now, you probably will someday. I’d argue that the money you earn itself isn’t the most important thing but rather the ability to be able to make money on your own. Knowing you can go out and earn your keep gives you a feeling of security and freedom that doesn’t always come when working for someone else.

Filling a Need

Your product or service is providing something that people need. If you’ve found your niche, maybe you’re the only one that is meeting these needs. Knowing that what you create or provide is touching other’s lives feels good at the end of hard day’s work. 

Time Management

As you’ll read in the interviews of entrepreneurs this week, there is a lot that goes into running your own business. You’ll have to learn how to manage your time effectively to be successful in your business. This is a skill that will help you in all areas of your life.

Building a Voice

As you interact with others and create a network of peers, you’ll establish credibility over time. This authority and these relationships will give you a voice to help make yourself heard when you have something worth saying. For example, before I started selling and writing on the web, my sphere of influence was limited to my immediate friends and family. Now when I have something important to say I can reach hundreds and thousands of people.

Inspiring Others

As you have success, people will begin to ask you questions and come to you for advice. Being able to help someone else get started or offer suggestions for improvement is a great feeling. Knowing that you have the knowledge or expertise to help or even inspire others can provide great satisfaction.

Being Creative

Being able to differentiate yourself from your competition is important in the world of business. Often times, you need creativity to help make yourself stand out. Even if you’re not the most creative person in the world, the need to be different to succeed will help get those creative juices flowing.

What are some other reasons you can think of why being an entrepreneur is a fulfilling and enjoyable experience? Tomorrow, I’ll take a different look at running your own business and give ten reasons why it sucks to be an entrepreneur.

Robert Kuok Hock Nien

Robert Kuok as the richest man in Malaysia and Southeast Asia. No doubt , he is a great success Malaysian entrepreneur and i going to share about his great mighty achievements in his business.

Within the business industry, Kuok is known for his infamously media-shy reputation and for keeping his family and personal life as low-key as possible. Robert Kuok Hock Nien Born on 6 October 1923 in Johor Bahru , his first taste of the business career was a job as an office boy. After graduation from the prestigious Raffles Institution in Singapore,, he joined the grains department of major Japanese conglomerate Mitsubishi in the early 1940s. In 1949, Kuok and his brothers established their own company, Kuok Brothers Sdn Bhd which dealt in agriculture and sugar commodities. He displayed his trademark shrewdness by purchasing cheap sugar from India before prices increased dramatically, and then continued to invest in sugar refineries. Before long, he controlled 80% of Malaysia’s sugar industry with 1.5 million tonnes’ worth of sugar production. This led to him being dubbed the ‘Sugar King of Asia’.

The name Robert Kuok is well-known throughout the global commerce industry as an influential and enduring business powerhouse. Kuok made his money in sugar, palm oil, shipping and property. Kuok Group boasts of a huge network of companies under three main holding companies in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia. He also controls South China Morning Post, once the world’s most profitable daily newspaper. His biggest source of wealth is his stake in Wilmar, the world’s largest listed palm oil company. According to Forbes magazine in March 2011, Kuok’s assets are worth an incredible $14.7 million as of early 2012, thus cementing his place as the richest man in Malaysia and Southeast Asia (a title he has maintained since 2002). A more recent analysis carried out by the Bloomberg Billionaires Index at the end of 2012 approximated Kuok’s net worth to be around $17.3 billion – enough to rank him as the 40th wealthiest person in the entire world.

Kuok’s profits are accumulated from a broad range of business interests including sugar refineries, sugarcane plantations, hotel chains, properties, animal feed, oil mining, publishing and freight. To date, his most major source of wealth comes from his stake in the world’s largest listed agribusiness organisation, Wilmar International Limited. Most of his businesses are privately managed by him or by close family members. Besides a variety of business dealings in his native country of Malaysia, his companies hold investments in other countries throughout the Asian region such as the Philippines, Singapore, Fiji, Australia, Indonesia and Mainland China.

In 1971, Kuok built the first hotel in the Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts Chain in Singapore. Today, he remains its chairman. Kuok’s legacy in the industry extends far beyond his extraordinary business smarts; he also holds a degree of influence in the political scene. He played a significant role as an intermediary in organising meetings between the Malaysian and Chinese governments to create complete diplomatic cross recognition between both countries. At the age of 89, Kuok’s business are still going strong with the help of his children, and his name automatically comes up on any list of Asia’s top influential business people.

Chronology

§  1923, October 6: Robert Kuok Hock Nien was born in Johor Bahru, Johor, the youngest of 3 brothers.

§  Unknown: Robert Kuok studied at Raffles Institution Singapore.

§  1942-1945 (age 18-21): Upon graduation, Robert Kuok worked in the grains department of Mitsubishi, a Japanese industrial conglomerate Mitsubishi.

§  1948 (age 24): Robert Kuok's father died.

§  1949 (age 25): Robert Kuok and his 2 brothers founded Kuok Brothers Sdn Bhd, trading in agricultural commodities. Under the new post-colonial government, Kuok started in the sugar business alongside the government.

§  1961 (age 37): Robert Kuok made a coup by buying cheap sugar from India before the prices shot up. He continued to invest heavily in sugar refineries, controlled 80% of the Malaysian sugar market with production of 1.5 million tonnes, equivalent to 10% of world production, and so earned his nickname "Sugar King of Asia".

§  1971 (age 47): Robert Kuok built his first Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore.

§  1977 (age 53): Robert Kuok made his first foray into Hong Kong property, when he acquired a plot of land on the newly reclaimed Tsim Sha Tsui East waterfront. Here, he built his 2nd hotel, the Kowloon Shangri-La.

§  1985, November 22: Robert Kuok won the Golden Pyramid award that made him the Malaysian Entrepreneur for 1985. His son, Khoon Ean, received the award from Acting Prime Minister Datuk Musa Hitam on behalf of his father.

§  1993 (age 69):

§  Robert Kuok's Kerry Group acquired a 34.9% stake in the South China Morning Post from Murdoch's News Corporation.

§  April 1: Robert Kuok officially retired from the Kerry Group and currently resides in Hong Kong.

§  2009, October 31 (age 86): Robert Kuok's PBB Group issued a statement Bursa Malaysia that it has decided to dispose of its sugar units, along with land used to cultivate sugarcane, to Felda for RM1.29 billion.

§  2010 (age 87): Robert Kuok delisted Allgreen Properties Singapore, and Jerneh Asia in Malaysia by buying back all shares.

§  2011 (age 88): Forbes valued Robert Kuok's personal wealth at US$12.4 billion, ranking him at No. 1 on the Forbes list of Malaysia's Richest.

YBhg Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Dr. Jeffrey Cheah, AO

Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey Cheah, AO, is the founder and chairman of Sunway Group, one of Malaysia’s most formidable property-construction groups, with a multitude of established businesses in more than 40 locations worldwide.

A business graduate of Victoria University in Melbourne, Australia, Tan Sri Cheah began his career as an accountant at a motor assembly plant in Malaysia. In 1974, he founded and started Sunway Group.

He has been conferred nine (9) honorary doctorates by leading universities worldwide. In 2007, Tan Sri Cheah established the framework of Jeffrey Cheah Foundation and in 2009, he transferred the ownership of Sunway Education Group in entirety together with its subsidiaries worth more than RM720 million to the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation for perpetuity. Sunway Education Group comprises, inter alia, Sunway University, Sunway College, Monash University Malaysia, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences and Sunway International School. Jeffrey Cheah Foundation was officially launched by the Prime Minister of Malaysia on 18 March 2010 in the presence of its foundation’s patron, His Royal Highness Sultan of Selangor.

In October 2013, Tan Sri Cheah received an Honorary Doctorate – Doctor of Laws (LLD) from the Vice Chancellor of Lancaster University in recognition of Tan Sri’s outstanding contribution in developing education internationally and in making the collaboration between Sunway University and Lancaster University a growing success.

Tan Sri Cheah was also bestowed upon The Edge Malaysia Outstanding Property Personality Award 2013 for his meritorious contribution to Malaysia’s property industry. His stalwart leadership continues to solidify Sunway’s position in the market as an innovative, trusted and reputable property player.

In July 2013, Tan Sri Cheah through Jeffrey Cheah Foundation has endowed USD6.2 million (approximately RM20 million) underwriting a Southeast Asian Studies initiative: the Jeffrey Cheah Professorship, the Jeffrey Cheah Visiting Professorship, the Jeffrey Cheah Fellowship and the Jeffrey Cheah Travel Grants to advance teaching and research on Southeast Asia Studies. This will build ties between Harvard scholars and the Jeffrey Cheah Institute of Research on Southeast Asia based at Sunway University.

In February 2013, Tan Sri Cheah was conferred the Honorary Assistant Commissioner of Police title by Malaysia’s Inspector-General of Police for his commendable efforts in crime awareness and prevention as Chairman of Malaysia Crime Prevention Foundation (Selangor Chapter). He received 2012 Honorary Gold Award, a top honour from the Royal Rotary Club of Kuala Lumpur, in recognition of his leadership and development of education and research in Malaysia. Prior to that, he was conferred the Honorary Fellow 2012 by the Malaysian Scientific Association (MSA) for his meritorious contribution to the development of science education, as well as for his overall contribution in the advancement of science and technology in Malaysia.

In December 2011, Tan Sri Cheah was appointed to Malaysia’s education panel to review the nation’s education system by the Minister of Education. He is the Founding Trustee of the Board of Mahathir Science Award Foundation, Razak School of Government, and the Perdana Leadership Foundation. He is among Malaysia’s leading givers who made Forbes Asia’s Heroes of Philanthropy list 2009.

In 2008, Tan Sri Cheah was appointed Officer of the Order of Australia (“AO”) by the Prime Minister of Australia. AO is one of Australia’s most prestigious and highly regarded awards conferred to a non-citizen of Australia. In the same year, he was appointed Chairman of Malaysia Crime Prevention Foundation (MCPF) Selangor Chapter, by the Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of MCPF Malaysia. He is also the Chairman and Co-Founder of Asian Strategy & Leadership Institute (“ASLI”).

Other achievements and appointments of Tan Sri Cheah include:-

2012 – Appointed as Permanent Honorary President to the Federation of Hakka Associations Malaysia, in appreciation of his invaluable contributions to the Associations

2007 – Monash University School of Medicine and Health Sciences was named after Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey Cheah (Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences) in appreciation of his contribution to Monash University Malaysia and Malaysia-Australia bilateral ties

2006 – His Royal Highness Sultan of Selangor installed him as the Foundation Chancellor of Sunway University

2002 – Deputy President of National Kidney Foundation of Malaysia - First non-Malay Honorary Member of Kuala Lumpur Malay Chamber of Commerce

1999 – Founding Trustee of Malaysian Liver Foundation

1997 – President of Malaysian Hakka Association (until 2004) - Council Member of the Financial Reporting Foundation

1996 – Appointed by the Minister of Education to the Higher Education Council of Malaysia - Chairman of Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology for Construction and Housing - EXCO member of the Malaysian Tourism Action Council

1990 – Director of National Productivity Centre

Other awards bestowed upon Tan Sri Cheah include Property Man of the Year (Malaysia) in 1993, CEO of the Year (Malaysia) in 1996, the Paul Harris Fellow Award in 2002, and Asia’s Most Innovative Chinese Entrepreneur Award in 2005.

Lesson from Tony Fernandes

Tan Sri Dr. Tony Fernandes has a personal credo - "Believe the unbelievable. Dream the impossible. Never take no for an answer". A successful entrepreneur must has the courage to bear all the risk. Parents should not pre-program their their children, nor protect them, he says, and finds that Malaysians are risk-averse.  To know whether you will succeed he believes one has to try. “Only the best will survive in an unprotected world – that’s what entrepreneurship is all about”.  

• Dream big.  Tony’s childhood dreams included running an airline, owning an English football club and a owning Formula One racing team.  He attributes being able to achieve all three goals to dreaming big and having the courage follow his dream.

• Encourage your people to pursue their passions.  AirAsia works hard to create an environment where people can learn, grow and do what turns them on.  Being encouraged to pursue their passions is is one of the reasons Allstars love their jobs at AirAsia.

• Break down hierarchy.  Encourage people to speak up and get “every brain in the game” by relaxing formality and breaking down walls (literally — AirAsia executives sit with other Allstars in an open floor plan).

• Hire the right people.  Look for “hunger in their eyes and passion in their hearts.”

• Be clear about your mission.  AirAsia’s mission “Now Everyone Can Fly” animates the Allstars.  They know that AirAsia’s low fares make it possible to bring families together, improve businesses and enable people to explore and have new adventures.

Tan Sri Tony Fernandes

As everyone knows ,Tan Sri Tony Fernandes is a famous Malaysian entrepreneur. He is one of the many entrepreneur that I choose to present in my blog.

Background

He studied at Epsom College, UK, and the London School of Economics and qualified as an Associate Member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants in 1991. He became a Fellow Member in 1996. He was admitted as a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) in 2008."

Tony has been the Group CEO of AirAsia since December 2001. Prior to AirAsia, he was the Financial Controller of Virgin Communications London before joining Warner Music International London in 1989. He was promoted to Managing Director, Warner Music Malaysia in 1992 and to Regional Managing Director, Warner Music South East Asia in 1996. In 1999, he became the Vice President of Warner Music South East Asia.

Tony's many awards include: Honor of the Commander of the Order of the British Empire, conferred by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 2011 for services to promote commercial and educational links between the UK and Malaysia. In 2010, the French government had conferred on him the award of Officer of the Legion d'Honneur, the highest award that can be conferred on a non-French national.

He was named as one of the world's 100 most creative people in business for 2011 by New York-based business magazine Fast Company, and awarded the Inaugural ‘Travel Business Leaders Award’ winner by CNBC.

Renowned Malaysian entrepreneur, Tan Sri Dr. Tony Fernandes of AirAsia was awarded the top title at the 1st Malaysian Achievement Award at the prestigious Double Tree by Hilton, along Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur. He was recognized for his efforts in flying the Malaysian entrepreneurial spirit on both local and global fronts.

 History

Talks about the ‘how’s’ of his success. He was sent overseas to study when he was 12 and fund that he had to fend for himself from the time he arrived at Heathrow, and says “The great thing about being thrown into the deep end is you either sink or swim”. Even then his interests were music and F1 cars, and he has built those likes into businesses. When he wanted to come home during half-term, flying was too expensive to be affordable, so he set out to make it possible for ‘everyone to fly’. Air Asia was born from that and next Tony is determined to enable people in the Indian sub-continent to afford to fly cheaply instead of spending days travelling from one city to another. “You have only one life; live out your dream” he says.

From starting his humble airline company with a mere two planes several years ago, Tony has proven time and time again that the determination to create a world class airline brand and ultimately making his mark in the aviation industry is possible when one is determined to work hard, explore international collaborations and to even do business with one’s once ‘Business rival.’

He states that Malaysians rely on the Government too much and people don’t want to do it for themselves. Air Asia did not rely on the Governments and Tony says that he hopes its successes will inspire others to do the same. “There are no short cuts in life. Remove the crutches” he said.

In August 9, 2011(The Star Newspaper) , Tony shocked Malaysia where he announced that he was going into allying with Malaysian Airlines (MAS), through his latest business undertakings landmark share swap deal worth just over RM2bil which will turn the long-time bitter rivals into collaborating partners. But at the end the partnerships officially terminated. Although the share swap has to be unwound, the collaboration over the past eight months has brought MAS and AirAsia closer together .

AirAsia airlines was established with the dream of making flying possible for everyone. Since 2001, AirAsia has swiftly broken travel norms around the globe and has risen to become the world’s best. With a route network that spans through to over 20 countries, AirAsia continues to pave the way for low-cost aviation through our innovative solutions, efficient processes and a passionate approach to business. AirAsia’s mission “Now Everyone Can Fly” animates the Allstars. They know that AirAsia’s low fares make it possible to bring families together, improve businesses and enable people to explore and have new adventures.

Again, in our perspective, Tony’s achievements abroad had always marveled the Malaysian minds, especially the young and thriving entrepreneurs, where he had brought the AirAsia brand global, and through uncanny feats like wanting to fly long haul on low cost, to trying to get AirAsia’s brand on the FIFA World Cup jersey, to sponsoring Manchester United and having them flew on our Malaysian carrier and many more daring entrepreneurial examples.