Enterprise Explores

We all know of greenwashing, whitewashing. But there’s this new term called Wellbeing Washing . The Britain's Healthiest Workplace survey by a health insurer Vitality has highlighted that more people are getting anxiety and mental illness, leading to unproductive working. And while some employers have started to show interest in employee wellbeing, it seems that some employers just pretend to care...

Today, we’re discussing how you can get started on the sustainability journey for your organisation. And we start this conversation with Malaysia’s postal delivery service, Pos Malaysia Bhd, and we’ll be speaking to its Group CEO Charles Brewer to understand their sustainability trajectory. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hundreds of AI experts, tech entrepreneurs, and scientists have signed an open letter calling for a pause on the development of AI systems more powerful than OpenAI's GPT-4. The letter, written by the Future of Life Institute, urges a six-month pause on AI advancements to study potential risks, including job automation and misinformation. Signatories include AI experts, entrepreneurs, and scientis...

We’re talking about trends today shaping Malaysia and the world. New world order or more new world disorder? Photo Credits: Freepik | rawpixel.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to a Harvard Business Review Article , In 2021, only 3% of VC investments went to female-only founding startups. Less than 15% of checkwriters for VC investments are women. Female founders are underrepresented in the VC playground. For female founders who are looking for funding from VCs, what can be their recourse? We speak to Andre Sequerah and Shan Li, Manager Partners from ScaleUp Ma...

Malaysia’s drone industry ranked 21st in the global Drone Readiness Index, up from the 30th spot earlier this year and ranking higher than the rest of the region. And two local drone service providers, Aerodyne and Meraque, have been ranked among the top 20 globally. But what do these achievements mean to us Malaysians and our country’s development? Does it mean more economic growth? Will it chang...

The Menu Rahmah initiative was launched by the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) around 2 months ago to help provide affordable meals during a time of increasing cost of living, but has the initiative been harmful to smaller F&B businesses and disrupted the livelihoods of small traders? That’s what we explore today on Enterprise BizBytes. First with F&B operator Nazri Adam...

On March 14 2023, ChatGPT-4 was released. On March 21 2023, Google released its own AI chatbot called ‘Bard’. And there are numerous of them online. More and more people are dipping their feet in the AI chatbot realm. According to Time.com , just hours after the release of ChatGPT-4, several users said they created computer games in less than a minute by simply asking the chatbot to generate code,...

According to the Times of India, there is a possibility that gig work could overtake full-time employment. But due to the lack of job security and employment protections, many countries are calling for regulatory reform to ensure fair treatment. So how can companies adjust to this still growing economy? And is hiring gig workers better than full timers in the long run? We discuss this with Tyler C...

Did you know that nearly 30% of the global population, or around 2.2 billion people, still lack access to safe drinking water? And about 4.2 billion people don't have access to proper sanitation services? These startling statistics underscore the urgency of tackling water-related challenges. Today we look at world water day with our guests, Faizal Akmal, Founder, CEO & CTO of Rivil, & Paul...

Apparently, when it comes to finding the sweet spot for your product or service price, looking at costs and competitors pricing is not enough. Customers are getting smarter about pricing tactics and psychology. So how should you price your products or services to keep customers happy? Do consumers still fall for the nine-ending pricing strategy? We speak to Dr Siti Munerah, Lecturer for Principles...

Today on BizBytes we explore the potential impact that SVB’s collapse could have on the Southeast Asian startup ecosystem with Kevin Brockland, Founder and Managing Partner of Indelible Ventures - a VC that targets seed stage, tech-enabled B2B startups in the region. It’s been just over a week since US federal regulators stepped in to take over Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) - but the effects are still...

Consumers should expect an increase in the prices of fruits and vegetables in the coming weeks due to floods in Johor. These floods have left many farms submerged, affecting at least 30% of vegetable supply in the market. But that’s just the start. Have the recent floods in Johor exposed a food insecurity crisis here in Malaysia? We hear from Dr Sarena Che Omar, Deputy Director of Research at the...

Digitalisation has been a key tenet for businesses and industries over the last few years, especially so for financial services, especially with the rise of fintech. We’ve seen Digital Investment Managers - roboadvisors - introduced in 2018 and last year we saw the issuance of 5 digital bank licenses. Up next, the insurance industry. In November, Bank Negara finally published the long-awaited expo...

A recent Swedish study found that the smartest people are not paid the most . If it’s not intelligence that drives occupational success, what does? And what does being ‘smart’ mean in a company anyway? We discuss this with Mallory Loone, Founder of Work Inspires. Photo Credits: Freepik | Drazen Zigic See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We've seen a few notable stories of foreign players investing in or entering Malaysia, whether it's Amazon, Tesla, Shopee, or payments unicorn Xendit, and while we often hear about the need to attract foreign companies and FDI - Foreign Direct Investment - in the name of the country’s development, why is it so important? Enterprise BizBytes discusses this with former Deputy Minister of Internation...

Over the last few weeks, Enterprise has explored fundraising from various angles. Among other things, we now have a better idea of how much we should be raising , what to keep an eye on when raising from VCs , and whether equity crowdfunding might be right for your business. That said there’s one crucial element that we haven’t explored yet - how much work goes into fundraising - from what it look...

What gets measured gets managed is a key management phrase that’s often credited to famed management theorist, Peter Drucker. This looks to be even more relevant today given the emphasis today for businesses to be data-driven to achieve the best possible outcome in every step of the way, from manufacturers to service providers and everyone in between. But like all things, focusing too much on metr...

Women have a harder time accessing work globally than previously thought, while the gender gap in working conditions and pay has barely budged in two decades, the United Nations said Monday. The UN’s International Labour Organisation said it had developed a new indicator that does a better job than official unemployment rates at capturing all people without employment that are interested in findin...

Today is International Women’s Day and this year’s theme is EmbraceEquity according to the World Economic Forum and “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality" according to the United Nations and this highlights the need for inclusive and transformative technology and digital education. How have things changed over the years? Has there been any improvements to the gender divide? We t...

Social media is getting more cluttered. Customer acquisition cost is getting higher. Direct to consumer companies need new techniques to find customers. And in a world where Instagram Reels and TikTok are taking over the digital space, how important is making video content? Is written content outdated ? We speak to Brandon Lee, Co-founder of Digital Marketing Agency Pandan Social to talk more abou...

Given the volatile and choppy nature of sales, how businesses manage their salespeople and sales process can be very important to keep them going. Whether that’s due to an economic slowdown where sales slow down across the board or a personal rough patch for one or 2 salespeople. Today on BizBytes we explored how to build an effective sales strategy and keep sales going during tough times with Ser...

As we all know, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we work and interact with each other. What changes have occurred in the workplace due to the pandemic? And how are these changes fast-tracking emerging work models? Is there really a power shift in the employee/employer relationship - and where are we now? We discuss how the pandemic has accelerated the adoption of flexible and remote work...

RM 2 billion will be provided by Bank Negara to fund sustainable technology start-ups and help SMEs implement low-carbon practices. And there are plans to extend the period of tax allowance and green income tax exemption until 2025. But how comprehensive and encouraging are these allocations for SMEs to start going green, or even going beyond and start practising ESG? We speak to Margie Ong, CEO o...

Funding is the lifeblood of any SME or startup, but what is the “correct” amount to raise to build and grow a successful business? Today on BizBytes, we explore this with early stage investor Bikesh Lakhmichand, CEO of Leet Capital. We also get into: -How a founder or entrepreneur can assess the value of their business when engaging and negotiating with inventors -How much funding is an idea worth...