Tag: entrepreneur
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What are you cooking today?
I step into a market in Cambodia. The atmosphere is dim. Bulbs hanging listlessly from zinc rooftops. Maret is perched on a wooden platform surrounded by raw meat that she is chopping on a circular wooden block. Softly, she says: “I quit school to support my parents, they live in the countryside. They told me…
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Free gift for you from Shopkeeper Stories
Here is a free gift for you! A gorgeous coffeetable book showcasing interviews from 20+ vibrant trades in Singapore from books to lingerie to electronics! This medley of photographic essays will delight you with inspiration and insight. To get this free gift, simply share any of your 3 favourite posts from the Shopkeeper Stories Facebook page…
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“Not what you know, but who you know.”
If you’re looking for practical advice on running a business, you’ll find a wealth of information online. But, what makes these interviews truly invaluable is the firsthand insight gained from the rough-and-tumble experiences of ordinary people who took bold steps to turn their ideas into reality. Each person has their own unique strategies that worked…
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Branding an online electronics business
Every success story has a plot that is littered with bruises from tripping and falling. Stories of sharp regret. That moment when you think with paralysing horror: “Whoops” on realizing that you messed up an opportunity, and wishing you could turn back time, and do it all over again. However, here’s an unremarkable truth: we don’t need to…
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Building an e-commerce business from the ground-up
I had a wonderful opportunity to chat over coffee with Abel Neoh to explore the nuts-and-bolts of his electronics business that he started in 2010. The interview was rich, textured, and brimming with insights. His insights came in handy for my PhD research about small businesses, so I decided to capture the key points in…
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Staying with the story
Chrissy Lim is no stranger to starting and steering quality businesses. She is the founder of Paperplane, a visual storytelling studio, and her trail of remarkable projects includes Quickcut and Kitchenomics. In this interview, Chrissy looks back on her business journey and shares an honest perspective on what it takes to strike out and wander into business for the first…
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Working in a Virtual Reality
The award-winning book and documentary “Guns, Germs, and Steel” introduced the gripping theory that the fate of human development is intimately connected to our physical environment. The author Jared Diamond provides a convincing case that unique geographical circumstances— rather than intellectual brilliance— enabled some societies to progress faster than others, combating illusions of cultural superiority…
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First Steps
I like asking business owners how they got started because it usually tells a story of confronting change and uncertainty. Henry is from the Dominican Republic. When I asked him how he got started selling jewellery at the Lexington Market in Baltimore (USA), he didn’t miss a beat. “How I got started? Straight from the…
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Getting Fresh
When I asked Leo whether I could take his photograph, he glared at me: “You trying to get fresh with me?! Are you getting fresh with me?” Stunned but unfazed, I looked right back at him and joked: “What? You? Never!” He broke into a wide grin, but his eyes quickly brimmed with tears. He…
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Bringing home the bacon
A butcher shop at Lexington Market in Baltimore (USA) Microbusinesses typically offer a pathway of upward mobility for immigrants and, today, many stall owners at this market are Korean. Bill Devine, the owner of Faidley’s Seafood, explains the transition of vendors: “Wave after wave of new immigrants. This guy over here isn’t Krause anymore, he’s…
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“Without music, life would be a mistake.”
Location is absolutely crucial for businesses that rely on walk-in customers, and you have probably met many vendors and musicians making use of city streets around the world. Rodney Byrd plays his saxophone on the street next to Ghirardelli Chocolate in San Francisco. “I’ve been playing for 20 years! The sun’s not out today, but it’s beautiful over…
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Embracing serendipity, and other tips for running a retail business
“One woman, one mid-life divorce, one teenage child, one personal makeover, one day at a time, making it all work on one world wide media web, connecting all the dots.” Your curiosity can fuel a business Entering into Caravanserai is like stepping into a global village where your senses will be tantalized by the artistry…
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A Twist on Vintage
How do you start a business selling jewelry? We chat with Linda La Touche in California who describes her journey. In the whirl of life changes, the jewelry was constant. My parents always encouraged me in the arts, from dance to music to art. When I decided to start a family and quit school, I started making…
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Come along for the journey!
Shopkeeper Stories is all about people who bring their creative energy to our cities with their small businesses! Join us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter (@ShopkeeperStory) – wherever you might be – so that you can see the latest photoshoots as they happen, and we’ll let you know when we’re in your city! Be dazzled, learn something new, and…
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Boutique Bus-iness
While chatting with Stacey Chambers, it was priceless to see people’s expressions as they boarded her bus. Their eyes invariably lit up as soon as they caught sight of the interior design. “Ohmygod, this is sooo cute!” “You mean the clothes are IN the bus?! I love it!” “Wow!” [speechless joy] Stacey came up with a unique…
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