MiBrand Business Magazine Issue 1 June 2017

1. Build Trust &
Win the SaleP9
10 Most Talked About
Malaysian Indian Brands
P40
12 Best Ways
to Generate Good
Business Ideas?P53
PP18624/12/2014(034094)
RM10.00 | Vol.1 Issue1
Appreciation to Your Brand
Founders & Movers
Start Something Beautiful Together

3. STAY TUNED
mibrand.my

4. mibrand.my
PUBLISHER
MiBrand is published by
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Fax: 603-2242 4994
E-mail: editor@mibrand.my
PP18624/12/2014(034094)
CHAIRMAN
Tan Sri S Veerasingam
ADVISOR
Jaggarao Simancha
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Bhaawaani Visunathan
MANAGING EDITOR
Arikrishnan Subramanian
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
R Navaaneetha Krishnan
WRITERS
Arikrishnan Subramanian
R Navaneetha Krishnan
Mae-Ziele Nyara Joe
Malini S.Rajan
Nicholas Raj
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Ramesh Visunathan
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TMMEDIA Sdn Bhd
PRINTER
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Disclaimer: The views and opinions expresses in
Mibrand Magazine are not necessarily the views
of the publisher
We are proud to present the first ever issue of the MiBrand
Magazine; we hope you will find it informative and useful to grow
your business.
We had a VISION – to create an authentic innovative and inspiring
entrepreneurial publication for the growing number of Malaysian
Indian businessmen. This has been no small feat, one made easier
by an extraordinary team of like-minded passionate game changers
who think and do great things for the community and Malaysian
Indian businesses.
So, what is MiBrand all about? In a world full of imitation and
replication, we wanted to do something different, something that
would stand out beyond the print.
We wanted you to capture the message behind the story; to inspire
you by providing the ‘HOW ?’ so that you may attain your own vision
and goals in your unique way. This magazine is for you, the people
who challenge status quo, who shake things up, who ask ‘WHY ?’
Throughout the sections, you will find featured stories on
entrepreneurs, doable business ideas, informative business articles
and inspiring insights.
The past few months have been really hard times to turn out the first
edition of MiBrand Magazine. We had some wonderful moments too,
like interviewing Mr. G.Thirumurugan, the MD of Petal Florist, who is
such a warm person; he gives away more than his share of care to
the society.
MiBrand Magazine is testament that anything is possible when you
have a clear vision and focus. Prior to launching this print magazine,
we already have our online website,‘mibrand.my’ with articles
written by writers from across the globe. Do subscribe today.
Hopefully there is something for everyone in MiBrand Magazine and
mibrand.my; if you do have any questions, suggestions or even
complaints for us, please feel free to communicate, you are part of
our team now.
Thank You for connecting with Mibrand, we look forward to walking
the journey with you. Enjoy Growing With MiBrand.
Establish A Goal that Scare You
EDITOR’S VIEW

5. CONTENTS
FEATURED
BUILD TRUST
AND WIN THE SALE
9
10 MOST TALKED ABOUT
MALAYSIAN INDIAN BRANDS
40
12 BEST WAYS TO GENERATE
GOOD BUSINESS IDEAS?
53
2 PUBLISHER COLUMN
& EDITOR'S VIEW
4 BIZ BITS
12 SMALL BUSINESS IDEA
16 SIX SCOPES OF ETHICS
IN BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
18 HOW THE LIVE FEATURE
BENEFITS MARKETING
21 10 TIPS FOR BUILDING AN
EFFECTIVE BUSINESS WEBSITE
24 INDULGE IN A CREATIVE
ONLINE BUSINESS IDEA
29 SIX EASY WAY TO BOOST
YOUR SMALL BUSINESS
38 VOX POPULI
44 SHOULD YOU VISIT
A CHIROPRACTOR?
46 FAMOUS QUOTES BY
AKIO TOYODA
48 FREE TOOLS TO
MANAGE BUSINESSES
52 SURVEY
53 12 BEST WAYS TO GENERATE
GOOD BUSINESS IDEAS?
57 HOW TO HAVE THE
BEST DRESS ON A BUDGET?
60 LEADERSHIP SECRETS
OF GREAT MALAYSIAN CEO'S
3
6AIR ASIA SELLS NOT JUST AIR TICKETS;
THEY SELL A DREAM
31START SOMETHING
BEAUTIFUL TOGETHER

6. Biz
Bits
FIRST EVER PwC TRUST BULDER CHALLENGE
PwC Malaysia declared three teams from locally-based
universities as winners of the first PwC Trust Builders
Challenge. PwC Malaysia Managing Partner, Sridharan Nair
who was one of 5 Judges , said 137 teams of three students
each from locally-based universities took part in the
challenge.
He added,“we believe that we can encourage the next generation
of leaders to help influence what trust looks like in the future.
Hence, the idea of PwC Trust Builders, a trust building challenge for
university students was born.”
BIZ BITS
TRIPVISS LAUNCH TRIPSHARE
Malaysia based global online travel platform and community
Tripviss, announced the launch of its new feature,Tripshare.
This exciting new feature seeks to revolutionize the way
travellers explore the world by providing the means to craft
custom itineraries that are open for everyone around the
world to join.
Initially started as an online platform for travellers to customize
their trips, Tripviss now has broadened its focus to offer more
savings by connecting travellers worldwide via Tripshare which is
now available to everyone. By enabling travellers to create and join
Tripshares, travellers get to save more by cost-sharing custom trips
made by other travellers.
4

7. NATIONAL FOOD VALLEY
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
said a special team will be established to ensure the
agriculture and agro-based industry achieves its five per cent
contribution to the Gross Domestic Product .
Meanwhile, Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir said
the government aspired to make Perak as the national food valley as
the state is among the largest producer of agriculture food
EUR 100 MILLION SOFTWARE GRANT
Global Powerhouse Siemens AG President and CEO, Mr. Joe
Kaeser and Siemens Malaysia President and CEO Mr Prakash
Chandran made a public announcement to invest EUR100
million worth of software grant to local universities and
colleges to boost re-skilling and increase training capability
in preparation for the next industrial age in Malaysia.
Mr Kaesar mentioned that Siemens can provide first-class help on
establishing software tools for the industrial Internet to be applied
to areas of manufacturing like Industrie 4.0, and will willingly
grant the sum of EUR100mil worth of software to universities and
colleges so that the young generation can learn to simulate in the
virtual world of manufacturing.
The Lorry Founders Listed in Forbes 30
under 30 Asia 2017
Goh Chee Hau and Nadhir Ashafiq Zainal Abidin co-founders
of The Lorry that offers on demand cargo transportation
services are among top 30 Asian listed in Forbes 30.
The start up founded in September 2014, cargo transportation
services throughout Malaysia, connecting thousands of lorry and
van owners with customers who wish to move anything – from
household appliances to commercial cargo TheLorry says it earns
through a commission out of every transaction.
Coca-Cola Malaysia aim to train 20,000 micro
entrepreneurs by 2020
The Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry
(KPDNKK) is collaborating with Coca-Cola Malaysia to
produce 20,000 micro entrepreneurs by 2020. Coca-Cola
Malaysia would provide a training module programme,
which covers all aspects on how to start a business, to keep
daily records and to manage income and expenses.
While, the ministry, on the other hand, would provide consultancy
on business regulations and micro credit to the entrepreneurs,
KPDNKK Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin told press after
launching the programme.
BIZ BITS
5

8. 6
STRATEGY
Air Asia
sells not just
air tickets;
they sell a dream
What is Your Competitive Advantage?
The needs and wants of the market do not differ
much. Everyone needs food, clothing, shelter,
technology, and so on. How then can businesses
shine through all the competition?
This is where ‘Competitive Advantage’ comes into
play. What do you have to offer which is different
from your competitors and beneficial to your
customers? That is your competitive advantage.
Why would someone buy an iPhone
instead of a Samsung Galaxy?

9. 7
STRATEGY
When Do You Identify Your Competitive Advantage?
Is competitive advantage accidental? Is it something you cook up at the marketing level? The renowned marketing
guru, Michael Porter in his book, Competitive Advantage (1985) defined the two ways in which an organization can
achieve competitive advantage over its rivals; cost advantage and differentiation advantage.
The cost advantage is when a business provides the same products and services as its competitors, albeit at a lesser
cost. Differentiation advantage is when a business provides better products and services than its competitors.
In Porter’s view, strategic management should be concerned with building and sustaining competitive advantage.
A businesses’ competitive advantage should be spelled out as early as the business plan writing stage. Marketing is
only a tool to highlight the competitive advantage to the masses. The answer to the question is that competitive
advantage needs to be identified at the product or service development stage itself.
How Can a Competitive Advantage Boost Your Business?
Competitive advantage gives prospective customers a reason to choose your product or service over another.
Competitive advantage, in fact, is not just something for businesses but also for individuals. What sets us apart from
others? Why should I get this job as opposed to the other candidate? A competitive advantage will give you and
your business a reason to exist.
It is your business offer to the market, a promise your business is making and you will be motivated to always keep
to that promise. Developing a good competitive advantage automatically creates advocates amongst customers for
your business. Happy customers who benefited from your offer are definitely going to speak to others about your
product and services. This word-of-mouth marketing aspect will help boost the bottom line.
Marketing Your Competitive Advantage
Is word-of-mouth alone enough to shout out your competitive advantage? Probably not. Once a competitive
advantage is identified, a proper marketing plan needs to be put in place to get the word out there.
Various techniques and tactics can and should be used. A business should not shy away from advertising, public
relations and below and above the line promotion methods to market its products and services. Businesses often
neglect marketing due to budget constraints.
However, marketing does not necessarily be an expensive investment, especially this day and age with the presence
of powerful tools in the social media network infrastructure.
Marketing can be almost free if the selected channels are properly utilized. Based on a reasonable budget
allocation, you can easily create an impactful marketing campaign that will work positively in positioning your
product and services.
Public Relations is another powerful tool to lower the marketing cost but can increase
your reach and credibility.
Public Relations is a paid-up form of advertising and is a credible source of promotion.
Development of the said competitive advantage is extremely important; If it is something that was never done
before and something that delivers greater benefits to your customers, you can comfortably talk about it in the mass
and social media at no cost at all.

10. STRATEGY
On 2 December 2001, a heavily-indebted airline was bought over and rebranded by former Time Warner executive
Tony Fernandes thru his company, Tune Air Sdn Bhd for the token sum of one ringgit (about USD 0.26 at the time)
with USD 11 million (over MYR 40 million) worth of debts.
AirAsia now operates at the globally lowest unit cost while recording profits in the billions. AirAsia has been recently
named the World’s Best Low-Cost Airline at the 2016 Skytrax World Airline Awards. It is also Asia’s Best Low-Cost
Airline for the eighth year running.
Air Asia has become a household brand in Malaysia and beyond in less than a decade. How did a low-cost carrier
which had no market in Malaysia or neighboring regions in 1996 emerge successfully? It was nothing but a mind
blowing competitive advantage. Air Asia sold not just air tickets, they sold a dream.
Air Asia’s key competitive advantage was the offering of a travel dream with the most affordable pricing. It is not
something new. There are thousands of budget airlines around the world, however, Air Asia’s business model is
designed to offer the customers almost full-service carrier services within a budget. Air Asia has also managed to
add many exciting destinations in their route map and thus enable people to liven up their travel dreams. They also
had a competitive advantage of being one of the first low-cost movers in the region.
Great leadership is also a big contributor to Air Asia’s success. Air Asia is also big on marketing;
they are experts in getting the word out there. They tell common people stories of affordable
travel that excites the population.
Their competitive advantage: Now Everyone Can Fly!
So, if you have a business idea, start thinking about what ‘Competitive Advantage’
you can offer your would be customers. Make it an unique one, learn how to
market it and thus win in the business!
Air Asia-
Competing With an Advantage
8

11. 9
The importance of trust can be particularly noticed in
professional services such as medical, legal, accounting,
insurance – you do not share the truth if you do not trust
the lawyer and doctors. The best way to increase sales of
products and services is to develop trust.
Build Trust&
Win The Sale
SALES

12. SALES
The basic way to be successful in building trust is to sell yourself
before you sell the product or service. If your customer trusts as an
individual, he shall go on to trust your recommendations. What are
you doing to build trust in the minds of your customers?
Building trust takes more than making statements, it requires
actions specifically designed to grow the feeling of trust that you
deserve; you must work to earn the trust.
As a professional sales person, you must first
understand what is likely to separate you out
from the others in the customer’s mind.Trust
is an emotional feeling; most purchase
decisions are made emotionally when the
sales presentation clicks the ‘trust’ button.
A sales person can provide good references, talk about
how good the company is, reveal the whole clientele list
including hard data on performance.
However, only trust can win over the customer to make
the purchase. When sales person makes statements such
as: “We’ll work harder for you”,“We provide better service”
and “We’ll be there when you need us”, the customer’s
mind is triggered to ask,“Will this really happen?”.
Without trust, these statements are meaningless.
The truth is, you are asking customers to trust you
first,even before they decide on the purchase.
Salespeople are often taught to sell value, but can
value always be quantified?
10

13. BE DEPENDABLE - This is perhaps the most important element of trust. If you say you will do something, do it!
Your dependability in action will have a significant effect on your customer’s perceptions of, and trust in you.
BE SPECIFIC - Use specific language in what you say and do to increase the perception of trust. For example, say “I’ll
get back to you before four o’clock tomorrow” instead of just,“I’ll get back to you on that.” Then, do it
by calling him before your self-imposed deadline to emphasize your dependability.
USE VARIETY - Find ways to demonstrate your quality in various situations, across a variety of issues, even that you
think are unimportant. When your customer talks to other people, he will surely mention this. So, now
you will get more customers!
DO THE UNEXPECTED - Customers often wonder whether we really mean what we say or we are just playing a role.
Unexpected actions not directly relate to the sale or some thoughtful action like providing useful information help
customers become more trustful.
MENTION THE NEGATIVES - Carefully selected minor negatives concerning your product or service can be mentioned
to increase the perception of trust. Naturally, the negative that is pointed out should be something that is easily offset
by positive features.
SHARE SECRETS - Trusted friends share secrets. The “secrets” you provide, of course, should be relevant and should not
be common knowledge. Be wary that the customer shares some harmful secret he might have!
POINT OUT SIMILARITIES - People tend to trust others who are similar to themselves. These could be similarities in
age, education, family, relatives, friends, hobbies, experiences, concerns, preferences, etc.
CHOOSE A COMMON ENEMY - As you talk with the customer, find out if you have common dislikes. This could involve
politics, foods, ideas or habits. A common enemy is a good topic for discussion!
USE HUMOR - People tend to be more trusting of people when they are tickled. Casual jokes and funny situations
develops trust; Just be careful not to overdo it. It is important to maintain your image of professionalism.
Ultimately, your overall performance will build strong customer trust
in you.The above actions can help you get past the threshold of trust
needed to clinch the deal.
HERE ARE SOME SPECIFIC ACTIONS THAT CAN INCREASE YOUR CUSTOMER’S PERCEPTION OF TRUST IN YOU.
SALES
11

14. SMALL
BUSINESS
IDEAS
IN KUALA LUMPUR
We often read articles about how to
run a small business, how to start a
small business and how to grow a
small business, etc.
However, how often does someone help
pitch potential ideas that accommodate
the current market?
How often do we get told what are the
small business opportunities?
The answer is not often if not, not at all.
Kuala Lumpur is an innovative city, in the
geometrically small country of Malaysia.
It is a city thriving with opportunities,
international connections and a diverse
community to cater too.
Today in this article is to address the small
business ideas that would be beneficial in
the Malaysian community, and more
precisely the society of Kuala Lumpur itself.
BUSINESS IDEA
12

15. BUSINESS IDEA
Education is a necessity in today society, as certifications have been
recognized as the evidence to determine ones ability, therefore the
community’s response to an educational opportunity is almost guaranteed.
Small businesses tend to market prominently online as it is the most feasible way to go
about things, and is certainly effective in the current age. People are no longer just
going to school; they are looking for other ways to enhance their skills before entering
the working world.
Being a part of the rat race has never been an attractive option, but is understood to be the norm.
The “Y” generation is aggressively fighting this norm with their persistence, innovation and desire
to make side income from young ages and beat the race before they fully commit to it. This
evolution of the modern mentality has provided many opportunities to aid of this endeavor.
WRITING CONTENT COMPANY
A lot of companies have their strengths; marketing, consultancy, research, service, etc.
However, outsourcing of freelance writers has become such a go-to solution when it
comes to curating content for those industries.
A company that is prominently available for the outsourcing of creative and enthusiastic writers
would really feed the communities needs, and also build writing profile for the individual
employee’s, giving them a chance to work across industries and clients.
There are many ways
you can make a
small business out of
the education
industry such as:
ONLINE TUITION
Most adolescents today are drawn to
there smart phones or the Internet in
some way or another.
Therefore, physical books are not as
conducive and appealing to them, as they
are use to bit size information and it being
from the screen.
Having an online tuition website, with
interactive questions online say can answer
online, apps they can download in
conjunction to the website and a
personalized account on the website so they
can monitor their progress individually
would add a fun and more realistic
approach to the general afterschool tuition.
ONLINE EXAMINATION
TRAINING
Students attend lessons in classes or lecture
halls, then normally proceed home and do
their assignments. It is as simple as that.
However, who prepares them solely for
examinations?
Exam’s have a certain way of testing a
student, starting an online examination
training would appeal to the most studios of
students and even those who are not very
academic but certainly need all the help,
coaching and tips necessary to pass.
Flare for writing?
13

16. BUSINESS IDEA
Problem Solvers
RESUME COMPOSITION,
COACHING COMPANY
People tend to have a difficulty when
composting a resume that would be
effective on the international stage.
Professionalism, and presentation in this
sector is not always taught in school so
having a company dedicated to aiding this
demand would be appreciated.
Coaching on work ethic, preparation and
how to be ready for an interview would all
be useful skills any fresh graduate, school
drop out of career changer needs.
EDITING AND PROOF
READING BUSINESS
Similar to the writing content company,
a editing and proof reading business
would be equally as appealing.
For companies who want to do their writing
‘in house’ but need a professional’s eye to
run through the articles before publication
is also sought for in the working world.
So why not have a business fully dedicated
to that aspect?
PROBLEM SOLVING
APPLICATION
Application usage on smart phone has
obviously heightened with the usability
and commonness of the ‘screen’,
Everyone encounters day to day problems,
so as google is currently the go-to method,
what is there was an app to cater directly to
your community, where you can search your
problem and get direct solutions and
references to nearby services or simply
answers to those unasked questions that
have been troubling you.
ONLINE CONSULTATION
As everyone is almost always on the net,
having a virtual consultation service
rather than a physical one may be more
appealing and user friendly to this
generation and the ones yet to come.
Consultation in general is always needed
and required whether personal and work
related, therefore the market for this service
would be vast and reach demand quite
quickly.
14

17. BUSINESS IDEA
Are you an organizer?
START AN EVENT
PLANNING BUSINESS
If you get excited over a well-planned
itinerary, you may want to look into
starting an event planning business.
From weddings to parties to corporate
events, if you can rise above the
competition, event planning is an ideal
small business idea for creative, and unique
organizing entrepreneurs.
START A PERSONAL
ASSISTANT BUSINESS
Similarly, if you are great at keeping on
task and getting things done efficiently
and in an organized manner, starting a
personal assistant business might be a
good fit for you.
Personal assistants are highly sought for by
big corporations, and even small ones. A
little extra help is always needed. A
company to outsource these personnel’s
would be a good business scheme and go-to
solution for the Malaysian companies.
Food and Beverage
HAWKER FOOD DELIVERY
With food panda at our service, the
community has found even more
comfort in their homes.
One thing Malaysian are known for is there
love for food, so why not start a delivery
service that partners with favorite hawker
delights that to can be delivered to the foot
of your home.
OFFICE FOOD
CATERING BUSINESS
Offices can sometimes be very isolated
in industrial parks and so forth, offices
also do not always give much lunch
time to grab a bit and going out and
hunting for what to eat and where to
eat can take up a lot of that already
limited time.
Starting a catering business that targets to
composition of set meals for major offices
and the working environment would be a
very beneficial solution to the society
I hope this article intrigued you in the possible business scheme that would
be easy to start with the right passionate and determination.
The Malaysian community is very diverse and has a lot of needs therefore a lot of
opportunities.Can not wait to see the new small businesses popping up across Kuala
Lumpur to cater to the community and fulfill the “be your own boss” dream.
15

18. Ethics deals with aspects of human behavior regarding the rightness and
wrongness of certain actions and the goodness and badness of the
motives and results of such actions. It is a branch of philosophy on values
relating to human conduct. Productivity, profit, benefits are no longer
goals but consequences and rewards for actions.They measure the
progress of the community toward the ultimate goal of improved life
conditions for the majority, if not for all but should not be for only a few.
Sustainable businesses rely on adequate values and ethical conduct.
Six Scopes
of Ethics in
Business
Management
ETHICS
Business ethics applies to all aspects of business conduct and is relevant to the conduct of individuals and entire
organizations. It means doing a legal, transparent and honest business acceptable to normal society. Such business
culture generally involves honoring contracts, being accountable, practice honesty with regards to the quality and
safety of products and services, may be summed up as honest business practices.
Examples of unethical business practice are false advertising, supplying expired goods, selling cigarettes, alcohol or
drugs to minors and evading taxes. It is important that businesses create trust with customers, clients and partners
in order to grow and sustain their position.
1 BUSINESS ETHICS
Workplace ethics are moral guidelines specific to a business environment. This applies to each employee at the
workplace, the top management, the salesperson, the administration, the security personnel; all of them. The
behavior includes everything from honesty to decency, with customers and colleagues. Knowledge of and
adherence to workplace ethics contributes to the individual’s value as an employee or business owner. As such, it
leads to greater cohesiveness and longevity of the business.
2 WORKPLACE ETHICS
16

19. 17
Employee management ethics starts with hiring methods and end with firing practices within the organization.
During employment all matters pertaining to the overall treatment of employees is relevant to the proper
conduct of the business. Ethical hiring practice entails assessing each candidate according to his or her
capabilities and potential value to the company, rather than discriminatory or other superficial considerations.
Treat employees with respect and dignity in the workplace and refrain from being abusive or degrading in
managing the human resources.
3 EMPLOYEE AND MANAGEMENT ETHICS
Criticisms of job performance should be private while positive comments and encouragement may be done a
little openly. A guide for the expected job performance should be made clear to the employee from the
beginning with a job specification document if feasible. Disputes among employees should be resolved in just,
fair and impartial manner. Ethical practice needs to be observed if and when termination of employment is
called for. Except in cases of extreme employee misconduct, management should observe due process to
resolve the problem before termination is considered. The employer must provide employees with adequate
notice and opportunity for redress as stated in the appointment contract or as required by law. This area is quite
well spelt out, but actual practice can always be improved.
4 PERFORMANCE ETHICS
Employees should be free from unwanted sexual advances or inappropriate comments. This is of particular
concern for female employees, but men and individuals with alternative sexual orientation are also subject to
this unwarranted behavior. Employees should always treat each other with respect, and management should
create an environment where sexual harassment shall not be tolerated.
4 SEXUAL ETHICS
Respect for diversity is important, especially in the Malaysian workplace environment. Employees should be free
from comments and behavior offensive to their particular ethnic and cultural differences. The human being
should not be discriminated by gender, caste, creed, race, ethnicity and religion. Every employee must be treated
with dignity and respect. The workplace environment should maintain a policy of tolerance for differences of
religion, race, gender, sexuality and culture. Diversity ethics extends to hiring and promotion practices too. We
see this breach in the Malaysian context more often than desirable.
5 DIVERSITY ETHICS
Business owners, managers and employees should not wantonly disregard environmental concerns. This
includes managing air, water and other resources to reduce or avoid all kinds of pollution. Any industrial activity
should adhere to set guidelines as well as be made safe for the people concerned. Needless disruption of the
surrounding community and nature must be minimized. Environmental ethics also involves incorporating values
of environmental sustainability into business practices.
With due observance of ethics and values in an organization, we can be assured of
harmonious growth and sustained evolution of the business to its fullest potential.
6 ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS
ETHICS

20. How the “live” Feature on
Social Media can Benefit
Small Businesses
Majority of small businesses would agree that their main agent for business marketing is
online. Any businessman would also agree that the main source of revenue for a business
is through their marketing tactics. So how do these two factors intertwine?
What if there was a relatively new innovative marketing tactic that is based online? Here is a tactic that is
able to address customers on a more personal level and make your business seem more accessible all of
which is done online. Online marketing is cost efficient, reliable and reaches a markets beyond boarders
with more ease than physical methods.
So what is this method?
The Live feature has been introduced on two major social media platforms – Facebook and Instagram,
and it basically allows you to be live in real time with friends, family, followers, and in our case,
customers via video.
If you are not already using ‘video’ to help promote your products, services, or to simply engage with your
customers, it is about time to catch up. Live video is a prominently used feature that brings life to your business and
helps give viewers a behind-the-scenes insight into your business. It is also a great tool to help explain, answer and
promote new elements of your business.
How does “Live” feature directly enhance the online marketing tactic?
Tip: You should mostly set up a live event in advance.This gives people a chance to gather and be more ready for
when you switch on that button.
Educate your audience.
Educating your audience is a good indirect way to promote your business and its services.To be the go-to
solution, your business needs to aggravate the need and its necessity in the community.
Hosting a live video to talk about your businesses industry and the benefits your business contributes to certain
issues in real time will create a chance for the public to emote and really feel your businesses message.
DIGITAL MARKETING
18

21. Broadcast an event.
Events are tons of fun, and a lot of businesses host at least one, perhaps to celebrate an annual
achievement or to celebrate an occasion. Broadcasting the event lets people who are not there celebrate
with you, making them feel like they are in the same joyous moment and a part of your ‘toast’.
By doing this you are also giving the viewers an insight about how your company is on a fun level, and everybody
likes to have fun. This makes you company more human, memorable, and perhaps even makes your company
become to topic for the week after that amazing event you hosted.
Hold a Q&A session.
Customers are human; humans are curious beings making us very inquisitive. Giving customers a chance
to throw out questions and have them answered in real time gives them additional confidence and makes
me feel assured that you truly care about their satisfaction and their concerns.
A Q&A session can and will sometimes go of the topics of your business, but that is okay. Having your company
interact with the customers/followers on this feature will make your business resonate with a lot of positive
judgements, which is certainly good for business.
Word of mouth is very powerful to date even with the amount of technology circulating us. Having
customers/followers have a positive outlook about your business, and even having your employee’s or the CEO
him/herself engage with everyone will leave the company with knowledge and honest feedback for improvement.
We all know that feedback forms are most commonly turned down, so this is a new creative way to get feedback,
and to answer those unanswered inquires.
Put on a webinar.
We all know how‘youtuber’ has actually become a profession if done correctly, and that is because the
people of today are willing to learn VIA video.
All companies/businesses/organisations have a purpose and motive, using that motive to educate the public will
give customers an insight to your companies vision, mission and its ultimate purpose in a further depth than the
simple sentences used in the description section of a website.
DIGITAL MARKETING
19

22. Broadcast news about your business.
Here you can spontaneously discuss brand new developments or news at the very moment a change has been made to
your business (such as new website changes, new product or service announcement, introducing a new employee, etc.)
Broadcasting news about your business is a way to announce new elements, ranging from even things you would not
find important to the customers, such as a new wall colour, funny joke the CEO found, brainstorming, sit them into a
meeting about the next seasons ideas etc. These types of news that happen on the day-to-day of your business are the
“real” things, it is the elements that gives your business a personality, which will be easier for your customers to relate,
emote and find comfort with. A close customer is a loyal customer.
So as you can see the list goes on and on… with this feature you can elaborate and explain something that’s relevant
to your industry, or discuss current developments in your industry and/or business. It’s all about making your business
up close and personal for your audience, making your business seem like a “friend” someone they want to turn to, and
in more professional business terms – the go-to solution.
Remember: It doesn't have to be a million dollar video set-up. You can use
your smartphone or a webcam to get the job done, in fact this set-up is even
more personal, why do you think people watch reality shows? It is all about
seeing the usually‘unseen’ aspects.
Maybe you don't have anything new and exciting happening, or the desire to host a Q&A session, or any of the
above, but you want to give your audience a look behind the curtain of your business.
It helps you because connecting with your audience always adds to your businesses
reputation as a company that cares about its customers,and is in touch with the customers
in real time.
DIGITAL MARKETING
20

23. 21
An online presence has become a modern necessity
for any business, even if there is no real intention of
e-commerce.The paying customer prefers to search
for his needs from local businesses online, while
most B2B clients research companies online first.
With the many online tools available, it would not
be too tough to build one for your enterprise.
Whichever software tool you choose, just keep
these design principles in mind.
10TIPS
for Building an Effective
BUSINESSWEBSITE
ONLINE BUSINESS

24. 22
A large number of shoppers use their mobile phones to make purchases; this has escalated to about 90 percent
with the millennials comparing prices and reviewing product choices on their smartphones even while inside the
retail stores. Further, many consumers will decide to buy from the competitor if they have a less than satisfactory
experience at a website. A successful business website must cater to mobile users.
1 MOBILE ACCESS
Typically, a customer chooses a product or service at the nearest store; when browsing the internet, he already has
a mental picture of what he wants. Your domain name and appearance must describe your business effectively. Your
company name should appear on top and be catchy. You may even create multiple domains that point to the main
website. Learn more about what makes an effective domain name, ask around to choose an appealing name and
design. Make sure they find you first and then you can keep them forever. Visit qaasoo.com to discover the best ways
to select a powerful domain name and create an attractive website.
2 FINDERS KEEPERS
The top of most webpages is a navigation menu – limit these to five clearly labeled tabs with relevant webpages
organized under them. Oftentimes, clients can get lost and miss what the need to see to make a decision. You
would have lost the sale if he is not steered to the information he is looking for. Remember, the website is not yet a
physical presence; virtual imagery and a proper mind guide is required to clinch the deal. The surfer must be given
a clear way to get back to the home page no matter where he lands.
4 EASILY NAVIGABLE
Strategic communication calls for a presentation of information that consumers need to know. Place only relevant
information on the webpage. Too much information will burden the mind, making it difficult to arrive at a quick
decision. Balance the text and graphics to present a clean page showing only what the customer wants to see. Cut
out the social widgets and feeds that do not support the purpose of your business.
5 UNCLUTTERED PAGES
People want to be able to contact you or your sales team. Your business depends on it. That information should be
placed where the customer can find it easily. Website visitors would not be pleased to have to search for a phone
number or address if they decide to approach or even visit you. If you use social media to connect with customers,
then be sure to put links at the header or footer, where they are easily found.
3 CONTACTABLE
ONLINE BUSINESS

25. 23
Potential clients are often turned off by inaccurate information; wrong numbers, outdated information, grammatical
errors and spelling mistakes are very common goof-offs. Proof read and check each page before posting it live;
some updates may not tally with previous postings. Accurate facts, clear images and no mistakes are what will
make your website popular.
6 BULLS’ EYE
Slow coaches are never popular and young clients are all the more faster in this internet age. A website that is not
fast enough will offer a negative reaction on your brand or company. The customer will then go to the competitor's
website if yours takes too much of his valuable time. Make sure your website runs smoothly by keeping the software
updated, optimizing videos and images for quicker downloads, and using a website host that can handle your
bandwidth demands.
7 SPEED UP
Each page on your website should require the customer to perform a simple action – click, link, call, refer, sign-up,
download and so on. Ensure the action by having a clear invitation to do just that: a button, a link or a waffle. Make
it easy for them so that they do not have to scroll before finding the call to action. Once they do it, there should be
a clear result for their effort.
8 ACTION ORIENTED
Readable fonts, pastel background colors, dark script and simple language are welcome; animated gifs, unclear
imagery and long sentences can reduce focus from the intended sale or purchase. Short paragraphs and bulleted
points make the information easier to scan and helps the client arrive at a decision faster.
9 SIMPLE DESIGN
Invest time and effort to present your product or service to the potential client. Create a high-quality online
experience with a brand perception that the customer will find hard to forget. Virtual window shoppers love to surf
websites before even they know what they are looking for. Impulse buying has always been a driver to get more
purchases than the other shop. Your website is your storefront, make it a personal invitation. Include a good
photograph of yourself or your team to show that there is a real person who is ready to serve them. Creating a
seamless and enjoyable online user experience at your website is sure to bring in the benefits.
10 PERSONALIZED WEB EXPERIENCE
Those that are making a consistent and agreeable
online client experience are receiving the rewards.
ONLINE BUSINESS

26. Would you call yourself a chocolate enthusiast? Perhaps you love the
taste or perhaps the production,question is whether or not you want
to share this devour with other people? Now, what if I say that you
can make a profit from this desire?
Chocolate makes us swoon. It arouses our passions and tempts our senses. However, some people
take this indulgence a step further, whether a hobby or a business idea, in this article will show
you how to transform your bittersweet enthusiasm into a money-making adventure by effectively
using the Internet as a marketing platform right from the comfort of your home.
INDULGE IN A CREATIVE
ONLINE BUSINESS IDEA
ECOMMERCE
24

27. 25
Chocolate business is considered a small business idea, therefore it will
need a sufficient amount of networking to get your product across and
penetrate the market to your benefit as well as theirs.
ECOMMERCE
THE FIRST step to any business is to
understand the demand of your product,
and for chocolate the verdict is in:
Chocolate has successfully gone from
sinful to unstoppable.
In fact, trend-watching firm Datamonitor
named chocolate "the new coffee" in a list
of the top 10 trends to watch.
The market for chocolate is so vast, there
is a need for chocolate not only in
consumption but even in modern
decoration to some extend.
So stop drooling and take a bite of the
action. Opportunities exist in the demand
of the product in chocolate cafes,
chocolate fountains and chocolate
education, such as tastings.
The world of chocolate is wide open for
anyone to succeed if they take the right
steps.
SECONDLY you need to take advantage of
the demand and promote your solution
and this is where the online business
strategy comes in.
Starting an Internet business can sound
like a dream: work from home, set your
own hours, be your own boss. However this
article will tell you the brutal truth and
explain a reliable way to executing your
small business idea – chocolate via the
Internet.
Start-ups require significant investments
of time and money. The promise of big
earnings and the ideal work condition is
the forefront of this form of business, but
nothing comes easy, and you need to have
a solid foundation of understanding and
persistence.
The media swarms with the college-age
entrepreneurs turning into Internet
zillionaires, therefore the success of this
platform has spoken for itself.
Starting a home-based business on the
Internet has never been easier, with social
media and free website and blog creators
available at your finger tips, getting your
small idea across will be a breeze if
executed correctly.
The online platform has truly levelled the
playing field in the world of business
allowing home-based entrepreneurs to
have access to the same types of tools and
marketing opportunities used by the “big
players”.
The traditional brick and mortar business
is no longer necessary to have a
profitable business in today’s age.

28. ECOMMERCE
Imagine being able to operate 24hours without having to pay the fees a physical
store requires? Well, the Internet is a store that never closes. It operates 24 hours a
day, seven days a week and gives a business with an online presence a global
audience. The E-world grows your potential customer numbers and gives your
customers greater flexibility and accessibility.
It help your company proudly proclaim it’s
environmental conscience with it’s decrease in
paper waste, and allows you to manage your
business from absolutely anywhere in the
world, this will allow you to hit the chocolate
industry internationally and give your small
business idea a global vision.
The 21st century customers tend to “google
search” their inquiries more than look through
the papers for the local directory, they even
prefer to visit your website to find out about
your products and services, instead of visiting
you in person.
Due to the introduction of the ever so smart –
smart phones, every day people use the
internet more and more to find products they
want to buy and services they want to hire.
The online portal is beneficial for your business
because it lessens operation costs (no need for
a fancy office, you can work from your garage
and nobody cares).
Internet marketing is a lot more affordable
than traditional marketing and Internet
marketing in this era is a lot more effective and
targeted than traditional marketing.
Since the operation costs are low, the savings
can be passed to the customers and customers
like saving money. Making your small business
idea, a go-to solution for its customers.
26

29. 3 KEY WAYS
TO SELL CHOCOLATE
ONLINE:
Everyone has a network, and penetrating your
own network with your yummy creations will
open doors to your friends and families respectful
networks as well.
ECOMMERCE
The other method is to collaborate with
community events or fundraising projects that
can feature your work during their online
campaign. This will give your work some
exposure and allow you to receive more orders
prior to the day of the event.
Back in the day, people make posters. In today’s
age, posters are as effective as graffiti - they
merely exist. But now with the Internet, you can
create a webpage containing your contact
information and a simple catalogue featuring
your chocolate creations. Promotional work is
done through “sharing” link on social platform
and allowing them to go viral.
Chocolate selling in a small scale will not make
you a lot of money,but it can certainly showcase
your skills to family and friends, and set that
reliable foundation for your future endeavours.
(1) Chocolate for YOUR network
If you are good at making chocolates, your
network is the first place to test the waters. You
can start selling your creation to your friends
and family, and a good platform to promote this
would be through the 2 most common social
media platforms: Facebook and Instragram.
The people within your network know you
personally and targeting them first is a good
foundation of your new venture, as word of
mouth will spread. Keep in mind that you are
not starting a business to penetrate the 7 billion
people in the world, a more effective way to
look at it, is the penetration of 7 billion worlds.
27

30. It gets even better.As a small business,you want
to be listed in the local directory so that
whenever someone searches for “Chocolate
shop in Selangor” for example, your shop will
show up in their result page.
To understand if you are listed all you have to
do is type “chocolate shop (your locality)” on
Google Search and see what comes up.
Sometimes, your business could be featured
because some customers have mentioned
about it on the web before. However, to get a
better control, you as the owner will need to
claim the listing by clicking on this tab that says
“claim this business”
Listing your business on Google
offers a lot of advantages such as;
customers being able to easily find
your website and allow easy access
for mobile users.
You will be able to share videos
and photos for your customers to
build trust and confidence in your
product, and bring in more traffic to
your online store.
(3) Chocolate for Reviews
What if you don’t own any business, but just
like tasting a variety of chocolates? Well, you
can write reviews online and still be working
from home.
All you have to do is find an existing chocolate
company on the web that offers such services
and provide them with content that
recommends them to online readers and when
someone makes a purchase through your link,
you earn a percentage of the sales.
This is called affiliate marketing and believe it
or not, there are a lot of chocolate companies
that offer lucrative commission for your work.
If you can master the
technique of bringing
good quality traffic to
a website, you can
earn a pretty decent
income as an affiliate
marketer, full-time.
(2) Chocolate for a Global network
Why WordPress? Well, it’s a free publishing
platform that comes with a variety of plugins
and widgets that can customize a site the way
you want.
In addition, you can create an online store,
which then enables visitors to make orders and
have you proceed to ship them directly to the
buyers for convenience.
The first thing that you
need to do is to create
a business website and
in this article I will be
recommending –
Wordpress.
ECOMMERCE
28

31. SALES
The term ‘small business’ might vary from country to country. Here in Malaysia, SME Corp
definite it as businesses that generating annual turnover between RM300,000 up to
RM 3.0 million ringgit , employing between 5- 30 workers for the services sector.
The New SME Definition adapted since 2013
define manufacturing based small business as
those generating annual turnover between
RM300,000 up to RM 15 million ringgit,
employing 5-75 workers.
However, it is a true fact that also 96% of all new
business registered in the country falls either under
micro or small business classification.
As per data from Company Commission of Malaysia, a
total of 1,203,319 companies was registered in
Malaysia as of 31st December 2016 , with only 4,727
foreign companies.
The government aims to push the SMEs sector GDP
contribution to 41% by 2020 from current 36% rate.
This means that small businesses play a key role in
generating and vitalizing economic activities in
Malaysia.Small businesses are very important because
of the role they play in helping to generate
employment and inspire consumer spending.
Probably it’s time for people like us to realize that
small businesses are really huge engines of growth for
the economy.
Time has come for us to realize chasing a dream of
being own Boss would not be sustainable if we failed
to increase our sales and grow the business.
This is very, very important. Surely, most of us will not start a business without any prior experience or know how
about the business. Some starts a business with technical knowledge, while some get motivated with their sales
and marketing skills.
Your business growth depends on how well you understand the industry. Share your industry knowledge with your
team members so that they aware situations and improve their marketing works.
By knowing your Industry small business owners able to identify an unique niche not served or remain in vacuum.
Should you have the expertise find a solution and tap the market.
Don’t forget to share the goals for your company and what you are aiming for with your employees as well as with
your family members.
1 KNOW YOUR INDUSTRY
We at MiBrand.my have list out some doable tricks to boast your business even with
tight budget. Here are some of them:
29

32. SALES
One of most challenging task for a new entrepreneur particularly small business owner is reaching out prospect
customer and retaining them. Furthermore, it is costly endeavor that most of time put small business owner down
due to lack of result compare to their available resources.
Despite the rise of cheaper alternatively online promotions, the usage of promotional leaflets, wristbands largely
used to boost your company profile and get your business noticed by potential customers.
Leverage e social media channel as one of channel to promote your business and get people talking about you.
2 PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS
There are so many online courses that you can take these days that will really help you in running your company.
Check out Free courses available offered by qaasoo.com.
Government agencies in Malaysia such as SEDIC and SEED to either sponsor free trainings or conduct short courses.
Some universities in Malaysia do offer weekend classes or part time courses.
Taking up courses or attend industry related events will give you the confidence to manage your staff and company
successfully, as well as help people take you seriously.
3 TAKE A COURSE
As a new entrant to your prime objective should be gaining customer loyalty than profit. A number of small
businesses have found great success by making irresistible offer such as bundling their products or services as
package. Irresistible offer mostly offered after taking out manpower cost but your business still able progress as it
keep winning new customers.
4 IRRESISTIBLE OFFER
Again the problem of escalating cost surely running around your mind. However, trust me you cannot go far by
working alone or without any team members.
You need to become a team player, ask your team for help when you need it. Discuss with your team when an
important issue or problem occurs so that you could identify solutions together rather than waiting for the issue to
escalate. Asking and listening is vital for a small company to progress.
5 WORK IN A TEAM
Gone are the days, where boss act as he knows everything and only that person can make decision. Current,
business trend needs friendly and honest leader whom people can work together not someone whom dictate or be
in command. Always remembers should you fail to respect people, they won’t respect you.
CONCLUSION
As more and more people venturing themselves in starting up small business, largely to
chase after their passions and dreams. Chances of succeeding in your venture could
diminish if the owner simply focus on higher profit making or his/her own development.
The simplest way to boast your business is to be known in your local market or industry,
make irresistible offer and respect your team.
6 RESPECT YOUR TEAM
30

33. FOUNDERS & MOVERS
START
SOMETHING
BEAUTIFUL
TOGETHER
What first drew us to Mr.Thirumurugan
was his description of the floral industry
–“The Wild Bunch Industry”.
A die-hard entrepreneur at heart,Thiru
helps people define what true
entrepreneurship is and what it takes to be
a leader, and helps people dispel the
myths of businesses.
We are grateful for his valuable time as he
shared his successes to inspire other young
entrepreneurs around Malaysia.
Born in Klang, raised in Dengkil and schooled in
Puchong,Thiru got to taste the hardship when he started
to help his family make ends meet by working on their
little farm. “Just go out and do that; nothing comes
without hard work and sacrifice.”, he was told.
Mr G Thirumurugan
Managing Director Petal Florist Sdn. Bhd
31

34. FOUNDERS & MOVERS
A Glance at Malaysian Floriculture Industry
RM 600 million Economic contribution in 2016
Orchids
40% 33% 27%
Cut Flowers Ornamental
plants
75,000 FLORIST
The
Wild Bunch
Industry
Malaysia focuses production
primarily on two main floral
product groups: temperate flowers
(particularly chrysanthemums)
grown in the highlands areas of
the country and exotics like
orchids that thrive in the hot,
humid lowlands.
The floral industry is one of the higher
industries in many developing and
underdeveloped countries.
Floriculture as an industry began in the
late 19th century in the Malaysia, where
flowers were grown on a large scale on
the vast estates.
The present day floral industry is a
dynamic, global, fast-growing industry,
which has achieved significant growth
rates during the past few decades.
In the 1950s, the nation flower trade was
less than RM 20 million. By 2000, it had
grown to appropriately RM380 million.
In recent years, the floral industry has
grown at six percent annually. It has been
estimated that at least 75,000 florists
and floral suppliers are involved in the
floriculture industry that contributed RM
600 million to the economy in 2016.
Orchids contributed 40 percent of total
value of production, followed by
temperate cut flowers (33 percent) and
ornamental plants (27 percent).
The floral industry essentially consists of
three major components: the growers, who
cultivate the flowers, the wholesalers, who is
the middleman, and the retailers, who sells
you the flowers at the local flower shop.
These roles are becoming quite intermingled
with recent trends more towards eliminating
the intermediaries, the wholesalers so that
the flowers are made available at
considerably lower prices.
Although most of the produce are the
bestselling flowers such as roses, tulips,
sunflowers, carnations, iris, daisies, orchids,
lilacs and lilies, many growers are starting to
explore hybrids and other indigenous crops.
Floral exports are not a major
contributor to the Malaysian
economy, but the rapid growth rate
exceeds that seen for most other
major commodities in recent years.
This has caught the eye of policy
makers who identified cut flowers
as a priority crop group for the
country, according to an FAO report.
32

35. FOUNDERS & MOVERS
For instance, highlands such as the
Cameron Highlands are the major
growing areas of temperate flowers.
Other cut flowers adapt better to the
hot humid conditions in the lowlands
with orchids constituting the major
share of the production.
Malaysia has the advantage of developing and
advancing its floriculture industry which could
generate decent income to producers and traders
and contribute to the national income.
Floriculture production value recorded an
increase of 23.3%; from RM 417 million to almost
RM 514 million from 2011 to 2015 - MARDI.
33
In general, the area of
cultivation of cut flowers
in Malaysia is determined
by the climate and
topography of the land.
When flowers are ordered from a wholesaler or a
grower, they take various routes to the buyer,
depending on the flower type, the area where they
are grown, and how they will be sold.
Some floriculturists cut and pack flowers right at
the nurseries and send them directly to the buyer
through mail.
Some flowers are sent to a packing company that
grades them and organizes them into bunches to
deliver through mail or sends directly to
supermarkets or flower shops. Some growers
grade and sleeve the flowers themselves before
selling them to wholesale markets.
The wholesalers then sell the flowers to florists
who prime and arrange the flowers for their
customers. If you know where to go, you can buy
flowers at wholesalers even if you aren't a florist.

36. FOUNDERS & MOVERS
What Keeps
Thiru Motivated?
For Mr.Thirumurugan,
mentoring and learning
means a lot, he learns
from everybody and is
always learning.
“Forget all your limitations, this is all
I can do.Tell your own mind to shut
up! We are so scared if we have
everything – the talent, the will, so
we use that as an excuse and
sometimes become lazy.”
“Some of the things that have really
helped me are that I always seek help. I
know I am not perfect so I am shameless
about asking for help. And I don’t take
myself seriously. We are going to die and
go – the question is what are you holding
on to?”, he says.
Listen to him talk:-
“I don’t believe you have to leave
something meaningful for generations to
remember you. You have one life to live. I
haven’t planned out my life and I think
that’s why I’ve been so successful.
I believe that if you plan your life
completely you’re not letting your mind
think about other stuff going on around
you. I learned and faced a lot, once you
pick up something you have to focus on it.
Otherwise, you will have a personality
crisis because you are trying to do so
many things. Something I’ve believed is
that we are more scared of our success
than of our failure.Forget all your
limitations, this is all I can do.
Tell your own mind to shut up! We are so
scared if we have everything – the talent,
the will, so we use that as an excuse and
sometimes become lazy. I want to be
successful and create a difference. It is
not about me, it’s about the jobs I
generate and the jobs I can help with.”
“From an Indian context, we need more
Indian entrepreneurs. It is important not
only for economic well-being, and that it
makes business sense, but also from a
societal perspective. If children have a
business family, they treat their families
very differently, with a lot of respect.”
“It’s better when a Malaysian born Indian can
be a role model for their community. It
changes a person’s life forever and they have
something to look forward to. We have a long
way to go for economic empowerment in
Malaysia, but it will create a whole
generation of citizens who are more inclusive
in their thoughts.
Right now, we are behind on creating the
generation that could be thinking
differently forever, so this is very
important to me that we are changing
lives more and more in that way.”
His vision for the Malaysian
Indian business scene is
summed up as follows:-
“First, to do the stuff you want to do, but
you have to deliver value and do it
consistently, and second, you should be
able to have a clarity of thought. A true
entrepreneur can explain what they do in
any language that his stakeholders need to
understand it. You should be able to
explain it to yourself and have clarity.”
34

37. 35
FOUNDERS & MOVERS
Should you intend to open your own flower shop, you must
enroll under the empowerment program that Thiru has
started at Petal Florist Sdn Bhd.
It is ideal that you start at an entry-level position and work your way up to the top so you know
all the intricacies of running a flower business. He arranges to provide the necessary mentoring
and guidance to ensure your success.
Blooming
Opportunities
There are many different kinds of careers open in the flower industry.
Among the entry-level occupations are:
i. floral shop helpers, who perform various duties in a flower shop
ii. delivery people, who deliver flowers right to the home of the customer
iii. floral designers, who create floral arrangements for events such as weddings, birthdays or funerals
iv. salespersons, who sell fresh cut flowers and other floral related goods at the shop
Mid-level occupations include:
i. the assistant manager, who is responsible for coordinating sales, design, delivery and the office
ii. the owner entrepreneur or manager who is in charge of merchandising, management and operations.
• Do the stuff you want
• Deliver Value
• Do it consistently
• Have clarity of thought
The Success Mantra

38. 36
FOUNDERS & MOVERS
Thiru describes his start-up:-
“My brother was the one who triggered this Florist
business idea since he had some working
experience in the fresh flower industry”.
We wanted to get it started immediately, but I was scared
off as it was a purely unknown business for myself.
We took the first step, but the next few steps become difficult, especially when we
faced challenges to get continuous supply.
As newbies, we are very
judgmental, even of
ourselves, we are
self-critical and we tend
to carry a lot of baggage.”
After a few attempts
and lots of counseling,
especially with friends,
I identified a niche
business model.
“Without much knowledge or information,
my younger brother and I, started this
business in Pusat Bandar Puchong.
We were about to fail, because of
inconsistent customers and limited
knowledge but it didn’t take us long for
us to find our niche.”
“We did some big hotel functions and
weddings, we did fail there too but my
interest pushed me to learn more”.
Business is Always a
Bungee Jumping Challenge
Coupled with lots of learnings from
bad experiences, blessings from my
family, friends and partners, we
rebranded and energized Petal
Florist Sdn Bhd at Taman Tenaga,
Puchong Jaya in 2012.
“Even the simple stuff like
handling documentation, we
had to seek external feedback –
this made us see what is not
good! I don’t know why, we
have put on a resolve to be
perfect all the time”.
I remember Buddha’s
quote ‘Look inside yourself
and you will find all your
answers…You are your
own best motivator. Listen
to your mind……DREAM.’
At the end of the day, we are
just human beings, with one life
to live; I decided to reinvent the
business model.”
Those inspiring words remain
the foundation and building
blocks for Petal Florist to
venture further into the “The
Wild Bunch Industry”.

39. FOUNDERS & MOVERS
Direct Answers to Probing Queries
Q: Who are your main consumers?
A: Malaysian Indians do have a lot of functions, we do business with them on daily
basis, but almost 70% of our business is contributed by our Chinese and Malay
customers. The main reason is, the amount.
Q: Who will be your referral point for good supply?
A: It is still hard to find a good and better floral supplier, till now. After a long struggle
and with the help and support of my childhood friend, Datuk T. Mohan, we do have 3
branches in central region now.
Q: What is your current direction and vision?
A: As I told earlier, we had identified our own niche and I always wanted to do
something different. To get this started, we are planning around 15 wholesale shops
around the nation thru our entrepreneurship program. We will be giving training for
them to extend their knowledge and improve delivery; also, how to manage the
finance as well. This will add vertical business to the industry.
We are also planning to start a flower boutique, to concentrate more on floral
arrangement and gift wrapping. Our wholesale network will serve the entire retail
chain of between 80 to 150 kiosks located strategically and operated independently
by budding entrepreneurs.
Q: What is the backbone of your organization?
A: Plans will remain as plans, if we have no one to take orders, execute it innovatively
and achieve our objectives. After years of struggle, Petal Florist is currently being
steered by 20 strong staff members. Our staff are our ambassadors, thanks to them for
their support. The company has an ambitious plan to expand staff numbers to 200 in
next 3 years to steer our overall Malaysian operations.
Q: What makes you proud?
A: My primary strengths are self-confidence and knowledge; my shortfall for the time
being is lack in marketing activities. After a few years, most of my competitors learned
to follow my patent initial business model. That make me proud but, ironically, finding
another method will be really helpful for me.
Yellow Chrysanthemum is one of most
in-demand flower, offered for prayers not only
by the Hindus but also by the Buddhists.
Scientifically, National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA) has found that
Chrysanthemum Indicum is able reduce
indoor air pollution.
37

40. 38
Despite, being the food paradise the food service industry
especially of those owned and operated by Malaysian
Indian continuously face manpower problem.
Malaysia has the reputation of being
the "food paradise" in the region as it
offers a diverse and exotic mix of
multicultural cuisines. However, as
the country move towards knowledge
economy many Malaysian deserted
low income and “dirty hand” jobs.
Other race restaurant can’t simply take
foreigner or local. For foreigner they must pay
levies and permit per person is RM3000, let’s
say 10 people would be RM30,000.00.The
boss must give from his own money. If 1 or 2
workers run away, he must suffered the loses.
For local, lets say this small restaurant open in
very unpopular area. So the local demanding
RM3000 but this restaurant boss can offer
RM1.5 with 8 hours working time. Will the
local agree? I’m not downgrade locals, but this
is the real facts people facing nowadays.
Nat Nat
(i) Chinese Restaurant operators hire any
people to work , locals and foreigners. As
long as there is a mutual agreement
between the both parties work is carried out.
(ii) Chinese Restaurant operators pay well.
Even the locals are willing to work. The
same pay given to foreigners is a jackpot
to them. So it is a long time contract.
(iii) Chinese Restaurant operators take good
care of the staff welfare. They are willing
to absorb many payments as long as they
know the ROI by employing these workers.
(iv) The working hours are very specific and
staff are given day off on certain days of
the week according to the schedule
Rubi Navaratnam
Indian Culture just wanted to invest in
restaurants and become boss only. Most of
them won’t do the restaurant works. If
investors don't like such work, what about
other Indians? How many Indians have
ambitions to become restaurant workers?
Ever since I know 40 years ago
Bharathamatha, Mohana Vilas and Jai Hind
restaurants in Jalan Tengku Kelana, Klang
operates with foreign workers from India.
Indian restaurants mostly rely on foreign
workers. These operators don't even spend on
training their staffs. That is the problem?
The only solution is to stop bringing foreign
workers into the country that cause
unresolvable social problems to our society.
Manogaran Vellayan

41. 39
We seek the public
view by posting a
question on Facebook...
“Chinese restaurants
never face labour
problem, why?”
Commenting and pointing finger is easy but
contributing and practicing to a solution is not
coming from many of us.
Talk is cheap. Let us talk about food industry, it
involves food science, food technology and
innovation with long term goals. That's reality.
Indian entrepreneurs don't invest in food
innovation areas to improve their business so
stop blaming and comparing others.
I have been advising a lot of Indian restaurants to
change and move into cook chill and frozen food
concept 20 years back but most of them failed to
understand.Today frozen food is a way of life and
fetches a high commercial value. Indian food is
well accepted for its herbs, medicinal values and
taste etc. worldwide but other races are
manufacturing it and marketing with concept.
Whom to be blame? Without change there is no
innovation, creativity, or incentive for
improvement. Those who initiate change will
have a better opportunity to manage the change
that is inevitable.
Batu Cendolah
Their business associations and political
parties are doing very good training
,development and provide guidance to them to
get the foreign workers, even for small stall in
Hawker centres they still get the workers true
outsourcing company which is managed by
their Business Association.
But you know how our business association
and political party working and there
concentrate on how much they can gain from
the approval from the allocation given by the
government.
Ramesh Munasamy
They too have the problems, but smart in
managing it. Further their working time
limited. Mostly work for few hours only while
many are does part time. Our Indian operators
work 6am to 11pm using same people. Some
mamak restaurant worse they operator 24
hours nonstop.
Govin Raj
Because they respect their labours and giving
good salary and accommodation, Indians try to
cut as much as possible salary of labour and not
giving proper accommodation and not keep their
words.
Mukuntan Warathan
Mostly family orientated. We can easily note
their children as young as 10 will be helping
their parents. This is one way to cultivate
entrepreneurship among the younger
generation
Janagken Yohayindra Kumar
They are very hard working, commitment in
every undertaking, self confidence in their
ability, family support and no subsidy
expectations, besides other merits.
Subramaniam Chinnathamby

42. 10 Most Talked About
Malaysian Indian Brands
The Malaysian Indian or Indian Malaysian is an individual who may be of complete or
fractional Indian descent. They are descendants of the people who came from India amid
the British colonization of Malaya. Most were conceived in Malaysia while some have
moved into the country since independence. In 2015, there were just over two million
individuals distinguished as "Indian" with Malaysian citizenship or permanent residence.
Even though they are only the third biggest ethnic group after the Malays and Chinese,
they still dominate some sectors and are popular brands in Malaysia.
MAXIS COMMUNICATIONS
Maxis Communications is part of vast business empire. In 1996, the company launched Malaysia's first
three satellites; MEASAT 1, 2 and 3. Maxis is a communications service provider in Malaysia with about
11.6 million subscribers, about a third of the population. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia,
Maxis provides a variety of communication products, applications and value added services for
consumers, large enterprises as well as small and medium business owners.
The majority company stakeholder is billionaire Ananda Krishnan. He is currently estimated to have a net worth of
US$11.3 billion, MYR37.3 billion making him the second wealthiest in Malaysia and number 129 in the world. AK, as
he is known is a force to be reckoned with a presence in media, satellite, oil and gas, to telecommunications and
leisure; he has made it big in the world of business from his humble beginnings in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur.
Ananda Krishnan shuns public exposure and is known to maintain a low profile for a person of his stature. Several
high-profile celebrities like Siti Nurhaliza and Jessy Wong have signed on as spokespersons for Maxis; the
Malaysian reality television show, Akademi Fantasia contestants are all on board. Maxis was the first company to
launch 4G services in Malaysia on 1 January 2013.
Below are the top 10 Malaysian Indian Brands
and a little of their history.
FEATURED
40

43. LOTUS GROUP
Lotus Group was initially established in 1988 as a restaurant at Jalan Masjid India, Kuala Lumpur. It
became a popular eatery for the Malaysian Indians and other ethnic Malaysians alike.The founder of this
group, Renah Doraisingam Pillai is a dynamic personality who gained much of his valuable experience
and business acumen from his late father Philanthropist N. Rengasamy Pillai.
Lotus Group moved to Petaling Jaya in 1990, another dynamic locality, under the name Lotus Family Restaurant
Holdings. This grew into a chain of 15 outlets throughout the Klang Valley and beyond. Lotus Group also
established convenience stores and went on to be the industrial caterers for leading industry players and
government functions.
Dorai, meaning “boss” as he is fondly known, remains the CEO of the Lotus Group which include music shops,
cinema theatres, star hotels and holiday resorts. He was awarded the Malaysian Indian Entrepreneur of 2005 by
Malaysian Associated Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry. With 13 companies within the group and growing,
his current worth is near the half billion mark; the name, Lotus, is on everyone’s lips.
AirAsia Berhad
AirAsia Berhad is a Malaysian low-cost airline
operating from KLIA 2, the second biggest airport
in Malaysia. It is the largest airline in Malaysia by
fleet size and destinations.
AirAsia operates scheduled domestic and international
flights to more than 165 destinations in 25 countries.
Its affiliate airlines operate from the neighboring
countries, while its sister airline, AirAsia X, focuses on
long-haul routes. AirAsia's registered office is in
Petaling Jaya, Selangor while its head office is at Kuala
Lumpur International Airport. AirAsia has managed to
hit the best operative figures in the industry and is
described "pioneer" of low-cost air travel.
Most of this has been made possible by its founder, the
flamboyant businessman Anthony Fernandes who
bought an ailing and heavily in-debt airline for
US$0.27. He declared,“Everyone Can Fly”. That attitude
has grown him into a net worth at US$650 million and
earned him the award as the world's best low cost
carrier for 8 years in a row in international travel and
airline awards until 2016. The Air Asia Group stated
vision to be the largest low cost airline in Asia and
serve the 3 billion people is becoming a reality, truly,
now everyone flies Air Asia.
WestPorts Malaysia
Westports Malaysia is a leading port in the world
supported by superior productivity and water
depth of 15 to 17.5 meters.This makes it the
preferred hub port for the shipping lines in this
region.The company vision is to be a successful
gateway for the Malaysian trade inventory and
become the pride of the nation in terms of
employee relations, customer satisfaction and
corporate citizenship.
FEATURED
41
The mission to achieve 12 million TEUs and 12 million
tonnes of cargo by 2020 is at grasping distance, This is
translating into excellent returns for the employees,
shareholders and customers while making the country
proud.
G. Gnanalingam is a prominent Malaysian Indian figure
known to almost all Malaysian businessmen, nearly all
imports and exports have to be thru his WestPort.
He is the current executive chairman. Born in
Singapore, raised in Port Dickson and Kuala Pilah and
of Sri Lankan Tamil ancestry, he was instrumental in
steering the port into a leading cargo and freight
player in Asia.
He stands at number 18 on the list of Malaysia’s
richest with almost US$ 1 billion. Although he is a
man of few words, he has been praised for his wit and
great leadership skills that inspire his team. Similarly,
the WestPorts is on a high-rise path to surpass all
forecasts.

44. Petra Group
The Petra Group, through its subsidiaries,
provides financial and management support for
early stage technology businesses. It engages in
researching and commercializing in the field of
biophotonics for applications in agricultural,
medical, food technology, green technology,
communication, entertainment events, stage
productions and financials.
The company is based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with
operations around the globe. The Petra Group operates
as a subsidiary of The Sekhar Foundation.
Vinod B. Sekhar founded Green Rubber in 2001 and
later the Petra Group serves as its Chairman and Group
Chief Executive and President.
He is associated with the Standard Malaysian Rubber
Scheme used worldwide among producers and
consumers of natural rubber. Sekhar received the
Corporate Leader of the Year award for his efforts in
the field of corporate responsibility and is a leading
entrepreneur and philanthropist in Malaysia.
Lowyat.Net
Lowyat.Net started in the early 2000s as a simple
website publishing the price list of computers and
gadgets from Low Yat Plaza founded by Vijandren
Ramadass. In 2011, Lowyat Networks obtained
MSC status and expanded its portfolio with the
launching of Lipstiq.com, a women lifestyle
portal.
Lowyat.net is the 17th most visited website in
Malaysia with over 2.22 million visitors monthly.
Vijandren Ramadass is a Malaysian Indian
entrepreneur who founded the oldest, largest and
most influential online community. He also serves as
the CEO of Lowyat Commerce snd Lowyat MSC. He
holds a degree in computer science.
The domain boasts a lively forum community that
hosts a combined of over six million visitors to its
sites. Wanista.com, hype.my, storekini.com,
autofreaks.com, buildupmalaysia.com and
fourthofficial.com are some of the booming web
operations on the same platform.
FEATURED
Baba's
As the Malaysian Indian premier spice brand BABAS has transcended the cultural and culinary
boundaries in the Malaysians multi-cultural, multi-ethnic society over the past 39 years.
Its range of over 33 different products in 59 sizes can be found on almost every retail shelf nationwide.
R. Pagalavan, now the chairman of Baba Products, Malaysia, started out in the late 70s with his mobile sundry shop;
a van full of cooking essentials that catered to multiracial Malaysian customers.
Demand escalated but Pagavalan never compromised on the quality of his curry powders perceived and developed
from constant customer feedback. Sheer hard work and grit grew the business into a spice empire with a global
market presence, wherever Indian food is served.
Baba Products, the company, puts the values high, to provide its customers the best products made from finest
quality ingredients, at the best possible prices and its vision to become the trusted brand with a definitive
mouth-watering edge to all food served on Malaysian plates is almost a reality. The young man in a van has
evolved into the BABAS brand!
42

45. Greater Springfield
Greater Springfield Development is a suburb of Ipswich City in Queensland,Australia. It is the first
privately built city in Australia and it is the the largest master planned community in the country at
nearly 2,860 hectares with a population of 30,000 and growing fast.
Maha Sinnathamby is the entrepreneur behind the Greater Springfield Development. Born in Rantau, Negeri
Sembilan, Malaysia in 1939, he grew up on a rubber estate during the Japanese occupation of then Malaya. Maha
moved to Australia, studied civil engineering, worked as a civil and design engineer in South East Asia before
embarking on the multi-billion-dollar project at Greater Springfield.
Maha Sinnathamby whose wealth is estimated at US$650 million, has won an award for the design and engineering
of his development from University of New South Wales, the world’s best master-planned city at the 61st World
Congress of the International Real Estate Federation at Bali and was the award recipient for the Gopio International
Renowned Entrepreneur Excellence Award 2010 for his achievement. The developer, who remains passionate about
Malaysia, feels that the country has the potential to grow further. He has plans to design a community that can be
expanded into a truly Malaysian multi-racial city.
The Asian Banker
The Asian Banker, established in 1996 provides strategic intelligence on the financial services industry,
helping decision makers develop creative solutions around research to achieve tangible business goals.
The long list of self-description starts with the statement that they strive to be amongst the best in the
world for what they do; it is a proven fact too.A wide range of products and services as laid out in their
corporate website are testament to how to add value to your business.
Emmanuel Daniel, the chairman and founder of The Asian Banker served as a committee member in the
Entrepreneurs Organization, a grouping of young business owners worldwide and is an associate member of The
Asia Society, New York He was awarded the prestigious Citibank Excellence in Journalism Award for the Asian region
for his work in determining the impact of the Internet on banking.
Emmanuel is also a highly regarded speaker and provides consulting advise to leading institutions and government
agencies on developments in the finance industry.
The above visionaries just got it going by doing what they thought would work. Although most of them were from
grassroots, they have created well-known brands that are talked about at international forums.
Many more Malaysian Indians who have also ‘made it’ will be featured in later issues of MiBrand.my magazine.
FEATURED
43

46. HEALTH
The need for treatment can arise from injury at the
workplace or business premises. Chiropractors treat
conditions such as back and neck pain, headaches and a
wide of range ailments in the skeleton and muscular
systems of the human body.
Should you visit
a Chiropractor?
44

47. HEALTH
As a new chiropractic patient, you may be
wondering how it will work out.The first spinal, or
chiropractic, adjustment may be scary.
Many people are anxious because they associate a
spinal adjustment with old, painful cracking
techniques. While the old fashioned popping technique
is not preferred, highly effective methods will surely
improve your spinal health and reduce nervous system
interference.
Because the healing process affects each person
differently, there is no proven way to know for sure how
your body will respond to your first treatment. But take
solace in that the relief and healing effects of
chiropractic care are most often felt almost
instantaneously after your first chiropractic adjustment.
A chiropractor takes note of the medical history,
performs a physical examination and may order some
lab tests or diagnostic imaging to determine the
appropriate treatment for the reported ailment.
This may involve one or more manual adjustments in
which the joints are manipulated, in some cases by
using a controlled sudden force to improve the range
and quality of motion. Many chiropractors also
incorporate nutritional counseling and exercise into
the treatment plan.
Chiropractic care includes rehabilitation process to
restore the function of the affected part and prevent
further damage. Chiropractic care is generally
considered a safe, effective treatment for
musculoskeletal injury
We Malaysians are becoming increasingly sedentary,
especially at the workplace. Using computers to do
nearly everything makes us ‘sitting ducks’! The modern
lifestyle includes less exercise and more eating –
sumptuous Malaysian food is available round the clock.
Hanging on to the overhead rail everyday while
commuting to and back from work can be a major
contributor to back pain, that will need the attention of
a chiropractor. Long hours in the car, especially in the
driver’s seat negotiating the perennial traffic is another
reason for the visit to the chiropractor.
Chiropractic treatment, physiotherapy and gym training
are quite similar. All include regular visits, at least once
a week, and the use of specialized equipment while
attended to by professionals.
The combined beneficial impact is the number one
reason one chooses the offered care collaboratively.
Proven methods of effective procedures are
incorporated into a holistic treatment plan to achieve
desired results.
Physiotherapy or chiropractic treatment is provided by
regulated practitioners, who often work as a
multi-disciplinary team in hospitals, clinics, gym
centers and sometimes, the workplace. They help
improve the health and wellbeing of workers so that
they can do their jobs efficiently and effectively.
They have a role in proactively promoting health and
well-being in the work environment and can improve
the safety, comfort and performance of the working
population. This reduces accidents and sickness
absence, and helps to improve productivity and
performance.
There are significant benefits for both employers and
employees in suitable facilities in the workplace. By
tackling problems or potential problems early on, the
likelihood of them becoming long lasting is reduced.
This improves the health and wellbeing of the working
population, helps people stay at work and translates
into cost saving for companies. The cost of medical
leave sickness absence to businesses and the economy
has always been of concern.
The Malaysian SOCSO scheme provides coverage and
protection for employees who suffers from
employment injury. This means that a personal injury to
an employee caused by accident or an occupational
disease in the course of his employment in an industry
is covered.
Many medical insurance plans also provide
similar but enhanced coverage. It would be a
good idea to choose one that applies to
chiropractic needs as well.
Musculoskeletal pain affects the bones, muscles, ligaments, tendons, and nerves.
Many adults seek treatment as a result of aging, repetitive use of limbs or
something that may have happened while at work; sometimes it may be due to an
injury while on the way to or back home from the workplace.
Adults involved in stressful occupations and activities and repetitively strain the
spine and its supporting ligaments and muscles. It is noticed that in Malaysia,
such need has increased with more people seeking chiropractic care.
45

48. QUOTES
MiBrand:
Famous Quotes
by Akio Toyoda
Everyone says Toyota is the best company
in the world, but the customer doesn't
care about the world.They care if we
are the best in town, or not.
That's what I want to be.
46

49. QUOTES
When consumers purchase a Toyota, they are
not simply purchasing a car, truck or van.
They are placing their trust in our company.
“Recalls are not about concealing problems we find. It’s about
improving the product and coming up with countermeasures,”
“It is getting more and more important to handle recalls by
seeing things from our customers’ point of view.”
“Now, I think it has become whether the products can assure
customers peace of mind.”
"What matters to Toyota is that more and more people
understand what I do on the roads"
I would like to point out here that Toyota's priority has
traditionally been the following: First; Safety, Second; Quality,
and Third; Volume.
These priorities became confused, and we were not able to stop,
think, and make improvements as much as we were able to
before, and our basic stance to listen to customers' voices to
make better products has weakened somewhat. I believe that
only by examining the problems on-site, can one make
decisions from the customer perspective. One cannot rely on
reports or data in a meeting room.
Hard Lesson Learned:
You can have millions of
customers and no one on your side.
To me, executives and staff who are my direct
reports are like my children, it's the
responsibility of a parent to protect his
children and, if a child causes problems, it's
also a parent's responsibility to apologize.
We pursued growth over the speed at which
we were able to develop our people and our
organization, and we should sincerely be
mindful of that.
47

50. Free Tools
to Manage Businesses
Doing business does not mean you need to toss cash around. A prudent business
supervisor can get some helpful tools and applications with no expense. There are online
tools that can handle everything from customer relationship administration to web based
business, websites to email accounts, client mailing records to preparing business
administration processes.
In a thorough study of the internet, we have discovered many free business tools that can help you take care of your
businesses. Many involve just Internet get to, a web program, and a couple of minutes of your time for client
enlistment. Others oblige you to download and introduce some product to get to their capacities. Most have paid
versions that offer extra features and higher limits. All the online tools listed below are free for Malaysian
businesses to take advantage.
HIGHRISE for Customer Relationship Management
Customer Relationship Management [CRM] helps your business to monitor contacts, with intent to
change them over into prospects for your business.
Going to www.highrise.com could be exactly where you have to begin to utilize CRM successfully and keep up with
your clients. The virtue of this application lies in its straightforwardness. You can enter client contact data or import
existing contact records. After that point, you can make new tasks, set due dates, and allocate tasks to classes.
It gives you a chance to unite related contacts and tasks. When you sign in the dashboard shows recent movement
and upcoming tasks. You can have a day by day task list to help you remember what you have to finish that day.
Highrise is clear and does not offer plenty of add-ons, however, it is a convenient route for you to consummate what
your clients need. The free version is constrained to only two clients and 250 contacts; more prominent limits are
accessible with paid arrangements.
MS OFFICE LIVE BASICS for Web and email Hosting
Microsoft Office Live Basics gives an independent venture a chance to build an online presence by
providing the means to create a domain with a reasonable size website and a few email accounts. MS
Office Live Basics can help you get started on a web only if you don't have a web page; you can't transfer
any material from an existing website.
Even though it is a restricted format, some convenient segments and up to 500 MB of information can be loaded to
the pages. Administration for up to 25 email accounts with 2 GB of capacity each is a bonus! The features make it
less demanding to build up a basic web page regardless of the possibility that you know literally nothing about
HTML code.
Paid releases of MS Office Live offer more noteworthy limits and extra possibilities, for example, transferring
information from a current website, record sharing and enhanced contact administration.
BUSINESS TOOLS
48

51. 49
PLANWARE for Business Planning
In the event you do not have a plan for your business, you are just waiting to fall flat.An essential piece
of a business plan is to estimate your financials.This incorporates both income and expenditure, but not
necessarily in that order.
Ordinarily, financial projections will demonstrate the presumable future financial consequences of the business. A
projection will usually cover the following five years. The main year or two be on a month-by-month premise, while
later years may demonstrate just yearly gauges.
At an absolute minimum, the financial projection will indicate points of interest for future money streams. An
incorporated financial projection will likewise indicate future costs and accounting reports. Many banks and other
financial institutions provide financial projection formats or programming applications at no cost to potential
clients.
On the off chance that you would like a contrasting option to the bank formats, consider www.planware.org for a
convenient tool. It offers free layouts for financial projections as well as income and expenditure control. There are
additional offers of more complex renditions of these financial models with free and limited trial version of
different business applications.
AGORACART for your eCommerce Shopping Cart
You shall require a shopping cart on the off chance that you offer more than one item or service on your
online business webpage.A shopping cart will sort out and show your items to and collect prospective
items on request until the customer is prepared to pay for the purchases.
The shopping cart software at www.agoracart.com is an adaptable and profoundly proficient shopping cart. You can
set up a straightforward online store that is appropriate for a new business. Additional time and specialized skills
will enable you to execute the incorporation of genuinely modern web outlines. The free download can be be
installed on your server; if you choose to pay for participation you will get access to additional services and
features.
MS ACCOUNTING EXPRESS for Business Accounting
Every business accountant can make life easier with a computerized method for monitoring those beans.
Microsoft Office Accounting Express 2007 is a fundamental bookkeeping program that will help
organizations making the move up from manual.
MS Accounting Express is the younger sibling to Office Accounting Professional. The free version offers less
bookkeeping components and reports than the paid version and is only for a single user; suffice for a new business.
The expansive 200MB or more download needs a broadband Internet connection. In spite of these constraints,
many organizations will feel comfortable utilizing this attractive and very much outlined application. It is an
appealing add-on for users who know some tricks with Microsoft Office applications like Word and Excel. You are
offered a chance to connect to online payment portals like eBay, PayPal, Visa, MasterCard, etc with normal expenses.
Other higher-end accounting capacities are accessible in Office Accounting Professional, however, you
shall have to pay for that.
BUSINESS TOOLS

52. APPOINTLET for online Appointment-Scheduling
As mundane as scheduling appointments is, so much time is spent on it. Many CEOs employ full time staff
just to keep up with appointments.A new business owner can benefit from a scheduling service available
at www.appointlet.com to keep the calendar organised and be up to date with minimal time spent on the
process.
The basic idea is to function as a personal assistant, access your calendar and allow clients to book appointments
for specific services and thus eliminate double or over bookings.
The service can also send customers automated reminders and ase collection via PayPal, freeing up valuable time
for your business. Customers are able to book appointments easily by clicking a link on your website or an email
campaign.
Setting up a free 30-day trial account is very little hassle. Premium services can be added on for a low fee.
STOCKPILE for Online Inventory Management
Small businesses everywhere are celebrating this application that makes online inventory management
quick and easy. Many small businesses track their inventory on a sheet of paper or mostly, not at all.
The free and easy-to-use online inventory management for small business is a simple system that can be adapted
over time to suit growing business's specific uses and needs. It supports unlimited users, locations, items – all that
you need. The future promise is to add customer management modules, barcode scanning and the like. More
features will also be available for purchase at a nominal rate. All that being said, what are you waiting for?
BUSINESS TOOLS
50