Forbes Asia recently published its second edition of the 100 to Watch list, which spotlights notable small companies and startups on the rise across the Asia-Pacific region. Under the theme ‘The Road To Success’, the Forbes Asia 100 to Watch Webinar was held on November 24, convening founders, CEOs and senior executives from the 100 to Watch companies.
Prominent founders and venture capitalists discussed various measures of success, lessons based on their journey and shared advice on how to avoid common pitfalls for up-and-coming entrepreneurs.
Below are videos from the Forbes Asia 100 to Watch Webinar.
Session I: Lessons Learned
“My piece of advice is: Instead of reading too many success stories, really dig into the failures that no one really talks about. There’s so much to learn from that,” said Eric Gnock Fah, COO and Cofounder, Klook.
“When I look at the situation today…it’s a painful period to be in, but it toughens you. It makes you a better entrepreneur,” said Patrick Grove, Chairman and CEO, Catcha Group.
“Being a founder is not for everyone, male or female. It is not a 9-to-5 job and a lot of the time we talk about work-life balance, whereas I believe in work-life integration,” said Lucy Liu, Cofounder and President, Airwallex.
Session II: To Fund Or Not To Fund
“It’s never too early to start world-class corporate governance, and to build institutional frameworks that will survive further rounds and at some stage will support exit,” said Shane Chesson, Founding Partner, Openspace Ventures.
“We actually don’t try to chase the hot sectors. We try to follow great founders,” said Tan Yinglan, Founding Managing Partner, Insignia Ventures Partners.
“What I’d encourage companies to think about is what is healthy growth for the future.. what kind of milestones are you likely to hit with the cash you have…and what kind of investors do you think could be attracted,” said Helen Wong, Managing Partner, AC Ventures.