Podcast Summary

The Amazing Authorities Podcast

Host: Mitch Carson
Guest: Shi Liang Tan, Serial Entrepreneur & Author
Episode Title: From Discipline to Enterprise: Shi Liang Tan on Building Businesses That Survive and Scale
Date: December 4, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode features an in-depth conversation between Mitch Carson and Singaporean entrepreneur Shi Liang Tan. The main focus is on Tan’s journey from a family-run food & beverage (F&B) business to military service, and then back to entrepreneurship — covering how discipline, clarity, and strategic networking have shaped his business philosophy. Tan discusses his book series on entrepreneurship, lessons from scaling and sustaining businesses, and common pitfalls for new entrepreneurs. The episode also explores broader insights on what separates successful entrepreneurs from those who struggle or fail.

Key Themes & Discussion Points

1. Shi Liang Tan’s Background and Entry into F&B

• Family Legacy: Grew up in the restaurant and coffee shop industry in Singapore, with his family co-founding the well-known S11 coffee shop chain (02:40).
• Escaping Tagging: Served 10 years in the military to avoid the “coffee boy” tag, later returning to the business with a new purpose (03:22-04:53).
• Military Influence: Attributes his discipline and fitness to military life, which later supported his business ventures.

Notable Quote:

“In Asia and in Singapore we call it the copy coffee... Many people, blue collar job. And me back then, when I was growing up, I actually didn’t want to be associated with this or coffee boy tagging.”
— Shi Liang Tan (03:22)

2. The Book Trilogy: Guiding Entrepreneurs through Stages

Book 1: Frustration to Fortune

• Target Audience: Individuals moving from 9-to-5 jobs into F&B entrepreneurship (01:34, 05:55).
• Content: Covers basics of starting an F&B business, financials, operations, dealing with landlords/suppliers, and managing diverse staff (06:17).
• Motivation: The transition from employee to owner and how to do it successfully.

Book 2: Profitable Palette

• Focus: Survival and profitability in F&B, especially using data-driven, AI-assisted decision-making (07:49, 08:08).
• Modern Tools: Emphasis on leveraging big data for understanding customer behaviors, optimizing menus, and business growth.

Book 3: The Final Cost (Upcoming)

• Theme: Planning exit strategies with the future and legacy in mind (09:37).
• Advice: Begin with your exit in mind, whether leaving a “cash cow” to heirs or selling the business (09:52-10:10).

Book 4: On the Horizon

• Pitch: A broader book on entrepreneurship itself — “the 1% journey” (11:00).
• Concept: The rarity and challenge of stepping beyond employee roles into market leadership.

Notable Quotes:

"Begin with the exit in mind."
— Shi Liang Tan (09:37)

“The 1% entrepreneurs are the leaders setting the market and bringing, trailblazing the way forward.”
— Shi Liang Tan (11:14)

3. Lessons from F&B (Food and Beverage) Industry and Entrepreneurship

Why Businesses Fail (Singapore's Case Study)

• Statistics: Over 3,000 F&B business closures in Singapore this year — likely higher if including small, unregistered operations (15:45-16:25).
• Causes:
  • Rising rents post-COVID (16:29).
  • Lack of operational knowledge and preparation (16:53).
  • Failure to approach the business with clarity and seriousness (17:38-18:35).
  • Poor cash flow management and financial planning (19:10-19:55).

Success Factors for Entrepreneurs

• Clarity: View the venture as a serious business, not a hobby.
• Cash Flow: “Wallet comes before will” (19:01-19:55).
• Resilience: Many who fail may be too scarred to try again.
• Support Networks: Mentorship, motivational peers, and strategic networking are crucial ("your network is your net worth") (22:41-23:55).
• Belief in Self & Action: Take calculated risks; regret most often comes from not trying (24:23-25:31).
• Continuous Evaluation: After each cycle, evaluate, improve, and pivot as needed (27:13-27:52).
• Adaptability: “Stay relevant or perish”; change products/services according to market trends (28:04-28:31).

Notable Quotes:

“You can have a very strong fighting spirit…But when the wallet is empty, no matter how much you try, no matter how much you plead…when you stop paying me, the relationship is going to sour.”
— Shi Liang Tan (19:10)

“Your network is your net worth… The people that you mix with, your environment, your network is really what is most important.”
— Shi Liang Tan (22:49)

“I've never ever met one person that tell me I regretted doing this. Everyone…will tell me…I regret that not doing something.”
— Shi Liang Tan (24:23)

“Plan, do, and you check and you action again and you go around. It's a cycle. Always evaluate.”
— Shi Liang Tan (27:13)

“Pivot or perish. Pivot to profits is what you're saying. Staying relevant.”
— Mitch Carson (28:04)

4. Sustainable Business Practices and Building Authority

• Deep, Not Wide: Success comes from mastering a specific vertical before trying to diversify (13:52-15:01).
• Templated Success: Shi Liang’s clients benefit from clarity, systems, and processes learned from his own journey (15:11-18:35).
• Mentorship & Example: Success breeds success among peer groups, reinforcing the importance of choosing the right company (22:49-24:06).

5. Practical Advice and Entrepreneurial Mindset

Top 4 Qualities for Success (Audience Takeaways at 26:04-28:31):

1. Networking: Surround yourself with successful, motivating mentors and peers.
2. Belief & Risk-Taking: Trust yourself, take calculated action — “just do it.”
3. Evaluation & Adaptation: Continually assess and improve; evolve with the market.
4. Staying Relevant: Be ready to pivot products/services based on changing demands.

Notable Quotes:

“If you don't pull the trigger, you're never going to hit the target... Without the risk there is no reward.”
— Mitch Carson (25:31)

6. Resources & How to Connect

• Books: Available on Amazon — Frustration to Fortune, Profitable Palette, and upcoming The Final Cost (29:00).
• Contact: Shi Liang Tan on LinkedIn; search “Captain of Entrepreneurship” for more info (29:14).
• Action Step for Listeners: Follow, connect, and apply the principles from Shi Liang's entrepreneurial journey.

Notable & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• [03:22] — Shi Liang describes joining the military to shed blue-collar stereotypes.
• [06:17] — Navigating business operations, landlord challenges, and team management in F&B.
• [09:37] — “Begin with the exit in mind” — advice on building legacy businesses.
• [11:14] — The entrepreneurship “1% journey.”
• [15:45-16:25] — The alarming rate of F&B closure in Singapore, sparking an in-depth analysis of failure points.
• [19:10] — The primacy of cash flow: “Wallet comes before will.”
• [22:49] — “Your network is your net worth”—the centrality of social circle in entrepreneurial success.
• [24:23] — Regret comes not from failure, but from failing to try.
• [27:13] — The “plan-do-check-act” cycle and the necessity of constant evaluation.

Final Thoughts

This candid and instructive conversation with Shi Liang Tan distills key lessons from both his personal journey and his mentoring of other entrepreneurs. Listeners are left with actionable insights on building resilient, scalable businesses and the mindset required to become part of the entrepreneurial “1%.” Mitch Carson masterfully draws out practical advice, making this episode essential for anyone navigating business transitions or seeking to break through as an authority in their field.