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The Amazing Authorities Podcast
From Discipline to Enterprise: Shi Liang Tan on Building Businesses That Survive and Scale
00:30:26
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- [00:02]
A
Welcome to the Amazing Authorities podcast where game changers, visionaries and category leaders share how they built their brands, platforms and global influence. Your host is Mitch Carson, international speaker, media strategist and creator of the Instant Authority system. If you're ready to learn from those who've done it and want to become the go to expert in your space, you're in the right place.
- [00:31]
B
Sheilin is here today. Sheilin Tan. Now, the tan is an unusual, but the man is. He's hails from Singapore and he has a great background, one that makes you hungry because he comes from the background of restaurants in Singapore where the food is spectacular and he's also a serial entrepreneur and. And I don't mean the kind of cereal that you eat. The ongoing multiple entrepreneur with many companies. Shi Liang, welcome to the Amazing Authorities.
- [01:06]
C
Thank you, Mitch. Thank you for having me on your show. Yeah, my pleasure to be here today with you.
- [01:12]
B
Yes. And tell us, show us the first book. We met, I guess a couple years ago when you decided to embark on becoming an authority. Let's talk about your first book. So people get a little familiar with you. Yeah, so this is my first book.
- [01:30]
Frustration to Fortune. Okay.
- [01:34]
C
Yeah. So most of us have dreams and you know, especially wanting to become a business owner. And many of those that I met wanted to become a FNB business owner because of the high cash flow, because having a place to host people and stuff and converting from a 9 to 5 job and becoming an entrepreneur and business owner. Lots of people doesn't know how. And that's why I started with this book.
- [02:03]
B
Well, let's say, well, F and B for people who don't know what that means. That's food and beverage. You're in the business. I'm in the. I've worked with hotels for 40 years in my career working with event spaces. So food and beverage industry. And this is all part of your legacy, isn't it? Your family's been in it.
- [02:22]
C
Yeah, a little of the story there. I mean, everyone in Singapore grew up in a coffee shop, right?
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B
Okay.
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C
We sell lots of food. Hot land. Low, low.
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Affordable food. Right.
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B
Okay. Low cost, affordable food. Yes.
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C
And my family started and co founded the brand called S11. It's a coffee shop chain in Singapore. So like you say, you know, I'm born into a family of FMB food and beverages. And it's every. I can say that everyone in the 90s and on grew up with this brand.
- [03:02]
B
So they've eaten at your restaurants, but yet you're, you're nice and Thin and lean and I'm not in the restaurant business and I'm pudgy. Where's the justice here? She long. That's not good. I've been eating chicken my whole life and you're making money with the food. You've got the green chicken, I've got the fat one. How's that to be explained?
- [03:23]
C
Yeah, I mean I was in the, I was, I joined the military for 10 years. I mean a bit of a backstory back there. Yeah. Being in the coffee shop and in, in Asia. In Asia and in Singapore we call it the copy coffee. We say copy and we. It being a blue collar job. Right. Many people blue collar job. And me back then, when I was growing up, I, I actually didn't want to be associated with this or coffee boy tagging. And that's why when, when time comes and I turn 18, whereby all Singaporean males need to serve mandatory national service in the military, I decided to make it my full time job to escape from the tagging of a kopika and to serve the nation with, with more purpose and pride. Right. So I actually, I actually.
- [04:17]
It was an escape for me.
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B
Okay.
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C
Until I found I founded more purpose as I continued to serve. Serving the nation, serving the people, being ambassador and diplomat of Singapore. Yeah. And I was, I found many purpose there and it taught me of course exercising, keeping me lean and got it sure help in the running of the business when I ironically again left the service because of family commitments to come back to do business and of course of everything fmb. Okay.
- [04:53]
B
Did you, did you get married during your military service?
- [04:58]
C
Yes, I did marry my beautiful wife and blessed with two.
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Annoying but adorable young boys.
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B
Oh, two boys. Oh my gosh. Yeah. I, I think there's Ernest Tan who's also. He's got three boys. So I don't know what it is. Is he, is he part of your fam? Is he a family member or. No, it's just the same last name.
- [05:22]
C
Probably 500 years ago in China.
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B
500 years going back to China. But I, yeah, I've seen him and he looks exhausted. I'm sure you have the same look at time, but that's how you guys keep so fit, running around chasing these boys to keep them in check. Oh, are they us? Exactly. So, so your first book, what does that provide? Let's take a look at your first book again because I know you've got two and you got another one on the way which is found. That warms my heart knowing that I was able to impact you to write. So the frustration to fortune. What do people take away from reading that book?
- [05:56]
C
So actually I have in mind three books in total. The first book is really of the transition of a 9 to 5 or the normal mainstream education back to society. How do we start and what to look out for? Starting a business, specifically a F and B business. Right.
- [06:18]
Navigating around the financials, the operations that's required, dealing with some potentially nasty landlords, suppliers, choosing the quality and working with many, many staff of different character, education and background.
- [06:37]
B
And do you think your military background, understanding, discipline, focus and outcomes played into you writing this book and played into you running and systematizing the FNB business?
- [06:51]
C
Definitely. I mean first, first of all, discipline like you mentioned, it's not all rosy and beautiful like in business writing itself. You know, you have to turn out thousands and thousands of words. Getting the visuals up, getting the marketing done for the book, getting the awareness done on the book. All of this learning and, and sourcing for resources to get this, this book itself published, written and published. Definitely wasn't easy. You know, I've known of many people that wanted to write a book for the whole lifetime, 10, 20, 30 years, but always only speaking about it, never, never having a published one.
- [07:35]
B
Yeah, no, it takes a while. My first published book took over two years to get it all done and written and it was a commitment and it's now. Show us and tell us about your next book.
- [07:49]
C
And right. I mean after starting the business, of course you need to survive and profitable palette.
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B
I love it.
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C
Yes. So everything is slightly linked to F and B. Right. So this book in the 20th century is a lot of big data and data assisted.
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Decision. I mean right back then we are not so informed. Internet is not so prevalent. All the big data analytics isn't on our hands right now. We have AI and everything. We can get the customer information, their behaviors and stuff. So why not use this information and data that's collected to make informed decision like what is the bestseller? What are the items to be draw, you know, what kind of customers are we getting? What's their age group, what's their gender? So all this data assisted decision making helps and how to use this information to grow your business. So it's a natural flow starting then prospering. And then like I said earlier, I'm teeing up to that, my third book which is the exit of the whole business. Yeah.
- [09:06]
B
A to Z.
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C
A to Z. Yep, you can say that.
- [09:09]
B
Okay, you say A to Z. All right. For the Americans, Z is a Z. Okay.
- [09:14]
C
Yeah. All right. I like to say that, you know, it's. I can see the color coding of these two books right over here. Right.
- [09:20]
B
Huh. What's the next one?
- [09:23]
C
Oh, so it's yellow, orange and red.
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B
White. Oh, yellow, orange and red. Okay.
- [09:28]
C
Yeah. Oh, okay, good. Yeah. Beginner intermediate. And the expert level is the red one.
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B
Okay.
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C
Yes.
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B
And what will people learn in the third book?
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C
Third book is really. I mean in business we all want to make money and so I, we always say that, you know, begin with the exit in mind. So it's about exit and it's called the final cost.
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Yes.
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B
So that leads to legacy then shilang.
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C
Yeah, that's. That's correct. One of the. One of the.
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Potential exit we can have is having a cash cow that we can potentially leave for my little tons to carry on the legacy.
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B
The more tans. The more tans, the more.
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Now you've also. So what you've. Yeah, so you've got what you created here, which I'm so proud of you. You've created a book series. And a series is usually three to many more books. But is there a fourth at least in the planning in the brain, or will this close out with the trilogy be it.
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C
I mean you are, you are right to say in a way and you said that you took a long time to publish your first book and I. And we all know. Right. You went on to publish so many other books.
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B
So it's.
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C
It's rather, it's rather addictive you call it. Yes, I do have. I do have one more book which is in mind after. Let me, let me finish my third one. It's about entrepreneurship.
- [11:00]
B
Sure.
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C
It's going to be about entrepreneurship and my whole journey and yeah. What others can look out for in this, they call it the 1% of the population journey.
- [11:10]
B
The 1% of the population. Unpack that a little bit.
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C
Yeah. Because the rest of the 99% are followers and employees. The 1% entrepreneurs are the leaders setting the market and bringing trailblazing the way forward.
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B
Is that the act is that worldwide that 1% of the the population is on. Comprises the entrepreneurs of the world.
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C
I went through some statistics. It seems like that's where they are pointing us to. Or maybe I. My guess it might be even lesser.
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B
Wow, that's true. Gosh, I couldn't imagine being an employee.
- [11:48]
C
And that's never looking back once you step on it.
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B
Yeah, yeah. It's pretty hard to. It's not even the ego part of taking orders. I mean at this I'm at the sunset of my career. But the, the idea of not being able to go do something, a great idea that comes into mind and executing it without having to get it cleared. If you're in that mindset, it's, it's all, it's freedom, isn't it? Would you call this a freedom feeling or a free feel to work for yourself?
- [12:15]
C
I would say that that might be one of the perks of being an entrepreneur. But I think what really stands out is that entrepreneurs want to go out there and get things done and get things right. We see something, we see an opportunity, we grab onto opportunity and we want there to do something that we stand firmly and strongly believe in. Right. There are so many people that we know that has many complaints, many suggestions, mainly complaints. I can see your smile, right?
- [12:47]
B
Oh my gosh. Well, you're speaking.
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C
They're never getting anything done about it. They're just complaining.
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B
Oh, that's worldwide, buddy. That just isn't in Singapore. You don't have the license, the sole license on that in your country. I've traveled the world and it's true. And what do you think about problem solution profits? Problem solution profits. Is that what an entrepreneur provides or solves?
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C
They see a problem opportunity, they provide a solution and rightfully so. They should profit from the solution they provided.
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B
Bingo. Bingo. Yeah. Oh yeah. That's two. If I had more thumbs, they'd be up. I don't know, I could do this. You know something that's fantastic. Now you're also involved. The FNB business you were born in, you rejoined it when you got out of the military and you've created systems for that. I'm sure you've improved the family business. You're also involved in other businesses being the true entrepreneur that you are.
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C
I mean, we try to go deep into the business. I mean I had invested into many businesses. Some, some hit some misses. But from the, from this journey, I really appreciate what the many other predecessors and other entrepreneurs had said. You know, go deep, not white. Right. Because with economies of scale and with integration, I mean through the whole manufacturing, distribution, front end brick and mortar retail sales of food thereafter, having to be and to see, I mean that itself is quite a wide and big market, each each requiring different knowledge, different skill sets and stuff and exploring it itself, it's already more than, more than playful for me. Right. And going deep and, and having more in depth knowledge does really make us the authority of our specific industry and field. And if it doesn't consolidate my position or our position in the industry that is just diluting our attention and focus.
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B
Okay, give me some examples of clients who have followed your path or others that you've helped and what they've done and what they've been able to achieve because of your templated success program.
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C
Yeah, I mean many have, many friends have seen me as a successful entrepreneur, successful FNB player and they have came to us and they rightfully question. I mean in the Singapore newspapers it has been published that this year alone more than 3,000 FNB business half folded, record high.
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B
And yeah, oh yeah, in Singapore, 3,000. Now is that the, the small mom and pops that you see in some of the, the, the small malls that are there that they, they're just selling duck, another one selling chicken and rice.
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C
And are those My, my guess is that because those are too small, right. They might not be recorded or those might not have been registered businesses with the authorities. So my guess is this might, this might be just part of the information which only captures the larger restaurants and shops. So the actual figures might have been higher.
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B
And why do you think they're closing?
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C
So a lot of them have sprouted over Covid, right. When rents are relatively cheap and right now it's back to normal market and rents have shot up. So that's one and two, many people do not have intrinsic knowledge on how to start a startup business as a whole, much less to say F and B whereby there are many variables.
- [16:53]
B
Well, what are some of the common variables? This is shocking because Singapore's population is growing. Yes, you just, you shocked me with this statistic because Singapore has roughly 6 million people. Based on my last read about it, that's correct. So it's about, it's a small country by my standards, coming from a country of 335 million people. And I think it's even larger than that because of all the undocumented. But a closure rate of 3,000 in the last year and you've also disqualified the ones that are smaller. They maybe got into the business because it was easy and realized that it was hard. Did they lack systems? What have you identified and as the common reasons why they folded?
- [17:39]
C
So answering your current and previous question, what do my friends and clients come to me for and why do those that didn't and you know, maybe constitute to the 3,000? I think one thing is about clarity. They just see it as a hobby, not as a business. They something good to have and easy to have, but without really having the clarity of the insights of what they are getting into. What are the financials the numbers that they need and could potentially go into before really starting. And once they go in, it's like, oh, I mean, surprise. There's more.
- [18:22]
Than it meets the eye. Yeah. So business staying afloat, cash flow, if they don't even know about it, how can they prepare for it? And if they are not prepared for it.
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That'S why they are gone.
- [18:37]
B
How much does mindset factor into this? And I'm going to use not just the F and B business. Let's talk about business in general. Sheilin. Does this fold first or is it the wallet? Is it the just overall management? What. Where is talk about those priorities?
- [19:01]
C
I mean, we always say if there's a will, there's a way.
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B
Right.
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C
But the truth is. The truth is we can be.
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We can have a very strong fighting spirit. But one thing that you pointed out, the wallet, when the wallet is empty, no matter how much you try, no matter how much you plead, you know, I can admire you for your courage, for your fighting spirit, and I can like you as a person. But when you stop paying me, the relationship is going to sour. Likewise for the landlord, for the suppliers, for all your working partners and your investors. Where we will say put. Put your money where your mouth is.
- [19:46]
B
Of course we say that worldwide. Yes, it's true. So it's all the positivity. Doesn't matter if you're not paying your bills.
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C
Yes. So I have seen many.
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Strong, passionate, wonderful people coming out to do business, but because for the lack of clarity and the poor management of cash flow, Cash and cash flow especially, they need to fall. Would they, would they have the guts to come out and try again? I'm not too sure. But it is really a pity whereby, you know, they are, they might be scarred already. It's just a pity.
- [20:28]
B
And what do these people do after they perish? Do they pivot or do they just turn inside?
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C
Unfortunately, some of them rack up in the rates and in depths and they have to get the job back to the nine to five.
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B
Got it.
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C
And back to paying that. Back to.
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Being an employee. No flexibility, dreams, totally killed. Potentially also scarred. And never ever touching entrepreneurship again.
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B
It happens. And it's, it's not. I mean, you mentioned that, that statistic. It makes sense. We have an expression in the us There are lots of Indians and one chief.
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It's probably similar. Yeah, there's, there's one leader. I mean, how many generals are there in your army? Yeah, how many generals are in the armed services? And then how many privates do you have? You Have a, you know, a huge number of privates, maybe sergeants and I don't know how you rank it in the Singapore military, but there's usually one there, you know, it's a pyramid, isn't it?
- [21:40]
C
It's a pyramid, yes. It's already. There's, there's only one pinnacle position. Yeah. So to rise to the top 1% and to be the top 1%, it's always a.
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Honor and prestige, you know. But how, how many people have tried to get there but have not succeeded?
- [22:00]
B
All right, now let's flip it, let's flip this, the negative as to where they're going out of business into. What do people do that you've recognized in order to sustain downturns and persevere and become more successful? Is it the marketing so mindset we've disqualified because if they don't have the bank, all that doesn't matter. So they've got to have some cash so a kitty to support them. What else is it? Marketing is a personality. What have you found are the common elements that push that, that business into the success category?
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C
So what I'm going to say next is it may sound a bit cliche. Right. It's called your network. Is your net worth?
- [22:49]
B
Yes.
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C
You are the average of 5 person around you. So if you have good mentors, if you have good entrepreneurs, motivators encouraging you, this is the way that you can explore. These are the potential ways that you can explore. These are the people that you can potentially meet to grow your business. They keep encouraging you, they keep showing you the way. They have other high net worth friends, you are more likely to become more and more like them. So if you ask me, the people that you mix with, your environment, your network is really what is most important. Because humans, what we, what, what the younger generation would say. Fomo, fear of missing out.
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B
Right. Right.
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C
You want to follow, we want to follow, mimic and monkey, whoever that is around us, we always try to move to a higher position. And having these people around us, we will be motivated and be spurred on to achieve more, if not to match them, if not to surpass them.
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B
So the five people who you hang with, you end up making. And the interesting statistic, and I bet it's, it's true, you make within 10% of each other's income as well.
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C
Yeah. Yes.
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B
Who you hang with, who you choose to associate with. And that is a, that's an interesting, interesting statistic. And what else? So networking is one. What would be another big factor?
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C
A big factor is.
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Really self Belief, Belief in yourself. Know that of course, do all your homework, do all your due diligence, you know, and thereafter, just persevere. Know that you are in good hands. Believe in yourself. Just do it. I've never ever met one person that tell me I regretted doing this. I regret, I regretted doing that. Everyone that has a regret will tell me that, Liang. You know, I regret that not doing something, not doing, not trying on that endeavor, not trying that business, not picking up that opportunity. And you know, it's about the, the uncertainty that scares people. But it's so the uncertainty that makes people regret. What, what if, you know, what if, if I tried that I could have lead a better life, my family can have better materials. I could have been, I could have been that person that was dreaming to be right. What if. So trust yourself. Just do it. Don't leave any regrets.
- [25:31]
B
So associate with like minded people who are successful that are doing it. Take the risk. Because without the risk there is no Reward. You'll miss 100 of the shots you never take. If you're tuned to shoot for that target, if you don't pull the trigger, you're never going to hit the target. Military metaphor. Okay, and then what would you say would be the third? What's the icing on the cake? What are, what are, what is that common characteristic of the successful people you, you've recognized.
- [26:05]
C
Touching a bit more on what I just said, you know, is really believe in yourself and just do it. Because like you say, do you, do you aim and shoot or do you shoot and aim at the same time? Which is faster, right?
- [26:19]
B
Well, yeah, yeah, I guess you've got to shoot, don't you? Because if you aim too much, you're all the people are going to pass by. So I mean it's, I think in terms of threes. Sheiland. So you mentioned hang around the right people, find the right mentor, which is you, for example, find somebody who's been there. You don't follow Negative Nancy who says you can't do it? You know, nobody in our family has been successful. No, you got to be around positive Paul to then say, yes, you can do it, you've got to do it. You got to shoot the bullet. And third, you've got to trust yourself in the process. It sounds like if I'm to break this into threes and then if I were to add a fourth of what you're telling me is to evaluate, would that be one, you know, just saying, you know, you got to evaluate with people and look at what you've done and then improve it.
- [27:14]
C
Yeah, I mean, you know, you plan, you do and you check and you action again and you go around. It's a cycle. Always evaluate. I mean being in the military, we always say firing and rifles and stuff like that. I like the analogy. And one, one senior commander shared with me, you know, you can plan, but after the first bullet is fired, everything change, right? Generation change, era changes, demand change. So after, after you executed and put it in the market, evaluate, evolve with it, stay relevant. Otherwise you will be eliminated by the market itself.
- [27:53]
B
Well, you mentioned that's the one I was looking for and it came out stay relevant, you need to. And I learned this in the pandemic big time. Xi Leong, pivot or perish.
- [28:04]
C
Yes.
- [28:05]
B
Pivot to profits is what you're saying. Staying relevant. Change your menu if necessary. If people aren't eating dim sum anymore as an example, but they probably always will. But if they're not eating dim sum dipped in plum sauce because plum sauce is deemed to be cancer causing, as an example, you then you dip it in teriyaki, whatever it is, you got to change what's necessary in order to accommodate the market.
- [28:31]
C
Yes. Always observe, always listen.
- [28:35]
B
Yeah. Even in the publishing industry, do you know that you've created these, these written works people consume through ebooks. People consume through audiobooks today, very important to put it into audio and we'll talk about that off camera. But Xi Leong, you have been great. Where can people find out about you and your two books and then third one that's coming out in your series.
- [29:01]
C
I mean the books are on Amazon, right? Everybody's publishing on Amazon. And for those that are looking out for more clarity in the entrepreneurship journey, can always look up my name here in LinkedIn.
- [29:14]
B
She Liang Tan. Tan is easy. And ladies and gentlemen, it's Shi middle name L I A N G and Tan. If you put some lotion on, you too can be a tanned person. And that is what is where you will find then just sheiliang town in LinkedIn, correct?
- [29:34]
C
Yes, that's right. Otherwise you can look out for my brand Captain of entrepreneurship.
- [29:39]
B
I love that. And let's get a salute out of you. Let's get it. There you go. There you go. There's the salute. And you've been a great guest today on the Amazing Authorities. So happy you made it, she Liang. And I look forward to seeing you again when I'm in Singapore. Next time, buddy. Thank you.
- [29:57]
A
Thanks for tuning in to the Amazing Authorities podcast. If today's episode inspired you take a moment to subscribe, rate and leave a review. It helps more experts like you rise to the top. For behind the scenes access and free resources to boost your authority, head to MitchCarson.com until next time, stay amazing.