What’s your story?
A multi-hyphenate furniture designer – sales manager – service industry executive, who has combined all my past experience and passions into establishing FLIQ – a design consultancy start-up focused on interior and furniture design services.
What excites you most about your industry?
It is great to see how design is now recognised as a real business value driver, and that more local enterprises are willing to prioritise and invest in design services as a result.
What’s your connection to Asia?
I was born and raised in Singapore. It is and always will be home.
Favourite city in Asia for business and why?
Singapore – I love that with the move of many MNCs and brand HQs here, Singapore is becoming a real creative hub where talent from around the world is converging. The pace at which new trends, design inspirations and subcultures emerge is phenomenal. There’s so much to absorb and exchange.
What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?
“The speed of change is faster than the progress of your plans.” – The point is to be nimble and flexible, and not to dwell on how things don’t go according to plan.
Who inspires you?
Pop culture inspires a lot of my work – movies and music in particular. I’m a big fan of Christopher Nolan – some of my work and ideation processes are inspired by him.
What have you just learnt recently that blew you away?
The secret history of the Noguchi table – a Herman Miller design released in 1948. I just read this week that the iconic piece was actually designed by a man named Isamu Noguchi, whose fascinating journey in creating this table involved time he spent in a World War II Japanese internment camp.
If you had your time again, what would you do differently?
I would spend more time with my late mom – and not have the mentality that we would always have time next year to go on a holiday together.
How do you unwind?
I exercise and I also play a lot of video games – FIFA on the Playstation!
Favourite Asian destination for relaxation? Why?
Bali for the beach scene and affordable villas. Bali always feels like a huge eco-system of self-sustaining resorts, and I like the relaxed atmosphere brought about by a combination of the accessible infrastructure, great service and lifestyle offerings. It’s fuss-free and pleasant. I always have a great time.
Everyone in business should read this book:
“Give and Take” by Adam Grant
Shameless plug for your business:
Check out the NEXT series of kinetic office furniture designed by FLIQ on sale at XTRA in Park Mall.
How can people connect with you?
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This interview was part of the Callum Connect’s column found on The Asian Entrepreneur:
Callum Laing has started, built, bought and sold half a dozen businesses in a range of industries across two continents. He is the owner of Fitness-Buffet a company delivering employee wellness solutions in 11 countries and he is also the CEO of Entrevo Asia, a company that runs 40 week Growth Accelerator programs.
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