Patricia Lin aims to help grow small businesses across Asia through her digital marketing business.
What’s your story?
I started learning about internet marketing together with my then-boyfriend and now-husband, Calvin Woon in our second year of studies at National University of Singapore (NUS). That eventually led us to start multiple online businesses which generated over $2,000,000 in online sales in a few short years. After graduation, we decided not to find regular jobs and registered our company Zion Global Marketing Pte Ltd. Today, our company generates over $1M in revenue every single year and we also help small to medium businesses who have a problem generating leads and sales online through our customised digital marketing campaigns.
What excites you most about your industry?
The digital marketing industry is ever-changing and what used to work just one year ago may be deemed obsolete or ineffective today. Because it is so dynamic, it means that we, as online entrepreneurs have to constantly learn and adapt and that’s what I love about it.
What’s your connection to Asia?
I have a rather diverse family background. My parents were pen-pals writing from two different countries for 14 years before they got married. Both my maternal and paternal grandparents’ origins are from China but my mum’s side of the family were all born in the Philippines while my dad’s side are all from Singapore. Both families have their origins in trade and business and I guess that’s where I probably got the genes from.
Favourite city in Asia for business and why?
Definitely Singapore.
I’ve tried my hand doing business in Malaysia and Thailand and I have to say that Singapore has the most diverse and talented workforce in the region. More importantly, I think that the language for business communication being English, puts us at a huge advantage as compared to our other Asian counterparts and allows us to communicate with large parts of the world.
What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?
Always be nice to people you meet on your way up because you’ll never know who you’d meet on the way down.
Who inspires you?
Currently, it has to be Janine Allis, founder of Boost Juice. I got to meet her in person in July this year and she is one of Australia’s richest self-made women with a net worth of $66 million. She is a really intelligent business woman who carved out a hugely successful career and she has a wonderful family. She made me realize that it’s okay to be imperfect so long as we always do our best in the areas of life which are most important to us.
What have you just learnt recently that blew you away?
In business, you will never grow as huge if you only compete with the businesses around you because Singapore is just so small. When you learn to play on a global scale, you’d realise how little you actually know and how much more you can really grow as a business owner and as an enterprise. It’s time to run global businesses instead of local ones.
If you had your time again, what would you do differently?
As I think back, it’s easy to think about what I could have done differently to avoid making the mistakes I made. But it’s actually through these mistakes that I learnt the most about running a business.
So, no, I actually wouldn’t do anything differently.
How do you unwind?
Many ways. I love to travel out of the country with Calvin to beach vacation places like Maldives, Bali, Phuket. But I guess on a regular day, it’s actually watching movies with a good plot, reading a good book or drinking a good glass of Whisky dry.
Favourite Asian destination for relaxation? Why?
Oh it has to be Bali. I love Balinese massages and the luxurious private villas they have to offer!
Everyone in business should read this book:
Built to Sell – It is an eye opener that makes you rethink how to operate and systemize your business.
Shameless plug for your business:
Zion Global Marketing is a digital marketing agency on a mission, by 2020, to help 500 small to medium business owners around Asia generate consistent clients through their marketing campaigns and sales funnels we create. Some of our clients have generated over 6 figures in revenue in their businesses in less than 6 months of working with us. We are passionate about marketing and sales and are highly experienced in digital marketing, and we know what kind of campaigns will get you results in your industry.
How can people connect with you?
I can be reached via the following means:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/patricialin86
Linkedin: https://sg.linkedin.com/in/patricialin86
Skype: patricialin86
My personal blog (that hasn’t been maintained in awhile though!): www.patricialin.com
and Email: [email protected]
Twitter handle?
https://twitter.com/patricialin
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This interview was part of the Callum Connect’s column found on The Asian Entrepreneur:
Callum Laing invests and buys small businesses in a range of industries around Asia. He has previously started, built and sold half a dozen businesses and is the founder & owner of Fitness-Buffet a company delivering employee wellness solutions in 12 countries. He is a Director of, amongst others, Key Person of Influence. A 40 week training program for business owners and executives.
Take the ‘Key Person of Influence’ scorecard <http://www.keypersonofinfluence.com/scorecard/>
Connect with Callum here:
twitter.com/laingcallum
linkedin.com/in/callumlaing
Get his free ‘Asia Snapshot’ report from www.callumlaing.com
