To Yong Ng, a beginner’s spirit in business is important. Running a design outfit, he keeps his sanity and spirit by skating.

What’s your story?
I started my journey as a skate rat and now I run a small design outfit aiming to better the way we experience design.

What excites you most about your industry?
It’s always been about the possibilities of doing something amazing that others can enjoy.

What’s your connection to Asia?
Born and raised in Singapore; deeply rooted into this hodgepodge that makes our individuality.

603871_307148132710149_605825944_n SHENTONISTA_Yong_Singpore_Designer_Shirt_Muji_Jacket_thrifted_Pants_Uniqlo_Shoes_Dr._Martens_Bag_Dr._Martens_17_March_2015_170315_UNIFORM_2

Favourite city in Asia for business and why?
Singapore; the ease and transparency is something we haven’t experienced elsewhere yet.

What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?
Never forget your beginner’s spirit.

Who inspires you?
People who remain strong against adversity in their journey, those who stay on the fringe and those who show the world an alternative way of seeing.

What have you just learnt recently that blew you away?
It may just be possible to achieve some resemblance of balance in life.

If you had your time again, what would you do differently?
I would have studied much harder and took more time off for travelling.

How do you unwind?
I spend most evenings at a bar near the office and I spend Sundays skateboarding with my mates.

Favourite Asian destination for relaxation? Why?
Taipei; the creative energy there is very infectious.

Everyone in business should read this book:
A Designer’s Art by Paul Rand

Shameless plug for your business:
Somewhere Else, anywhere but here and now; translating brands into experiences worth sharing.

How can people connect with you?
www.somewhere-else.co

Twitter handle?
@somewhereelseco

This interview was part of the Callum Connect’s column found on The Asian Entrepreneur:

CallumConnects

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

Recently Published

Key Takeaway: A study has found that humble leaders can become more promotable by growing others through a “humility route”. Human capital theory suggests that employees’ value can be enhanced by investing in their knowledge, skills, and abilities. Humble leaders focus on the learning and growth of their followers, creating human capital value for themselves. […]

Top Picks

Key Takeaway: The current economic climate is particularly concerning for young people, who are often financially worse off than their parents. To overcome this, it is important to understand one’s financial attachment style, which can be secure, anxious, or avoidant. Attachment theory, influenced by childhood experiences and education, can help shape one’s relationship with money. […]
Key Takeaway: Wellness culture, which claims to provide happiness and meaning, has been criticized for its superficial focus on superficial aspects like candles and juice cleanses. Psychological research suggests that long-term wellbeing comes from a committed pursuit of both pleasure and meaning. Martin Seligman’s Perma model, which breaks wellbeing into five pillars: positive emotions, engagement, […]
Key Takeaway: Quantum computing, which uses entanglement to represent information, has the potential to revolutionize everyday life. However, the development of quantum computers has been slow due to the need to demonstrate an advantage over classical computers. Only a few notable quantum algorithms have been developed, such as the BB84 protocol and Shor’s algorithm, which […]
Key Takeaway: China’s leaders have declared a GDP growth target of 5% in 2024, despite facing economic problems and a property crisis. The country’s rapid economic growth has been attributed to market incentives, cheap labor, infrastructure investment, exports, and foreign direct investment. However, none of these drivers are working effectively. The government’s determination to deflate […]
Key Takeaway: Neuralink, founded by Elon Musk, aims to implant a brain-computer interface (BCI) in people’s brains, allowing them to control computers or phones by thought alone. This technology holds the promise of alleviating human suffering and allowing people with disabilities to regain lost capacities. However, the long-term aspirations of Neuralink include the ability to […]

Trending

I highly recommend reading the McKinsey Global Institute’s new report, “Reskilling China: Transforming The World’s Largest Workforce Into Lifelong Learners”, which focuses on the country’s biggest employment challenge, re-training its workforce and the adoption of practices such as lifelong learning to address the growing digital transformation of its productive fabric. How to transform the country […]

Join our Newsletter

Get our monthly recap with the latest news, articles and resources.

Login

Welcome to Empirics

We are glad you have decided to join our mission of gathering the collective knowledge of Asia!
Join Empirics