House (then known as T&K) with my younger brother.  From the outset, we poured our hearts and souls into building the business, working tirelessly to establish ourselves in the market. We started out selling audio products, carrying all kinds of audio brands. In the early days, I took on various roles within the company, including storekeeper, logistics, salesperson, buyer and HR/administrator.  By learning different roles and functions, I gained invaluable insights into the inner workings of the business and developed a deep understanding of all operations inside out. IR: What are some of the challenges you’ve faced in your career and how have you dealt with them? AL: Finances and manpower challenges were the main issues.  We started out selling only audio products; we started out from scratch, and hence needed to find funds for the business, negotiate deals with various brands, all these were challenges and we had to learn all by ourselves from scratch.  We didn’t even have a budget for hiring manpower and had to do everything ourselves. I made it a point to study the market extensively and stay ahead of emerging trends.  By remaining proactive and responsive to changes in consumer preferences and industry dynamics, we’ve been able to adapt our strategies and offerings to stay relevant and competitive. We make use of these challenges to find opportunities for the business. IR: What do you love about your job? AL: I love the challenge of finding new opportunities for the business and strategising my business to stay ahead of competitors. What I love most about my job is the flexibility, as well as the opportunity to continually innovate and improve. I am always curious about market trends and consumer behaviour.  Whether it’s studying market data, analysing consumer insights, or exploring new technologies, I’m always driven to find solutions and to exceed customer expectations. This passion for continuous improvement encourages me to constantly move forward and be better. IR : What are some of the key leadership lessons you’ve picked up over the course of your career? AL: Never be afraid of challenges nor competition, every crisis can be turned into an opportunity. Be open to change. Always have a backup plan, and know your options when things do not turn out the way you planned for. IR: What advice would you give to someone who wants to move up the corporate ladder? AL: Work smart, not just hard. Be able to understand tasks given, and be proactive in generating solutions. IR: Where do you go for career advice? AL: I read the newspapers regularly to stay up to date on current affairs. I also refer to talks by famous leaders on YouTube. IR: Do you have any business heroes? AL: Yes, my business hero is Jack Ma. I have learnt that in order to succeed, I cannot fail. In order not to fail, I have to learn from the failures of others. IR: What’s your approach to work-life balance? AL: I believe that there are only three priorities in life – family, job, and interests (or hobbies). For me, I choose to spend the most time with my family, followed by my lifestyle which includes my hobbies (golf and social time with my friends), and lastly my work. I am able to do this because I have learnt to designate my work and responsibilities to my employees. By learning to trust and give opportunities to my employees, I can reduce my work time and focus on business planning and strategies instead of the logistics. IR: How do your hobbies help you switch off and stay balanced? AL: I love to play golf. Golf is more than just a leisure activity for me; it’s a metaphor for doing business. In golf, like in business, you must always strategise your game and plan to reach your goals with the least strikes.  It teaches me valuable lessons about strategy, focus, and perseverance, which I find applicable to both my personal and professional life.  With golf, I can also spend time with fellow business friends, where we can exchange views and experiences from various industries and backgrounds.