Open For Business

BFM Media

The flagship entrepreneurship show on BFM, featuring personal business stories from early stage start-ups, all the way to billionaire octogenarians in Malaysia and abroad. Notable guests include Martin Cooper (father of the mobile phone), Julian Assange (founder of WikiLeaks), Ralph Henry Baer (father of video games), Tony Buzan (Mindmap Guru), Isaac Tigrett (Hard Rock Cafe founder), Robert Kiyosaki (Financial Guru), Nick Vujicic (motivational speaker) and more. Tap into this valuable resource of shared experiences for the SME industry, which also touches on news, issues and trends affecting the business community and beyond.

  1. HACE 2 DÍAS

    Turning iPhone Videos Into A 6-Figure Wedding Empire

    When Muns and Pareesha started The Wedding Diaries in 2023, the concept of a "wedding content creator" didn't really exist in Malaysia. Betting on a global cultural shift, the duo left their full-time careers in marketing and advertising to pioneer this new category locally. Fast forward to today, they have bootstrapped a highly profitable, six-figure business in a single year entirely through organic social media growth. Armed with iPhones and a commitment to authentic, unscripted storytelling, they deliver ready-to-post content within 24 hours so couples and guests can actually stay present. Founders Muns and Pareesha join us in the studio to discuss the uphill battle of educating a market, the operational bottlenecks of being a two-person powerhouse, and how they protect their premium brand in the age of AI and emerging freelance competitors. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    23 min

  2. HACE 3 DÍAS

    How Decube Is Unblocking Enterprise AI

    Major enterprises are rushing to deploy AI, but many are hitting a brick wall: their underlying data is a mess. AI is only as smart as the context it’s given, and without proper data lineage, ownership, and quality controls, enterprise AI initiatives are doomed to stay in the experimental phase. Enter Decube. Founded by Jatin Solanki, Decube is building the "context layer" for enterprise data—a platform that sits between raw data and AI models to ensure the data is trustworthy, explainable, and production-ready. Fresh off a $3 million funding round led by Taiwania Hive Ventures (bringing their total funding to $5 million), Jatin joins us in the studio to discuss how they manage to integrate with massive legacy systems in just 40 minutes, why Decube is keeping its core engineering talent in Malaysia while expanding across APAC, and how a neutral startup survives when cloud giants like AWS and Google are looming in the background. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    30 min

  3. HACE 4 DÍAS

    Is Regenerative Business Just A Luxury? A 50,000km Quest For The Truth

    Is "regenerative business" a practical reality, or just an ESG buzzword? Benjamin Parent decided to find out by doing something extreme: quitting his corporate job to cycle from France to Japan. His project, Trees on the Way, is a three-year global expedition to interview 21 "regenerative" entrepreneurs who are actively redesigning capitalism to respect planetary boundaries. Operating on a model inspired by Kate Raworth's "Doughnut Economics," Benjamin is also pledging to plant one tree for every 21 kilometers pedaled. Currently passing through Malaysia on his way to Japan, Benjamin joins us in the studio to discuss the logistics of funding a global expedition, the stark realities of trying to implement Doughnut Economics in developing nations, and whether businesses can actually create value while saving the planet See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    23 min

  4. HACE 5 DÍAS

    From Hipster Tea To RM3 Million: WonderBrew’s Mass Market Formula

    For years, kombucha was dismissed as a niche, "hipster" health drink. Now, WonderBrew has transformed it into a mainstream Malaysian beverage, scaling from a home kitchen in 2018 to over 2,000 retail touchpoints today. But how do you mass-produce a living, fermenting beverage without compromising its quality—or having it explode on the supermarket shelf? Co-founders Joseph Poh (CEO) and Loke Boon Eng (COO) join us to share their story:  WonderBrew’s journey from a Subang Jaya home kitchen to generating RM3 million in annual revenue. The operational realities of scaling a "living" product and transitioning to giant stainless steel vats. The rigorous process and gradual revenue payoff of becoming Malaysia's first Halal-certified kombucha brand. How the 35% equity deal with Loob Holdings (makers of Tealive) integrated a corporate, data-driven playbook into an artisan brand. Regional expansion plans, their new honey-based line 'Jun Tea', and whether the endgame points to an IPO or a full acquisition. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    28 min

  5. HACE 6 DÍAS

    12 Studios, 8 Figures, PE-Backed: Inside The Flow Studio

    How do you scale "good vibes" & namaste into a sustainable, 8-figure business? On the surface, the boutique fitness industry looks like a beautiful blend of aesthetics, mindfulness, and calm. But underneath that highly curated exterior is a fiercely competitive, operationally intense environment where your core product, the instructor, literally walks out the door every single night. When The Flow Studio opened its first location in Bangsar in 2018, it started as a bootstrapped venture designed to bring high-quality, low-impact movement to Kuala Lumpur. By fiercely defending its brand consistency, hyper-localising its community offerings, and pricing its classes as "attainable luxury," the brand aggressively scaled its footprint, building a loyal customer base and 12-studios across Malaysia and Singapore. To sustain that growth and institutionalise the brand, the company had to evolve. Tiffany Yow, CEO and Co-Founder of The Flow Studio, joins Open for Business to unpack her transition from a bootstrapped founder to a private equity-backed CEO. She reveals the rigorous unit economics behind their vertically integrated business, the operational playbook for systemising a premium brand experience, and why she partnered with impact investor Bintang Capital Partners to prepare for the company's next major financial milestone. Learn More About: Attainable Luxury: How The Flow Studio justifies its premium brand experience at an average market price (like an RM55 group reformer class) to make intelligent, low-impact movement accessible to the masses. Systemising the Vibes: The operational playbook for maintaining strict brand consistency across 12 venues, from the signature studio scent to rigorous internal instructor training, so clients trust the brand over the individual teacher. Vertical Integration: How the business diversified its revenue streams beyond drop-in classes by launching US-accredited teacher training programs, retail merchandise, and HRD-certified corporate wellness retreats. The B Corp Ambition: Why the company is pursuing B Corp certification, and the strategic importance of operating a 95% female workforce that creates flexible career pathways for single mothers and returning professionals. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    42 min

  6. 5 MAR

    Can This Startup Democratise Diagnostics?

    Advanced diagnostics often remain locked inside centralised laboratories and are technically impressive, but inaccessible to many who need them most. Ablesen is attempting to bridge that gap. Founded by Zainiharyati Mohd Zain and selected as one of the top startups in the 2025 PACE Bootcamp by ARTEM Ventures, Ablesen develops rapid, sensor-based diagnostic platforms designed for deployment beyond traditional lab environments. Currently at the MVP to early-commercialisation stage and fully bootstrapped, the company is navigating the complex journey from scientific validation to regulatory readiness and market entry. We explore the realities of building a deep-tech startup in Malaysia, from governance lessons and fundraising strategy to product development, commercial viability, and the ambition to scale regionally. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    21 min

  7. 4 MAR

    20 Years, 300 Stores: Inside Coolblog's Post-Founder Era

    How does a homegrown, 20-year-old beverage brand survive the influx of massive foreign competitors like Mixue? Coolblog CEO Sueli Lew joins us to unpack the company's evolution from a founder-led business to a private equity-backed franchise empire generating RM70 million in revenue. We discuss their hypermarket strategy, the unit economics of their 300+ stores, and Archipelago Capital Partners' ultimate exit strategy. Founded in Johor Bahru in 2005, the brand aggressively scaled its initial footprint by targeting hypermarkets and secondary towns, quietly building a massive loyal customer base while bigger competitors fought over expensive, premium urban storefronts. To sustain that scale and defend its market share in today's brutal F&B environment, Coolblog had to grow up. Now backed by Archipelago Capital Partners, the company has professionalised its operations, overhauled its supply chain, and dialed in its franchise economics to prepare for its next major financial milestone. Learn More About: The 50/50 Playbook: Why maintaining an even split between corporate-owned and franchisee-owned stores gives the headquarters vital "skin in the game" for product testing and operational empathy. Franchise Economics: A breakdown of the numbers behind their 300-store network, from the initial setup cost to the financial mechanics. Supply Chain as a Moat: The strategic necessity of running an in-house distribution center to rapidly fulfill unexpected demand surges for viral items, like their Kunafa Pistachio Chocolate drink. Institutionalising the Business: How the private equity buyout led to the establishment of dedicated business development, Halal compliance, and quality control teams, replacing legacy systems like manual punch cards with biometric scanners. The Private Equity Endgame: Archipelago Capital Partners' midterm ambition for Coolblog, including potential exit strategies like a strategic merger, a listing, or an acquisition by a foreign entity within the next 12 to 24 months. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    42 min

  8. 3 MAR

    Beyond Dead Batteries: The Business Of Roadside Rescue

    BateriHub doubled from 100 to 200 branches in a year, promising roadside battery support within the hour. But what does it really take to scale reliability across Malaysia? With over 800,000 vehicles sold in 2025 alone, breakdown scenarios are no longer rare inconveniences. They’re part of everyday mobility. In this conversation, Stanly Ng, General Manager of BateriHub, explains how the company built a fully direct-owned nationwide network covering 500+ service areas across 11 states and why control, not franchising, underpins its growth strategy. We explore the operational strain behind rapid expansion, what healthy unit economics look like for each branch, and how the next phase toward 300 outlets and East Malaysia will be funded. As volumes grow, so does responsibility. We also discuss how used batteries are handled, and what accountability should look like in Malaysia’s automotive aftermarket. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    23 min
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The flagship entrepreneurship show on BFM, featuring personal business stories from early stage start-ups, all the way to billionaire octogenarians in Malaysia and abroad. Notable guests include Martin Cooper (father of the mobile phone), Julian Assange (founder of WikiLeaks), Ralph Henry Baer (father of video games), Tony Buzan (Mindmap Guru), Isaac Tigrett (Hard Rock Cafe founder), Robert Kiyosaki (Financial Guru), Nick Vujicic (motivational speaker) and more. Tap into this valuable resource of shared experiences for the SME industry, which also touches on news, issues and trends affecting the business community and beyond.

Información

  • Creador
    BFM Media
  • Años de actividad
    2010 - 2026
  • Episodios
    1.9 k
  • Clasificación
    Apto
  • Copyright
    © 2026 BFM Media Sdn Bhd
  • Mostrar sitio web
    Open For Business

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