Meet Gloria, a prominent business growth coach specialising in helping companies expand into the thriving Southeast Asian (SEA) markets. With a wealth of experience and in-depth knowledge of the region, Gloria provides strategic guidance and actionable insights to businesses aiming to scale their operations and tap into new opportunities.
From market entry strategies to building strong local connections, she equips entrepreneurs and organisations with the tools they need to navigate the diverse and rapidly growing SEA markets successfully. Here is Gloria’s story on how she got started in business coaching.
Can you share your journey on how you started as a business growth coach?
To start, I have been a consultant for a long time. Being a consultant actually led me into coaching. As a consultant, I designed sales departments, focusing on positioning, branding, lead generation, onboarding of the community, and selling, including upselling and cross-selling. That is what I designed and continue to do today, although I now limit myself to taking only a few projects each month.
These projects usually last from three months to one year, depending on the size of the company and the team. Coaching, on the other hand, is more perpetual. Once you engage me as a coach, it becomes a long-term relationship where you’re expected to progress.
What do you focus on helping SMEs expand locally and even into the Southeast Asian market?
Every quarter, you should see some progress in your business. If you don’t progress, then there’s no point in continuing the engagement with me. A good gauge I use is X2, which measures how well the company is doing and whether the direction they took last year was fulfilled. If they can achieve it this year, then that’s a good sign of progress.
As for Southeast Asia, I initially focused on Singapore and Malaysia. However, I was later assigned to Thailand for a year. After Thailand, I moved to Vietnam, then the Philippines, and Indonesia. Through these exposures, I realised that I could help people expand their businesses into these markets. That’s why I now focus solely on Southeast Asia for my clients.
How do you assess whether a business is ready for expansion, and what factors do you consider critical for sustainable growth?
If you’re ready for expansion, either you have good cash flow with unutilised cash, or you have been managing your business on your own. People in this situation tend to have a lot of cash because they didn’t need a large management team. A management team depletes your cash. Many business owners build their businesses from $1 million to $10 million single-handedly, with just employees and perhaps one outsourced manager.
Because of this, they often have enough cash to acquire businesses. On the other hand, some companies have a large management team from the start, even when they were only doing $3 million to $5 million in revenue. These companies usually face cash flow issues because paying a management team is expensive. This becomes a problem when they want to expand.
To expand, they may need to invest in intellectual property (IP), like technology, or outsource manpower to other organisations to help them grow. If you have a product, your focus must be on ensuring the product is scalable. You need to be able to deploy your product across multiple markets. For instance, if you want to expand into the Philippines, you can do market research, deploy key leaders, and leverage grants for expansion.
If your company has clean books, good cash flow, good leaders, and a solid product, you’re ready for expansion. But remember, you also need to invest in marketing, branding, and other expenses related to growth.
Singapore is a good starting point for international expansion. The Singapore brand is highly trusted, and having a Singaporean base opens doors to many other countries, especially in Asia and beyond.
Can you share one success story of an SME you’ve coached that successfully ventured into the Southeast Asian market?
One success story involves my client from India. They were a software developer focused on Fintech with about $10 million in revenue. They wanted to expand into the Philippines, and I connected them with partners in the Philippines who had the right connections. I opened doors for them to sell their software to banks in the Philippines.
I helped them hire salespeople, arrange meetings, and facilitate presentations. After the demo, I supported them with proof of concept, but the success ultimately depended on the quality of their product since they were competing with other products. In the early stages, my role was to help open doors and create opportunities for them.
What unique opportunities do Southeast Asian markets offer, and how can businesses capitalise on them?
Southeast Asia is rich with opportunities, depending on the products and services you offer. Currently, AI is a major trend. But other opportunities exist in gamification, especially for employee retention. In Southeast Asia, companies are increasingly open to gamifying processes, such as employee retention programs, because younger generations are more likely to engage with gamified systems.
For instance, one of my clients in the childcare sector implemented a gamification strategy to retain teachers. Teachers who worked extra hours or took on additional tasks earned points that could be redeemed for time off. This is an example of how businesses can capitalise on the trend of gamification.
This is critical for businesses with high turnover. Gamification helps improve retention, making employees feel appreciated and motivated. Southeast Asia also has a demand for businesses that can help improve employee retention and reduce the costs associated with high turnover.
What mindset shifts do SME owners need to embrace when transitioning from a local company to regional or international expansion?
Regional expansion requires a different mindset. First, you need to improve your mindset and skillset. For instance, if you’re based in Malaysia and your sales are around 50 million RM, you need to think in terms of US dollars when expanding into Southeast Asia. This shift in thinking is crucial. Additionally, the salaries you pay your employees should be benchmarked against international standards.
If you want to go international, you need to adopt international practices in leadership, finance, and operations. When expanding internationally, your company must have well-established Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), a strong leadership team, and a solid financial foundation. You need to be prepared to invest in assets, keyman insurance, governance, and compliance.
These costs require a larger budget, which may be challenging for smaller companies. Furthermore, branding and positioning are crucial when moving into international markets. You need PR, investor relations, and a clear strategy to maintain your brand image.
What trends do you foresee shaping the growth and expansion of SMEs in Southeast Asia in the next few years?
In addition to AI, outsourcing is becoming a major trend. Many services, such as finance, marketing, and sales, can now be outsourced, allowing companies to remain lean and flexible. Outsourcing allows businesses to terminate contracts when necessary, and it’s more cost-effective than hiring full-time employees. The key advantage of outsourcing is that you get high-quality results without the overhead costs of maintaining in-house teams.
For example, if you outsource sales, the outsourced team will work as if they are part of your organisation, driving results and delivering on targets. They will bring fresh ideas from other organisations and avoid the stagnation that can sometimes occur with in-house teams. Outsourcing is becoming a viable option for many businesses looking to streamline operations and reduce costs.
Where do you see yourself and what’s your vision for Singapore in the next five years?
I plan to continue helping my clients grow. Over the past decade, I’ve chosen to focus on growing other people’s businesses. I’ve invested in several companies, including a skincare business and a training company focused on government projects in Malaysia. I intend to keep guiding and coaching these businesses, but my goal is to eventually sell them, as they are designed to run independently. I will continue to oversee them and help with strategic direction.
I believe Singapore still offers great opportunities for growth. Despite having a population of just 6.1 million, Singapore is a rich nation and acts as a gateway to other markets. Some may view Singapore as too small, but it is a strategic location with high per capita income, which makes it an attractive market for businesses.
I’ve advised companies from Malaysia to enter Singapore, even though it can be costly. But from a regional perspective, Singapore is a good starting point for international expansion. The Singapore brand is highly trusted, and having a Singaporean base opens doors to many other countries, especially in Asia and beyond.
Connect with Gloria: Linktr.ee.
