Meet Ken, the founder of Leadvista, a pre-sales AI platform built to generate meaningful B2B connections on LinkedIn. After exiting a successful enterprise software venture, Ken set his sights on solving a problem he knew well, and that is how to automate lead generation without losing the human touch.
Leadvista was born from that vision. With a sharp eye on ethical data use and a clear vision for business impact, Ken has created a tool that bridges automation with authenticity, helping users unlock leads with greater accuracy, speed, and intent.
What inspired you to create Leadvista and how did you identify the need for an AI-first workplace dedicated to LinkedIn, automation, and B2B lead generation?
I exited the software market in 2021. I used to run an enterprise solutions business, which was quite successful, and I sold it in 2021. After that, I went into consulting for about two years, but I didn’t really enjoy it. That got me thinking about starting the next venture.
I had a few options, either build software to optimise processes again or help businesses automate processes to save costs and enhance productivity. Enterprise solutions are often seen as the cost centre of a business. This time, I wanted to build something in the revenue centre.
That’s how Leadvista came about. It’s a pre-sales tool. It enters the LinkedIn ecosystem to help generate leads, connect with them, and based on their profile, initiate warm conversations. Once the lead is sufficiently warmed up, the user can take over and decide how to engage from there.
How do you ensure that automation doesn’t compromise authenticity, and that messages and outreach still feel personal and meaningful?
Automation should mirror how we behave in real life. Many think that tech changes everything, but it doesn’t. At the end of the day, you’re still dealing with a human being. The only change is the medium through which we connect.
Take shopping behaviour for example: if someone likes a dress in a mall, they don’t buy it immediately. They shop around. Online behaviour is the same. People check Lazada, Shopee and Taobao. It’s faster, but the underlying decision-making process remains.
When building Leadvista, we focused on what the recipient wants to receive. People want to feel seen. They want to know that you’ve read their profile and are genuinely interested. That’s why Leadvista includes options to simply connect and talk about shared interests, rather than selling straight away.
For more aggressive marketers, the sales pitch option is also there. But authenticity comes from using automation to enhance, not replace, the human connection.
Automation should mirror how we behave in real life. Many think that tech changes everything, but it doesn’t. At the end of the day, you’re still dealing with a human being.
What have been your biggest technical or strategic challenges building Leadvista, and how have you overcome them?
Our biggest challenge is staying relevant in a fast-paced space like AI. Every day I wake up wondering how we can remain competitive, onboard users, and generate revenue without pricing ourselves out. We must innovate continuously.
Interestingly, clients have switched to ours from more comprehensive tools simply because ours is easier to use. That taught me something important: if a function isn’t user-friendly, it might as well not exist. Simplicity is powerful.
Data accuracy and compliance are crucial in lead generation. How does Leadvista maintain ethical standards while leveraging AI tools?
We never extract or send data to clients directly. Everything is used within a closed environment. Sensitive data is only available when the other party reveals it themselves.
Our system only uses information publicly available on LinkedIn profiles, so we remain compliant and respectful of privacy boundaries.
What lessons have you learned about leadership, resilience, and innovation while growing the company?
I’ve been in business for over 10 years and the landscape has changed dramatically. In the past, small companies had an edge because we were more open to self-improvement. But now, even corporate executives are attending masterclasses and levelling up their skills.
Information gaps no longer give us a business advantage. Everything’s online now. Selling a copier machine with high margins is near impossible, where prices are transparent, and consumers are informed. We need to evolve constantly and operate with agility.
What is the most meaningful thing in your life right now?
My family—my wife, daughter, and son. My main business objective is to build a consistent cash flow so I can spend more time with them. I intentionally block out time to ensure I don’t lose sight of that goal.
What’s your vision for Singapore in the next five years?
My business is small and not impacted much by macroeconomic events, but I admire how Singapore has handled global challenges. Our government, especially the Monetary Authority of Singapore, has done a solid job maintaining currency strength and economic resilience.
I believe meritocracy gives us an edge and I’m confident that Singapore will continue to stay relevant and strong, thanks to our leaders’ wisdom and forward-thinking policies.
If you could have a superpower for one day, what would it be and why?
Super memory. These days, I forget even what I had for dinner last night. If I had perfect recall, I could learn and implement much faster.
I often remember that I read something but not what I read, and have to dig through old notes again. That slows me down, and I feel I could have achieved a lot more if I didn’t have that limitation.
Connect with Ken: LeadVista and LinkedIn.
Ken is a member of Rainmaker, a revolutionary movement that rallies like-minded people together based on the values of Love, Authenticity, Respect, Kindness and Youthfulness (LARKY).
