“My current goal for the group is to raise the level of entrepreneurship in Malaysia in order to have more global players,” Daniel Cerventus Lim told Vulcan Post.
If you’re part of the Malaysia Entrepreneurs and Startups (E&S) Facebook group, you may know him as its creator and administrator.
If this group is unfamiliar to you, it is essentially a hangout for anyone who identifies themselves as entrepreneurs in Malaysia or is interested in the scene. This is where members can start productive conversations, ask questions, and interact with other entrepreneurs.
Today the group has an impressive 39.4,000 members. More as an entrepreneur, it’s likely made up of every person who has ever written for Vulcan Post.
With this number of people gathered under one roof, we wanted to find out what Daniel’s most important observations were as an administrator.
1. More cooperation than competition
Due to the size of the group, the entrepreneurs here have different levels of experience and are ready to share their advice.
It’s no surprise that when a member encounters a roadblock they usually reach out to the group as there is always something new to learn.
Founders looking for connections and resources are the order of the day here. For example, they may be looking for packaging suppliers, logistics companies or software developers for their company.
Some entrepreneurs look for connections and resources in the group.
Other requests can be more specific and personal. These entrepreneurs may face a challenge in their business and are looking for alternative perspectives to adjust.
Starting your own company is of course not a straightforward path, as the environment, ecosystem and economy change depending on the product. However, entrepreneurs can learn to see what works for others and find something they can adapt to their business.
Daniel Cerventus Lim, Founder and Administrator of Entrepreneurs and Startups in Malaysia on Facebook.
2. Entrepreneurs can be trolls To
Despite the real and supportive advice that can be found at E&S, it is still a social media platform and there will always be fun makers.
But everyone has their own communication style, said Daniel. What might be offensive and ridiculous to one person might just be a lighthearted joke to another.
Some may think it’s trolling, others may laugh along.
Before he and his moderators take action such as deleting their comments or posts, they must manually analyze their behavior over a certain period of time.
One question they are discussing among themselves is whether or not a user has removed their posts in the past.
“Usually after a few posts you can identify the scammers, spammers, trolls, or if they just want to have fun occasionally,” he told Vulcan Post.
3. Entrepreneurs are not afraid of conflict
The members not only seek help and advice, but also share their opinion on current events. This can lead to heated discussions and inevitably to conflict.
These usually arise when government and political issues are discussed. This is because most of them have different opinions and beliefs about the issues at hand.
Another hot topic is why Malaysians fail in Malaysia.
Daniel himself is annoyed personally about such contributions because he does not agree with the statement at all. He stated, “I know a lot of entrepreneurs in Malaysia who are world class but choose to stay here and build their businesses.”
To alleviate any hostility, administrators will communicate with the parties involved. In the worst case, the comment area will be stopped or the post deleted as a last resort.
However, this is a rare occurrence as members are more likely to be understanding and mature.
4. Malaysian entrepreneurs are quick to jump on trends
Malaysians have always been an innovative bunch, and Daniel noticed that entrepreneurs are quick to embrace new trends. When Uber launched here, we soon saw a Malaysian version in the form of MyTeksi.
Founders have also started exploring other ecosystems like China, Korea, and Japan to see what could work in Malaysia as well.
For example, a founder in Glenmarie is developing an unmanned smart store inspired by the AI convenience store trend in Japan.
This trend detection has piqued the interest of venture capitalists who have identified Malaysia as a profitable place to invest, hence the rise in venture capital-backed startups rather than startups that have been more widely used in the past.
He added that that cultural shift was paved by the success of MyTeksi, which became the grave as we know it today.
5. There is still a noticeable shift in gender
In line with the heated discussions mentioned above, it should be noted that these mainly take place between the male members of the group.
That’s probably because of the 65% of men who make up the majority of the group. Daniel noticed this gender difference in the group and inspired Lily Sim, who is an active member of E&S, to create a separate sister group called Women Founders and Entrepreneurs in Malaysia and Southeast Asia.
Publisher’s Note: The information in the above paragraph has been edited to reflect greater factual accuracy.
It is their endeavor to create a safer space for discussing topics that may be more relatable to them, without the fear of being fired by their male colleagues.
Despite the separation and the differences in gender diversity, Daniel closed one thing. Every Malaysian entrepreneur in the E&S group shares a collective personality type.
“Ambitious. I think the people in this group are ambitious because they want to constantly improve and grow. The energy around them is exhilarating,” he said.
- You can learn about it Entrepreneurs and startups in Malaysia Here.
- You can find more Malaysian startups here.
Selected image source: Daniel Cerventus Lim, founder and administrator of entrepreneurs and startups in Malaysia
