Past Events
7Sept2021

As the Pandemic and Lockdown Drag on, How will SMEs Survive?

Date: 7 September 2021, Tuesday
Time: 8.00pm–9.30pm
Venue: Facebook live @Penanginstitute
To watch the event recap, kindly scroll to the bottom.

Amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Penang and Malaysia are facing challenges in sustaining their business operations. The movement control orders bring about detrimental effects to SMEs, which constitute about 99% of the total establishments in Penang, against a background of challenging global economy, weaker consumer demand, disruptions in supply chain and mobility restrictions. The discussion focused on pivoting, collaboration and digitalisation for SMEs to navigate through the ongoing challenges, with hopes for more facilitation to help SMEs rebuild and rebound.

About the Speakers

Mr. Yeoh Seng Hooi, Hon. Secretary- General of Small and Medium Enterprises Association (SAMENTA)
He graduated with a BA in Economics (General Honours) from the University of Chicago and a Masters in Economics Management (MEM) from USM. He has more than 35 years of experience in both the private and public sectors in management with a focus on finance, strategic management, and export marketing. He also helped to list a company on the Second Board in the mid 90’s and had served as the Executive Director. He was also the Corporate Director of a Main Board listed company for 5 years. Two years ago, he was the IPO Consultant for a theme park company that was listed on Catalist, Singapore. Currently, he runs a boutique consultancy that advises SMEs in financial, strategic and export management. He is also a Business Coach to SME Entrepreneurs in VISTAGE, Malaysia and writes frequently on issues affecting SMEs.

Ms. Krista Goon, Co-founder & Co-chair of WomenBizSENSE

Krista Goon is the co-founder of WomenBizSENSE and presently its co-chairperson. WomenBizSENSE is a Penang-based association for women entrepreneurs that she co-founded in 2006 with Josephine Yoong. Krista is also the co-owner of Redbox Studio with 23 years of experience in copywriting and marketing where she helps business owners leverage websites and marketing communications for greater visibility, credibility and profitability. Besides consulting, teaching and speaking, she is the author of Web Wisdom, a book she co-wrote with her business partner, Nic Sim. She shares valuable business insights in the fortnightly Redbox Studio FB Live series and produces her own podcast, Womenpreneur Asia, that features Asian women entrepreneurs and their personal stories of grit and resilience.

Moderator: Dr Lee Siu Ming, Senior Analyst, Socioeconomics and Statistics Programme, Penang Institute

Timestamp:

0:20 – 4:43:- Welcoming and topic introduction by moderator, Dr Lee Siu Ming
4:44 – 36:40:- Presentation on SAMENTA Mid-Term Survey by Mr Yeoh Seng Hooi
36:40 – 1:10:00:- Presentation by WomenBizSENSE, Ms Krista Goon
1:10:00 – 1:43:18:- Panel discussion, Q&A

EVENT RECAP