Entrepreneur Series – White Orchid Insights

How Can Native Advertising Boost Sales

Sarah Keates — Wed, 10 Jan 2024 14:00:30 +0000

Seamless Integration and Cringe Free Ads to Boost Sales

In this WOI blog, we take a look at advertising and how it’s changing. No one wants to be sold to – at least not directly. Consumers are also not stupid – so native and integrated ads need to be transparent, non-disruptive, and “feel right”. Read on to learn how brands WOI works with in Hong Kong, London, and around the world use native advertising to boost sales.

Goldfish Attention Era

We all know that consumer attention spans are shorter than ever. So, capturing your audience’s interest requires a thoughtful approach. Enter native advertising – the art of seamlessly integrating promotional content into the user’s online experience.

Here are some key strategies and benefits that make native advertising a powerful tool for boosting your enquiries, customer engagement, and sales figures.

1: Understanding the Native Advantage

Native advertising holds a unique advantage over traditional methods by blending seamlessly with the platform’s organic content. This non-disruptive approach provides a more immersive and engaging experience for your audience, fostering a natural connection with your brand. From sponsored articles to in-feed social media posts, native ads seamlessly align with the look and feel of the platform, enhancing user experience and brand recall.

2: The Power of Storytelling

Whilst communications and marketing changes frequently, this is one element that remains the same. Everyone loves a story. Native advertising allows your brand narrative to unfold organically, creating an emotional connection with your audience. WOI helps our clients to craft compelling stories that resonate with their target market, addressing pain points and offering genuine solutions. By embedding your promotional messages within engaging narratives, you not only capture attention but also establish a lasting impact on potential customers.

3: Get Going with Platform-Specific Integration

Different platforms require tailored strategies. In Hong Kong’s dynamic market or London’s diverse landscape, understanding the unique nuances of each platform is crucial. Whether it’s sponsored content on news websites , influencer ads and UGC, or Instagram’s sponsored posts, native advertising allows you to adapt your approach for optimal engagement. WOI’s cross-cultural expertise ensures your campaigns seamlessly resonate with the preferences of your target audience.

4: Boosting Credibility with Native Ads

Consumers today value authenticity. Native advertising, when executed thoughtfully, contributes to your brand’s credibility. By aligning your content with the platform’s style, value and tone, you position yourself as a valuable contributor rather than a disruptive advertiser. This builds trust with your audience, fostering a positive perception that directly influences purchasing decisions.

5: Maximizing Reach and ROI

Native advertising empowers your brand to reach a wider audience without appearing intrusive. Tailor your content to match the interests and behaviours of your target demographic. The unobtrusive nature of native ads increases the likelihood of users engaging with your content, leading to higher click-through rates and ultimately, a better return on investment (ROI). At WOI, we specialise in crafting native ad campaigns that resonate across cultures and geographies, ensuring maximum impact for your brand. We also partner with podcast, YDB Pod and other leading podcasts to provide our clients with opportunities for native advertising.

6: Staying Ahead of Ad Blockers

As ad blockers become increasingly prevalent, businesses must adapt their marketing strategies to bypass these obstacles. Native advertising provides a solution by integrating seamlessly into the user’s experience, making it less likely to be blocked. By embracing this approach, your brand can maintain visibility and continue reaching your audience effectively.

In conclusion, native advertising isn’t just a trend; it’s a strategic powerhouse for boosting sales in today’s fast-paced digital landscape. WOI, with its expertise in navigating the dynamic markets of Hong Kong and London, stands ready to elevate your brand through tailored native advertising campaigns. By seamlessly integrating your message into the fabric of online platforms, we ensure that your brand not only captures attention but also converts it into lasting customer relationships.

Check out the companies we reference in the blog: Loomly, WeChat, or YDB Podcast.

Ready to elevate your sales through the art of native advertising? Connect with WOI, and let’s embark on a journey of impactful storytelling and unparalleled engagement!

We hope you enjoyed this blog. To read our previous blog about ways to scale your small business, please read here.

Please get in touch with sarah@whiteorchidinsights.com or info@whiteorchidinsights.com

Just Peachy Expands Award-Winning Wedgie-Free Girls’ Panty Briefs with New Colors

July 10, 2025 No Comments

Just Peachy, the brand disrupting the children’s underwear market, is expanding its Junior Design Award-winning Wedgie-Free Girls’ Panty Briefs with new color options, ensuring even

This 7,000-Year-Old Health System Just Fixed What My GP Couldn’t

June 26, 2025 No Comments

My Ayurvedic Awakening in Sri Lanka’s Secret Sanctuary by Sarah Keates. Sri Lanka is famous for its tea, temples, and tropical beaches, but I arrived seeking something more profound: Ayurveda, the ancient Indian wellness system known as the “science of life.” Ayurveda takes a holistic approach to health, aiming to balance mind, body, and spirit. At its heart are the three fundamental energies, or doshas: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. In simple terms, these doshas are like elemental personality types. Vata (air and ether) is the energy of movement – think creativity and spontaneity, but also restlessness. Pitta (fire and water) is the force of transformation – passionate and driven, though prone to intensity. Kapha (earth and water) embodies stability – caring and calm, but sometimes complacent. Each of us is born with a unique mix of these doshas, and if they fall out of balance, Ayurveda says our well-being suffers.

Raw Lily Hosts Dear Future Me at 10x Longevity – An Evening Designed to Inspire, Reflect, and Reset

June 9, 2025 No Comments

Raw Lily, Hong Kong-based retailer known for its clean, consciously sourced wellness essentials, hosted its inaugural creator and media community event, Dear Future Me, on 5 June, at 10x Longevity, Hong Kong. The intimate gathering brought together a select group of wellness-focused content creators and media professionals for a guided journey through breathwork, visualization, biohacking, and immersive connection.

How Emma went from working at McDonalds to becoming a Fashion Investor in Hong Kong

June 5, 2025 No Comments

A fashion enthusiast transitioned from a law firm desk to pursue a career in fashion retail out of passion.

Forget Bali. This Is Where Hong Kong’s Smart Travellers Are Heading in 2025

May 24, 2025 No Comments

Is Sri Lanka the new Bali? Possibly. Standing on the southern coast, looking out over tangled palms and an ocean that doesn’t seem to end, it’s hard not to draw comparisons. I don’t love pitting one destination against another, but there are parallels. Sri Lanka has the beauty, the forestry, the surf and the serenity—just without the brunch queues and Instagram itineraries. It still feels raw, genuine, and blissfully unspoilt.

Can One Voice Really Change Hong Kong’s Social Enterprise Landscape? Anushka Purohit Explains Her Mission

May 7, 2025 No Comments

I’m the only person on the list who at first glance wouldn’t ‘look’ like a Hong Konger, and that’s my power. I want to represent people from different walks of life, especially people like me who truly identify as a Hong Konger but don’t necessarily fit the traditional boxes to be considered as one. I’ve always cared about creating opportunities that don’t exist, so I hope to use this platform to make unheard voices heard.

4 Ways to Scale your Small Business in 2024

Sarah Keates — Fri, 05 Jan 2024 17:29:32 +0000

If you own a small business, you’ll be familiar with the cyclical growing pains of trying to scale.

Many businesses start without investment, often with the founder being responsible for all business functions. Sales, product/service development, relationship management, accounts, marketing, and public relations. It’s a chicken and egg scenario that leaves a lot of brands stuck as small start-ups, not to mention burnt-out entrepreneurs.

“In the early days of WOI, I recall travelling every week – up to 40 trips per year, working till midnight was normal as were weekends and holidays. Vacations were rare (and stressful). There were times I thought of returning to the corporate world where “it” can all be someone else’s problem. I know I wasn’t the only entrepreneur that felt this way, so I looked for resources to scale the business and keep my sanity. In this January blog, here are my tips for growing your business in 2024”.
Sarah Keates, Founder, WOI.

1. Efficient systems and workflow

It can be tempting to do it all yourself, which is faster in the short term but limits growth in the long-term. While you may not yet be better to seek investment or grow your team, put in place as many systems as possible to get back time. Here are some that have worked for WOI:

Scheduling tools for social media

- There are lots to choose from depending on your social media strategy. At WOI, we create content that’s specialized to the platform. For example, long-form, thought leadership pieces for LinkedIn, video with trending audio for Instagram, interactive content for WeChat.
- Most platforms allow “fine-tuning” so that you can create different versions of the same post that will publish automatically. WOI prefers Loomly – which is reliable and easy to use. Multiple parties can contribute to the same post and when ready, simply schedule and the post will go live.
- At the end of each reporting period, it’s easy to pull analytics and see what’s performing, what’s not, and where to tweak your strategy going forward. Loomly (and most social media platforms) also give suggestions for your industry. So, you’ll never miss World Aviation Day, or Breast Cancer Awareness Month, or whichever days of importance are a priority for your brand.
- The overall benefits here are:
  - save time and resource
  - get strategic at least a quarter in advance
  - have a clear content calendar to share with stake-holders
  - have sight of analytics and what is performing well and where adjustments need to be made

2. Outsource what you can

Again, small businesses can be reluctant to outsource. Lots of agencies, virtual assistants, and freelancers can lead to disappointing outcomes. WOI recommends that you outsource your social media, public relations, and communications strategy. Packages start from just HKD7000 per month with clear KPI’s and deliverables. If you’re not able to outsource, streamline and assign days to creating content, networking with the media, and using tools for small businesses.

3. Have a vision for 2024, broken down into clear, quarterly plans

Often we see brands “on the back foot” with their public relations and marketing strategies. The bosses want coverage, the sales team needs leads, and they look to marketing to ensure this happens. First, it’s important to recognize the difference between marketing and PR. These feed into one another but are not the same area of work. Typically, they require a team of specialists or at the very least, a professional with solid experience in both areas. Marketing goes wrong when the strategy isn’t planned effectively. Here’s what we do at WOI that works for us and our clients:

Create a content calendar for the year ahead
Map out any known events, public holidays, trade shows, major events e.g. Arts Week in Hong Kong.
From here, work backwards, strategetising what digital and offline events your brand wants to play a part in / comment on.
Have your marketing team create content for these events / days.
Look for collaboration opportunities with similar / adjacent brands. Keep in mind that collaborations can take weeks to set up and agree, so again, it’s vital to plan. An example would be a giveaway among a group of brands with a similar audience.
Now, look at the gaps (there will be lots). Use these to showcase your vision, team, contribution to the industry and community you are in.
Look at building in content marketing (blogs) and email marketing (EDMs) to complement your social media strategy. Ensure all your content is “working hard” for you by ensuring it’s SEO rich.
Consider using Ai to help you while your business is still small. We would add that using Ai can save lots of time, but it’s fairly obvious what has been written by Chat GPT – so the human element will be needed if you still want to engage your audience and find your space among the competition.

4. Work your relationships

As one of our favourite podcasters, Jordan Harbinger, says – “dig the well before you get thirsty”. He is referring to maintaining your relationships before you need them for businesses purposes. It’s networking, but without it being gross and creepy. For us, this is the best part of our work at WOI – relationships. We invest a lot of time in getting to know our clients, potential clients, the media, influencers / KOLs and other stakeholders. When the time comes when you may have an opportunity to work with that person / brand – you’re not going in cold – you already know one another.

We hope this is helpful, if you enjoyed this blog, we woiuld be so grateful if you share it on social media using the links below.

Just Peachy Expands Award-Winning Wedgie-Free Girls’ Panty Briefs with New Colors

July 10, 2025 No Comments

Just Peachy, the brand disrupting the children’s underwear market, is expanding its Junior Design Award-winning Wedgie-Free Girls’ Panty Briefs with new color options, ensuring even

This 7,000-Year-Old Health System Just Fixed What My GP Couldn’t

June 26, 2025 No Comments

Raw Lily Hosts Dear Future Me at 10x Longevity – An Evening Designed to Inspire, Reflect, and Reset

June 9, 2025 No Comments

How Emma went from working at McDonalds to becoming a Fashion Investor in Hong Kong

June 5, 2025 No Comments

A fashion enthusiast transitioned from a law firm desk to pursue a career in fashion retail out of passion.

Forget Bali. This Is Where Hong Kong’s Smart Travellers Are Heading in 2025

May 24, 2025 No Comments

Can One Voice Really Change Hong Kong’s Social Enterprise Landscape? Anushka Purohit Explains Her Mission

May 7, 2025 No Comments

Nurturing Brand Growth through Community Engagement

Sarah Keates — Tue, 12 Dec 2023 14:49:35 +0000

If 2022 was all about “pivoting”, 2023 became all about “values”. By the end of the year, it became clear that lots of brands claimed to have values, while few actually did.

Enter the era of silent quitting, high employee attrition, and a need for change. Now that we’re edging towards 2024, it’s becoming clear that the burnout days of 2019 are making a comeback. Sigh.

Is this the natural cycle of working trends? Or is it a much needed wake-up call for corporates large and small to define, communicate, and actually implement their values? Based upon the conversations WOI has had with brands, communities, employees, and the media, we would err on the side of the latter. It’s not just time to define values in real ways, it’s time to establish what “in real ways” actually means. So, if a brand says it’s “inclusive” – what programs, initiatives, and evidence is in place to build confidence that this is true?

Values (but driven by fear)

If you’re still with us, we know that creating fear around values is counterproductive and unhelpful. It’s this terror that has stopped so many brands from establishing clear values to date. They are concerned they’ll get thrown to the wolves should they put a foot wrong. But in parallel with these valid concerns, a certain whiff of complacency has arisen. There are many brands from fast-growing start-ups to established corporates that claim to have values that, for whatever reason, aren’t being “felt” by their employees, customers, and stakeholder groups.

Why does it matter?

First (the unpopular truth that most brands avoid) – values affect the bottom line and they’re not just about doing the right thing. That’s okay to admit. Pretending not to care about growth and profit is disingenuous and unnecessary. Take Lululemon as a great example of a company that’s believable about their drive to “do great business while balancing wellness for all”. This is a sentiment that’s easy to get on board with. It would be hard to believe that the makers of $200 yoga pants care only for our wellbeing. But it’s easier to appreciate that the brand cares for its own growth and the prosperity of its employees while having practices in place to take care of its (hard-earned) community. It’s transparent and (actually) authentic.

Beyond being believable, having a clear approach to values will mean employees feel engaged and therefore stay and do good work. It’s not rocket science, but it’s important, and it’s (mostly) not happening.

Engaging “the community”

A flourishing community not only begets brand loyalty but also functions as a powerful marketing tool. WOI helps our clients to define, shape, plan, and execute values led PR and communications strategies. We don’t use shame and we work with what you have to strengthen your CSR and values policies to make them tangible. For our clients in Hong Kong London, the United States, Middle East, and around the world, we are here to help deliver ROI. More importantly, and because of our own values, our approach stands up to scrutiny.

Your values checklist

1. Authentic connections

Dig the well before you get thirsty. Think about your audience(s), segment them, speak to them clearly without patronising or making thinly veiled promises. This is about finding your USPs and ensuring your stakeholders understand them. Build human connections and relationships and nurture them (not just when you need something). It works. Be useful and generous with your advice and whatever you can “give back”.

2. Get clear on socials

Rotate your content around informative, inspiring, educational and promotional content. Ensure your promotional content is no more than 1:4. Curated content, timely responsiveness, and interactive campaigns transmute mere followers into active participants. Some golden rules: people don’t want to be sold to on Instagram, they come to LinkedIn for deeper, thought leadership pieces, and remember – the algorithm changes A LOT – so it’s important to A/B test and stay ahead (we can help with this).

3. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

CSR has become its own minefield of sorts. Brands are concerned that if they’re not “doing everything”, they should fly under the radar (which often means doing little). At WOI, we advocate that brands do whatever they can, large or small. Some entities are in a position to make financial donations and lead big-budget campaigns and some simply don’t have the resource(s). Keep in mind that every brand has something to offer – even if it’s free advice, internships, or simple education programs.

4. Bidirectional communication

Don’t be afraid to ask for feedback, it can sting, but it’ll be your most useful tool to shape your values going forward. Understand your audience, local and global, and localise as needed. The key is listening to said feedback and acting accordingly, taking accountability and fixing issues wherever possible. Here, you build trust, reputation, and loyalty.

5. Local Events and Collaborations

Physical events and collaborations give an opportunity to connect in real life. Yes, events are back – and whether you like them or not, they work. They provide an opportunity to humanise your brand, provide talking opportunities for the community, and make meaningful collaborations (with other brands).

We hope you found this useful, if we can help you – please get in touch at sarah@whiteorchidinsights.com

Just Peachy Expands Award-Winning Wedgie-Free Girls’ Panty Briefs with New Colors

July 10, 2025 No Comments

Just Peachy, the brand disrupting the children’s underwear market, is expanding its Junior Design Award-winning Wedgie-Free Girls’ Panty Briefs with new color options, ensuring even

This 7,000-Year-Old Health System Just Fixed What My GP Couldn’t

June 26, 2025 No Comments

Raw Lily Hosts Dear Future Me at 10x Longevity – An Evening Designed to Inspire, Reflect, and Reset

June 9, 2025 No Comments

How Emma went from working at McDonalds to becoming a Fashion Investor in Hong Kong

June 5, 2025 No Comments

A fashion enthusiast transitioned from a law firm desk to pursue a career in fashion retail out of passion.

Forget Bali. This Is Where Hong Kong’s Smart Travellers Are Heading in 2025

May 24, 2025 No Comments

Can One Voice Really Change Hong Kong’s Social Enterprise Landscape? Anushka Purohit Explains Her Mission

May 7, 2025 No Comments

Omar Hosari, Co-Founder and CEO of UAS International Trip Support

Sarah Keates — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 08:22:14 +0000

Your LinkedIn profile states “start where you are, use what you have, do what you can”

What advice would you give to someone new to business aviation and keen to get started?

Business aviation is one of the most dynamic and innovative industries there is, so ‘good choice’ would be the first thing I would say to someone new to it.

Expect things to move quickly and be ready for a lot of competition from a lot of highly competent professionals… Business aviation also lends itself very well to mentorship so I would suggest reaching out to veterans and building relationships with those who are richly experienced and well thought of.

Remember, dedication and hard work always pay off. As does finding new and better ways to do things. Consider my journey; UAS established its first office in Dubai with only a handful of employees to serve a few clients in the Middle East. We set about doing things differently and providing connectivity that had never existed before. The early years were as exciting as they were challenging, but we persisted.

Now, 23 years later, we are a global organization spread across five continents. So, maintain consistent determination and professionalism, be flexible and innovative, and soak all the knowledge and information around you up like a sponge and you will do well.

The most important thing is to maintain forward momentum, even if you can’t always maintain a fast pace.

What advice would you give to someone who was negatively impacted by the last few years and has “lost faith” in the business aviation sector?

The past few years have been a rollercoaster for our industry, there is little doubt about that. The pandemic cost business aviation many excellent professionals, and that loss can still be seen in manpower shortages around the world.

However, if there is anything the post-COVID world teaches us it is that business aviation has a central role in the future of sustainable transport, as well as the future of economic growth at large. Not only is it an industry that never stops progressing, but it is also one that dedicates itself to solving some of the world’s most pressing problems.

Indeed, business aviation is a hotbed for sustainability-related innovations and the creation of greener technologies. Companies are exploring measures such as electric flights, hydrogen-powered aircraft, and the conscious adoption of more sustainable practices to reduce their carbon footprint.

So, if anyone has lost faith in the sector, I would encourage them to look at the current markets – many of which are doing better than they were three years ago, look at the environmental commitments being made, and finally, look at the innovation that is marking the sector as one of the most progressive out there.

UAS recently partnered with IBAC with a shared vision to improve standards in the industry, what are some of the key objectives / milestones you’re working towards?

Uniting our mutual knowledge and influence is vital to the sustained growth of our industry, particularly at times when it is misunderstood and under attack in some quarters. It is our duty to unite as an industry to strengthen our voice and advocate for the conditions required to simplify global operations in order to support supply chains and grow economies.

UAS’ recent partnership with IBAC provides us with the opportunity to assist it in shaping standards before they are adopted and applied as regulations by CAAs in their sovereign countries. And our knowledge and experience of global operational challenges and opportunities afford us excellent insight to share.

We will also be exploring objectives related to aviation sustainability and how we can be a greener industry going forward.

You’re well known for your ability to recognise and respond to industry trends. What are your reflections on the industry in 2023 and your thoughts on 2024?

During the first quarter of 2023, global demand was growing steadily in all regions. I think we are experiencing a plateau of sorts now, with certain markets business jet activity up and some down slightly.

For the U.S. and European markets, I see this as a natural levelling off from the unprecedented post-pandemic demand that will result in a return to slower, steadier growth throughout 2024. I think the Middle East market will be the same.

As demand continues to rise in Asia Pacific, we are reminded that not only is this region booming economically, but it is also still experiencing the effects of China’s reopening earlier this year. I’m certain that the Asia-Pacific charter jet services market will see at least single digit annual growth over the coming few years.

As a leader, how do you ensure your corporate values are applied in practice across the company?

I think in any organization, it is a leader’s role to demonstrate the corporate values he/she sets for the team.

At UAS, those values are a commitment to operational excellence and innovation, personal accountability, a positive attitude, and a client-centric mindset. These are pretty much my personal values also, and if they were not, it wouldn’t work for UAS. For me, integrity is everything, in life and in business. Being guided by our values and acting in congruence with them is inspiring and infectious to those around you.

Recently, we established a new role at UAS that we ask all the team to embody; that of CHO (Chief Heart Officer). This means always considering each other’s wellbeing and exercising more empathy in action to truly support and elevate each other.

Further to this, the UAS Code of Conduct informs employees of the standards expected of them and provides a guide for all professional conduct. This is how we maintain a strong company culture that reinforces our corporate values.

How much importance do you place on professional development? Both for yourself as a leader and for your colleagues at UAS?

Continuous professional development is crucial to improve competence and ensure happiness and success. My personal quest for improvement never ends.

I enjoy mountain trekking for self-reflection, I regularly read books, follow inspirational people on social media, attend webinars, and participate in various professional associations and forums. I also encourage my employees to do the same and engage in continuous training and sponsored education.

WOI interviewed you 2 years ago; what has changed for UAS and you professionally during this time?

The past two years have seen massive expansion for UAS, particularly in Asia Pacific and Latin America.

We have expanded ground support at key emerging travel hubs dedicated to advocating for our clients’ interest and ensuring they receive the same high standard of quality at every destination. We refer to this as ‘white gloves’ service standard, the premier standard available in trip support globally.

We have entered strategic partnerships in various fields and geolocations to broaden our network and our services portfolio. We have also launched our newest technology, UAS Global Trip Manager.

Developed specifically as a game-changer for the aviation industry, GTM is a powerful and flexible trip management system that puts the user in total control of trip planning activities with real-time access to all trip details at any time and from any location.

We have also made great strides in boosting our thought-leadership through the UAS Forward Discussions at major events and the UAS Leader-to-Leader series when I interview other BizAv leaders from all over the globe.

Finally, we are also committed to sustainability, launching the UAS Sustainable Aviation Fuel initiative in 2022 which sees us drop client handling fees for SAF ordered through us to inspire more operators to make the switch to SAF and help our industry attain its carbon neutral goals.

We hope you enjoyed this blog. To read our first interview with Omar Hosari, please read here.

Omar Hosari social media handles:
LinkedIn
Facebook

As for UAS International Trip Support:
LinkedIn
Facebook

If you are looking for support with PR, communications, or marketing, please get in touch at info@whiteorchidinsights.com

Just Peachy Expands Award-Winning Wedgie-Free Girls’ Panty Briefs with New Colors

July 10, 2025 No Comments

Just Peachy, the brand disrupting the children’s underwear market, is expanding its Junior Design Award-winning Wedgie-Free Girls’ Panty Briefs with new color options, ensuring even

This 7,000-Year-Old Health System Just Fixed What My GP Couldn’t

June 26, 2025 No Comments

Raw Lily Hosts Dear Future Me at 10x Longevity – An Evening Designed to Inspire, Reflect, and Reset

June 9, 2025 No Comments

How Emma went from working at McDonalds to becoming a Fashion Investor in Hong Kong

June 5, 2025 No Comments

A fashion enthusiast transitioned from a law firm desk to pursue a career in fashion retail out of passion.

Forget Bali. This Is Where Hong Kong’s Smart Travellers Are Heading in 2025

May 24, 2025 No Comments

Can One Voice Really Change Hong Kong’s Social Enterprise Landscape? Anushka Purohit Explains Her Mission

May 7, 2025 No Comments

Entrepreneur Series with Anna Cabannes, Founder & Wellness Director, Studio la Lune

Mellissa Wheeler — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 15:13:47 +0000

How do you define success?

To me, success equals Freedom. Freedom to choose my work environment and the people I work with. Freedom to express my true self unapologetically. Freedom to choose my financial status. Freedom to plan my days and weeks depending on my current needs – whether it’s more work, more money, more time for self-care, or more social interactions. I crave and have built a life with as few restrictions as possible.

What has a lack of travel and/or easy mobility taught you and how has it affected your business?

I am one of the lucky ones in that the past 2 years have been positive for my business and career. After 5 years working for the most reputable banks, I realized something was missing.

I decided to incorporate wellness into my life and made the big decision to completely shift my career and subsequently, my entire life. With more awareness and time for reflection, I realized I needed a greater sense of purpose, satisfaction, and meaning and that’s what drove me into entrepreneurship almost a year ago with this clear ambition to make my dreams of success (freedom) come true.

Sadly, the business is suffering tremendously right now due to the extensive mandatory closure, but I am hopeful for the future of Studio La Lune and confident of the concept and brand.

What are your business values?

When shifting from corporate to solo entrepreneurship, I decided that my business values would be clear and very different from those I experienced in investment banking. I came from a very structured, competitive and goal-oriented organization to one that is highly creative, compassionate, intuitive and people-oriented. Studio La Lune is a safe place to empower women from any age and background; it is a space where they can express who they truly are without judgments. I wanted the business to mirror the judgement free acceptance we offer to our students. Our teachers come with very different backgrounds and specialties. I appreciate my collaborators and partners for their individuality and authenticity, and I see that as our biggest strength. I try my best to lead in a way that each person I work with feels seen and honored, and most importantly can be part of the conversation around what we offer and what value we can bring.

What are your personal values?

My personal values are evolving in parallel with my entrepreneur journey. The biggest one would be – “optimism” always seeing things as opportunities rather than issues and always moving forward. And this pairs up well with the next value – “challenge”, I often actively look for the next move, the next thrill, or the next step for personal growth. The third value is “respect” I try to honor everyone with a consistent level of fairness, without judgment and (most importantly) respect for their work, personality, personal history and who they are.

What inspired you to start Studio La Lune?

My biggest inspiration was my personal journey. Growing up as a teen and then as a woman, I felt a lack of communication around many topics regarding what was happening in my life. The trend was more towards suppressing our emotions and issues rather than addressing them or simply talking about it. But I am very happy to see that we are now slowing starting to speak openly about many of the taboo subjects… and just I wanted to be part of this incredible societal change!

Starting Studio La Lune was also a way to allow myself to work and develop myself in my own terms as an entrepreneur.

What are your passions?

I am a multi passionate person. Firstly, and obviously, about everything wellness related. But I also love to explore and discover new things or new approaches in all areas. As a true Virgo, I am passionate about planning and organizing (oh yes, it’s called a passion at this point). The key to my heart is an afternoon at the beach or under the sun.

What can we expect from you and Studio La Lune next?

On a personal level, I am currently exploring new ways to accompany women through personalized wellness program to help them learn more in detail about their own woman’s cycle and experience the benefit of yoga. Corporate wellness is also something I am spending more and more time on since I find it quite interesting to have a direct impact on people’s work environment.

Regarding Studio La Lune, it’s hard to say at this point. But one thing is for sure: we will keep going with being (not only) a yoga studio but an established wellness center – a place of reference for any woman looking for a space to connect with themselves and with others. More events! More celebration around women’s bodies! More classes and workshops addressing taboo subject (periods, sexual health, fertility, pregnancy, miscarriage, post-partum, and menopause – yes that’s a lot!).

What do you hope your legacy will be?

Firstly, I truly hope I can inspire others to bring more awareness into their lives and confidence in themselves and their ability. Whether it’s through a career shift, entrepreneurship, or by any other way, anyone deserve to find a fierce passion and excitement in their everyday work.

Then, I’d like each and every woman to have access to knowledge on their body, their cycles, their hormones, and the different life cycles they are going through. This is an essential step for our well-being. Knowledge is power – something I wish we had been taught at school. I see myself in going into schools alongside medical professionals to support wellness education and help young people better understand how the body and mind works. I hope this will help more people feel less alone and more empowered to access support.

What advice would you give to women who want to start their own business?

Go for it and trust yourself!

This is such an incredible adventure. Enjoy the journey and avoid focusing only on the “end” goal – this will continue to change. Having direction is important but the process, the people you meet, the small and big successes, the failures, the challenges, the doubts, the problems you overcome, the first happy client/feedback, and so much more – these are the real highlights of being an entrepreneur.

One other practical advice: surround yourself with like-minded individuals. My most valuable addition this year was to integrate business groups of entrepreneurs. It’s truly inspiring to find a group of women who share common challenges, values and goals and it’s the perfect way to create deep connections and partnerships as well.

If people want to hear about what is next for you and Studio La Lune, what channels can we follow?

Most of our info regarding the studio can be found on our IG : studiolalunehk or on our website studiolalunehk.com. My personal IG account: annacabannes.

Starting a new Business? 15 Successful Entrepreneurs Give Advice for 2022

Mellissa Wheeler — Tue, 21 Dec 2021 06:13:03 +0000

Whether you are just starting your entrepreneurial journey or you have many years of experience you can’t beat powerful advice from other successful entrepreneurs. We asked 15 entrepreneurs for one piece of advice for other business owners and the results are fantastic.

Get ready to start 2022 with the help of these wise words.

Get very clear on your values. When you get lost, this will bring you back to your ‘why’.

Sarah Keates

Founder – White Orchid Insights

I think that for startups and new companies collaboration and team effort is everything hence I would like to add a quote to my quote from an African Proverb: If you want to reach fast, walk alone, if you want to reach far, walk together – This is your journey.

Gabriel Madrid

CEO – Jet Luxe

Excelling is a mindset so be purposeful in your thoughts. Remember, passion, hard work, grit, and positivity are key characteristics for any successful entrepreneur.

Omar Hosari

Co-owner, Founde, CEO – UAS Aero

Don’t forget to play – it’s the most engaging and fulfilling way to research, have fun and test the boundaries of life. Laughter is medicine. Play is not a luxury, it is a necessity.

Sarah Kalmeta

Women’s Leadership Coach, Founder – Pivot Point

Communicate with your team and empower them through systems and structures. The days of top-down management are long over.

Andrew Lau

Founder – 375 Chicken N Fries

There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, teamwork and learning from challenges. Success is the time when preparation and opportunity meet.

Jenny LAU

President – Sino Jet

To grow and succeed we must learn from our actions or inactions daily, spending quality time each morning reviewing yesterdays susses and failures, will focus the mind on improving. As long as you improve as an individual or a company each day, success will come. Never accept todays results as success as tomorrow can be better.

Andy Hudson

CEO – Private Jet Central

Integrity in your values is everything. Trends will come and go, but belief in high quality, consistency in standards and attention to detail will always go far and set you apart from the rest. That combined with a real connection with your client/customer helps to build a journey that seals longevity, as well securing the true passion of what you do.

David Gouygou

Co-Founder – Brune Blonde

Image Courtesy: Defin8 Fitness

Be prepared to make difficult decisions, face failures head on, and constantly educate yourself even when you’re ahead of the game. Your business is your baby – be attentive, listen to advice, but inevitably do what you feel in your heart is right.

Trixie Velez

Co-Founder – Defin8 Fitness

Image Courtesy: Ali G Studios

You may feel like you’re not good enough at times because of someone else’s perception. Be confident in the fact that no one knows your brand more than you. Stay true to why you started in the first place, don’t doubt your abilities, truly listen to your gut, and I promise – you’ll succeed at whatever you’re passionate about.

Natasha Moor

Founder, CEO – Natasha Moor Cosmetics

Dare to be different, think about scalability, manage cash, and surround yourself with amazing people.

Bas Fransen

CEO – EcoMatcher

Nothing is rocket science except for rocket science. Whatever it is, there is an answer, and you’ll figure it out!

Christine Yu

Founder – Lapidary Limited

Be on the pulse of what your customers needs are before they look for it. Challenge yourself to think outside the box, and always be kind to your team and everyone around you.

Rebecca Chung

Founder – PrincessBrows, High Society Skin Clinic, Glowagen and GEL Lashes

Creating a meaningful business takes dedication, time and a whole lot of passion! Always remember to stay true and authentic to your mission – your why and what you are solving. That passion and authenticity will automatically garner a loyal client base.

Anjali Harjani

Founder – Malabar Baby

One thing my father always said, is that people do business with people that they like. At the end of the day relationship building is the most important foundation of any business.

Alexandria Colindres

CEO – Registry of Aruba

Entrepreneur Series with Andy Hudson, Founder and CEO, Private Jet Central.

Mellissa Wheeler — Tue, 21 Dec 2021 23:35:04 +0000

Entrepreneur Series with Andy Hudson, Founder and CEO, Private Jet Central.

You’ve had a full and productive career in the industry, do you feel you still have something to contribute to its development and future?

I’ve been lucky to have been involved in a range of areas within the industry, from brokering and asset management through to IT applications, so I would like to think that gives me a perspective worth sharing with the talented individuals at earlier stages in their careers. I’ve had challenges and failures along the way, but overcoming and moving on from these taught me just as much as the success I’ve had. I do think sharing the whole experience, and not just the good bits, when I meet people at the shows and at events is important as value.

Thinking about the ongoing situation with COVID, The initial lockdown had a major impact on our industry, how do you feel about the impact that had and the subsequent recovery?

Along with most people it was a difficult time for my own business, but I’d say what got me through, and it’s true for many others, is the fact we stuck together. I kept in touch with friends and colleagues around the world throughout the lockdowns, and we supported each other, kept making plans, kept the ideas flowing, and as soon as we could, got back to work to start implementing those ideas. While I know a number of people who did lose their jobs and found themselves in a difficult situation, many more did survive with the same kind of support. I’m currently working on a re-development plan for Koodoo airport in the Maldives, which is something that started during lockdown despite all the restrictions.

From your own experience and career, what’s the one thing you think allowed you to stay ahead of the game?

Recognise talent, both in yourself and the people you meet and work with. Don’t be frightened to look in the mirror and say “I’m better at this than other people” and use that knowledge to the full. At the same time, also be honest about what other people are better at, and use that in just the same way. I have a skill set that has served me well, and allowed me to succeed in several areas in our industry, but I don’t pretend that I could have done it all on my own. I’ve worked and collaborated with a number of very talented and capable people over the years. Embracing their talents helped me as much as exploiting my own.

What’s next for Andy Hudson?

As well as the developing and Indian island airport, I’m also working on two major investment projects, one that will offer innovative solutions for fleet ownership and one that will also allow me to expand into the luxury maritime area – something I’ve wanted to do for quite some time. The projects are in their early stages, but are an exciting addition to my portfolio, and will provide tremendous opportunities for both investors and the teams we’ll build around these businesses.

ENTREPRENEUR SERIES – Bas Fransen CEO & Founder of EcoMatcher

Mellissa Wheeler — Sun, 24 Oct 2021 11:58:22 +0000

INSIGHTS ON ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Sarah Keates sits down with Bas Fransen, CEO and Founder of EcoMatcher

How do you define success?

Succeeding in something you value important that does not come easy.

What has a lack of travel and/or easy mobility taught you and how has it affected your business?

Inability to travel taught me that ZOOM/Teams/Google calls are more efficient, and more effective; it has not negatively impacted the business, it probably has helped the business as we now talk to more people more frequently.

What are your corporate values?

Respect, trust, honesty, and ingenuity.

What are your personal values?

Respect, trust, honesty, and ingenuity.

Has your vision for EcoMatcher changed since you started the company?

No.

What are your passions?

Building and leading teams, new technologies, field hockey.

What can we expect from you and EcoMatcher next?

A much bigger footprint as we will partner with more foundations planting trees, and with more and bigger customers.

What are some of the challenges you face now?

Supply of trees, as demand is bigger than we can currently supply.

What do you hope your legacy will be?

Have planted together with partners and customers over 1 billion trees.

If people want to hear about what is next for you and EcoMatcher, what channels can we follow?

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/basfransenhk/

Why Creative Businesses are Moving to Wong Chuk Hang

Mellissa Wheeler — Thu, 30 Sep 2021 01:56:02 +0000

In this WOI piece, we look at why businesses are moving to Wong Chuk Hang and away from the Central Business District (CBD) of Central and Admiralty.

Where is Wong Chuk Hang?

Wong Chuk Hang, literal translation from Cantonese “Yellow Bamboo Pit”, is an area in the Southern District of Hong Kong which has seen extensive expansion in the last 10 years. With prominent buildings such as One Island South becoming popular for businesses especially those in the creative and fashion industries. Wong Chuk Hang has all the business benefits of working in Central, but not the growing list of disadvantages including sky-high rental and small spaces.

Today, we will look to answer what the benefits of moving are and specifically why creatives are being drawn to Wong Chuk Hang.

Initiatives such as The HK Walls has helped make Wong Chuk Hang the perfect location for creatives

Virtual vs. in-person operations

Rent is undoubtedly one of the biggest expenses that businesses in Hong Kong face. In response to rental pressures and an argument in favour of remote operations, many businesses have moved to an entirely virtual operation. Whilst the evidence is there to support remote working as a viable model, there are still significant benefits to working together in person with flexible and hybrid working being the favoured model among the vast majority of workers. Employers and business owners are recognising this and understanding the need to offer spaces that reflect the need to connect by embracing flexible or hybrid working. In a recent Microsoft report, it was found that:

Over 65 percent of the questioned workforce are craving more in person time with their teams.
66 percent of business decision makers approached for the report are considering redesigning physical spaces to better accommodate hybrid work environments.

The business argument for Wong Chuk Hang

According to statistia.com in Q1 2021 the average monthly rent for grade A office space in Hong Kong’s Central district amounted to $1,087 HKD per square metre. This is in stark comparison to Wong Chuk Hang, where office space in a similar Grade A building such as One Island South for example where JLL lists the asking price as $322.917per square metre per month. This represents a 70.3 percent decrease in potential rental cost.

Grade A office options provided by One Island South in Wong Chuk Hang | Creatives can enjoy all the characteristics of warehouse buildings mixed with the modern amenities that revamped spaces such as Metro Workspace’s newest offering The Urban Woods can offer

A massive saving in rent presents an obvious opportunity to any business to reallocate funds into other business areas. This cost differential example relates only to Grace A newer buildings; the saving may be even greater in industrial, warehouse style buildings such as the Remex Centre where coworking operator, Metro Workspace has recently launched their newest space, Urban Woods.

Accessibility

Gone are the days when people used to have to get on a bus at Admiralty to reach the South Side. With the opening of the South Island line in December 2016, travelers just need a quick change at Admiralty MTR station the South Island line. This connects Wong Chuk Hang with the rest of Hong Kong, with just an 8-minute travel time to Admiralty MTR station which allows easy connections to both Kowloon and the rest of Hong Kong Island. For creatives who prefer to drive or take the bus to work, Wong Chuk Hang is still a great option as (unlike Central), there is no “rush hour” or shortage of parking. The district is very easy access to the popular residential areas of Pok Fu Lam, Repulse Bay, Stanley and is typically just a 10-minute drive to the Central Harbour Tunnel which allows easy access to Kowloon and the New Territories, a much quicker option than the dreaded traffic of Gloucester Road. Such accessibility has led to large corporations including insurance giant, AXA to move its entire Hong Kong presence into Wong Chuk Hang.

Creativity

One of the biggest incentives for creatives to move to Wong Chuk Hang is the proximity to peers. In fact, Wong Chuk Hang can now be considered a hub with a thriving community of creatives from different industries, including large corporations, SME’s, entrepreneurs, and small studios. The list that has moved to Wong Chuk Hang is endless; Tatler, for example has moved its Hong Kong headquarters to Wong Chuk Hang. Aside from Tatler, other businesses such as Hula, Retykle, Pedder Group and FarFetch are also based in the area. This district has also seen an explosion of galleries including leading international art galleries such as Axel Vervoordt Gallery and de Sarthe alongside local Hong Kong brand, Blindspot Gallery.

Hula’s HQ is based in Wong Chuk Hang

Space

Lower rent can help a struggling business reduce costs; it can also provide a growing business with larger premises, without breaking the bank. As an example, WOI recently relocated to The Urban Woods, taking a larger office to accommodate a growing team without any increase in rent.

Another example is established fashion business, Vestiaire that built custom Asia headquarters in Wong Chuk Hang. This brand requires both form and function and designed a beautiful, expansive loft space with vast storage for its inventory. The large premises with high ceilings, ample lights, and loft-style design won over Vestiaire’s European co-founder, Fanny Moziat.

Whilst businesses were once skeptical about moving to Wong Chuk Hang, this is now not the case, and it is increasingly becoming common for businesses both large and small to relocate to the area. Cynthia Li, Regional Director with JLL’s Hong Kong Capital Markets team notes that “Wong Chuk Hang will become South Side’s answer to Quarry Bay”.

WOI founder, Sarah Keates said, “it is a small but growing community with extensive government investment and amenities including a hospital, parks, hotels, and new developments including shopping malls. I am confident that Wong Chuk Hang is the right space for WOI and that its popularity will continue to increase in line with its development. We are incredibly happy with our space in Metropolitan Workspace’s Urban Woods. It is peaceful, productive, convenient, connected, and spacious – which is more than we could achieve in one space in other locations including Central. As an added bonus, there are multiple running routes and hikes nearby, so it’s perfect for our active team.”

We hope to see you around the Wong Chuk Hang neighbourhood soon!

Thank you for reading this WOI article which was written by Xavier Christopher.

You may also be interested in reading Branding vs Marketing – What is the Difference

ENTREPRENEUR SERIES – Omar Hosari, Co-Founder and CEO at UAS

Mellissa Wheeler — Mon, 20 Sep 2021 07:21:40 +0000

INSIGHTS ON ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Sarah Keates sits down with a leader from the business aviation sector, Omar Hosari, Co-Founder and CEO at UAS International Trip Support.

1. How do you define success?

Success is subjective. Some find a sense of fulfillment in simple achievements, while others define it with grand milestones. To me, it is the little things that matter. As an entrepreneur, I owe the global success of UAS International Trip Support to our employees. Their commitment and expert skills are highly appreciated.

2. What has a lack of travel and/or easy mobility taught you?

For years we have become accustomed to a fast-paced lifestyle. This has made us neglect a number of things, which has, in turn, affected our relationships, behavior and life goals.

I feel that the lack of travel in recent times has taught us many important lessons. It gave us the opportunity to reevaluate our personal and professional lives. From a personal perspective, it gave us a chance to reorganize our priorities, helped us reconnect with our families and brought value back into the conversations we have with them.

Many industries also found new opportunities as a result of limited mobility, especially business aviation. During the pandemic alone, private jets recorded a spike in flights. There were a number of reasons for this, but most prominent factors were its connections to destinations at a time when commercial flights were restricted, and of course, limited transport time between airport terminals and reduced exposure that ensured health safety.

This is also a time when we discovered innovative ways to digitize our business, which has led to a stronger and more engaged aviation community.

3. What are your corporate values?

I am a firm believer that employees are the foundation of any successful organization. I am truly grateful to have a hard-working team that has contributed their skills and expertise to the success of UAS International Flight Support and strengthened its global presence. We have an inclusive environment, where every employee has an opportunity to get involved in business operations, express their thoughts and share feedback. This is very important to me.

From a business perspective, I aim to play a role in establishing a sustainable and well-informed aerospace community through UAS International Flight Support. I have been active in international conferences and forums, both physically and virtually, to share effective solutions and thoughts that bring value to the industry. Furthermore, we work towards fortifying our customer relationships and offer full range of services to meet all their aviation needs.

4. What are your personal values?

I believe in living a life with empathy. We come across many different personalities and situation in our daily lives and I feel that it is important to form a mindful connection. My family are a big influence in my life, and I strive to be a better man because of them. Their thoughts and experiences have helped me develop as the leader I am today. I hope to inspire my children and encourage them to become conscious leaders themselves, while making them proud.

5. Has your vision for UAS changed since you started the company?

No. Since the establishment of UAS International Trip Support in 2000, we have been committed to our vision of revolutionizing international business flight user experience. However, our priorities and tools have undergone change during the journey.

The aviation industry is constantly evolving, welcoming new technology and innovation to the forefront, so change is inevitable. At UAS, we continue to reevaluate our strategies and align our goals with the latest industry standards. The UAS Evolution Technology Suite – LinkEvolution and TMSEvolution – was developed in-house and illustrates UAS’ willingness to be in tune with trends and give clients the solutions they want and need.

Sustainability is a strong talking point today and the industry is undertaking initiatives to reduce carbon footprint and switch to sustainable aviation fuels. I have also been actively involved in this field, as a board member of the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) and the Asian Business Aviation Association (AsBAA), taking UAS to greater heights.

6. You love adventure, why?

There’s more to adventure than just the thrill. As entrepreneurs, we are often busy behind desks and this can take a toll on creativity, limit our personal growth and add to daily stress. So making the time to be in the great outdoors is refreshing and peaceful in its own way. I also enjoy the freedom that comes along with adventures.

To be specific, I love mountain climbing because of the challenges it presents to me. It gives me a sense of fulfillment when I overcome the obstacles and also helps ease my mind.

Of course, climbing a mountain is not easy, but I find the challenge worth conquering. Everything from equipping myself with gear and the mental preparation to the ascent and descent, followed by the fear of failure all contribute towards my personal development as a leader. The physical and mental struggle paves way to growth and improvement.

7. What’s next on your bucket list?

To date, I have been to Mount Everest and Kilimanjaro, and it has been a dream of mine to climb the Seven Summits of the world. I am currently working my way towards it.

8. What are some of the challenges you face now?

It is natural for entrepreneurs to face challenges on a business and operational level and difficult for me to pinpoint. Aside from the usual, I am on a never-ending journey of self-improvement. I consider this a challenge because there is no right or wrong way to be a better leader, but there are instances when your environment can greatly influence your decisions. At times, our choices may not be the best course of action, but we live and we learn from experience.

9. What do you hope your legacy will be?

I hope to be leader that will be remembered as inspirational among both employees and my family. I hope my actions and attitude instill a sense of confidence among team members and encourage them to become leaders in their own right. I wish the same for my family. As mentioned earlier, I will continue become a better version of myself, with a can-do attitude. In this regard, I want everyone to know that the world is full of possibilities. One needs to be bold enough to seize it and turn dreams into reality.

10. Where can people follow you and find out more about you and UAS?

I am very active on most social media channels, especially LinkedIn, where I share my thought leadership and insights into my experience as an entrepreneur in aviation.

Here are my handles:
LinkedIn
Facebook

As for UAS International Trip Support:
LinkedIn
Facebook