In a world which is increasingly shrinking as technological advances makes connectivity easier, we came together in Penang (Malaysia) to honour the Asian winners of the 21st Century Prestigious Brand Award 2013. Honoured to be conferred this title by the organisers, I joined close to 200 award winners from 10 different Asian countries to receive the 21st Century Prestigious Entrepreneur Award 2013 from the Malaysian Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr. A. Kohilan Pillay.
This is my second business award since staring my own business in May 2009, the first being last year’s Successful Entrepreneur Award. I value each and every opportunity to connect with more people, to share my brand and make a difference in the lives of others. Awards are like toppings on the cake to validate the efforts taken.
What struck me instantly was the grandeur of the gala award ceremony. Grand is perhaps an understatement. Grandiose would be a better word to describe it.
Literally treated like VIPs, we walked on the red carpet before each of us were handed a golden marker to autograph our names on the huge backdrop bearing all our company logos. Then we were presented with a red paper flower…to mark our induction into the family of award winners. If you ask me, it was nothing short of an ‘A’ class awards ceremony, good enough to rival the Golden Horse Awards or Golden Melody Awards in Hong Kong and Taiwan respectively. We were the celebrities that evening. We were the ones our supporters clapped for. We were the ones who left our beautiful imprints on the shores of Penang.
In a sea of black suits and tuxedos, my shiny navy blue outfit was a striking standout. Drums, dragon dances and wushu performances entertained us as the theme of the night was “Chinese’s Glorious Night”. Indeed.
It’s hard to pinpoint any set ingredients for business success. It boils down to how an entrepreneur decides to
brand his business. Branding is just like the clothes we wear. Do you want to follow the fashion trend or do you want to be a trend-setter? It is very often your call in life.
Life is always full of surprises. As long as we think positive, no mountain is too high to climb and no sea too wide to cross. There are limitless opportunities every corner you turn. For me, I choose to focus on areas I am passionate and excel in. The answer is simple – in this way, I get to play while working at the same time. And it no longer becomes strictly ‘work’ in the sense of the word.
When it was my turn to receive my plaque and trophy, the Malaysian Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr. A. Kohilan Pillay shook my hand and wished me more business success in the year of the water snake. Thank you…I will continue to pursue my dreams and build on my brand in the years ahead!
Receiving my award from Malaysian Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr. A. Kohilan Pillay
With all the other award winners in a group photo
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