Young Entrepreneurs: A Conversation with Moss Bakar

Moss Bakar, 36, Co-founder and Managing Director of Chiram Strategic Group

Malaysian-born Mandarin-speaking Moss Bakar is not only a yogi fanatic, but also and more importantly co-founder and managing director of Chiram Strategic Group (CSG), a leading hospitality and trading organisation with operations spanning Hong Kong, Macau and China.

As one of the early few to continue his education in China following secondary school at Harrow and an undergraduate degree at Boston University, he graduated from Jiao Tong University and, while in Shanghai, oversaw public relations and marketing at Laris and Three on The Bund. His jobs in Shanghai resulted in the igniting of his passion for the food and beverage industry and the beginning of CSG’s extremely successful concepts and services.

Claudine Ying: Tell me a bit about how your business came about. How and when did you get the business idea and inspiration?
Moss Bakar: After working in Shanghai for a few years, I kept thinking about setting up my own food and beverage company.  In 2006, I teamed up with other investors and together we created the Chiram Strategic Group (CSG), now a leading hospitality and trading organisation with operations in Hong Kong, Macau and China.

CY: What concerns do you have about your company?
MB: Recently, the food and beverage industry has been tough; higher rents along with increasing food and labour costs are just some of the main concerns for maintaining profitable operations. It is also important to know how to retain your staff and bring out their potential.  A company’s most important asset is its people.

CY: What have been some of your failures, and what have you learned from them?
MB: We have had restaurant concepts that don’t work out, such as our Vietnamese eatery in Tuen Mun. Even though the restaurant didn’t remain open, we learned valuable lessons from the experience: detailed and thorough market research has to be done before decidng on a concept and businesses have to remain strategic when choosing their locations.

CY: What are your plans for the future?
MB: For our restaurant division in Hong Kong, we are hoping to open another restaurant concept in early 2014. We have also been working on international franchises for Shakey’s Pizza in Singapore, China and all over Southeast Asia. The demand for pizza chains in obscure locations is unbelievable.

CY: What is one question you ask when you hire?
MB: Passion is what I look for in potential candidates, which is why I usually ask how they cope with difficulties in life.  This helps me recognize whether a candidate carries a positive mind-set and possesses enough courage to deal with pressures that may arise from work.  I believe it’s important for a person to keep a positive attitude whether it’s for work or their personal life.

CY: Do you think that entrepreneurialism is something that is in your blood or something that can be learned?
MB: I believe anyone can become an entrepreneur.  For some, running a business may come naturally, but you still need to put in a lot of effort to make a company successful.  I started my career as an employee too, but when I wanted to take a larger role in my work, I did my share of research, found the right people to work with, and went out to harness myself with more knowledge and experience.  Each day will always be a learning experience for an entrepreneur.

CY: What book do you think everyone should read?
MB: "Losing My Virginity: How I Survived, Had Fun, And Made A Fortune Doing Business My Way” by Richard Branson . The billionaire shares his business insights in building the Virgin empire while entertaining readers with anecdotes. Branson’s "Oh, screw it, let's do it" philosophy means that while having your own company is a great feat, a successful entrepreneur is one who continues to go on adventures and live life to the fullest.

CY: If you could talk to one person from history, who would it be and why?
MB: Given the chance, I’d like to talk to Sir Winston Churchill. I think he’s a great example of a person who exemplifies willpower; it would be an honor to learn from a man like him. Never surrendering to defeat, he eventually became one of the greatest Prime Ministers that the Britons ever saw and living proof that no matter what, you don’t give up.  He once said if you're going through hell, keep going – and that’s one powerful battle cry for anyone who’s into business.

CY: How do you define success?
MB: In business, most people would say success is achieving your goals and gaining profit.  But I think real success is finding what you love to do for the rest of your life and to give back.  It’s not just the money that measures a man’s success but what he does with all he has gained to enrich his life.  If you have the ability to pay it forward and contribute to society, go do it.  You will not only be a man of success but one of value.

CY: In one word, characterise your life as an entrepreneur.
MB: Adventurous; because whether you’re an entrepreneur or not, life will always be a journey.