The co-founder realised that small businesses are overshadowed by large retail chains and is looking to change that narrative through her startup

Lennise Ng has always been interested in creating something new be it an innovative technology or anything to do with disrupting the status quo. Though she initially pursued a career in music, going as far as transferring to the Berklee College of Music, she came to realise that entrepreneurship was her true calling.

As it turns out, entrepreneurship runs in Ng’s family. Her grandfather, a hardworking and dedicated micro-entrepreneur, built his wholesale and distribution business from the ground up and never hesitated to lend capital or support to small and medium-sized enterprise owners.

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Inspired by his act of selflessness, Ng co-founded Dropee, a business-to-business (B2B) wholesale marketplace with fellow co-founder Aizat Rahim in 2017. We speak to Ng about how she is helping local businesses thrive and serve their community by improving their access to fast-moving consumer goods.

I am a big believer in levelling the playing field so that small players can stand equally with the big boys. The key value we provide at Dropee to our customers, most of whom are SMEs, is that we provide them access to stock that would otherwise be difficult for them to access. Many of these retail outlets have a finite shelf space so we also help them figure out the right types of products that are in demand by their community and more likely to be sold fast.

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During the pandemic, many SMEs struggled with cash flow and getting access to financial services. We partnered with financial players and helped our SMEs to get business financing and this include allowing them to order stock and pay back for it at a later date.

Tatler Asia

I have learned three valuable lessons as an entrepreneur. The first is, as a leader you need to constantly improve yourself by learning because the burden of responsibility is not only to your customers but also to your employees. Secondly, show humility and acknowledge when it is time to unlearn old practices that no longer work. Once you have identified a gap and are willing to learn something new, implement it.

As a young entrepreneur, I find that it is a constant challenge to maintain a healthy work-life balance. But over the years, I have realised it is more about work-life harmony instead where it’s about aligning your passion with your profession. I’ve learned that it matters less about what others think and more about how to take care of yourself so that you can sleep soundly at night.

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Photography  

Imran Sulaiman

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