Cover Raymond Chou (Photo: Daniel Adams)
Raymond Chou (Photo: Daniel Adams)
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Raymond Chou shares the leadership lessons he's gained from being part of Entrepreneurs' Organisation Malaysia
“I started my first unofficial business when I was 14,” shares Raymond Chou, the CEO and owner of Infront Consulting, a digital solution provider that helps other businesses navigate their digital transformation. In a bid to help his mother with household income, he became her best (and only) salesman, selling the cookies she made.
Chou went on to obtain a degree in sound engineering from London Metropolitan University in England. After spending six years overseas, where he also worked in the music industry, he decided to return to Malaysia. “I came back to Malaysia in 1998, and it was a reality check because I realised there wasn't much support for the music industry here then. I applied for a job and they were very excited about my credentials, but I was shocked when they only offered me a salary of RM600 a month,” he reveals.
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“Thankfully, I developed a passion for business and entrepreneurship,” Chou, 48, who started his first company offering copywriting and marketing services at the age of 22. That didn't last long and when his attempts to enter the local music industry was met with a roadblock, he decided to venture into technology. He saw the potential as it was booming at that time. Although it wasn't his passion, he did a lot of self-studying, eventually obtaining a Microsoft certification.
After working for some time as a freelancer offering IT training and installation, he started Infront Consulting with a friend. The company has an AI division and focuses on cloud adoption, cyber security as well as app development.
Above Raymond Chou is the current president of Entrepreneurs' Organisation Malaysian chapter
Raymond Chou is the current president of Entrepreneurs' Organisation Malaysian chapter
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Chou credits much of the 19-year-old company's growth to his involvement in Entrepreneurs' Organisation (EO) Malaysian chapter. “It’s a global non-profit organisation, which began in the 1980s to help entrepreneurs thrive in business," he explains. "It started off with author and entrepreneur Verne Harnish and 22 others. The organisation now comprises over 16,000 members all over the world; the Malaysian chapter alone has 160 members. We’re all passionate about learning and growing." He adds that the community of entrepreneurs are passionate about motivating and mentoring one another.
A key membership requirement is that the company must have an annual revenue of more than US$1 million. There's also a strict non-solicitation policy, so members are only there to learn and grow professionally. Indeed, Chou, who is currently EO's chapter, has benefitted immensely from the lessons he learnt from other members.
“I've gained a lot of leadership insights in EO; I’ve also learnt a lot about structure. We get to learn from over 100 companies, and that's just the local ones, and we learn how they grow from the very beginning, from ideas to their execution and effectiveness. That’s on a larger scale, as we also break down into smaller groups of six to 10 members. These groups are called Forums and we meet once a month to talk about everything from business to family in confidence."
He loves how EO 'teaches' leadership through influence and not instruction. "EO is not a cruise ship, it's a battleship," he quips. As president, he loves how everyone, regardless of position, contributes to the exclusive peer-to-peer network. "There isn't a group just lounging around by the pool while the rest do all the work. Everyone is all hands on deck, steering the ship to success."
There are also numerous events that take place regularly to boost learning among the members. "We curate many different programmes, from local learning events to mentorship lessons ands sessions with other countries, thanks to the diverse global network with our chapters worldwide," enthuses Chou.
From March 15-17, 2023, EO Taipan Masterclass will take place in Kuala Lumpur, an event that is also open to the public. Taipan Masterclass is modelled after the outstanding executive strategy and education programmes, Birthing of Giants, now known as Entrepreneurial Masters Programme (EMP), conducted by the Entrepreneurs Organisation and The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Forum in the US since 1992.
The three-day ticketed masterclass aims to help business leaders develop effective and strategic plans to elevate their businesses, drawing from the expertise of those in EO as well as guest speakers and qualified businesspeople. This year's speakers include EOS implementer and author Mike Paton, leadership coach Serge Romano, and serial entrepreneur and managing director of Techstars Accelerator Vijay Tirathrai. Interested parties can find out more at the event's official website.
Chou loves how the global network is always welcoming. "Wherever you are planning to go, you can just contact that country's EO network and there will surely be at least one person to welcome you or show you around," he smiles.
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