Entrepreneur Case Study

1. Interview with Mr Bernie Utchenlik Entrepreneur Case Study So Jami Florence, Ho Lee Wen, Verena Lee, Alexander, Zhang Liming

2. Who is that Man? • Born in Detroit • About 60 years old • Came to Singapore in 1990 • Set Up his first company in 1996 • Married in November 1998 • Became a Singapore Citizen in 2010 • Self-taught Chef

3. Botak Jones

4. His Company • Botak Jones is under the “GREAT BIG FOOD” • 51% owned my him and his wife • First Botak Jones started in Tuas in 2003, with initial investment of $10,000 • Office is in Defu Lane, 5,000 sq ft central kitchen

5. Company Mission • To provide well-made restaurant quality food and service in industrial and heartland residential areas where it hasn’t been available before.

6. Running the Business… • You have to be passionate about what you do! • You have to transparent, honest. • It’s more than just making money, it’s about doing it right. • Service is beyond attitude, its understanding and putting others above self. Service culture can be taught. But personality cannot be taught. During first year, spend about $100.000 for good service • It is 100 times harder to find people that passionate about food. People rather working at lower salary in City Area than for higher salary and better working hour in Botak Jones. If breathing and willing to work, already 50% fit to work

7. Most Important Culture “Treat everyone as a human being until they give you reason not to” “Never say no to customer” (give further explanation about the service)

8. Future of Botak Jones • He says he is still passionate about Botak Jones. • Always looking for new ideas to expand. • They have plans to franchise their business in Malaysia, Indonesia, Korea and China.

9. On Entrepreneurship • Entrepreneur cannot be trained, it must be from inside. • Entrepreneurs are very impatient people. They can’t wait to take action! • The difference between Entrepreneurs is that they have an idea, they take action. They are not afraid to take up the challenge. • Entrepreneurs might not be able to run a business, but definitely make a business. They are strategists. They create ideas. • They feel will not be able to live a full life, unless they try. • Need to have very good intuition. It is about giving people alternatives. • Entrepreneurs got to stand on a sound business operation with a bottom line, with mini requirements. • Networking… you got to know the right people who will then connect you. • Couple working together usually a negative thing, but turn it into something positive. May need to be removed: • He claims decisions are based on his gut feel. • Entrepreneurship cannot be taught, You got to do it, take action

10. She Says….. “He is just such an honest and nurturing person” “He is a man who means what he says. I feel very safe with him” “He jokes with a straight face. It's his American sense of humour. “

11. He Says….. “My partner, in business and in life” “She is very understanding and allows me to be myself” “I am the entrepreneur, she is the business person who runs the day-to-day operations”

12. Advice for Entrepreneur To Be • The better you surround yourself with capable person, the better you will be • When running a business, is important to adjust to the rules of the games,understand the system, and then get the right person. • People should be transparent and honest for reason more than making money  should this be a belief or advise? • Must really care about you're doing, more important than getting it done (by rushing). Put a face, put inner pride, it show what you're doing • When you do something bad, then you do amazing thing to remedy the situation, the remedy will be the one that talked more. • When a business grows, management style needs to change. company. Trust people , or at least listen.

13. Our Learning Points (example..) • Do what you are passionate about! • Have pride in your work! • Treat everyone equally. Treat them like you want other people treat you. • Life is not all about work. (need to put what else) • You cannot just have entrepreneur stand on its own, you must have a good business plan and capable ‘comrades’ to maintain the business • Networking is very important in business start up. • (just my thoughts…. Please add, take out or rephrase)

14. The Interview Can use either pic……………… Alex: I vote right pic LW: Either one also good.

15. The makan after that… Choose either pix… Alex: Too bad the right one is blurry, its better the right one. LW: The right one is better look livelier