Bonus Episode - Embrace layoff as an opportunity: Meet Cassandra Ong, Founder of OtterHalf, ex-Head of Marketing @ foodpanda and Chope

08/08/23 • 10 min

"Every problem is an opportunity in disguise." - John Adams. Like many others, Cass and her entire crew have also been impacted by the dreaded #layoffs2023 pandemic. Although disheartened by the sad news, Cass also saw an opportunity in this layoff market.

“Tech startups still have to grow and keep expanding. However, their way of engaging marketing agencies will need to change fundamentally to adjust to the restricted budgets. This is where I see an opportunity, to be a true partner to the client through fractional marketing team. "

Tune in to this episode where Cass shared the story behind OtterHalf. ( 🔊 Spoiler alert, the name is a witty wordplay and definitely has something to do with Otters as well) and her top tips for turning setbacks into stepping stones and starting a new venture.

1️⃣ Know your strength and do what you love. This way, people can naturally feel your passion and energy.

2️⃣ Execution is key. Surely planning and testing your hypotheses are important when starting a business, but there are no perfect market research can 100% predict the best way to proceed, so my advice is to take that first step and start doing it.

3️⃣ Money matters. Lastly, talk to as many people as you can to get an initial sense of the demand, product-market-fit of your idea. Then do a proper financial budgeting and forecasting to make sure you have taken calculated risks before venturing into entrepreneurship.

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1️⃣ Know your strength and do what you love. This way, people can naturally feel your passion and energy.

Subscribe or follow to never miss an episode!

Previous Episode

Bonus Episode with Andy Waroma - How to start a business?

Why did Andy leave the comfortable life of a corporate executive to start his own business? Why did he venture back into his second startup after the first failure?

Andy describes the startup life as sort of an addiction with a positive sense, check out this bonus episode of the story behind cloud comrade and Andy’s incredible entrepreneurial journey.

Andy’s top advice for starting a business,

1. Discover Your Passion: Start with a business idea that excites you and aligns with your passion. This enthusiasm will help you stay motivated during challenging times.

3. Embrace Failure as a Learning Opportunity: Expect obstacles and setbacks along the way. Failure can be an invaluable teacher, teaching you resilience and adaptability.

4. Assemble a Reliable Team: Surround yourself with a dedicated and passionate team that complements your skills. Build a culture of collaboration and support.

Remember, setbacks and failures are a natural part of entrepreneurship. Embrace them as opportunities to learn and grow, adjusting your approach when necessary.

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Next Episode

Bonus Episode - Culture eats strategy for breakfast, with Bhavik, APAC MD @ Carta

This week I sat down with Bhavik Vashi, APAC Managing Director of Carta, an Equity Management tech company that specializes in capitalization table management and valuation software. Bhavik started from a professional services background in one of the big 4 accounting firm KPMG, and spent a decade at Anaplan (a cloud native Enterprise SaaS company offering business planning software), witnessed a series b startup went public, then sold to a private equity company Thoma Bravo last year.

From San Francisco to Singapore; financial services to enterprise software; customer services to go-to-market to general management; in this interview, I delve deep into the driving forces that shaped Bhavik's path, his top management advice for scaling startups and the lessons he learned through his own personal leadership transformation. Subscribe or follow to never miss an episode of SCALE UP!