A Learning Journey
Content
today • Thursday 16 May 2013
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ing agencies including TBWA, Lowe & Lintas Group and digital agency DoubleClick Asia. The idea behind Kezaar is simple enough: Those who wish to teach a course, known as sharers, create their own classes, set the pricing and list them on the website. For every person who books the class, Kezaar takes a 15-per-cent cut. In a philanthropic twist, sharers are also encouraged to donate a small part of their fee to a charity of their choice. The Kezaar team screens the qualifications of potential sharers. The company also works with 14 location partners who offer space to sharers to hold their classes at a special rate. Growth has been brisk, and the start-up now boasts around 120 instructors imparting their knowledge to a member base of around 1,300 students. Log on to the website and you will find classes in everything from kid’s etiquette to jewellery design and Zumba dance. Courses range from S$30 to S$120. “The whole process is designed to save you time. We have curated content that is localised and filtered to help add value,” said Ms Lee, 42, who is the company’s Chief Executive Officer.
The tech world is still very much a man’s world, but a group of successful enterprises led by women is determined to change that perception. This month, we feature these groundbreaking women technopreneurs.
sharing trade
A learning journey
Debbie Lee created Kezaar to match those with skills with those who want them
Francis Kan
[email protected]
SINGAPORE — During
a conversation with a friend in late 2011, Ms Debbie Lee realised that many within their respective networks had talents in a wide variety of fields — some were geniuses in the kitchen, others could take stunning photos. It was then that the duo hit on the idea of matching those with skills to share with people who were keen to learn them through an online “knowledge bazaar”. “We thought it would be quite cool to bring people together, to offer nonacademic, real-world learning and life skills. We saw a gap in the market, no one is providing this,” said Ms Lee who, together with three other cofounders, set up Kezaar early last year with their own funds. Before indulging in her entrepreneurial streak, she spent 15 years in the media industry, cutting her teeth working at multinational advertis-
Ms Debbie Lee set up Kezaar early last year with three other co-founders.
Photo: Ernest Chua
However, not all courses prove to be popular, such as two classes that offered tips on dating, she revealed. “I think people were quite shy about the subject matter.” The company’s innovative concept attracted the attention of Singapore Management University’s Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (IIE) incubation programme. As part of the programme, the team has been mentored by resident entrepreneur, Dr Virginia Cha, who has offered them “in-depth and invaluable advice”. As with many start-ups, Kezaar now faces the challenge of securing additional funding to further fuel its growth that is needed to reach profitability. “We’re raising capital for Business Adviser
Ms Debbie Lee, founder and CEO of education tech start-up Kezaar, set up the company with co-founders Ms Kriti Kapoor, Chief Marketing Officer; Mr Chua Seng Teong, VicePresident of Strategy; and Mr Alex Lam, Vice-President of Technology. Here, she shares some tips on starting a technology company. “Don’t jump in until you’ve read Kevin Ready’s Startup Insider’s Guide to Launching and Running a Business. Ready gives a candid and no-frills advice ploughing into his 20-year journey as an entrepreneur: His failures, exits and successes. His quote on ‘a real world MBA programme of my own construction — a starter business’, perfectly resonates with my thinking.”
our expansion and welcome strategic investors and smart money with a leaning towards Edutech sector. This emerging sector has seen close to US$200 million (S$249 million) in deal flow in the United States for the past 12 months.” The company is already looking to expand overseas, and has its eyes set on the South-east Asian market. The website will also see further enhancements, such as ratings and reviews of classes added in the near future. As for Ms Lee, she, too, is adding to her portfolio of talents. She recently picked up acrylic painting, and is now looking for someone to teach her to parasail; a fitting skill for someone who has acquired a taste for taking risks.
Ms Lee also uses the acronym KTIP (Knowing, Tenacity, Idea and Plan) as her mantra for running a start-up. Knowing: Make it your business to know everything about the company or the business, whether its macro or micro. It’s not something you can delegate. You have to be the best champion for your cause, because the entrepreneur is the best spokesperson for the company Tenacity: This is key when you consider the type of hours you have to keep and the speed of iteration. You will be faced with scepticism, but you cannot stop the momentum. Idea: You need to have a good idea. You have to start with something that is real. Plan: If you don’t plan, it just remains as an idea. You need to have your launch plans, operational plans, business plans. The idea is only 50 per cent, the rest is execution.
52
sme
ing agencies including TBWA, Lowe & Lintas Group and digital agency DoubleClick Asia. The idea behind Kezaar is simple enough: Those who wish to teach a course, known as sharers, create their own classes, set the pricing and list them on the website. For every person who books the class, Kezaar takes a 15-per-cent cut. In a philanthropic twist, sharers are also encouraged to donate a small part of their fee to a charity of their choice. The Kezaar team screens the qualifications of potential sharers. The company also works with 14 location partners who offer space to sharers to hold their classes at a special rate. Growth has been brisk, and the start-up now boasts around 120 instructors imparting their knowledge to a member base of around 1,300 students. Log on to the website and you will find classes in everything from kid’s etiquette to jewellery design and Zumba dance. Courses range from S$30 to S$120. “The whole process is designed to save you time. We have curated content that is localised and filtered to help add value,” said Ms Lee, 42, who is the company’s Chief Executive Officer.
The tech world is still very much a man’s world, but a group of successful enterprises led by women is determined to change that perception. This month, we feature these groundbreaking women technopreneurs.
sharing trade
A learning journey
Debbie Lee created Kezaar to match those with skills with those who want them
Francis Kan
[email protected]
SINGAPORE — During
a conversation with a friend in late 2011, Ms Debbie Lee realised that many within their respective networks had talents in a wide variety of fields — some were geniuses in the kitchen, others could take stunning photos. It was then that the duo hit on the idea of matching those with skills to share with people who were keen to learn them through an online “knowledge bazaar”. “We thought it would be quite cool to bring people together, to offer nonacademic, real-world learning and life skills. We saw a gap in the market, no one is providing this,” said Ms Lee who, together with three other cofounders, set up Kezaar early last year with their own funds. Before indulging in her entrepreneurial streak, she spent 15 years in the media industry, cutting her teeth working at multinational advertis-
Ms Debbie Lee set up Kezaar early last year with three other co-founders.
Photo: Ernest Chua
However, not all courses prove to be popular, such as two classes that offered tips on dating, she revealed. “I think people were quite shy about the subject matter.” The company’s innovative concept attracted the attention of Singapore Management University’s Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (IIE) incubation programme. As part of the programme, the team has been mentored by resident entrepreneur, Dr Virginia Cha, who has offered them “in-depth and invaluable advice”. As with many start-ups, Kezaar now faces the challenge of securing additional funding to further fuel its growth that is needed to reach profitability. “We’re raising capital for Business Adviser
Ms Debbie Lee, founder and CEO of education tech start-up Kezaar, set up the company with co-founders Ms Kriti Kapoor, Chief Marketing Officer; Mr Chua Seng Teong, VicePresident of Strategy; and Mr Alex Lam, Vice-President of Technology. Here, she shares some tips on starting a technology company. “Don’t jump in until you’ve read Kevin Ready’s Startup Insider’s Guide to Launching and Running a Business. Ready gives a candid and no-frills advice ploughing into his 20-year journey as an entrepreneur: His failures, exits and successes. His quote on ‘a real world MBA programme of my own construction — a starter business’, perfectly resonates with my thinking.”
our expansion and welcome strategic investors and smart money with a leaning towards Edutech sector. This emerging sector has seen close to US$200 million (S$249 million) in deal flow in the United States for the past 12 months.” The company is already looking to expand overseas, and has its eyes set on the South-east Asian market. The website will also see further enhancements, such as ratings and reviews of classes added in the near future. As for Ms Lee, she, too, is adding to her portfolio of talents. She recently picked up acrylic painting, and is now looking for someone to teach her to parasail; a fitting skill for someone who has acquired a taste for taking risks.
Ms Lee also uses the acronym KTIP (Knowing, Tenacity, Idea and Plan) as her mantra for running a start-up. Knowing: Make it your business to know everything about the company or the business, whether its macro or micro. It’s not something you can delegate. You have to be the best champion for your cause, because the entrepreneur is the best spokesperson for the company Tenacity: This is key when you consider the type of hours you have to keep and the speed of iteration. You will be faced with scepticism, but you cannot stop the momentum. Idea: You need to have a good idea. You have to start with something that is real. Plan: If you don’t plan, it just remains as an idea. You need to have your launch plans, operational plans, business plans. The idea is only 50 per cent, the rest is execution.
