Dream together to grow together
HAVING a common vision keeps a team together. When a partnership is able to work for a common goal, it helps keep the partners going in the challenging journey of entrepreneurship.
The founders of Itrimech Technology Sdn Bhd also have a common vision: to be self-reliant.
When Paul Chong Khee Hin and Michael Tan were employees at an original design manufacturer (ODM), they had no way of steering the development of the company even though they had joined the company as pioneer staff.
“I believe that if we do things properly, we will have a good future. But if we work for others, there are many things beyond our control,” Chong says.
Tan adds that while being in control meant that one has more responsibilities, they were both happy to wake up every day to face the challenge of running their own show.
“Whether we succeed or fail, we know it is in our hands,” says Tan.
Although Chong and Tan knew that they stand to gain from the stocks from their remuneration package as part of the pioneer batch with their previous employer, the draw of being in the driver’s seat was too strong to ignore.
“We know that when that company is listed, we will be too comfortable to think of striking out on our own,” Chong says.
After more than 10 years of running their own company, Itrimech achieved a revenue of RM6mil. Their previous employer, on the other hand, makes a revenue of RM200mil.
But the small size of their company doesn’t bother them a single bit.
Nothing beats building your own company, they say.
Now that they themselves are employers, Chong and Tan try to do for their employees what they would have appreciated from their former employer.
They note that they did not like being left in the dark about the company’s plans and direction. When times are bad, there is always a concern of “whether I will still have a job tomorrow.”
Now that they are business owners, they make sure that their staff do not go through similar predicaments.
“Our staff have to be in the know about what we do. Company directions and decisions are communicated to them and we seek their feedback,” Chong says.
This gives the staff a clearer picture of the company’s position and they are able to prepare themselves for what is to come.
Apart from that, Chong says they give their staff autonomy to choose their own training based on what they think is necessary for them to perform better.
“Our staff learn a lot here as they do many things, from A-Z, instead of just being a cog in the wheel,” Chong says.
Tan adds that their employees feel appreciated when their feedback is taken seriously.
“We acknowledge that there are times the staff knows better. But there are times when some business decisions have to be made which they may not agree to. In those cases, we do our best to explain the reasons to the staff,” Tan says.
They have also instituted profit sharing schemes to keep their staff motivated and engaged in what they do.
There is no looking back for the duo and they will continue to look at new products to develop, while keeping their staff in the loop.
“We continue to look at new products to develop and to serve our clients well. If we don’t do it right, who will? We have to provide leadership for our staff,” Tan says.