Chic Nailspa Keeps Ai Ling Busy - NST

Jul 2, 2008 By SYIDA LIZTA AMIRUL IHSAN

Soong Ai Ling has traded her celebrity days for a business venture. She tells SYIDA LIZTA AMIRUL IHSAN why every challenge is a thrill.

SHE wakes up every morning at 7.45 — 8.30 at the latest — and heads off to the gym before breakfast.

Then, she drives to Chic Nailspa to start her day: training her staff, buying supplies, balancing accounts, and calculating loss and profit.

She takes her lunch at Banquet, two floors down from her manicure place. She likes noodle soup because it’s light and healthy.

When Chic Nailspa is shorthanded, she will do her customers’ nails herself. She leaves home after 10pm and goes to bed an hour later.
Doesn’t sound like a celebrity life, does it?

No, and Soong Ai Ling will tell you that these days, she’s a businesswoman more than anything else and that suits her perfectly.

“Celebrity life is interesting. It’s nice to be in the limelight. That’s a great confidence boost. But where does one go from there?”

When she was 19, Ai Ling (as she is known) did big-name commercials including Peter Stuyvesant Travel, Pantene and Colgate.

Stardom soon ensued. She became a VJ for the RIM Chart Show.

Later, she produced her show, E-Life with Ai Ling, for three years.

Around that time, she decided that if she were to achieve her dreams, she would have to pursue them.

Being in the film and modelling industry can mean long waits and unsuitable roles just to make ends meet. And it means putting your dreams in someone else’s hands.

She would have none of that. So in 2005, she ventured into Chic Nailspa in Plaza Mont Kiara, Kuala Lumpur (“a wrong location but one that gave me a good foundation and lessons on business”) and last year, it moved to Bangsar Village II.

“There’s a huge difference between being a model and a businesswoman. If I’m not satisfied with my performance now, I can work harder and achieve more. I’m in control. My shop is now my life. I spend 12 hours in it. My customers are my friends,” Ai Ling says.

She speaks fast and speaks her mind.

Still a beauty at 35, she walked into this interview with no make-up and a little red pimple on her nose bridge that she didn’t bother to cover up. That’s how real she is.

She wore a trapeze-shaped navy blue blouse and white shorts. She pulled her hair back with a turquoise elastic hair band and carried a plastic file filled with work-related papers.

When it comes to fashion, she says she’s not good at it.

“But I know what works for me. My favourite colours are black and white. To me, fashion is being tidy, simple and clean.”

She doesn’t play favourites with her clothes. “I like them all, that’s why I buy them!”.

She bears no distinction between the cheap and the expensive. “I buy anything that I think looks good on me.”

She’s looking into expanding Chic Nailspa because the current space is too small. She may venture into other businesses in the future, but she has her hands full now.

“I will start a new business when Chic Nailspa can run by itself. Right now, it still needs me,” she says, occasionally waving her hands and those French-manicured fingers.

Looking back at herself 10 years ago, she says she liked the time when she was young but she wasn’t focused on her future then because she thought she could survive in showbiz.

“Now, I know better. I’m stronger and more determined. Nothing is easy but my business in fulfilling. That feeling of getting something expensive from someone and getting something that you’ve worked hard for is totally different.

“Life means more than money, but experience teaches you to be a better person. And I have learned that no one will give you security but yourself.

“A boyfriend or a husband is for companionship, not security.”

She loves the thrill of working and raising the bar of her service, or seeing happy faces admiring their freshly manicured nails.

“I love it. It drives me.”

Three ladies set up firm to offer unique creative service - The Star

Jun 22, 2008


THREE ladies came together to share notes on gifts they had been receiving over the years and found that most of the conventional gifts bored them.

Their discussion led to some critical evaluation of the local gift market and sparked a constructive idea to start a business of meaningful creative gifts.

RedRibbon Days was born to offer people a unique way to give meaningful and significant experiences as gifts to their loved ones and friends.

According to Sherin Wong, one of the three plucky company founders, an experience can be anything from a day of pampering in the spa and massages to something more adventurous such as tandem paragliding.

“Gifting is not about the gift on its own. It is also the intent of the gift that matters,” Wong said during the launch of RebRibbon Days by Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal on Thursday in Kuala Lumpur.

Wong, who is styled with, what else, the creative title of “chief experiences officer” of the company, started the business with good friends Nik Hidayati and Tan Ming Nu.

Wong said that the company offered hundreds of experiences in Malaysia to suit every taste, occasion and budget, from RM30 to RM8,000.

These gifts of experiences can be bought in the form of Experience Vou-chers or Range Vouchers, and they can be purchased online or via the phone.

Wong said that they planned to expand the business to Singapore and China within the next six months.

Shafie said in his speech that the company’s creative service would encourage people to cultivate the habit of saying “thank you” in a more meaningful way.

For more information, check out www.redribbondays.com.my or call 03-2283 1969.

Edit your precious moments online - The Star

Jun 20, 2008 By ZAM KARIM

Don't want to spend good money on an advanced photo-editing software that will only be used sparingly? We look at some free online alternatives

Off on a holiday and need to touch up some holiday shots before you send them off to make your mates in the office or family members at home jealous?

Even if you did not bring your laptop along with you, it is not a problem nowadays there are plenty of web-based image-editing software available to help you finetune those images. All you need is an Internet café.

A crop of photo-editing programs has sprouted on the Web over the past year, mostly based on Ajax or Flash programming.

In case you missed its arrival, Ajax stands for Asynchronous JavaScript and XML. It is a development technique for creating interactive web applications.
Adobe's Flash will, of course, need no further introduction as the de facto program to develop rich Internet apps.

Back to the online image editors, what you get are applications that offer simple editing that you can then save on your local hard drive (or thumbdrive) as well as upload to photo-sharing websites such as Flickr and MySpace.

Bear in mind that these applications are no Photoshop or Gimp but they do come in quite handy when it comes to simple editing. Based on our experience during the course of this roundup, most are pretty good at what they can do.

Best of all, these applications are all free!

However, before reading further, do check out the editing functions that come with your digital camera as most manufacturers like Nikon, Canon and Samsung include basic image editing functions on the camera itself.

If all you need are simple editing tools to crop, adjust brightness or remove red-eye, there is no need for you to waste time going online to edit your pictures when your camera can do it.

Seventh (online) heaven

There are many picture editing software available online. In this roundup, we look at seven of them – Fauxto, Picnik, Picture2Life, Pixenate, Snipshot, Preloadr and Webtoolpic. All offer a myriad of functions from simple touch-ups to adding special effects.

Another three programs that we think users would do well to check out are Wiredness (
www.wiredness.com), Phixr (
www.phixr.com) and Pixer.us (
www.pixer.us). Unfortunately we couldn't include them in this focus due to time and space constraints.

Back to the seven – most of them are still in beta and are free to use – although some require registration.

As expected some of the advanced tools available in Photoshop or Gimp such as lasso, clone stamp or magic wand are not available in these online applications.

Mostly, what users get are resize, crop, rotate, red-eye removal, brightness adjustment and contrast tools. Surprisingly though, some do offer a few impressive extra options, ranging from layers, graduation curves and histogram to cool fun effects, such as borders and collages.

You will also find that the menu interface varies a lot, from sleek and simple to totally confusing. They all seem to work with both Internet Explorer and Firefox with one exception – Webpictool.

Since all the applications require that you upload your image onto their server for editing, the actual time it takes to process just one picture may take a lot longer compared to doing it on your own PC.

Depending on your bandwidth and the current load of the server, this may take several minutes to complete. And this is just for one picture – imagine if you have several images that you need to upload as well.

So, in other words, use these online applications just for casual editing.

Also take note that some programs have limits on the file sizes while others will automatically resize the picture when you upload them for editing.

Final words

As digital photography grows, the need for a good photo editor also increases. Not everyone wants to pay for commercial software when all want they want to do is simple editing.

Thus a free online photo editor seems a good alternative. Sure, it is not a replacement for a full-fledged software like Photoshop but hey, if you're stuck using someone else's PC (without any editing software installed) or want to do stuff on the fly, such an application can be a godsend.

Best of all, there is no sharp learning curve usually involved with many other commercial graphics programs.

As a sign to show how important these types of applications will be in the future, industry heavyweight Adobe recently announced that it is going to launch a free (with ads), online version of its hugely popular Photoshop in second half of this year.

As to how much "free" tools that we are going to get, it remains to be seen.

In meantime, here's what we think of the current crop of online photo editing software. Each program provides something unique so it's difficult for us to recommend one over the other.

However, if we were pressed to make a choice, Fauxto and Picnik would be the two that we would go for thanks to their sleek user interface, advanced tools and ease-of-use.

Watching TV on the Web - The Star

Jun 20, 2008 By TAN KIT HOONG

If regular TV doesn't float your boat and you don't have satellite TV, don't despair. You can turn to Internet TV.

Internet television is nothing new, but it's only now with faster broadband connections that it's becoming quite viable for the average home viewer to get some of this content on their PCs.

However, what we've discovered in the process of writing this article is that despite being around for a few years now, the technology for streaming TV content on the Net is still very much in its infancy.

There is generally no particular standard, the videos are pretty low quality, and not to mention a distinct lack of support from the big television networks of the world in providing content.

Nevertheless, using our home broadband Internet connection, we went online and had a look at the world of IP-based television (i.e. television available on the Net).

AZUREUS VUZE

AZUREUS is one of the most popular front-ends for BitTorrent, which, while not in itself illegal, is usually the gateway to a lot of illegal content.

However, the makers of Azureus have recently been trying to clean up the idea of so-called torrenting, trying to turn it into a viable and speedy way to distribute legitimate high-definition content with the introduction of VUZE, the updated Azureus client.

VUZE still runs the internals of the open-source Azureus client, but the interface has been updated with a search feature that lets you browse and download legitimate and free HD content.

VUZE distributes content the same way you get BitTorrent content – click on a link on the browser and download the small torrent file, and wait for the file to download.

Currently, VUZE has a lot of free content, but is quite short on real TV shows – most are HD trailers and independently-created videos although there are a few shows that have been licensed to VUZE to show, such as BBC HD and Showtime!

Unfortunately, not all the content is available to users outside of the United States and the system still has a few bugs.

Plus, you can't immediately watch a show – you have to wait for the download to be fully completed before you can start watching and this could be hours or days from the moment you click on the link.

Nevertheless you can get VUZE at
www.vuze.com.

Trapping the grease monster - The Star

Jun 17, 2008

A GREASE trap tank invented by a local company can help check pollution of waterways, said Pulau Tikus assemblyman Koay Teng Hai.

He said the invention was timely, as the state needed such gadgets to control kitchen discharges that are not environmentally friendly.

The grease trap tank is tested and certified by Sirim Bhd and can be fixed at homes and food outlets.

The tank can prevent kitchen wastes including oil and grease from clogging pipes including sewers.

“The gadget will help filter waste water to make sure grease is not released into waterways and ultimately into the sea,” he said.

He said this after presenting a grease trap tank to the Penang Cheshire Home recently.

He advised food outlet operators to utilise such gadgets to prevent pollution.

“Penang is a well-known hawker food paradise. It has helped contribute to the growth of the tourism industry. But our rivers are polluted, we need to make a concerted effort to keep our rivers clean,” he added.

The tank was received by Penang Cheshire Home vice-president Datin Seri Daisy Yeoh and secretary Ong Ghee Thuan.

GT Compact Technology managing director Ooi Boon Hock said they managed to create the grease trap tank with the help of Penang Municipal Council officers.

The lightweight, durable and portable fiber glass tank is a result of ongoing research that started 17 years ago, he said.

“It has the cutting edge technology that meets municipal engineering specifications and can be easily installed,” he said.

Making of a digital entrepreneur - NST

March 7, 2008 By PRASANNA RAMAN

Music entrepreneur Ben Drury is one of the brains behind 7digital, a company specialising in music downloads. PRASANNA RAMAN traces his route to winning an award for leading entrepreneurs under 35.

THERE’S more to music today than there has ever been and Ben Drury would know this best.

As the founder and chief executive officer of UK’s highly successful 7digital, a company specialising in, chiefly legal music downloads, Drury has not only seen the changes in the industry but also played a major role in shaping the landscape in his country’s music industry.

Touted as a rival to Apple’s iTunes online music store, 7digital not only offers music downloads but also video, audiobooks, games, documents, streaming video on demand and pretty much anything else that can be delivered digitally. It presently has over 1.2 million registered customers.

One would think that this entertainment-minded Englishman (or lad, back in mid 1990s) would have had some form of formal education in the music field but you would be surprised to know that he holds a degree in Physics with Philosophy of Science from King’s College London.

“I studied Physics and Philosophy at King’s College London mainly because I wanted to be in the City for the music scene. I was playing guitar in a band and you had to be in the city to play gigs! I quickly realised that I was not the academic type and although I loved certain aspects of studying Physics, I think music and technology were bigger passions,” he said in a recent e-mail interview.

That is how he jumped at the chance to join a publishing company involved with music. His new vocation at United News and Media saw the birth of dotmusic.com in 1996, as a sister online publication to Music Week magazine. Dotmusic grew quickly to become a leading online music destination attracting over 1.8 million users per month by 1999.

In 2000, when he was just 24, Drury was headhunted by BT Group to head up the broadband music efforts at its Internet Service Provider, BT Openworld (that would be like our Streamyx or Jaring which offers Internet connection). As head of music at BT, Drury successfully launched a major music channel before leading the acquisition of his old company dotmusic in 2002. At BT, Drury pioneered music and video downloads on dotmusic with the UK’s first unlimited subscription offer.

Following the partnership between BT and Yahoo! to form BT Yahoo! in 2003, the young man engineered the sale of dotmusic to Yahoo! for approximately STG3.3 million (RM21.45 million). The entrepreneur within starting emerging and soon after Drury decided to start a business of his own in 2004.

Pairing up with co-founder James Kane, they started a business involving digital media and specifically legal downloads.

“We established 7digital because we wanted to have a constant revenue stream– from sales of downloads – which was something dotmusic never really achieved. Furthermore, dotmusic wasn’t an e-commerce site as it was more an online magazine,” he said, explaining how digital7 came into being.

When asked why the name 7digital, Drury responded, “We’re not really sure – we have come up with reasons after the event but no one really remembers why. Is the number seven lucky in Malaysia?” he queries with hope.

Just two years later, Drury was named by Growing Business magazine as a Young Gun 2006 – the award for leading entrepreneurs under 35.

And last year, 7digital was awarded the prestigious Red Herring award Top 100 Europe Award as one of the most promising technology companies in Europe.

Drury is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and deputy chairman and director of the Entertainment Retailers Association as well as a board director of the Official UK Charts Company.

As for the company’s future plans, Drury said it has just closed a large investment round of US$8.5 million (RM29.75 million). “We’re really looking to expand internationally and onto platforms such as mobile and other connected devices as well as to move beyond music into movies, TV and even games,” he said.

Touching on the direction of music and music entrepreneurs Drury said people in the music industry today have to do more themselves.

“Whether it’s management, recording, marketing or the sort. With the Internet, the tools are readily available. The only difference is that you have to use them creatively and innovatively,” he advised music entrepreneurs.

And if one wonders how studying Physics has helped him in this line, this is what Drury had to say: “Studying Physics teaches you to think in different and abstract ways and that is very helpful in technology and business!”

Although digital music is in his blood, Drury is also passionate about the future of nuclear fusion as a clean energy source in the years to come.

Malaysians, especially music and digital entrepreneurs, will get an opportunity to learn all about Drury’s experiences when he speaks at the British Council’s Creative Entrepreneurs programme on March 10 at PNB Darby Park, Jalan Binjai, Kuala Lumpur from 9am to 12.30pm. The talk is also in line with British Council’s call for nominations for the International Young Music Entrepreneur Award 2008.

Those interested to know more about Drury and the recipe for his success can register for his talk via e-mail to arts@britishcouncil.org.my or call 03-2723-7988.

Alternatively, for more information, visit www.britishcouncil.org.my.

There's money in worm waste - NST

PASIR MAS: March 13, 2008 By harifah Mahsinah Abdullah

Agro Bio-Tani (Kelantan) Sdn Bhd proprietor Zakaria Adam holding the worms that produce vermicompost, which he sells for RM3 a kilogramme.

There's money to be made in worms and one savvy businessman is having the last laugh over those who doubted it.

Zakaria Adam, a 48-year-old entrepreneur from Kota Baru, has hit the jackpot producing vermicompost.

Vermicompost is a natural fertiliser formed by the breakdown of organic matter by a species of earthworm, also known as composting worms.

Zakaria first came across the commercial potential of vermicompost when he was sourcing for business opportunities overseas.

"I went to India, Australia and the Philippines and found that it was a thriving business in those countries. I decided to try it here as it is something new for Malaysians," he said.

Zakaria started Agro Bio-Tani (Kelantan) Sdn Bhd in 2006 with a capital of RM300,000 and has not looked back.

His 1.2ha Vermicompost farm in Kampung Bukit Tuku here, the biggest in the country, has seven workers and is capable of producing 40 tonnes of fertiliser a month.

The father of five said he started the business by importing 100kg of the "African nightcrawler" worms from the three countries he had visited.

To produce the fertiliser, a windrow comprising bedding material is used for the earthworms to live.

Organic matter, including animal dung and padi husks, is then added.

"When I first started the venture, not many people thought that it was a viable idea but it has been growing very well," he said.

So well indeed that today, Zakaria's earthworms have multiplied to 400kg.

His clients now include government departments, farmers' organisations and agricultural companies.

The compost, packed in packets of 2kg to 50kg, is sold at RM3 per kg.

He also sells the worms, which measures about 25cm to 30cm in length, for RM450 to RM500 per kg.

There was also demand from neighbouring countries like Singapore and Brunei.

He regularly conducts courses for those interested in following in his footsteps