OOm Founders Ian Cheow and Wyvan Xu For an SME, digital marketing can seem overwhelming. With so many options, tools, and jargon, where does one even begin? This is where Optimal Online Marketing (OOm) steps in. Founded in 2006, OOm is a one-stop digital marketing agency with 18 years of experience, dedicated to helping clients achieve their goals in all aspects of improving their online presence. The agency covers critical areas such as Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), Search Engine Marketing (SEM), Social Media Management (SMM), content creation, and website design and development. As a Premier Google Partner and Meta Business Partner, OOm is recognised among the top 3% of Google Partners in Singapore. This highlights the agency’s proficiency in managing…
The Crucial Role of Empathy In our ongoing exploration of Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace, where we covered self-awareness and mastering feedback. Now, it's time to examine the skill that transforms insight into strategy: empathy in decision-making. Empathy is a skill that combines perspective-taking with emotional attunement, which enables compassion and cooperation. Empathy plays a dual role in effective leadership. It forms the foundation of trust-based relationships that sustain healthy, high-performing teams, strengthening both well-being and productivity. At the same time, empathy enhances the quality and integrity of decision-making. When leaders take the time to understand others’ emotions and viewpoints, they reduce the risk of narrow or self-serving choices. This broader, human-centered perspective allows decision-makers to anticipate needs, balance diverse…
Image by rudall30 via Shutterstock Remember back in 2013, when venture capitalist and founder of Cowboy Ventures, Aileen Lee, coined a specific term to represent a distinctive class of start-ups that were breaking the norms and catching the eye of investors worldwide? That's right, the label 'unicorn' was born. In the world of business, a unicorn isn't a mythical creature fresh out of a fantasy novel. Rather, it is an exceptional title granted to private companies or startups valued over a whopping $1 billion. Just as elusive and awe-inspiring as their fictional namesakes, these companies embark on the adventurous journey from mere concepts to billion-dollar businesses. But the unicorn landscape has dramatically changed. Seeing a startup reach unicorn status is no longer a rare…
From Complexity to Clarity: Inside Oceanis' Mission to Simplify Maritime Finance Every great business starts with a problem. The most impactful companies emerge when someone sees a gap, discovers a creative solution, and adapts as the landscape shifts. This journey is exemplified by Oceanis, a maritime technology company that is transforming how shipping investments are analysed. At the heart of this transformation is a brilliant team and one of its co-founders and COO, Georg-Maximilian Kuhlmann. From his early days in logistics to redefining how the maritime world approaches investment decisions, Kuhlmann has dedicated nearly two decades to driving progress in shipping. His career spans ship financing, asset management, commercial operations, and technology — a rare combination that gives him a…
Image by Lightspring via Shutterstock_Resized Startup culture is a term that encapsulates the attitudes, values, and behaviors that differentiate startup companies from their more well-established counterparts. It's the secret sauce, the mojo, the lifeblood that gives a startup the power to innovate and outperform even the largest of competitors. This lively and dynamic environment, typically marked by open communication, flexibility, and a passionate commitment to the mission, plays a pivotal role in shaping the startup's future. Let's be real, people are your cherished treasure, and when we talk about people, their collective approach shapes your company culture. Your startup culture, when cultivated thoughtfully and intentionally, can be the catalyst for extraordinary growth and success. Ignored or mishandled, however, it can…
