#NOC
singapore
unfiltered
July 2023
Ashley mun yit jit
wHY THE NOC singapore PROGRAMME?
I am Ashley Mun, 24 years old, majoring in mechanical engineering. I am passionate about making an impact in our world, and to live life without any regrets. Like a lot of students, I have always wanted to run my own business since I was young, and have thus started my own small business selling scented candles in 2020. The reason I chose to sign-up specifically for the NOC Singapore programme was for me to understand the Singapore start-up scene, and learn from various mentors throughout the programme about how to scale a business, and essentially how a real and successful start-up operates. As my business is based in Singapore, I wanted to leverage on my connections built from NOC Singapore, which can benefit me greatly in my small business, or future start-up projects.
how was the process before the programme?
The onboarding process of NOC Singapore was very smooth and guided. There were a list of important dates that were sent to us at the beginning, which includes assessment dates and deadlines of projects. With guided instructions for each milestone, the entire process was seamless and the work-load was extremely reasonable. Preparing the CV was a very guided process with the assistance of the Programme Manager. I was very satisfied with the close guidance I had. The interview experience with start-ups can be diverse. Given the nature of start-up interviews, it's common to engage in direct conversations with the CEO or senior management. I personally found this aspect of the process enjoyable and surprisingly non-stressful. It's an opportunity to ensure you're making the right choice for yourself, just as much as you hope the company chooses you.
what did you do on the programme?
A typical workday at treatsure is consistently filled with unexpected elements. Being part of the business development team, I collaborated directly with the CEO, resulting in each week offering a distinct, busy, yet satisfying experience. Tasks ranged from event planning and creating marketing content for campaigns or products to pitching to potential clients and expanding our client base. Some weeks involved executing large events or attending meetings with significant stakeholders. The standard work hours were from 10 am to 7 pm, which, although felt quite lengthy, occasionally extended to Saturdays for event hosting.
On weekends, I dedicated my time to completing assignments for NOC Singapore and managing my candle business. Running pop-up events during weekends, my only free time, allowed me to capitalise on the knowledge gained and connections established during my six-month NOC tenure to foster the growth of my business. I have attended many interesting and memorable entrepreneurial events, both by treatsure and NOC Singapore.
One main entrepreneurial event that I will hold closely to my heart is organising an event at the Istana for more than 200 guests, and for Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong himself. Another NOC Singapore event that I attended was a networking event for one of my mentors introduced by NOC. It was a Web3 event by his company which included stand-up comedy, alcohol, and a lot of entrepreneurs to talk to and build connections with.
How were classes like?
During NOC Singapore, we were required to take a few courses. What I liked about TR3202 Start-up Internship Programme was that it builds communication with NOC and your supervisor. With feedback from both ends, you can improve as an intern, and learn from what you have been doing right or wrong. Then there was TR3203 Start-up Case Study and Analysis, where I had to do a case analysis report and case report on my internship company. It was beneficial as it made me understand more about the company I was working at, and identify ways to help them as I was posed with their real challenges to tackle. Lastly I had TR3204 Entrepreneurship Practicum. This was mainly group work and each group was attached to a mentor to work on our business idea and pitch. I would say that this course was one of the most enjoyable ones, as I love to come up with ideas and work on them. I also learnt a lot in terms of how to pitch to potential investors, and how to work with a group of many co-founders.
your biggest takeaway?
My biggest takeaway from NOC Singapore would include working in groups (large corporations), learning the entire process of ideation to execution (such as planning for large learning journeys), working independently without supervision, and juggling a lot of responsibilities on my plate. I learnt that when dealing with larger corporations, we have to maintain a good relationship with them although it may be challenging to keep up with their requests and timelines. My supervisor’s patience and professional response to difficult situations also made me learn how to be professional as a start-up founder, no matter what obstacles we meet. I also learnt that before any meeting, we need to understand our client’s needs, and tailor to a solution for them to get a win-win situation. This will make it easier to close any deal.
I also learnt that if we react well to dire situations, the situation can be mediated and we can always learn and improve. It is also important to appreciate and have understanding towards teammates when we reach dire and difficult situations.