Cooking up Success with Ken Tan

Hindsight is 2020 (#HI2020) is a ground up initiative founded and led by a class of 2020 graduate - Jessica Lee Yi Ling from Singapore Management University (SMU). In this series, she uncovers personal stories of resilience, courage and love amidst this crazy year we call 2020. Through the reflections and learnings shared in #HI2020, she hopes to empower internship and job seekers to improve their status quos and encourage aspiring entrepreneurs and volunteers to pursue their passions in 2021.

Cooking up success with Ken Tan

Despite the fierce fa?ade, nothing makes Ken happier than being able to put a smile on people's faces - especially when eating his food! What started out as a school project has since propelled Ken to launch the brands he is managing with love today - The Fish Sh-nack, DOCO and the latest addition to the family, Hororok Soups and Stews. Let's dig into his F&B entrepreneurship sh-tory!

Here’s 3 key things you will learn

1.      Happy customers are the advertising that money can't buy.

2.      The art of life and business lies in a constant readjustment to our surroundings.

3.      Courage isn't about knowing the path, it's in taking the first step.

Tell us how The Fish Sh-nack(TFS) dream was conceived. What sets The Fish Sh-nack apart from other options in the market?   

The Fish Sh-nack started as a school project that bloomed into something much more (it went way beyond our projected path), it helped the birth of so many brands that we are handling today. We love seeing people enjoying our food. I believe our differentiating factor is the very fact that we are a food company that runs on relations (relations with our customers that we hold dear) and we listen to what they actually want!

What is one thing you wish you knew before you started out your business?          

Go fast; Go Alone. Go far; Go Together.

What were the kind of comments you received when you were thinking of running The Fish Sh-nack as a full-fledged business instead of taking the more common and safer route of getting an office job with 9am to 5pm working hours and a stable pay?   

It was actually quite discouraging when I heard another restaurant-neur mention that it’s a tough industry and that I should consider a 9 to 5 job and that its probably not for me. The more common remark was "why didn’t you just join your family business, then you wouldn't need to mop floors, nor worry about dirty plates or working in uncomfortable environments."

If there was one reason you would not make the "The Fish Sh-nack" dream a reality, what would it be?        

There isn't a reason. We know we're getting there, just a step at a time. Dreams are in fact possible realities to us. That’s how we come up with our unconventional bowls, snacks and whacky ideas that people love!

How has COVID-19 impacted your business? Did it significantly affect your original 2020 business plans?   

Other product/brand expansions, additional DOCO outlets in the heartlands and an ever increasing snack line. COVID-19 didn't stop us from doing the above, in fact it expedited our plans. Have you heard of @hororoksg, our Convenient Korean Stews? This was actually something planned for the later future. However, we chose to work on launching this during the COVID-19 period where people were not coming out of their houses and was looking for something more convenient (and with less preservatives while we are at it).

Tell us about some of the changes you implemented this year to mitigate the negative impact of the pandemic.   

Before the pandemic, I didn't head to the outlet as often as I do now. I would say that this experience has taught me to treasure my business and what it could bring me should I be fully vested in.

Being a small company, versitility was our virtue. WE had the option of shifting around really quickly and gathering a bunch of drivers to make our deliveries, what also helped was that we were previously doing events (very versatile environment, where everyday is a variable) and the fact that we were a takeaway outlet, helped us to make the turn effortlessly.

What are some things you did in 2020 that you never imagined you would need to do?      

Creating my own ordering page on take.sg/s/90499926! Delivering my own food, instead of the delivery partners (Grabfood/Foodpanda) and liasing with grab drivers privately to do the deliveries for us! We also came up with set meals to accommodate families instead just individuals.

What are the kind of traits you think one must have in order to start and maintain their own business?   

In any business, to have the mentality that change can happen, change will happen and change must happen. Having experienced the pandemic, it also reminded me that as an owner, I must not take what I have now for granted and respect my business by giving it my utmost attention.

What does success mean to you, personally and professionally?             

Success would mean for me to be spending more time with my spouse and not have a single worry about work- meaning that work would have become passive. Success in the context of my business would mean my customers still smiling at and enjoying our food even when I'm not around.

What lessons have you learned in 2020?            

I actually learnt a lot about myself as a business owner! In terms of doing business and the grit and passion that people use to tell me I had, I can see that in the tasks I do now, on a daily basis. A bulk of my mind space is really on how I can passionately inform the customer which is the best and what is best for them (it might be a small part of their daily lives) during lunch.

What would you want to say to aspiring Gen Z entrepreneurs today?   

What I can gift to aspiring entrepreneurs (not just the Gen Z) would be to ask for help when you need it the most, don't be afraid of getting rejected (I've seen very often) don’t be afraid to love what you do. By taking that first step to register your business, it reflects that you want change. When the time comes, inspire others like how your seniors did for you!

Last but not least, where can we find you for a quick fix of sh-riously yummy fish skin, donburi and stew?

Oh! Get on take.sg/s/90499926 for a myriad of products from our Fish Skin Snacks @thefishshnack to our famous Donburi bowls @docosg (Best sellers: Beef & Shrimp) and last but not least our latest creation Hororok, a stew so heartfelt, you'd cry "OMO~, WHATS THIS?!"