The Number One Question

The number one question on "Bridging Europe and Asia: building a startup in Asia" centers on the biggest hurdle. And my unwavering answer is this: finding and cultivating suitable talent is the most formidable challenge. Operating in a startup environment poses unique difficulties for talent recruitment. Unlike larger corporations, startups cannot always offer competitive compensation and benefits, which means that actively seeking out talent is essential, and this process can be time-consuming. Founders often have a limited amount of time, and one bad hire can be fatal to a startup, even though it may take only three months to correct for larger corporations. Startups operate on a different timeline, where hiring and training under time pressure is critical, and selecting an unsuitable candidate can be costly. The complex talent landscape in Southeast Asia exacerbates this issue, and to help my peers from EU/US who are considering establishing startups in Southeast Asia, let's delve into the local talent scene, beginning with Singapore.