Marketing Your Dreams

Lim defining entrepreneurship

The Institute of Chinese Studies (ICS) and Faculty of Accountancy and Management (FAM) organised a career and industry talk titled ‘Marketing Your Dreams: A Successful Lesson from Purple Cane Corporation’ at Sungai Long Campus on 29 October 2015.

The talk, which was conducted in Mandarin, saw the presence of the Centre for Chinese Studies Research Chairperson Dr Wong Wun Bin, Department of Chinese Studies (Sungai Long Campus) Head Dr Chin Chong Foh, Department of International Business Head Alexander Tay Guan Meng, ICS Asst Prof Dr Pua Shiau Chen, ICS Asst Prof Dr Cui Yan, Department of Economics Senior Lecturer Har Wai Mun, Department of International Business Lecturer Chin Wai Yin, and students from both ICS and FAM.

The Managing Director of Purple Cane Corp, Lim Hock Lam was the speaker of the day. He was also the founder of the corporation back in 1987. Being a successful Chinese entrepreneur and one of the major Chinese tea culture promoters in Malaysia, he shared his vast experience and some valuable advice for business starters.

“As a beginner in the business world, it’s really vital for you to find ways of self-positioning. You have to be so certain of what you are going to vendor, whether it is a product, a space, or a service,” advised Lim. He then posed a question, “Why do some really famous brands that sell the same kind of drink that you can make at home at sky-high prices and yet still enjoy a large number of frequent patrons?” The audience were rendered silent. “What these customers go for is no longer the product, but the space that the café provides and the glamour they gain through visiting the café,” explained Lim.

“Tea has played a significant role in Chinese culture, ranging from a common daily drink to one used in self-actualization. Tea is commonly found in Chinese temples and this is when a brand new role for tea comes in. When tea is served in a conversation, it acts as the medium that connects two parties,” enlightened Lim.

Lim explaining the levels of tea culture

Lastly, during the Q&A session, there was a question regarding the hard times that the Purple Cane Corp went through and how it got itself out of it. “On the first day when the Purple Cane Corp opened its first shop, it enjoyed a full house due to successful advertising. However, it was a completely different story on the second day when the profits were only RM9.90 and this critical state lasted for around two months. Everyone thought this company could not make it to three months,” said Lim.

But Lim kept thinking of solutions until one day came a reporter whom he attended to attentively. On the next day, a full page about the shop came out in the newspaper and this turned out to be the turning point for the company. “The only path for a river to stay alive is to keep flowing. The same is true for us,” mused Lim.