Chow Yen-Lu offers some insight on creativity and innovation. - PHOTO COURTESY OF iCENTRE

When running a business, one must be creative and constantly come up with new innovative ideas by gauging the current market style. Every business relies on its customers. However, if a business refuses to make way for new changes, the business will eventually fail.
This was stated by Singapore speaker Chow Yen-Lu as he shared his insights and experiences on venturing in new creations during a workshop seminar held at the iCentre in Anggerek Desa yesterday.

A frequent visitor to Brunei, Mr Yen-Lu said he has seen a lot of business opportunities that can be ventured into in the international markets.

“As long as you have the confidence, are willing to learn, and want to explore and stay hungry for new business ideas, you can make a difference,” he said.

During the seminar, Yen-Lu offered pointers on how to manage the process of bringing new ideas and innovations into a company, be it a new start-up or a well-established company. Some of the characteristics of a successful new business idea are not necessarily from a new idea or a new invention, he said. It could be even a revamp of a current idea that needs more research and experimentation.

While definitions of “creativity” and “innovation” vary from individual to individual, Yen-Lu described creativity as “the process of coming up with new ideas that come from inspirations and imaginations”, and innovation as “the idea that evolves to a practical manner, aspiring it to be even better”.

However, shifting from the level of an individual to that of a company, both areas are needed to be successful in business, according to Yen-Lu. Given the constant movement and changes in the business market, a company needs to be innovative in developing their products and services and in engaging with its employees or external parties to be creative in its business.

Examples of getting new ideas from different perspectives are listening to customer feedback and comments about the products and services; experimenting with new ideas for the products; and getting the customer’s reactions or even getting feedback from the company’s own staff.

“There are many processes of getting new ideas,” Yen-Lu said. “However, not all of them will go through.”

Citing the words of world famous inventor Thomas Alva Edison, Yen-Lu said, “Genius is one per cent inspiration, 99 per cent perspiration.”

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