Mapletree Forum Reflection

The mapletree forum provided insight into local entrepreneurs and their views on sustainability. Out of the four panellists, the one that left me a deep impression was Ms Nacy Ling, the co-founder of Eco U, selling disposable utensils made of environmentally sustainable materials. Having grown up in Australia, where recycling is part of their social culture, she was shocked to experience first hand Singaporean's addiction to plastic when she came to Singapore. As an entrepreneur, she saw Singapore reliance on plastic as an opportunity; there was no sustainable alternative to disposable plastic utensils, which prompted her to make a sustainable alternative. Ms Ling mentioned that in the beginning stages of her company, it was hard to convince people to use her product. She overcame the obstacle by first proving that her product works and educate potential customers about the benefits of her product. She also mentioned that as an entrepreneur selling sustainable products you have to convince your customers that there is a push from their own customers for sustainability and that if they do not adapt, they will miss the boat.

She also shared her views on being an entrepreneur. She said an entrepreneur needs to have talent, leadership and passion. With these traits, an entrepreneur would have to overcome problems as they come along.