Bali's snake fruit farmers find fresh ways to overcome price and wastage issues
In Bali, farmers of the native salak fruit - also known as snake fruit - are getting innovative to overcome challenges including low prices and wastage. For instance, they are processing unsold fruits into products with longer shelf life like coffee, wine and vinegar. In the second of a three-part series on the fruit, CNA's Chandni Vatvani speaks to local entrepreneurs to find out what other measures they are taking.
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Independent Singapore
31 minutes ago
- Independent Singapore
I had a stroke; my entire left side paralysed, but my mum told me, 'Son, you can do anything' — SG man recalls the words that drove him to become a self-made millionaire
SINGAPORE: At 18, Reshveen Rajendran was set to become a military officer — until his body gave up on him. Just two weeks into national service (NS), a brain aneurysm floored him. The entire left side of his body was paralysed. His dream? Dashed. His future? Uncertain. But what pulled him through wasn't therapy, fame, or fortune — it was just a simple line from his mother: 'Son, you can do anything.' Today, that same young man — now a multimillionaire entrepreneur and investor — runs a successful education company and a fund, raking in over S$10 million a year. And it all started with nothing but some savings, an interest in investing, and a painful personal reboot. Rock bottom came before takeoff While most NS recruits were learning how to field strip rifles and march in sync, Reshveen was lying in a hospital bed, unable to move his fingers. 'I had a stroke… an aneurysm in the right side of my brain,' he told the Asian Boss team during their street interview in Singapore. 'I basically lost sensation on the whole left side of my body,' he explained. Six months of medical leave followed. Physical rehab became his daily drill. And his military officer's dreams? Over. 'All my dreams got dashed. I couldn't become an officer ever again. I couldn't go back to the gym. Everything that I wanted to do was gone,' he recalled. But then came mum, delivering what can only be described as the emotional defibrillator that shocked his mindset back to life. 'She said, 'Son, you can do anything.' So I decided to pick up books and learn how to make money. I decided to use my brains instead,' he said. See also Catalysing Growth: SME Interview Series with Validus Capital It was then that his breakdown turned into a breakthrough. From free talks to S$10M revenue Fresh out of national service and with his military officer career buried, Reshveen fell in love with investing. He started small — not just with money, but with impact. 'I attended a programme on investing. I got very passionate about it. I saw very decent results. So I just wanted to share the information with my friends.' And he didn't charge a cent. 'It was literally for free, and people loved it. They started inviting their friends, and before you know it, it became a full-fledged business,' he added. Fast-forward a few years, and what started as casual lessons snowballed into a full-on education empire. Today, his company and fund together generated over $10 million in revenue just last year. That's really a great feat for someone who once had to relearn how to even wiggle his fingers after suffering a paralysing stroke. On saving, spending, and not getting scammed by 'glorious' investing 'Saving is the number one thing you've got to do, even before you start investing,' Reshveen stressed. In a world where 'investing' is the new flex, he's quick to point out the dark side. 'People lose a ton of money if they don't know how to invest.' So his golden rule? 'Make sure your savings can cover at least six months of emergency expenses. Whatever that amount is for you, get that settled first. Anything on top of that, I invest.' 'Doing what you love' vs. 'doing what's boring but rich' Reshveen's story might sound like a dream scenario: make money doing what you love. But he doesn't pretend it's the only way. 'I'm doing what I love and I've made millions from what I love… but I also know many friends who do boring stuff and make millions too,' he said. The lesson? You don't have to love your job to get rich. You just have to be good at it — or better yet, be consistent with it. What if he lost all his millions tomorrow? When asked a question about something that haunts most millionaires — 'What would you do if you lost everything?' — Reshveen didn't flinch, and he even seemed excited by the idea. 'Today, in 2025, we're living in the age of exponential artificial intelligence (AI). 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It's a master class in resilience, reinvention, and real-world strategy — from someone who learned to walk again before he learned to invest. He didn't just rebuild his life. He reprogrammed it. Watch Reshveen's full story in the Asian Boss street interview below, along with other Singaporean self-made millionaires who built their fortunes from scratch — a master class in turning rejection into redirection and setbacks into success. In another candid street interview with Asian Boss , another young Singaporean millionaire peeled back the hood on what it takes to build a million-dollar business — and spoiler alert: it wasn't a trust fund or market timing wizardry. He revealed a more grounded answer: solving the problems of others and the fact that 'You don't need to be a stock market expert to get rich' — Young Singaporean millionaire reveals how solving problems of others with AI led to his first million
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Independent Singapore
9 hours ago
- Independent Singapore
What to do when you're unemployed and scared of starting the job seeking process all over again
SINGAPORE: After a local Reddit user sought advice, expressing dismay to find himself unemployed for the second time in three years and feeling 'really scared to apply for new jobs,' many commenters told him he was not alone. 'I'm unemployed now after working for 13 years in my career (in accounting), and really, really having a phobia of applying for my next roles. I'm taking a break for a while but feeling really sian,' wrote u/createthyusername in a post on r/askSingapore on Thursday (Jun 26). The post author received a lot of good advice from obliging Reddit users, ranging from urging him to take a longer break to developing hobbies or attending workshops that would actually help him get hired. However, many commenters chimed in to say that they were also in the same boat. When one wrote that they were 'Unemployed since December 2024!', another replied, 'Same here.' 'My friend has been searching for a job for over six months…' a commenter wrote. 'I'm unemployed now, just finished a nine-month-long temp contract job, so there's that,' another said. One wrote, 'Been unemployed for 4 months, surviving on foodpanda deliveries till I can find something that works for me.' 'Sigh, Same as you. Got laid off in April and still trying to find something. Still trying to find a good workplace too, as there are places I went to that are toxic or the job description is totally different,' a Reddit user wrote. 'I've been unemployed for a year now. Still hunting and hoping! Don't give up!' wrote another encouragingly. The number of similar comments caused the post author to write, 'Oh man.. there's so many of us out here :(.' In light of all this, there are ways for people who are experiencing anxiety when it comes to the job search to overcome their fears. It is by no means unusual, and some might even say perfectly normal, to feel trepidation, especially when a person has had a negative experience, such as being terminated or working under a toxic boss. Advice from experts at Indeed includes pinpointing exactly where the fear comes from. It's easier to fight and overcome an enemy that we know, after all. 'Once you can name your fears, you'll be able to find specific resources for overcoming those fears. In doing this, you may discover that your fears are not uncommon and you are not alone, which may be reassuring,' a recent post from Indeed's Career Guide reads. Another way to overcome fear is to prepare thoroughly for an interview, which includes conducting due diligence on the company and being well-prepared with questions of your own. Practice interviews with a trusted friend can also be helpful. Indeed also encourages self-care, including getting enough sleep and practicing stress management methods. It also includes positive self-talk, which means you know that you are good enough and that if you don't get chosen, it's not personal. It also pays to temper expectations when you do get hired. 'When you get a new job, remember that you will be new to the position for some time. Your ability to perform the tasks will come with experience and practice. Rather than going into a new job expecting to know everything, give yourself room to make mistakes and grow within your position. With this patient attitude toward yourself, you'll likely improve in your role, and positive feelings will follow,' the post reads. /TISG Read also: Man who has been unemployed twice in the past 3 years says applying for jobs again terrifies him
