Reflections from a Quiet Airbnb, a 10-Lap Swim, and a Mini-MBA with Prof. Chen
It’s almost midnight.
The house is quiet. I’m slowly pacing laps around our Airbnb in KL, post-swim. Ten laps. One kilometre. Double what I usually do. My arms ache, but my mind is wide awake.
There’s something about pushing past your normal. First it stings. Then it stirs. The body speaks. The mind responds. And reflection begins.
Day 1: Strategy, with Soul
Today was our first session with Prof. Chen. It felt like a compressed MBA—strategic maps, value chains, expansion theory. Sharp. Fast. Rich.
But one line stood out:
“Starting a business is about making money. Running a business is about managing well.”
I’ve always said: “There’s no such thing as the best school—only the one that fits your child.”
But today, that felt… safe.
Too safe.
Because if we never name what “great” looks like, we never stay accountable to it.
If we believe in Future-Ready Education, then we need to own it.
e.g. If creativity is humanity’s edge in the AI age, then let’s build the best Art & Design School in the world.
Excellence doesn’t start with ambition.
It starts with clarity.
Then comes the cost.
Strategy Isn’t GPS. It’s Compass.
Prof. Chen’s map was direct:
- Short-term: Top in domestic industry
- Mid-term (5 years): Top 3 in Southeast Asia
- Long-term (10 years): Top 3 globally
Not just bold. Grounded.
We treat strategy like a GPS. Plug in the endpoint, follow the voice.
But real strategy is a compass.
You still navigate storms, split paths, and human friction. But the direction stays true.
From Frameworks to Field: Translating Strategy to Education
We adapted the corporate layers:
- Financial → Long-term sustainability
- Operations → Admissions, outcomes, teaching excellence
- Admin → Culture, HR, succession
- Learning & Growth → Student well-being, curriculum innovation
When these align, we stop reacting.
We start designing.
Blind Spot: But What About Them?
All night I’d been reflecting on our vision…
Then it hit me:
Have we asked what “Future-Ready” means—to them?
- To the parent in Ulu Tiram?
- The child in Year 7 with anxiety?
- The teacher managing a chaotic class?
Real strategy doesn’t just clarify our identity.
It invites the customer into it.
Growth Isn’t Sexy. It’s Sequenced.
Chen shared the concentric growth model:
- Core – Your main business (schooling)
- Adjacent – Books, food, uniforms, enrichment
- New Territory – Coaching, hospitality, edutourism
Most schools chase the shiny stuff too early. But you don’t scale complexity. You scale clarity.
The Founder’s Ceiling
Another reflection:
“The founder’s strength often becomes the ceiling of the organisation.”
Instinct worked when we were small. But instinct doesn’t scale. Now, it’s time to systemise:
- Instinct → Language
- Language → Systems
- Systems → Succession
Because leadership isn’t what you do—it’s what continues when you’re not there.
Leverage vs. Legacy Thinking
Chen flipped the money conversation:
“Use the bank’s money. Pay interest. Keep your cash.”
At first I resisted. Then I saw it: If your model can carry debt and grow, then you’re ready.
It’s not reckless. It’s readiness. From hoarding to leveraging. From fear to flow.
Don’t Skip the Chain
Chen’s strategy execution chain:
- Vision & Mission
- Strategy Map (Company)
- Strategy Map (Business Unit)
- Functional Plan
- Balanced Scorecard
- KPIs
- Execution
Most skip to #6 and wonder why it’s chaotic.
KPIs without upstream clarity is like tracking your pace on the wrong path.
Unexpected Alignment
At night, we debriefed. Teachers, HR, finance, ops. One table.
And someone said:
“When you see the big picture—even if you don’t understand every detail—you start to respect the complexity.”
That’s empathy. That’s culture. That’s alignment in real time.
Camera. Car. Chaos.
A camera’s value isn’t proven in perfect light. It’s tested in low light, shaky hands.
Same for cars—not on smooth roads, but during storms.
Same for people:
- The real parent shows up when a child misbehaves.
- The real spouse shows up when love is hard.
- The real teacher shows up when the class spirals.
- The real leader? Shows up when everything falls apart—and stays.
Final Reflection: Strategy Isn’t a Slide. It’s a Stand.
Anyone can sound strategic when the plan works. But when energy runs low, when momentum dies—and you still show up?
That’s not just strategy. That’s stewardship.
So tonight, after 10 laps, and a long day of deep thinking: I still want to be someone who reflects. Who turns instinct into systems. Who listens to customers. Who leads by living. Who builds not just for scale—but for succession.
Because in the end: Strategy isn’t a PowerPoint. It’s a promise.
To serve.
To grow.
To pass it on.
And to leave behind something that runs better—without you.
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