Bounce rate represents the percentage of visitors entering the site and leaving immediately.
彈出率是指有多少%的訪客在剛進入一個網站時沒有進行點擊而馬上離開。
Conversion rate
Conversion rate in digital marketing means the rate at which site visitors turn into paying customers.
轉換率是指有多少網站訪客最終成為付款的顧客。
mCommerce
mCommerce, as known as mobile-commerce, refers to the use of mobile devide to conduct commercial transactions online.
手機商業是指用智能電話進行購買活動的業務。
Brick and Mortar 實體店
Traditional business offering products or services through face-to-face interaction, with a physical store that the business possesses. This is often regarded as a type of business in a more traditional path. Some may consider converting some of their sales online.
傳統企業實體店面對面互動來提供產品或服務。在2020, 更多人會考慮在線轉換部分銷售。
Upselling
The technique of showing similar products to customers in order to increase sales in related products.
GoBuddy believes everyone could start an online business for free. Our team is dedicated to provide a one-stop cloud platform solution to transform your business. Today we are happy to inviteThis time we are honoured to invite Ling, the founder of Ho Ho Go Experience Limited, to talk to us about her entrepreneurial story!
GoBuddy believes everyone could start an online business for free. Our team is dedicated to provide a one-stop cloud platform solution to transform your business. Today we are happy to inviteThis time we are honoured to invite Ling, the founder of Ho Ho Go Experience Limited, to talk to us about her entrepreneurial story!
What inspired you to start Ho Ho Go Experience?
Ho Ho Go Experience Limited (hereafter referred to as Ho Ho Go) was founded in 2014. It coincided with the social movement and environmental changes in Hong Kong at that time. Ling felt that something needed to be done to preserve Hong Kong’s unique culture and conservation awareness and give back to the society. She mentioned that when introducing Hong Kong to foreign tourists, most people mentioned various sightseeing spots and tourist attractions, but in fact, Hong Kong still has a lot of history and culture worth exploring. So she started to try different ways to promote, and the idea of Ho Ho Go began to grow. In addition, she mentioned that her previous experience of personally experiencing the culture of different places in Hong Kong is one of the important reasons, which makes her hope that more people can experience this metropolis from a different perspective.
Social enterprise? Travel agency? Cultural organisation?
In the early days of Ho Ho Go, Ling said that she had struggled with what format to run Ho Ho Go. At first, because of legal regulations and licensing considerations, she had thought of establishing a travel agency. But then she changed her mind. Her original intention was to promote Hong Kong culture, so a travel agency operating in a pure business model seemed unsuitable. She turned to social enterprises to consider, and finally adopted a cultural conservation organization operating in the social enterprise model to develop well. She said that adopting this business model is better than establishing a self-sustaining operation model. On the other hand, it can also make the core values of cultural conservation organizations more prominent.
Misunderstanding positioning
However, Ling mentioned that this business model will cause some misunderstandings about the business positioning. For example, when some schools hope to find a cultural conservation organization to cooperate with, they will realize that they are also a licensed travel agency, and vice versa. Therefore, she mentioned that she also encountered some difficulties in establishing positioning.
New forms of online guided tours for travel agencies under the epidemic
Regrettably, due to the epidemic, the guided tours originally scheduled for overseas and Hong Kong have also been cancelled. She said that although this is a difficult one, she will try to use new methods to manage it well. For example, in the form of online real-time guided tours (virtual live), online audiences can also experience the cultural experience of different places in Hong Kong. In recent years, she has also put more information on social media to make the promotion culture closer to the audience. She said that in the early days of her business, she mainly contacted new customers on some large travel websites, so using different online channels in the early days of business can also help the brand.
Manage better than the story encountered
Ling said with a smile, “there are many profound stories in the process of doing well”. For example, she once met some older tourists who visit Hong Kong with old classmates, hoping to create a good memory here. At the end of the journey, they embraced and cried emotionally. Also, once when a professor from Japan was traveling in Hong Kong, he wanted to find some itineraries that were purely sightseeing spots. But after Ling introduced the concept of cultural guided tours to him and suggested that he try them, they made him discover a different kind of travel pleasures.
Tips for those who want to run a social enterprise
Ling said that the mentality of running a social enterprise should not be purely “doing good deeds”, but rather focus on the ideas that one wants to bring out. Consider appropriate and sustainable business methods based on core values and obtain business value and contribute to the community “Drop the ego and keep learning!”
If you are thinking of starting a business, or if you need a digital solution for your business, simply send us an email, let GoBuddy transform your business journey!
GoBuddy believes everyone could start an online business for free. Our team is dedicated to provide a one-stop cloud platform solution to transform your business. Today we are honoured to have Mark, co-founder of Mak’s Brewery, to talk to us about their entrepreneurial story, and the experiences of doing a craft beer business in Hong Kong!
About Mak’s Brewery
Mak’s Brewery (hereinafter referred to as Mak’s) was established in 2014. It is the first craft beer brewery in Hong Kong that was founded by Hong Kong natives. Mak’s was co-founded by three founders.
The origin of Mak’s Brewery…
The story begins with the college careers of the three founders—they originally hoped to try their own business after graduation, and came into contact with the craft beer brewing industry by chance. Mark mentioned that there were not many brands of beer brewing in Hong Kong at that time, and after they came into contact with these brands, most of their target customer groups were foreigners or tourists, so the idea of creating a craft beer brand belonging to Hong Kong people was born.
Positioning of purely locally made beer.
Mark explained that local manufacturing is not just a definition of production location. Marketing, whether the product meets the tastes of the locals, and whether the resources are invested in local circles, etc. are also the meaning of “local manufacturing.” Therefore, in the early days of Mak’s establishment, they spent a lot of time promoting knowledge about craft beer, so that more people could try different flavors of handmade beer, hoping to make Mak’s closer to the local market.
Difficulties encountered in making a craft brewery in Hong Kong?
The biggest problem is…
Mark admitted that there are not many people in Hong Kong who have a deep knowledge of craft beer, and the problem that Mak’s faced was how to get more people to contact with craft beer, and to balance the needs of different markets and appropriately allocate company resources.
Expand product categories and try different promotional methods
Interestingly, in addition to selling craft beer products, Mai’s Brewery also sells different types of products such as shampoos and T-shirts. Mark said with a smile that the initial development of these products was with a fun mindset and a try, but in fact, the development of different products is also valuable for promoting handmade beer and local brands.
In addition, they will also try to participate in different bazaars and workshops to better understand the tastes of the locals and meet the needs of customers.
The importance of online tools?
Mark said that in today’s society, social media and online sales channels are quite necessary for brand promotion and publicity, so they will also use different online tools to expand their brands. But he emphasized that before choosing a tool, you must first understand the customer groups that your brand needs to contact, so that you can effectively use different channels to achieve better promotional effects.
Tips for people who want to start a business?
Don’t do it for…
Mark said that they started their winery business with a fire, and he sent a message to young people to be clear about their brand positioning and market needs, rather than blindly following because a market is very popular.
Pay close attention to market changes and maintain a big picture.
Because social changes are becoming more and more rapid, Mark mentioned that entrepreneurs should always pay attention to market changes and overall trends, and be prepared for future instability. Finally, he also suggested that everyone think about the arrangements for personnel deployment, resource allocation, and entry and exit mechanisms before starting.
“Building a career is a small puzzle in life, if you have an idea, you might as well give it a try!”
If you are thinking of starting a business, or if you need a digital solution for your business, simply send us an email, let GoBuddy transform your business journey!
HK Momtrepreneurs is a nonprofit organisation aimed at teaching mothers and families the skill of entrepreneurship and empowering women to achieve and fulfil their career goals while still balancing their families and communities. Recently, we sat down with HK Momtrepreneurs founder Lena Wong to discuss her experiences with the organisation as well as to listen to her advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.
HK Momtrepreneurs Founder Lena Wong
What inspired her to start HK Momtrepreneurs?
When asked what inspired her to start HK Momtrepreneurs, Wong discussed her own experience as a mother looking to start a business. Sought as she might, she couldn’t find a community that provided the support and information she desired. So she decided to start her own Facebook page where she shared the knowledge and wisdom she had acquired. Over time, she started meeting more and more women in similar positions through the page.
From Facebook page to NGO…
Wong wanted to go back to work, but now a mother of two, her outlook on life had changed and she wanted to make a difference in the world. So in late 2018, she transferred the idea of HK Momtrepreneurs from a Facebook page to an official nonprofit organization.
What was the largest issue she faced?
How can a non-profit coexist with entrepreneurship?
In its early stages, Wong remembers HK Momtrepreneur’s largest issue being how people viewed it. It was new, “momtrepreneurs” was a term she had coined, and people often questioned why a nonprofit existed for entrepreneurship. To overcome these issues, Wong explained she simply focused on educating people and sharing what HK Momtrepreneurs stood for. She emphasized all startups, not just hers, face this need to tell society why it needs you.
Wong also expressed gratitude for the support she had received. Among others, she mentioned the encouraging general manager of a coworking space as well as a bank that waived fees for them.
In the past, she explained that HK Momtreprenuers had worked more like a professional organization and less like a typical charity. But in 2020, HK Momtreprenuers launched a fellowship program aimed at expanding the organization’s reach to different socioeconomic classes. She made this addition, recognizing that while starting businesses, women from less fortunate socioeconomic backgrounds often face the same difficulties as wealthier women while also dealing with more challenges. With this fellowship program, Wong feels HK Momtrepreneus now has a more solid base as a nonprofit.
Unforgettable stories…
Transformation of a hesitant mother
When asked about any memorable stories, Wong had two instances to talk about. The first was a full-time mother she met at a networking event. While fairly educated, the woman hadn’t worked for the past twenty years, long enough that she was no longer comfortable in a professional environment and struggled making strong eye contact. She had lost her confidence in meeting strangers. However, she and Wong still clicked and talked for a while. Just a few months later, this woman had opened her own business (a co-creating space with a kitchen and sewing room), and her whole energy had changed. When Wong asked the woman what had led to her dramatic change in personality, the woman explained that it just was the experience of empowering other women to create that had empowered her.
Paths are intertwined
Wong’s second story was about a sleeping coach/consultant who was going to be a speaker at one of HK Momtrepreneurs upcoming events. In the confirmation meeting, the sleeping coach mentioned that the two women had actually briefly crossed paths once before. She had been in the audience of a panel Wong had participated in. The woman had been inspired enough to make a change in her career path and similarly become an entrepreneur. Wong explained this story had stuck with her because that experience of a small moment changing the course of one’s life was familiar to her.
Story between GoBuddy and HK Momtrepreneurs
When asked about things that aided HK Momtrepreneurs’s development, Wong talked about GoBuddy. She met GoBuddy founder Kow at a seminar, and after seeing a demo of GoBuddy’s features, she decided to utilize its services. She explained how happy she was to have the support it provided. For example, HK Momtrepreneurs often hosts events, and registration had always been a hassle. But with GoBuddy, the relatively low-cost registration system now handles the difficult elements for her.
Words for future entrepreneurs
In the close of the interview, Wong imparted a few words of advice. First, she advised all businesses to have diversity. For her business, that means she is working towards including male and female voices, those of parents and those without children. But she emphasized the need for diversity in all its aspects.
She also suggested that those who wish to be entrepreneurs, both men and women, should establish their businesses before having children. Her reasoning is that after having children it takes time to adjust to your new life, and if you run your own business, you can control your reentry to the workforce and gradually settle back in at your own pace.
Wong’s last piece of advice was to work for a big corporation after finishing school befores starting your own business if possible. She explained that doing so provides the chance to explore and understand what work suits you best. Some may find that they are built for the corporate world, and it is also an easier transition from the corporate world to entrepreneurship than the other way around. Starting a business also requires money, so savings from a corporate salary will help pay bills later on. Lastly, job qualifications build your reputation and improve your potential when heading into establishing a business.
GoBuddy believes everyone could start an online business for free. Our team is dedicated to provide a one-stop cloud platform solution to transform your business. Today we are honoured to have Angela from EEK Limited to talk to us about her entrepreneurial journey!
About EEK
Easy English For Kids (EEK Limited) is a teaching playgroup and a tutorial centre for children that focuses on teaching kids through interactive play. Recently, we had a little chat with the founder of EEK, Angela Comer Lam, to understand more about her business and her experiences in the education industry.
Angela Comer – Lam Owner of EEK Ltd
What inspired her to start EEK?
When asked what inspired her to start EEK back in 2009, Angela talked about her experience as a local kindergarten english teacher and how she felt that the kids were learning as ‘robots’ and wanted to make learning a fun and interactive experience for the children. This prompted Angela to start her own teaching playgroup where she could teach children in the ways she thought was best for them.
What was the largest obstacle she faced?
Angela expressed her concerns and difficulties when she initially started the playgroup and discussed how quite a few children come from her village in the New Territories and the problem was that parents would send their two to three years old child to Angela’s playgroup for perhaps, a year, and send them to school by the age of three. Since Angela only conducts playgroup with a maximum of seven children so that she is able to give individual attention to every child and they all left after a year to go to school, Angela felt that she had to start over every year and find new children which wasn’t very easy. We asked her how she overcame the challenge and she discussed how it was primarily word-of-mouth. There have been many instances where children leave after the age of three but still take tutoring lessons from her and have continued to take it for a long time now.
Difference in Education between the East and West
Since Angela is from the UK, she discussed with us the major differences in education styles between UK and HK and she explained that the HK education style is similar to how the UK’s education style was back in the 40s/50s- “We teach, you learn.” However, the education style is now more evolved in the UK and they understand that all children learn differently and it is important to cater to every child’s learning style rather than just using one way to teach all of them. In Hong Kong, Chinese is taught in a “drill and kill” way which means children are taught by memorising because there isn’t any other way to teach, however, english is taught in the same way and English does not have to be taught like that. Angela explained that one of the primary things she teaches at her tutorial centre is phonics and she teaches children not only the phonics sound but also how to use it. She further explained that once the children have learnt the 42 phonic sounds, they can read almost anything. In the UK, schools allow more interactive learning and students are allowed to question things rather than just accepting it.
Transformation story of two students
Two of her students (brother and sister) came to her for tutoring lessons when they were in year 5 and year 6 respectively and could only read words they had been taught. They were unable to read words they have never seen before and Angela spent a lot of time and effort on them to ensure they could read everything they were given and much more. Fast forward a couple years and both of them took their DSE’s last year and are now in college.
Education Business in 2020
We further asked Angela whether she could foresee the education business moving online in 2020 to which she responded that it is not something she wants to go down the route of doing and since her tutorial classes are very personalised and interactive, she does not believe that she would be willing to change her teaching to online lessons.
Story between GoBuddy and EEK
Angela was introduced to GoBuddy by HK Momtrepreneuers Founder, Lena Wong, who encouraged Angela to list some of her products on GoBuddy’s online shop. GoBuddy helped develop Angela’s website and are further planning to help her with marketing. Angela also has a youtube page (Angela’s Story Time) where she reads english story books for children. Apart from EEK, Angela owns an online businessy2squared selling accessories like jewellery, hair scrunchies and hand-made handbags.
Any words for Future Entrepreneurs?
When asked if she had any tips for entrepreneurs who would like to start a similar business, she discussed how it is important to research and look for business opportunities in your local community and see if there are any similar businesses in your area. Although most students who come to her tutorial session and playgroups live in the same area as she does (New Territories), there are a few students who come from Hong Kong Island and she believes it is primarily because of word-of-mouth.
If you are thinking of starting a business, or if you need a digital solution for your business, simply send us an email, let GoBuddy transform your business journey!
No matter how successful you are, knowledge and powerful advise is one thing which is never-ending. Below are some of the best books with god-tier advise that can help entrepreneurs and to-be entrepreneurs.
1) How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
One of the best books to help improve people skills and a step-by-step guide to make lifelong connections.
2) The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
This book written especially for Entrepreneurs and how they can achieve success by imbibing certain qualities and further help build their business.
3) The Art of the Start by Guy Kawasaki
If you are looking for some inspiration or just anything to take your first step as an Entrepreneur, this is your go-to book.
4) Getting Things Done by David Allen
Looking for ways to get rid of that procrastination? and stress? This book will help you get organised and clear your mind.
5) Think and Grow Rich by Napolean Hill
One of the most popular and best books out there used by millions of people and business owners. It will help you get perspective and a positive mindset and just the perfect advise that you are looking for.
Elon Musk- CEO of SpaceX and Tesla can be easily called the real life Tony Stark! Striving for greatness and challenging all sorts of technologies, he has become one of the most renowned entrepreneurs.
#1 In 1983, at the age of 12, Musk sold a simple game called “Blastar” to a computer magazine for $500. Musk described it as “a trivial game … but better than Flappy Bird.”
#2 While studying at the University of Pennsylvania, Musk and a classmate rented out a 10-bedroom frat house and turned it into a nightclub. The move, which Musk undertook with Adeo Ressi, was one of his first entrepreneurial experiments.
#3 After graduation, Musk traveled to Stanford University to study for his PhD — but he barely started the program before leaving it. He deferred his admission after only two days in California, deciding to test his luck in the dot-com boom that was just getting underway. He never returned to finish his studies at Stanford.
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