Hi, my name is Tan Jin Chi. You can call me Jin. I am a 27-year-old entrepreneur building my startup called ABCJunior. Our platform is an early years comparison tool designed to bridge the information gap between parents and the early years industry in Malaysia.
Our goal is to provide data-driven suggestions to parents on which providers to opt for based on their child’s education and care needs. In Malaysia, more than 60% of early childhood providers operate illegally, posing risks to young children. Unfortunately, there are no means available to determine whether a provider is operating legally or not.
With ABCJunior, we can fully inform parents by giving them a bird’s eye view of a particular provider and check out relevant certifications and documents before sending their child there. At the same time, we help drive more traffic to legitimate providers.
I’ve been running my company for over eight months, and it’s been an exciting journey. I started my career as a marketing consultant for various schools in Malaysia, working primarily with international schools, colleges, and universities. But one day, I stumbled upon the early years industry in Malaysia and realized that there was a lot of work to be done, and no one was addressing it.
The early years industry is worth about 520 billion dollars globally, but most start-ups focus on Web3 tech or other emerging industries. I saw a potential opportunity to make a real difference in the early years industry, which I felt was overlooked.
There are two reasons why this industry is meaningful to me.
- Firstly, education has always been a passion of mine, and I firmly believe it can transform lives and shape the future. By focusing on the early years industry, I have the opportunity to contribute to the development of young children and give them a strong foundation for their future.
- Secondly, I see substantial potential in this industry. Countries like China and Canada have seen massive growth and success in their early years sector. I believe Malaysia can follow suit. By creating a platform like ABCJunior, I am impacting the lives of children and parents and contributing to the growth and development of the industry as a whole.
As an EdTech platform, our vision is to make education more accessible and affordable for everyone through technology. At ABCJunior, we’re working towards providing parents with a comprehensive solution that helps them discover and choose the finest early childhood providers for their children and empowers them to be better parents.
Our goal is to become Southeast Asia’s first parenting super-app, offering services that cater to modern parents’ needs. We want to provide a one-stop shop for all parenting needs by creating a platform that helps parents raise happy, healthy, and prosperous children, regardless of their socio-economic background. We believe every child deserves a quality education and a bright future, and we are committed to making that a reality through technology.
Our focus is currently on the education aspect of the industry, specifically working with providers in a B2B model. However, in the future, I am keen on exploring the gig economy in early childhood, such as nannies and day care services. It seems like an exciting avenue to pursue.
In my experience, grit is one of the essential traits in running a business. As an entrepreneur, you must accept that challenges and setbacks are inevitable, whereas, in a regular job, you receive a fixed salary regardless of external factors. You must be determined to push through tough times and believe things will eventually turn around. Grit will help you weather the storm and keep moving forward with your goals. It’s a crucial trait for anyone in the business world.
While I believe in grit, I don’t have a particular motto that I live by. I think there are countless mottos and quotes about life out there, and while some may be helpful and applicable to specific situations, not all of them will resonate with me. Instead, I try to stay flexible and open-minded, always learning from others and filtering the knowledge and information I come across to identify what is most relevant and appropriate for me and my situation.
The most significant hurdle I have encountered is understanding the difference between running a business and a start-up. Fortunately, experience in both has given me insight into those differences. Unlike in business, where profit is the primary goal, a start-up focuses on identifying and catering to underserved customer needs by creating a business model around them. Building a loyal customer base takes time, and prioritizing profit is not always feasible at the outset. Therefore, having the right mindset while running a start-up is crucial. For example, it’s essential not to be afraid of losses because, at times, losing money can lead to growth. It’s all about finding the right balance between giving and taking.
We have had some negative experiences where some providers didn’t see the value in working with us and ignored our proposals. While disappointing, we understand that this is a typical challenge that start-ups face in their early stages. Despite that, we remain committed to our mission and strive to create a positive impact in the early years education industry.
How have I changed since starting this platform? Well, I believe I have grown in many ways. For instance, I have developed better coping mechanisms and learned to stay composed during challenging situations. I have also become more strategic and forward-thinking, identifying growth opportunities and devising plans to capitalize on them. Witnessing my growth is a testament to what humans can achieve when they push themselves to their limits.
As a team, we gained a huge confidence booster when ABCJunior won the 6th DreamFactory start-up contest. It’s Malaysia’s largest Mandarin start-up contest, and being crowned champion validated our work.
My father is my biggest inspiration. Despite coming from a low-income family and not finishing his high school education, he taught himself various trades through perseverance and hard work. While we may not be extremely wealthy, he raised and put all three children through college and university, which is a remarkable achievement.
My greatest desire is for ABCJunior to soar high and become the next Unicorn in Malaysia. I hope it will be recognized as a company that genuinely cares about children and parenting and always prioritizes their well-being.
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