'ENTREPRENUERS SHOULD SHAPE IDEAS WELL TO ATTRACT FINANCING'

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 22 (Bernama) -- Entrepreneurs should shape their ideas
well to attract financial institutions to fund the ideas, Supermax Corporation
Bhd Executive Chairman and Group Managing Director Stanley Thai said Thursday.

He said it was wrong to accuse banks of ignorance when they approach the
banks for financial assistance.

"The idea must be attractive, the idea must be appealing to convince the
banks that they can expect a good return through their initial funding.

"Even though the idea is not so interesting, the respective entrepreneur
must be responsible for his own idea's packaging," he told a forum on "Insights
Into What Makes A Successful Entrepreneur" organised by Ernst & Young here.

Another panelist, Mydin Mohamed Holdings Bhd Managing Director Ameer Ali
Mydin said business is meant to be tough and entrepreneurs must be very brave to
take the challenge to sustain in the market of their respective
businesses.

"The climate now has to change. The idea must be creative enough to push the
financial institutions come searching for your product each time you release
something new," he said.

Meanwhile, Thai said entrepreneurs nowadays were not brave enough to explore
new markets, in terms of segments and nations.

"If they are successful in this one particular country, they only want to
develop this business there, but they are afraid to venture into new markets.

"When I ventured into Brazil 11 years ago, many people said I must be crazy
doing that, but now Supermax is the most popular rubber product company there,"
he said.