Defying all odds, Kenneth Leong is proud to prove that with a strong will and determination, one could change one’s social status in life and be successful. In an interview with Top 10 of Malaysia, the enterprising Tan shares about Interlight Technology’s services, the challenges faced and also his plans for the future.
Kenneth Leong has been carrying the world on his shoulder for as long as he can remember. Coming from a poor family and being raised by a single parent, he felt that it was his responsibility as the eldest son to look after the welfare of his family. “This drove me to look for opportunities every day. I also live by one principle: our life has no assumptions, only consequences and results.”
As entrepreneurs dealing in branded phones started opening their own retail stores, Leong’s career as a phone dealer ended up becoming a bottleneck for him. “That was when I left my job and started doing LED business. I started building my relationships and connections in China and subsequently, started the business from small LED screens and eventually moving on to the big screens,” reminisces Leong.
Interlight Technology was founded almost 10 years ago and it has come a long way since its inception. Leong credits the success of his company to the devotion and trust that his team has in him. “The team consists of dynamic members from the ages of 18 to 50. I believe that everybody will have something valuable to contribute. We are open to receiving feedback from anyone regardless of their age and experiences because we can improve and improvise from there.” Leong added that by prioritising transparency in the office and being open-minded, the company can grow faster. “At the end of the day, everyone has a similar goal,” says Leong.
A decade ago, digitalisation was not a trend. According to Leong, it was hard to survive back in those days. “People today still use banners and buntings and in order for our business to persist, we need to slowly alter the perception of our clients.” Leong added that though their company is not a big corporation, it does have a large client base. “This all stems from the fact that the clients have faith in our products and we have excellent communication and rapport with them. Furthermore, we have our own stocks in the country so we do not need to rely on suppliers. We have built up a very good name and reputation for ourselves.”
Leong plans to expand his business to 3 other countries soon – Myanmar, Pakistan and Cambodia. “Talks of cooperation are already underway and we will definitely concentrate on expanding our business in these 3 countries in the meantime.”
