Freda Tan Yi Cui

About Freda Tan Yi Cui

Name: Freda Tan Yi Cui
Academic Year: 3
Degree: BSc in Information Systems Management
2nd Major: Operations Management

What are my hobbies?: I have many interests. I play drums, I dance, I cycle, I swim.
What CCA am I in?: Samba Masala & Eurhythmix. Participated in InnovateIT2013 as well.
More about me: My Facebook or follow me on instagram @FFFrankour
Email me at: freda.tan.2011@sis.smu.edu.sg

Why TSM South Korea

• What motivates you to join TSM
  

The motivation behind joining TSM for me is the fact that I will be able to see how things work in high tech companies and how they manage the challenges faced. I believe joining TSM will broaden my perspectives and learn about how things can be done differently as demonstrated by the other countries and not being constrained by the local practices of doing things. Besides, TSM takes learning out of the classroom and we are able to apply what we have learnt to real life!

• Why pick South Korea
  

South Korea is recognized as the world's top ranking technology market by the UN. It amazes me that how South Korea is able to rise up the technology ranking by so much within the past 2 years and slowing closing up the gap between them and the technology giants United States and Japan. With TSM providing me with this opportunity to understand how the technology in South Korea market is like, I am more than excited to be part of this study mission and immerse myself in the South Korea culture!

Internship Opportunities

• What types of internship opportunities interest you?
  

I am interested in any internship opportunities that involves project management and managing a project. A business or user experience related position will excite me as well. I love interacting with people and definitely love to explore any internship opportunities in any start ups with a job scope that involves interacting and talking to various stakeholders, gathering client's requirements and translating them into tasks for a project team to handle.

• Any ideal firms (based in South Korea) that you wishes to join?
  

StoryGem is an existing iPhone application available in the appstore. It is created and developed by a group of koreans.

From the web page link provided, it has only a link to the application on itunes appstore for users to download. Other then that, I have also found that they have a facebook page for promoting this application. Clearly, this shows that this group is at a start up phase and things are done in small scale.

I would like to join them because firstly, this is a great opportunity for me to experience how being part of a start up is like. Next, it is also that this group or company develops an iPhone application, which I am pretty much familiar with as currently my Final Year Project involves developing an iPhone application. The knowledge I have gained from doing my FYP is definately relevant to this company having coded the application and successfully deployed it to the apple itunes appstore.

Starting a business

• What types of business interest you?
  

I am interested in 3 kinds of businesses

1. Innovation that provides solutions for existing everyday problems that we face.
2. Starting up a shop selling flowers
3. Entertainment company

• What plan do you have in starting a business? (list existing business)
  

The business that I am really looking into is to set up a flower shop to make customized flower baskets for any events or just for pure house decorations. However, starting a business like this requires capital which I do not have yet. Therefore, I will have to think of a lowest cost start up plan.

One of the plans I have in mind to make start up as low cost and workable will be to use use of the social networking platform as a marketing platform first. My business can run without a physical shop front but with a website where they can view the existing flower baskets or choose to customize their flower baskets, place their order and these orders will be collated for my viewing. Collection of the flower baskets will be at the customers' preferred time hence saving travelling cost and time on my part as well.

If this start up plan goes well and I start earning enough, I may consider opening up a physical shop front and make this business go even bigger by combining other startup ideas and not just a plain flower shop :D

Past experiences

• Describe your past experience (entrepreneurship, or works in start ups etc)
  

I have not worked at any start ups before nor had any experience with entrepreneurship. However, I did have a very brief encounter with entrepreneurship back when I was in Secondary school where my friends and I took part in an event that encourages innovation and entrepreneurship. We were required to come up with ideas or products to solve any problems we face daily. My team and I went through lots of discussions and getting feedback to finally come up with a cosmetic and toiletries travel pack for people who travel often. Participation in this event made me realise that we might have many ideas in mind, however the feasibility of the ideas will always be an issue. Putting these ideas into action is the challenging part. Although my entrepreneurial experiences are not many, I believe I still have the relevant skills that entrepreneurs will require. Being the Vice President in Samba Masala for the past year, I have picked up many negotiation and communication skills because one of my job scope was actually to liaise with potential clients who wishes to engage the band for any performances. In addition, I learnt how to deal with the various important stakeholders of the band like the members, the instructors, our manager and of course, the director of arts in the Office of Student Life. I would say that my experience as Vice President of Samba Masala gave me a close enough experience as an entreprenuer having to pitch and sell the band to the potential clients for them to engage us.