Know Your S&P Agreement

PAN legal advisor is to speak on "Understanding your sale & purchase agreement" at our May sharing session that follows the monthly committee meeting.

Do come join us. The sharing session, open to all, starts at 12noon and includes Q&A time. More questions and/or extended discussion can be done over lunch that starts about 1pm. Let's have some women time together and enjoy!

Date: 26 May 2012
Venue: C-5-1, Bay Avenue
            Lorong Bayan Indah 3 (next to Queensbay Mall, Penang)


Curious about who is PAN legal adviser?

Catherine is 2nd from left.

Catherine Heah has accumulated extensive knowledge and practical experience in her seventeen (17) years in legal practice. She obtained her Bachelor of Laws degree (Honours) from University of East London, United Kingdom in 1992 and later also passed her Certificate of Legal Practice examination prior to being called to the BAR.

Currently, she is the head of the conveyancing department of Messrs Othman Hashim & Co.Advocates & Solicitors and the said Department comprises of three(3) other lawyers and together they are ably assisted by eight (8) clerical staffs. Her area of specialization covers General Conveyancing, Banking & Finance instruments including Corporate & Retail transactions, Probate & Admninistrative Law, Small Estates, Wills, Landlord & Tenant and Leases. To enhance her knowledge in companies and business sectors, Catherine recently took a Company Secretarial course so that she can be conscious of the legal impediments on one hand and on the other hand take charge of the legal assignments with dedication by ensuring the service level and quality of work rendered to the clients are not compromised.

Messrs Othman Hashim & Co. was established in October 1983 in Kuala Lumpur and has expanded beyond the city limits of Kuala Lumpur to Sepang, Wangsa Maju, Melaka, Johor Bahru, Kota Bahru, Sibu & Kuching in Sarawak. In addition, the firm has close association in Shenzen, China and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. The firm continues to grow at a steady pace to 53 lawyers to date.

As the firm undertakes litigation and non-litigation work, its vision has always been to provide its clients a wide range of legal services and strongly believe that there is strength in diversity .

Catherine is an active member and a Past President of the Lions Club, known to many as the largest service organization/NGO in the world with more than 1.7 million members. For more than ten ( 10 ) years, she gave freely her time to serve the less fortunate in the community by participating and organizing many meaningful projects/activities with the aim of raising funds towards humanitarian efforts.

 

Sharing by Art Entrepreneur

So you want to be an entrepreneur. But what kind of business would you do? Most gurus would say to do something that you love, so to carry you through those times when it gets tough, as it surely would during any journey to success.

Alyssa Khoo operates Alyssa Galeri. Is she a lover of art? Well, come find out when she does her sharing at PAN monthly meeting this Saturday starting at noon. The venue is PAN office at ADA Shared Services in Bay Avenue, next to Queensbay Mall. The story of art entrepreneur is not commonly told. It should be interesting!

Alyssa Galeri is the force behind the “Femme Flora”, an International Women's Day Art Exhibition 2012 now going on till April at Galeri Kementerian Tourism Malaysia in Putrajaya. It is a showcase dedicated to celebrate women throughout the world.

Pretty poster of the Femme Flora exhibition.

The exhibition particularly celebrates that unique bond between flowers, the feminine, and woman as a positive force in the world. It features the works of some 30 women artists from Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Australia, Iran, Thailand, Finland, Singapore, China and Korea. Details at www.alyssagaleri.com.

Other sharing opportunities coming up

• The Entrepreneur 101 Nationwide Franchise Roadshow 2012 is coming to town near you and admission is free. NAWEM members are invited. A stop at Concorde Hotel Shah Alam is scheduled for this April 4.
  There will be notable industry professionals who will share with the participants the practical tips of business operations and the ways to penetrate franchise industry. En Saharudin Sahad of Smart Franchise Partner will speak on The road map to franchise your business.
  A representative from Perbadanan Nasional Berhad is to speak on “Roles in developing franchise industry in Malaysia.” Several franchisers will also be at hand to share their experiences.
  
  
• SMEs & Overseas Trade (Import & Export) seminar is on April 10, 2012 at the Shah Alam Convention Centre. This one also offers free admission. The speakers are experts from Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) and Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ). The organiser is Malaysia SME^TM. 
  
  
  NAWEM 4S Workshop is on April 13 at Villa FELDA in Kuala Lumpur. This is a full day workshop on sustainability. It introduces the Pyramid concept used worldwide by businesses to generate sustainable idea and actions.
  
  
   

Empowering Women

“Women: the engine of economic growth” is the theme for the Global Summit of Women this year, scheduled from May 31 to June 2, and is expected to draw some 1,000 women leaders.

NAWEM-PAN members have the opportunity to attend this event in Athens, Greece – currently known more for its financial troubles than anything else. Perhaps this would be better for sharpening the business sensitivity of participants.

The summit promises to, among others, provide a window into the European economies, affording information on doing business with Greece and the Balkan economies in particular. You'd get an insight into the women driving business growth in this region as consumers and business leaders.

The three days will have numerous sessions to help grow leadership skills, your business and network. You would learn from featured best practices in partnerships between business and government to advance women and to promote green initiatives.

A briefing on the global summit was already held on March 1 in Kuala Lumpur, organised by SME Corp. Malaysia.

PAN chairman Ong Swe Ee views the summit as a great networking opportunity among successful women and urged members to take up this rare opportunity via NAWEM secretariat. She added: “To apply for 50% trip subsidy, those owners of Sdn Bhd company should enrol with MATRADE (Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation) – the registration is free and can be done online.”

By the way, NAWEM members can also keep up-to-date through email with MATRADE Online News, which provides market alerts from its trade commissioners overseas, product market studies for exporters as well as its various programme announcements.

NAWEM 19^th Annual General Meeting

If you are not making it to Athens, then go for our AGM, scheduled for Saturday, 24th March 2012. The first 50 to register will receive a token of appreciation from the Exco. Last year's AGM recorded attendance of 49 members.

The venue this year is again at the secretariat at Rumah Puspanita in KL. It will start with catered lunch and followed by the meeting starting 3pm.

NAWEM does provide women entrepreneurs ample opportunities to network at local, national and international levels. A recent gathering was the MAFa Country Conference 2012 on March 14-15 in Shah Alam. The organiser Malaysian Association of Facilitators (www.myfacilitators.org) allowed NAWEM members special rate to attend the event.

Earlier on March 4, four PAN members made it to the “KARISMA NGO with the Prime Minister” programme at Putra Stadium in Bukit Jalil. The Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development organised that gathering of non-governmental organisations. 

Amidst the KARISMA NGO crowd, NAWEM members are easily recognisable in their pretty blue batik baju kurung.

President Sarojini and other NAWEM exco up on stage.

 

 

One for the album... with other participants.

On April 21, the National Council of Women's Organisations will hold a seminar in KL on crime prevention for parents - “SEKATA (Keselamatam Keluarga Tanggungjawab Kita), Edisi Ibu Bapa”. Two seats are reserved for NAWEM.

If you need to re-charge, consider the Women Leadership & Coaching Retreat in Langkawi on April 20 to 23. Directly contact Puan Masitah Babjan at mbmasit@hotmail.com for details and to register.

Women Entrepreneurs To Gather In Penang

This is the press release we prepared for the event...

GEORGE TOWN: Talks on business development, funding, grants and export markets as well as sharing of real success stories of women entrepreneurs are among the highlights of a full day event this Saturday, Oct 8.

The Chicken Rice Shop with some 60 outlets nationwide would have its founder Mrs. Gaik Wong lead a morning sharing session at the “Opportunity for Women Entrepreneurs” event to be held at Tanjung Bungah Beach Hotel.

An afternoon session is to feature Ken-Rich Chemical Production CEO Hooi Lai Lin, the inaugural recipient of the Prime Minister's Award for Women Entrepreneurs 2011. Both women are from the National Association of Women Entrepreneurs Malaysia (NAWEM). 
 
“They are dynamic, award-winning entrepreneurs and active NAWEM members, who are always ready and available to mentor young entrepreneurs and share their experiences with them,” said event organising chairperson Wendy Wong of the Penang Affiliates of NAWEM (PAN).

PAN is organising the “Opportunities for Women Entrepreneurs” event in collaboration with government agencies, to help highlight the various business development programmes, grants and funds available in Malaysia, she added.

Other speakers in this programme-packed event include SME Corp Malaysia Penang director Tajul Ariffin Jamaluddin, to update on development programmes for small and medium enterprises. Malaysian External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) northern director Suresh Kumar would speak on helping entrepreneurs develop and expand their export markets.

The Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development would have its deputy director-general Che Azizah Che Rashid and its Penang director Yusman Hambali Ahmad giving presentation. Northern branch manager Jais Abu Hassan of Pembangunan Sumber Manusia Berhad (under the Ministry of Human Resources) would also be presenting.

The other speakers are Malaysian Industrial Development Authority (MIDA) Penang director Zabidah Daud; Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) deputy secretary (funding) Suhaimi Hamzah; Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC) northern director Sarimah Misman; and RHB Bank assistant vice president (SME commercial business development) Khairil Anwar.

“NAWEM and PAN want to help broadcast the numerous private and public grants and business funding and opportunities available in Malaysia to entrepreneurs, and especially to the women entrepreneurs,” said PAN chairperson Ong Swe Ee.

“We are here to assist women entrepreneurs grow and create business empires. This event is a platform for us to network and share success stories and experiences,” she added.

Business and business-minded women (men too) can join this full day event for RM70 per person to cover buffet lunch and two tea breaks. NAWEM members have contributed door gifts, including restaurant and beauty product vouchers, worth more than RM100 for each attendee.

There are also limited number of display stations available during the event for entrepreneurs to showcase their products and services.

Details of the “Opportunities for Women Entrepreneurs” event are available at its blog site www.penangwomenentrepreneurs.blogspot.com and NAWEM website www.nawem.org.my, or email nawempan@yahoo.com or call 019-457 9471 (Wendy) or 012-477 0873 (Swe Ee). 
 

Press coverage on award-winning NAWEM members

How do you obtain funding - for business or otherwise?

Well, you can become so good and go win some awards...as proven by two NAWEM members who received $100k each with their Prime Minister's Awards recently.

Reproduced below is The Star Online report of the award ceremony or you can go read it directly at this link - http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/9/26/nation/9574995&sec=nation

The parts on our NAWEM members are highlighted in bold print (my doing). By the way, one of them, Hooi Lai Lin, is coming to Penang Oct 8 to share her success story with other women entrepreneurs.

Get your ticket to the "Opportunities for Women Entrepreneurs" event NOW, if you haven't yet.
   

Monday September 26, 2011

Cheshire Home president wins Woman Social Activist award

KUALA LUMPUR: The Cheshire Home management was all smiles when the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry bestowed the Prime Minister’s Woman Social Activist award on its president Datin Paduka Khatijah Suleiman for her outstanding work at the home.

The award includes a RM100,000 prize.

Khatijah said the prize money would be invaluable in expanding the home’s programmes for helping the disabled and disadvantaged.

She said the organisation ran its programmes at six houses located throughout the country.
She was among 11 women activists and entrepreneurs honoured last night by the ministry for work in their respective fields.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the award would encourage Malaysian women to strive to greater heights.

“I suggested the award to encourage icons. We always need iconic figures to inspire others to achieve greatness themselves,” he said during the award ceremony yesterday.

The Woman Entrepreneur Award was bestowed on Hooi Lai Lin for her work in running a company dealing in chemicals. She also received RM100,000.

Nine other women who made the shortlist received RM20,000 each.

Minister Datuk Seri Sharizat Abdul Jalil said the Social Activist candidates were chosen not just by their individual success but by the impact of their programmes to the community and the effort put in to running those programmes.

She said candidates for the Woman Entrepreneur category were chosen based on the success of their business as well as their ethics in doing business.

Also present at the event were the Prime Minister’s wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor and Sime Darby Bhd chairman Tun Musa Hitam.

Message from NAWEM president

Dear Ladies,

With great pleasure and pride that I announce that two of our NAWEM members received the coveted awards from our Prime Minister, YAB Dato Sri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak recently.

Ms Hooi Lai Lin, CEO of Ken-Rich Chemical Production Sdn Bhd, is the winner of the Anugerah Perdana Menteri Usahawan Wanita 2011, and Datin Paduka Khatijah Sulaiman, President of Cheshire Home, is the winner of the Anugerah Perdana Menteri Penggiat Sosial Wanita 2011.

This is truly a moment for NAWEM to cherish and remember.

Ms Hooi Lai Lin is a Life Member of NAWEM and had served in the committee as Vice President Administration and Datin Paduka Khatijah Sulaiman is one of the founder members of NAWEM.

Congratulations, ladies for keeping the NAWEM flag flying high!

You are the icons of our members and your success will motivate us to keep future prestigious awards within our NAWEM family.

With best wishes

Sarojini Ruth

The Happenings on OCT 8

It looks like a power-packed full day for business and business-minded women (men can join too) attending the "Opportunities for Women Entrepreneurs" event, PAN is organizing this coming Saturday.

Just take a look at the almost completed program below. All the presentations include Q & A session:

8.00 – 9.00 a.m - Registration & early networking
9.00 – 9.05a.m  - Welcome address by NAWEM president Sarojini Ruth
9.05 – 9.15 a.m - Opening address

9.15 – 10.00 a.m - Presentation by Women Development Department
                            Deputy director general Che Azizah Che Rashid
                            Penang director Yusman Hambali Ahmad
                           
10.00 – 10.15 a.m - Tea break & networking

10.15 – 11.00 a.m - Presentation by SME Corp Malaysia
                            Penang directorTajul Ariffin Jamaluddin
                            “Financial Guide for SMEs” presentation to PAN Exco

11.00 – 11.45 a.m - Sharing session by Mrs.Gaik Wong
                            Brand Owner of “Chicken Rice shop”
                            TCRS Restaurants Sdn Bhd
                            
11.45 – 12.30 p.m - Presentation by Pembangunan Sumber Manusia 
                            Berhad (under Ministry of Human Resources)
                            Northern branch manager Jais Abu Hasan 

12.30 – 1.30 p.m - Lunch & networking

1.30 – 2.15 p.m - Presentation by the 2011 Prime Minister's Award for 
                        Women Entrepreneurs inaugural recipient Hooi Lai 
                        Lin
                        CEO Ken-Rich Chemical Production Sdn. Bhd
                       
2.15 – 3.30 p.m - Panel Discussion with Q & A featuring:

• MATRADE northern director Suresh Kumar 
• Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) deputy secretary (funding) Suhaimi Hamzah
• MIDA Penang director Zabidah Daud
• Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC) northern director Hajah Sarimah Misman
• Comprehensive Enrichment Centre director Andal Krishnan (as moderator)

3.30 – 4.15 p.m - Presentation by bank

4.15 – 4.35 p.m - Closing Address
                         Appreciation by PAN chairperson Ong Swe Ee,
                         Thank you by organizing chairperson Wendy Wong

4.35 – 5.00 p.m - Tea Break & networking

NOTE: throughout the event there is a mini trade fair with display stations for women entrepreneurs to showcase their products and services.

Funds & Grants for Malaysian Women Entrepreneurs

Women entrepreneurs just starting out or wanting to expand their business often face the stumbling block of not having enough capital to move on.

In Malaysia, where and how do you go about finding business funding and grants?

Apart from the bank loans, public funding assistance are available through various government agencies. What are those agencies and the types of business assistance they provide?

How do you qualify your business to become eligible for bank loans, other funds and grants?

Quite a few questions needing answers there.
Come get your questions answered, and doubts regarding business funding cleared, at a one-day event this Oct. 8, organised by PAN or Penang Affiliates of NAWEM (National Association of Women Entrepreneurs Malaysia).

We have line-up speakers from government agencies and bank to share on business funding in Malaysia. The Chicken Rice Shop CEO would be there as well to share on how she grows the popular restaurant franchise.

More importantly attending women entrepreneurs get to network and share with each other their varied experiences in securing capital, big or small, to grow their businesses.

We designed this 'Opportunities for Women Entrepreneurs' event to gather some 150 business and business-minded ladies for a fun and fruitful day by the beach.

Again the venue is Tanjung Bunga Beach Hotel, Penang on Oct 8 from 8.30am - 5pm. There is a RM70 fee to cover a buffet lunch plus two tea breaks. Please confirm your seat by Sept. 25, 2011 as we want to ensure sufficient door gifts for everyone.

Btw, to those of you wanting to showcase your products or services, the event offers 20 display stations (72" x 18" table + 2 chairs) on first come first serve basis, and please bring your own table cloth ya. The charge is RM150 (non-member) or RM100 (PAN member) per display station.

Please leave a comment for details or email yatitalha@peoplestring.com
See you all on OCT 8!

Let's Network Some...

The venue...at the opening of the 9th Career & Postgraduate Expo (Women's Career Fair too) 2011 at Penang PISA.

This invitation goes out to all of you women entrepreneurs, the male version too, and everyone else keen on a career, a change of career or additional career to boost your income streams.

It is starting at 3pm this Saturday April 9. Please be early for the registration at 2.45pm. Without registering you can't be eligible for the lucky draws.

Agenda

02.45 pm - Arrival of Guests & Registration
- Lucky Draw Session 1
- Arrival of Guest of Honour
- Speech by Mr. Francis Wong
Managing Director
PenExpo Events Sdn Bhd
- Speech by Guest of Honour
Y.B. Tuan Abdul Malik bin Abul Kassim
Penang State EXCO
- Opening Ceremony
- Souvenir Presentation
- Lucky Draw Session 2
- Exhibition Booth Tour
- Light Refreshment
Adjourn

No more major project of PAN till year-end

The rest of 2010 would be spent to consolidate PAN effort; streamlining membership, focusing on and building activities to directly benefit members, taking guidance from what NAWEM is doing in KL.

Our Women-In-Business networking & social hour, previously held twice a month, now takes place only once a month and to follow after the monthly committee meeting on the last Saturday of the month. A printable e-buletin on this matter is in the pipeline.

Meanwhile, the NAWEM Gala Night Dinner on Nov 26 has set aside at least one table-for-10 for PAN. Six members already confirmed going for the event. So only four seats are left for grab - hurry up ladies! Contact vice-chairman Jac, who will be arranging transport and accommodation.

The plan is to hang loose, let your hair down at the gala night and to be followed by a ladies' late night out, plus shopping the following day before heading back to the Pearl of the Orient.

Women in Business Matching

The twice-a-month sharing and networking session has a name! WBM or Women in Business Matching.

The first ever WBM in on 17th June 2010 from 2pm - 4pm at heritage Hotel 1926 on Jalan Burmah, Georgetown. Expect fun at this business match making for women entrepreneurs.

Leading the session this time is PAN vice-chairman Jac of the La Herballe fame. Come to find out and experience what exactly Jac has placed on the agenda. Please confirm your attendance via sms to 012-4623062 and be part of this business-matching group.

Women in business, YES, we can!

Meanwhile, at headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, NAWEM just held its 3rd Fun Club meeting featuring beauty services at lower than the market price, board games and karaoke.

NAWEM also has something brewing for members who are in the product and service industry. Update is coming soon.

It is also participating in the 2010 Intercultural Awareness Homestay Programme on July 29 to August 1, and co-organised by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and the National Council of Women’s Organisations. Two UKM students will get to stay with foster family from a different race and experience their way of life. NAWEM looks for five members interested to become host family.

Women Entrepreneurs Sharing and Networking

We don't have to wait until we are famous women entrepreneurs before we could share business and success tips to help one another, right? One simple tip, when applied, could a make a big difference in our business. Sometimes we already know what to do but to act on what we know often times take a push from another who'd done it and succeeded.

I like what I read recently in a book on network marketing:
“Everyone has a dream; it often needs to be coaxed and nurtured. If people are willing to put themselves in an environment of dreamers and winners, and feed their minds with positive possibilities, they would discover their dreams.”

Let us turn PAN into that tool to put positive possibilities into the minds of women business owners. Join, contribute and benefit from our twice monthly networking and social sessions to start in June 2010.

Vice-chairman Jacqueline Goh is in-charge of the sessions, assisted by several others, for now. Come forward with your ideas so we can continue making the session better. We started it as PAN committee felt its monthly meeting, followed by social hour, offers limited scope for members to interact, bond and benefit from one another.

Networking agenda
For the session, the agenda is to start with greetings from PAN committee, followed by 15 to 20-minute expert sharing. The invited expert can be from outside or PAN members. After that, is time for one member to share her business, products or services over 10 minutes. We would schedule it so that over time all members could have her turn to share. Then it is free period for attendees to socialize, do business matching and the likes – Jacqueline shall device a method to somewhat structure this part, too. And finally, any announcement and closing remarks to end the meeting.

When?
Second Thursday and last Saturday of the month have been scheduled for the networking & social sessions. The Thursday meeting is from 2.00 – 3.30pm. The Saturday meet shall be preceded by PAN committee meeting at 11am. Then, other members can join in for lunch and continue with the networking & social session.

Venue
The most convenient place we have now is at Hotel 1926 in Georgetown. Ample parking, WiFi, comfortable seating, air-conditioning and reasonably priced food. Members can also offer their own premise as alternative.

Here's to becoming successful women entrepreneurs!

June Trade & Career Expo @ Komtar

Opportunity to showcase your business at Penang state trade & career expo scheduled for the first weekend of June 2010.

It is a 3-day expo at Komtar and booths are priced at only RM500 each. Wendy's (PAN treasurer) company Penevent is organising it jointly with the state government.

Look out for further details here as they develop - we are assuming Wendy shall keep us updated, of course :).