Diverse Solutions with its KL branch has gone successfully into design & printing; corporate gifts; web design; and interactive and multi-media. The five-year old Singapore company employs over half a dozen full-time and part-time staff. The KL outlet which started a year later in 2007, is only into sales and employs lesser staff.

In 2009, Diverse Solutions in Singapore produced a few thousand mugs for the D & D of the Land Transport Authority at its urgent request. “Within just four days, by focusing on service and quality, we came out with the colour proofing and the wording, and mass-produced them in a Johor factory in Malaysia,” said Mr Derick Tee proudly. He is the 34 year-old Sales & Marketing Manager of the company. And also one of the two founders and partners of the company, the other being Mr Jason Tan, 36, Director of Administration.

“We create the design in Singapore and the production in the Johor factory for a higher profit margin,” said Derick. “We import our corporate gifts from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. We are now branding them.” Diverse Solutions also engages the services of a factory in China for mass-producing items based on the designs it submitted. “The China factory also markets these products in Europe and America for us, while our company takes care of the Asian market.”

Now enjoying the fruits of their success, it took the pair only some 18 months to break even with Diverse Solutions after founding it – often burning the midnight oil in making cold calls and visiting clients. A Malaysian, Derick has been in Singapore since his 24tth year. He was in construction and sales before he went into partnership with Jason over Diverse Solutions. Jason was his previous employer's brother, and a former RSAF technician

Trust and understanding between the two partners helped them to expand their business. “We not only complemented each other, but also learnt from each other,” said Jason who picks up sales tips from Derick, while passing on his admin skills to his partner.

“To get ahead in business, always focus on service and quality.”