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A sweet strategy

AJA Enterprises draws similarities in its company's business model to that of kueh lapis - adding value one layer at a time.

Published Mon, May 11, 2015 · 09:50 PM

    KUEH LAPIS - that's how Phillip Tan describes his company's business model. The commercial director of homegrown blast mitigation company AJA Enterprises, along with founder and director Angela Toh, managed to achieve their 10-year revenue goal of S$20 million in just half that timespan. But how, exactly? Layer by layer, he says. The same way the cake is made.

    "I think business is not only about cost-cutting; it's about value creation," says Mr Tan, at the sidelines of the Interpol World convention, where AJA has a booth complete with life-size models of the blast-proof, almost floor-to-ceiling windowpanes they instal.

    "We thought that as long as we can add value to every layer, our revenue would increase," he continues. "And it's proven to be true."