Eight years, 10 countries and US$355 million funds raised later, Joel Leong is still deeply zealous about ShopBack and creating the best possible shopping experience for his customers. The fast-speaking entrepreneur has always exhibited entrepreneurial tendencies--spotting arbitrage opportunities in his school's stationery shop, selling art supplies to his classmates after realising the demand before everyone else, and more. But, the Newcastle United fan took a safe path after school by joining the government, only to leave two years later after being seduced by the heady world of entrepreneurship and start-ups.
In this wide-ranging conversation, Leong talks about the growth of ShopBack, the company's wide-ranging challenges, his business and life mantras, hiring philosophies, why he's been on the cable car over eight times in the past six months, how marriage has changed him, and more. These are the lessons he has learnt.
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