Glen Lee, SIM-RMIT alumnus, Co-Founder, Sales & Marketing Director, Frozt

 

“Sorry about the noise, we have a lot going on today,” explains Glen Lee, Co-Founder of Frozt, as he greets us with a warm smile in front of his office.

Amid the din of drills, staff and workers shuffle around us in the narrow space. Despite the disclaimer, you get the feeling that this level of activity is routine at the popsicle maker’s Singapore headquarters.

“Since young, because my dad is a businessman himself, I grew up in an environment where we had to learn to earn on our own,” Glen shares.

He started early, selling bicycle parts and trading cards to schoolmates. After national service, Glen sold shaved ice with some initial success. When mobile apps became the rage, he shifted gears and learned to code to try and capitalise on the wave. In between struggles and successes, he became a private hire driver to stay afloat – hustling to earn his keep while trying to build his businesses.

However, when a sense of pragmatism intervened, Glen decided to pursue a degree. Life has a way of working itself out. And during his time as a student at SIM-RMIT, he found aspects of his coursework resonated with his inner entrepreneur.

 

Combining Old School Business Sense and Technical Ability

“It was a real eye-opener for me,” according to Glen. “At SIM, what we learned was more in-depth, more relatable. It is knowledge and information that I use to manage my own business.”

Recognising the merits of his father’s straightforward approach to business, Glen also quickly realised that a more nuanced approach would be needed to succeed in today’s business world. So far, blending technical skills acquired at SIM with traditional business sensibilities gleaned from his father has been key to the Frozt success story.

“You can only learn the modern approach from school. My dad represents the traditional side of doing business in Singapore. Both parts play a role in how I do business now.”

Another important connection Glen made during his time at SIM was with Ms Goh Ai Yat, his entrepreneurship lecturer.

“Ai Yat was always so inspiring and positive. Being an entrepreneur herself, she was someone I could relate to,” recalled Glen fondly. “She shared a lot about how I should properly manage my business when we were a startup.”

Even now, as Glen has started expanding Frozt regionally, he has still been able to count on his former SIM lecturer for advice and guidance. “Ai Yat does business regionally, so when we wanted to expand overseas, we definitely consulted her,” he revealed.

More than the sage advice from his lecturer turned advisor, Glen has been able to take lessons and experiences from his time at SIM and apply them.

"That’s why I feel that my time at SIM has been crucial to where I am today,” he declares.

 

Nurturing Young Minds through Shared Experiences

“We do not just sell popsicles; we also sell experiences,” he elucidates. For Glen, this simple yet powerful idea crystalised when he received an invitation to do a speaking engagement with a secondary school entrepreneurship club.

“It all began when we were approached by a secondary school,” Glen recounts. “I was inspired by the students’ enthusiasm and curiosity in entrepreneurship. Many were fans of the Shark Tank TV series, these 14- to 16-year-olds were so eager to learn. Their innovative ideas encouraged me to continue the programme.”

That is how the Frozt Entrepreneurship Programme was born. There is a practical side centred around the Frozt products, which entails marketing basics and sales, along with simple product design using Canva. But more than just business fundamentals, the real gems come when Glen shares personal experiences from his entrepreneurial journey.

“We try to keep it fun and informal. It’s about teaching them the concept of selling and seeing if we can inspire someone who may have the entrepreneurial spirit in them.”

Emphasising the importance of cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset, Glen’s advises the next generation of budding entrepreneurs, “To start small but think big. With my popsicle business, for example, it could have been a home-based operation, but I chose a different path with a larger end goal in mind. When you think big, the smaller steps will eventually flow into realising your greater objectives.”