In Conversation With Elaine Pang of ATGAB

Here we have Elaine Pang of All Things Green And Beautiful (ATGAB), another one of the top 10 finalists of the Martell VSOP The Ultimate Start-Up Space challenge. Elaine shares her idea and what makes it so unique.

(For a quick overview of the prizes the ultimate winner stands to gain, read this.)

Describe your idea and how you think it stands out from all the finalists.

ATGAB (All Things Green And Beautiful) is a business-to-consumer retail, not an F&B which is already saturated at Clark Quay, and has identified clearly its target group of customers which are corporate clients, creative and fashionable young-to-middle-aged individuals, green activists as well as tourists.

There are several things we delve in that makes us unique from the other finalists.

1) ATGAB has its own unique branding and exclusive line of products.
2) We promote handmade products made from local designers which in turn showcases local artistic talent. As such, we could work to get MICA’s support for certain events that we might wish to hold to promote our business.
3) We provide opportunities for recycling/art & craft workshops, engaging local artists to teach, and also, for the public to know that there are many local talents in the field.
4) We have our own vision and mission, which is to start a serious business of recycling and in the course of it, protect and conserve the environment we live in. As such, we actively encourage and engage green activists to come down to our shop to do their part.
5) Our business value is to offer and create exclusive products that are economically priced yet creative.
6) ATGAB is all about lifestyle. We’re encouraging a ‘green’ lifestyle.

[View their 60-second video submission for TUSS.]

How did you come up with this idea? Did you already have this idea before hearing about this competition?

We had this idea since last year August and started out with our first batch of merchandise for market testing. The response has been good so far and this has built our confidence in our business model.

Why do you think you should win the top prize for The Ultimate Start-Up Space?

We are unique and not just a normal retail shop nor an F&B business. We are confident of sustaining the business with the right investors such as our corporate clients and MICA for holding workshops and events.

Tell us your/your team’s background and what you are doing now.

Currently, I’m a freelance web designer. I hold a BA degree in Multimedia design from Curtin University of Technology and a Diploma in Design Communication (Graphic Design) from Lasalle-SIA College of the Arts. I have liked to do handicrafts since young and always wanted to have my own brand of my creations. I started selling my creations four years ago through several trials and errors and have now embarked on establishing the brand, ATGAB.

My partner, Don Low, is a freelance digital artist and has over twenty years of experience as an illustrator, web designer and 3D modeler and texture artist. He has collaborated with major clients such as Starhub, Yahoo, North Kingdom as well as Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Online. He holds a Bachelor Degree in Materials Engineering from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, a Bachelor of Arts in Multimedia Design from Curtin University of Technology and a Master of Fine Arts (Animation) from Savannah College of Art and Design.

If you win, tell us your plan moving forward to turn your idea into reality. And would executing on this idea be a full-time commitment on your/your team’s part?

Our plan for ATGAB at Clark Quay is to start engaging corporate clients, getting government support such as from MICA and churning out workshops for interested participants, apart from delving into window display designs to showcase our products. Executing the idea is definitely a full-time commitment for myself to start with and I’ve already got the commitment from 2 other part-timers, not including Don, to teach at the workshops.

If you don’t, what are your plans then?

We will continue our business as planned via online media and consignments to boutiques, particularly since we have already confirmed collaborations with other shops that would help in our business.

Do you think the space offered at Clarke Quay by Martell VSOP is a differentiating factor for your idea’s success? Why or why not?

We have every confidence that our current business model would succeed as shown in the growing interest of local customers in online shopping and also by the number of pieces of accessories already sold in the span of a month of testing. The space at Clark Quay by Martell VSOP is not in itself a differentiating factor for our business’s success but it would be a means for ourselves to branch out with a stronger business arm to engage the public to support a ‘green’ lifestyle in an artistic way.

We also believe ATGAB would add to the diversity of shops at Clark Quay instead of just being another F&B or retail shop with imported goods, hence it would be a win-win situation for both parties.

Thanks, Elaine. All the best in the challenge!

All Things Green And Beautiful can be found on Facebook. You can also check out her radio interview.

Check out all our interviews with the TUSS finalists:

Bon Soir – Dark Dining

All Things Green And Beautiful

The Chupitos Bar

Amnesia

Hemeryx

OliveScreens

YOUnique

The Chocolate Museum

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