“I believe it’s more than just owning your own business – it’s a mindset of constantly bringing new ideas to the table. To improve and introduce new business ideas that generate value in one’s endeavours.”
After 10 years in the banking industry, Amanda Tay believed it was time to change pace. While searching for a new calling, she enrolled in MSc TIP’s full-time programme and through it, joined various competitions to share and learn ideas from like-minded peers. During one such event, she came across a project related to distributing health-related services and information through telecommunication, also known as telehealth.
Telehealth struck a chord with her as an opportunity to make meaningful changes in society, her original goal when she left banking. After graduating in 2018, she joined health tech start-up Doctor Anywhere and has since become its Associate Director as the company expands in Southeast Asia.
Amanda spoke to us about how she has observed technology and changing mindsets impacting entrepreneurship over the years and how technopreneurship can aid to solve problems for communities.
What piqued your interest in telemedicine?
I wanted to start on a blank slate and be at the forefront of change, but I didn’t know how to go about doing it on my own. I used my time at MSc TIP as an avenue to look out for an idea I could believe in while unboxing myself from the corporate world and broadening my perspectives. During the programme, I joined the competition Startup Weekend, where I had my first brush with telemedicine as an idea presented on stage by a different group. When I saw the presenter demonstrate how he could do a full consultation with a bedridden patient, it stuck out to me as an elegant solution –seeing a doctor without the need to travel, especially if one is very ill.
During a casual chat with my friends after graduation, one of them introduced me to Mr Lim Wai Mun, founder of Doctor Anywhere. I joined Doctor Anywhere’s business development team to help hunt and build key partnerships. Now I am the Associate Director in heading up the client relations team.
How can entrepreneurs play in building the technopreneurship ecosystem?
You’d first have to think about the definition of technopreneurship, which essentially is the combination of technology and entrepreneurship. You see technology all around you, but what is the purpose of entrepreneurship? I believe it’s more than just owning your own business – it’s a mindset of constantly bringing new ideas to the table. To improve and introduce new business ideas that generate value in one’s endeavours.
The question then becomes, “how can one person continue to generate value in the technopreneurship ecosystem?” Following that line of thought, you have to identify your strength and support the technopreneurship ecosystem by leveraging on it – sales and business development are good if you’re strong in communication and forging a relationship. Operation is good if you’re an efficient and structured person.
“Entrepreneurs cannot be ignorant about worldly affairs.”
How can one figure out what their strengths are?
It sounds cliché but going through external programmes such as MSc TIP serves as a good awakening. You start to value yourself based on others when you’re in your comfort zone for a period and unaware of your strength. When you are required to think out of the box to get a project done within a stipulated timeline, you will gravitate towards your strength and realise more than what you know you can do. In addition, speaking to someone out of your organisation, be it from your industry or even a career coach, may help you realise your job suitability. You’ll find your strength when you move out of your comfort zone bit by bit daily.
What skills are essential for an entrepreneur to succeed?
There’s no hard and fast set of skills you need to have to succeed. Suppose you compare the various entrepreneurs who are often in the public’s eye. In that case, you’ll notice that they don’t always have the same skills set except constantly driven. It would help if you were crystal clear about what you’re trying to achieve in the organisation. Entrepreneurs need to regularly communicate their ideas to people and that can be exhausting. A supportive and like-minded team enable the entrepreneurs to share the workload and lead the team towards their collective goal.
How do you make use of technology in your start-up?
The reason why Doctor Anywhere has a product right now is that smart phones are easily accessible these days. That’s not to say telehealth is a new phenomenon – it has been around in areas that require long travelling time to visit the doctor, and patients are too ill to do so. The doctor may also risk giving the wrong diagnosis without the aid of technology. Doctors can now diagnose patients accurately with telecommunication technologies, and we’re simply leveraging on such technologies. We aim to expand overseas with the help of telecommunication technologies.
And with the onset of COVID-19, these remote technologies are more critical than before, enabling Doctor Anywhere to become more relevant to the wider public. As more people stay home and minimise going out, many misconception and insecurity towards telehealth were eliminated. I foresee the telehealth industry booming in the next five years.
How can technopreneurship be related to humanity?
It goes back to how we define an entrepreneur. From my perspective, an entrepreneur adds value to society and has a sustainable business model. Entrepreneurs cannot be ignorant about worldly affairs. For example, the climate change issue could be affected by what your company does or plans to do – you have to think about the impact your business has on society in the long run. New ideas must not harm society and humanity for a sustainable future.
It may all seem a bit abstract now, so let me par it down to my own experiences. As someone who believes in bridging relationships, I can add value by applying my skillset to a product that speaks to me: telehealth. I know I’m working on this product commercially; I believe telehealth makes healthcare accessible to people who need it but cannot travel. The government has also started to recognise telehealth as a way forward towards healthcare. In a situation that requires us to optimise our healthcare workers’ resources as necessary, I believe the positive impact of Doctor Anywhere – and my work on this cause – can be felt on communities. This is what drives me each day when I think about one’s impact on humanity.
“You’ll find your strength when you move out of your comfort zone bit by bit daily.”
Amanda graduated with a Master of Science in Technopreneurship and Innovation in Nanyang Technological University (NTU). She is the Associate Director of Doctor Anywhere, a regional tech-enabled, omni-channel healthcare company, on a mission to make healthcare simple, accessible, and efficient for everyone. It’s digital platform bridges gaps in the healthcare ecosystem through technology and innovation, enabling users to manage their health easily and effectively through the DA mobile app. Headquartered in Singapore with presence in 6 countries in the region, Doctor Anywhere now serves more than one million (and growing) users in the region.