Both Mr Chua Weng Foo and Mr Gary Seow are dyslexics but are now successful entrepreneurs. Dyslexia is characterised as a reading disorder in which the brain has trouble properly processing language, making it difficult to spell, read quickly and write.
But there appears to be a well-established link between dyslexia and entrepreneurship, according to research. For instance, Professor Julie Logan, emeritus professor of entrepreneurship at the Cass Business School in London, released a report in 2007 that found that about 35 per cent of entrepreneurs in the United States show signs of dyslexia, while the figure for Britain was 20 per cent. She then compared the traits, attributes and early experiences of people who were identified as dyslexic with a sample of entrepreneurs who were not dyslexic.
Ms Deborah Hewes, head of publicity and publications at the Dyslexia Association of Singapore (DAS), has just embarked on research to find out if this is the case in Singapore too. She will identify the incidence of dyslexia among Singaporean entrepreneurs as part of her master’s degree in special educational needs. It will be completed in 2018.
Said Ms Hewes: “While we understand a great deal about the experiences of children with dyslexia, we are still largely unaware of the experiences of dyslexic adults in the workforce. Too few people understand the contribution to the economy made by dyslexic people.”
After failing at several sales and purchasing jobs, Mr Seow started his own business in educational toys and learning resources. The company, KYDZ International, has since expanded to cater to the region. Sales volumes have jumped threefold over the last decade. Mr Seow was formally diagnosed with dyslexia in 2007, after a professional from DAS advised him to be assessed for it.
Mr Chua had been the chief executive officer of several publicly listed European software and service companies for 15 years and now owns and directs three of his own companies. Mr Chua realised he had dyslexia only when two of his children – one of them is YouTube star Dr JiaJia – were diagnosed with it and he recognised that he had similar signs and symptoms.
So what is it about dyslexia and entrepreneurship?
Dyslexics were more likely than non-dyslexics to delegate authority and excel in oral communication and problem solving, and were twice as likely to own two or more businesses, according to the 2007 study conducted by Prof Logan, the international expert on the topic.
Other famous dyslexics include Singapore’s founding Prime Minister, the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew, Virgin Atlantic Airways founder Richard Branson and Ikea founder Ingvar Kampard.
Mr Lee Siang, chief executive of DAS, said: “Highlighting that there may be a high percentage of entrepreneurs who are dyslexic…may help to remove the stigma surrounding it.”
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Source: The Straits Times, 30 May 2017