Austin Chan

Rumius

Co-Founder

Brandengine.ai

LinkedIn Comment AI

Founder

TheLorry.com

Leading backend engineering team with goal of designing TheLorry business applications that scale.

Responsibilities:
- Designing, building, and maintaining the server-side of applications
- Researching technologies that solve business problem with minimum cost
- Leading team members on trying new solutions
- Working closely with DevOps on managing backend services and AWS infrastructure

Technical Team Lead

RemoteGoGo

Building the future of hiring powered by best recruiters from every corner in the world.

I aggregate agencies and individual recruiters around the world in single platform to help remote-first companies hiring the right candidates (who not actively searching job yet) globally.

According to research, around 70% of global workforce are not actively seraching for job online. Reaching the right candidates from this talent pool require different strategy. And recruiters are the person to engage the candidates from this pool.

With RemoteGoGo, employers can access all recruitment agencies and individual recruiters all over the world in single platform. Best part, pay only as you get result.

Jinnie

Creator

Freelance

Freelance Web Developer

Web Developer

I help remote-first company hire undiscovered candidate through purpose-built job board | Software Engineer turned Solopreneur | Hiring? Share your career page 👇

👇 About me 👇

Joined an early stage startup right after graduation, I was part of the first few engineers in the organization. I've lucky enough to lead a small team of 6-8 engineers. Biggest achievement: Together with our team, built and launched a full system for new business product. Six months later, the product helps generate 80% of overall revenue.

Inspired by Pieter Levels and Jon Yongfook, I'm on my journey to pursuit solopreneurship. 

My missions right now:
→ Building Rumius (https://rumius.com) into the go-to data analyst for startup and SaaS teams

Email: austin.serverless@gmail.com

Shubham S.

Brand Manager at Dole Singapore-Malaysia | Consumer Goods Marketing | Helping new marketers grow in their careers

A believer in the power of brands to influence sustainable lifestyle choices, I love scaling brands from 1 to 10 rapidly. 

-------- Current Role:----------

At Grab, to grow key QSR brands’ reach and revenue in SEA. I am handling end to end enterprise services on Grab for them. 

-------- Past Roles:----------


I was building Kind Kones, a plant based ice cream brand with no palm oil or negative additives. 

Whether it's door to door selling to presenting in board rooms, I donned every hat with humility. 

I helped a team of 40+ people to expand the business in SG/MY/Middle East. 

Before that,  I expanded Dole's business through in India, Singapore, Malaysia, Mongolia and Brunei. 

I also led Dole juices launch in Jollibee, Fairprice and 2600 7-Eleven stores, apart from regular retail listings and marketing.

Previously, I was leading marketing and BD for India business where I helped Dole reach $1M + revenue in Year 1, including co-branded partnership with McDonald’s in 150 stores.
 
I also love to distill interesting marketing and startup concepts to help young folks grow.  

Hence, I write on LinkedIn. 

-------- Japan experience:----------

Previously, I was the youngest Project Lead in Japan in Energy sector but soon realised my heart was in marketing. 

To confirm that my heart's voice isn't a quarter life crisis, I conducted food tours in Tokyo, dabbled in own sandwich business and consulted in food industry. 

The love for marketing was confirmed!  

The issue of sustainability is also close to my heart. 

-------- Student life:----------

So, prior to FMCG life, I published research papers in the field of Sustainable resources and technologies like Bio-fuels, Bio-Lubricants, Gas Emission control and also filed a patent related to Fuel Oil Storage. 

I have also developed a sub-$100 Solar Dryer for rural community which can work beyond sunset.

My outdoor interests range from Copy Writing, Geo-politics, Snowboarding, Mountain Trekking.  Food-trotting in groups and other times I can be found writing and creating food recipes.

Chief Operating Officer

2016. Japan. Age 23.

Got a call from my manager:  

“Fly to Malaysia. The boiler we shipped to a power plant site is leaking.”

🍍A leaking boiler is a potential blast hazard.

I had zero experience fixing one.  

Never been to Malaysia.  

Never seen a construction site.

Yet I packed my bags and flew out — no plan, no backup.

Day 1 — 9 AM.  

🍍The site manager looks at me, goes hysterical, and throws a pen in frustration.  

Not because I was late or rude but because my manager had sent a rookie.

Stunned but focused, I rushed to inspect the damage.  

By end of the day, I had a 15-day plan to fix the mess — weekends and nights included.

We worked quietly, keeping it off the client’s radar.  

Formed a team, found local fabricators, poached workers, and used Google Translate to communicate.  

It was messy, scrappy, and relentless.

16–17 hours a day.  

40°C heat.  

Rain, mud, and welding sparks.

🍍We finished the job in 13 days. 

I stayed another 18 months.  

The “rookie” who showed up clueless earned respect through hustle, despite abuse. 


Get your hands dirty when you’re young.  

Future corporate struggles will aww cute! 


#shubhamspeaks

Shubham Sharma 🍍

Grab | ex-COO Kind Kones | Bain Advisory | P&L Management | QSR

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A good business trip from Singapore should start with Kaya toast! 

No other way to do it. 

That’s been my goodluck charm for years now. 

At this point, I want Ya Kun to start targeting consumers like me who get Kaya Toast only at SG Changi airport. 


#shubhamspeaks

Thailand has been the centre of excellence when it comes to marketing execution, 

I mean we all love Thai ads creatively. 

Within Grab, our Thai team is daring to think beyond just promos to outdoor activations. 

Some are really crazy concepts but touch the consumer painpoint with humor.

🍍While the market is drunk on promo, we are offering segmentation by needs, faster and perfect deliveries, new product and marketing ideas, 

Something that grows brands over long term profitability. 

🍍The beverage scene is exploding with local tea and coffee chains offering as low as under 50cent drinks on delivery. 

The western cafes will have a hard time. 

Pls start innovating. Fast. 

🍍Fried chicken, Papaya Salad are driving the consumption in Thailand overall. 

🍍The next leg of growth is coming from SMBs who have single shops on roadside. There are 100k+ such vendors just in Bangkok. 


#shubhamspeaks

Curious about this, 

I prefer my coffee ‘extra hot’, 

Like lava hot. 

at the risk of sounding snob

the default in traditional dine-in focused coffee chains have always been disappointing.

It comes out at 50-60 deg, 

not at 75+ 

But the new age delivery focused Coffee QSRs I have tried serve it hotter, 

Likely to cater for deliveries. 

Have you noticed this contrast?


PS: purely personal experience, I dont carry thermometer around. 


#shubhamspeaks

As I wrap up my trip to Jakarta, I’m leaving with 2 powerful takeaways that speak volumes about Indonesia’s dynamic trajectory.


🇮🇩 The Rise of Homegrown Champions

I couldn't help but notice the palpable sense of national pride in domestic food and beverage brands.

From the iconic flavors of Pagi Sore and Sari Ratu to the modern coffee culture of Fore Coffee and Kopi Kenangan, my Indonesian friends vehemently insisted I try them all.

This push signifies more than just great taste; it reflects a nation's growing economic self-esteem and the success of local entrepreneurs. 



🍍Leading with Heart

The team, particularly under the leadership of Roy Nugroho, is one of the best I have encountered in the region. 

Their true north star is fostering genuine relationships and authentic care for our clients. 


Especially amid the intense platform and merchants competition, it is hard for brands to tread solo and this team becomes their partner towards growth. 


A huge thank you to the team for the valuable insights and partnership this week. 


Sampai jumpa lagi, Jakarta!

Hilarious consumer insight from my Vietnam trip,

'We don't want to smell like fried chicken in the day', 

So, we order delivery. 

Certain fried chicken brands have really old stores with limited seating and bad ventilation. 

It has repulsed the consumers, especially women, from dining in and opting for delivery instead. 

Hence, the lunch segment is very strong in Vietnam.

The future is delivery-focused, sleeker & cleaner stores in VN. 

HVAC guys? that's your cue. 

#shubhamspeaks

It was 10am in Sydney.  

Queues were already winding since 9am for toy collectibles like Labubu and Molly.

Parents, singles, school groups…it was mad. 

No wonder Popmart’s profit jumped 4x in H1 2025.

Meanwhile, Western QSRs are battling slower same-store sales.


Maybe the missing piece is simple.


🍍 Step 1: Turn your Limited Time Burgers, Pizza, Sandwiches into collectible moments.  


Bundle them with IPs that people actually line up for.  


Each launch then becomes its own mini festival of demand.


Right now, campaigns like Burger King x Naruto (SG) or Pizza Hut x Molly (China) stay confined to owned channels and low spends, 

so the uplift peaks at 15–20% before fading.


🍍 Step 2: Go where collections actually happen

Aggregtor apps such as Uber, Grab, Zomato. 

Food apps can collapse the whole funnel: from impression to purchase in seconds. 

Instant discoverability, no queues, far wider reach.

Most brands are still underplaying this lever out of scarcity thinking. 


The best are already pivoting to aggregator-led launches. 


More on this later…


Would you queue up if your kid asked?



#shubhamspeaks

Everyone's raging over fried chicken. 

Yet the QSR industry is ignoring a monumental, profitable opportunity: 

🍍 Sauce forward-Healthier Chicken (rotisserie/grilled).

This is a massive strategic error because it misses the fastest-growing consumer segments:

The Health-Conscious Mover (40% are looking to cut fried)

The Gen-Z protein person (75% are looking for natural proteins)

People who are purchasing from non-QSR local brands. 

These are customers willing to pay a premium for quality.

🍍Here's something I would love to see: 

🍍 Introduce a high-margin Rotisserie/Grilled Protein Bowl or "Guilt-Free Wrap." 

This uses the new protein as a premium add-on to existing menus, appealing to the customization trend.

🍍 Operations: Zero cooking oil, Batch cooking , combi-oven and high humidity heaters to keep the chicken moist. 

🍍 Flavor & Transparency: Use bold, global sauces (Soy Garlic, Chili-Lime) to make the roasted chicken exciting. Market it based on wellness attributes like "Lean Protein" and "Clean Prep."

The first major QSR brand to successfully scale a premium, non-fried chicken menu will win future consumers. 

What do you think? 


#shubhamspeaks

Unpopular opinion: 

Brands who let Marketing lead the relationship with food aggregators win long term, 

Brands that let operation/delivery folks run the show find it hard to grow the user base and overindulge in promos. 

This is very true for franchisees who see food aggregators as solely a delivery channel 

and not as a marketing channel. 

I have seen QSR/Coffee/dessert brands triple their business in 18-21 months once they switch to marketing happens. 

If you are a franchisor or franchisee, time to audit this relationship. 



#shubhamspeaks

The narrative that QSRs thrive just because consumers are broke is fundamentally flawed. 

In 2025, flat pricing guarantees margin compression.

The winning strategy is the Barbell Playbook:

🍍 The Barbell Menu: Drive essential traffic with low-margin value items, but secure profitability with high-margin LTOs (the 'heavy' end). This is crucial for boosting the average check size.

🍍Margin Amplification: Integrate cultural merchandise or character collaborations (like Labubu) with premium LTOs. This delivers vastly superior margins beyond food cost alone.

🍍Digital Segmentation: Use food aggregators (30-50% of sales) strategically. Push high-margin LTOs through these channels to reach the ready-to-spend customer, while handling low-margin volume in-store.

This strategy executed by leaders optimizes for both traffic and profit across the polarized income spectrum.

What's your observation on this? 

#shubhamspeaks

🍍Myth: 

Food aggregators such as Grab/UberEats are good for promos and bottom funnel activities ONLY. 

🍍Reality: 

Keeping 35-40% spends on brand just like you do in offline world gives the best ROI (no, not ROAS). 

Vs 

many brands burn 90% on promos and enjoy for 1-2 years of growth then wonder why they’re not getting new consumers. 

🍍Takeaway: 

Food aggregators mimic offline behavior and hence your spend mix should too. 


Any self respecting marketer won’t tell you to put all in on promos. 


#shubhamspeaks

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Austin Chan

Shubham S.

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Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Shubham S.'s LinkedIn Performance

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