MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: LEONARD CHEE
Member’s Spotlight is something that the EO APAC Bridge Marcomms team has wanted to do for a long time. When we look at the roster of members or meet them at events, we constantly walk away going, “Wow, that person is impressive.” We’ve been thinking about the best way to highlight them, and we hope these interviews give you a glimpse of how accomplished, courageous, driven, and most of all, how real they are. To add a novel dimension to this, we also generated the questions off ChatGPT, with a very detailed prompt. Come say hi to this member if you see them at an upcoming event or retreat, and most of all, enjoy the read!
– Trixie & Chelsea, MarComms co-chairs, FY 22/23
Member Spotlight: March 2023
Leonard is new to EO, having joined slightly over a year ago, and is in both EO Malaysia and EO APAC Bridge chapter. founded OffGamers almost 20 years ago, wanting to help gamers to purchase game points and in-game items more easily. Ever since then, he’s weathered a variety of storms, especially ones to do with talent building and retention – something he’s still actively working on today! In the last eight years, he’s doubled the company’s revenue twice, an achievement he holds close to heart.
Can you tell me about the moment when you first had the idea for your business? What inspired you to start it?
We started OffGamers almost 20 years ago – my brother, Ken, was an avid gamer and he wanted to make it easier for gamers to purchase game points and in-game items. The vision was to help gamers access the games they want with minimal hassle.
What values and principles guide your business decisions?
I prize being self-driven and diligent personally – in business, my decisions are guided by two maxims: are we constantly improving? Are we obsessing over our customers?
Many times we have converted frustrated customers into loyal customers by obsessing over their issues, finding ways to turn a negative experience into a positive journey.
What has been the most challenging obstacle you've faced as an entrepreneur and how did you overcome it?
The most challenging obstacle I’ve faced, and I believe this is familiar to everyone – talent building and retention. The challenge lies in identifying the gems around us, making them shine, and constantly providing them reasons to stay on. I’m still actively learning and trying out new ways to tackle this.
Can you talk about a time when you made a difficult decision that ultimately led to success for your business?
The most difficult decision I’ve ever made is turning down deals that we really needed but had unfavorable terms.
How do you stay motivated when things don't go as planned?
I try to stay calm (very hard) and tell myself to try a different approach. That it will get much worse before it gets better.
Can you share a specific example of a successful project or accomplishment you're particularly proud of?
After assuming my role as CEO, I doubled revenue twice over the last eight years. This is an accomplishment to me because the industry is extremely competitive and we did it without any external loans or investments.
What are your long-term goals for your business and how do you plan to achieve them?
My long-term goal for my business is simple: everything is available everywhere. I feel I can only achieve this through sustainable partnerships with business partners, game developers, publishers, distributors, and resellers and a strong accountable leadership team.
How do you balance your business and personal life?
By making sure that I am present for my family during family time. That was tough at the early days of lockdown when the distinction between work and family time was blurred. But I got better at it.
What is your favorite book or movie that you would recommend?
Orson Scott Card’s Enchantment. A fantasy fairy tale everyone needs to read.
What's something interesting about yourself that people might not know?
I’m also a homebody and prefer to have things planned out rather than spontaneous happenings.
If you could have dinner with any person, living or dead, who would it be and why?
I would definitely choose my dad, who has passed. I would love to let him know we have done him proud.
