SMEs to get more support at dedicated centres, financing advisory hub

Restaurant owner Isrudy Shaik knew he had too much on his plate when he tried to open outlets overseas, so he used a key ingredient to make the endeavour far more palatable – an SME Centre business adviser.

- Annabelle Liang

Asking for support was a no-brainer for Mr Isrudy, given the daunting challenges he faced venturing abroad.

Apart from the costs of bringing his upscale halal restaurant to markets like Malaysia and the Middle East, he also needed to understand the food and beverage regulations in each destination.

"Honestly, from my background, I am from the fine arts industry. I'm not able to do this by myself," said Mr Isrudy, the founder of the Asap & Co steakhouse.

Help came in the form of Ms Nur Nadhirah Nor Azhar, who has been advising the firm since 2019, when it was a home-based operation.

Ms Nadhirah used the SME Centre's internationalisation diagnostic toolkit to assess the company's financials and other operational requirements before drawing up a blueprint for its expansion.