This month’s Soapbox will feature Mensa member Moh Hon Meng, the founder of famous online unit trust distributor Fundsupermart, and the title of his talk is

Title : Raising Money for Your New Venture
Date : 19 June 2010 (third Saturday of the month)
Time : 3pm - 5:30pm
Venue : NUSS Suntec Guild House

Fee : Free for members and 1 accompanying guest, subsequent guests at S$5/pax. Please bring your membership card for verification.

Talk Synopsis : Raising Money for your new venture

Do you have a new business idea that you think will take the world by storm? You’ll need money to get it off the ground. Pick up tips and insights on how to do this from seasoned entrepreneur Moh Hon Meng.

He’ll share with you the experiences of how he has done this in the past, and how he is doing it again now for a new venture that he is launching. Come prepared with questions, especially if there is a new business that you are planning for right now, so that you can benefit in a more relevant way.

About the Speaker : Moh Hon Meng

Hon Meng worked for multinationals such as Procter and Gamble and DDB Worldwide before striking out on his own 10 years ago to co-found iFAST Corporation Pte Ltd with CEO Lim Chung Chun. iFAST operates the well known unit trust website Fundsupermart.com, and the largest investment platform for financial advisers in Singapore, known as iFAST Central. In its first year, iFAST succeeded in attracting many prominent professionals as investors, as well as corporate investors such as Singapore Press Holdings and DMG and Partners Securities.

Today, iFAST has 270 staffs and operates in Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia and India. The business has won many awards, but most notable were the 9th position it attained in the Enterprise 50 awards of 2007, and the 2nd position it achieved in the same awards presentation in 2008.

Hon Meng became a non-executive director in January 2010, so that he has time to launch a new venture. He still serves in iFAST Corporation in the following capacities:

1. Non-executive member of the board
2. Chairman of the audit committee of the board (which oversees the corporate governance, risk and compliance behaviour of the company).
3. Chairman of the board for iFAST Financial India Pvt Ltd, the joint venture between iFAST Corporation and Deutsche Bank in India.

Hon Meng is also an acclaimed author and award winning playwright. He has been published by Simon and Schuster, Heinemann, The National University Press, Martin and Elliot, and Resonant Publishing (a publishing company which Hon Meng started). He has won prizes for 4 of the plays he has written including two 3rd prizes in the Hewlett Packard-Action Theatre 10 minute playwriting competition series and a commendation prize in the National Book Development Council Book Awards. He recently released a new book entitled “Why Stock Markets Always Rise … and other stories for financial success” in March 2010. This is a compilation of the investment articles that he has written at iFAST Corporation over the last 10 years.

In his new venture, Hon Meng is teaming up with an enterprising young man, a graduate from Stanford University with a Masters in Engineering, to launch a new web enterprise. He is looking for more passionate people to join his team.

Hon Meng is 42 in 2010, and is married with two boys, aged 9 and 6. He graduated from the National University of Singapore in 1992 and is a member of Mensa.

New Venture : Invitation to Join Moh Hon Meng in his latest venture

Have you had the desire to be part of a creative new business but never got the opportunity? Here’s your chance to join Moh Hon Meng in his latest venture. He is looking to hire software application developers. Be amongst the first few people to join this striking new business that aims to change the lives of hundreds of thousands of people! Competitive salaries and a share in the company await the successful candidates.

Software Application Developers (ASP.net)

REQUIREMENTS:
• Passion for Web Development, Web 2.0, Mobile applications & Social Media
• Asp.net 2.0 programmer using C# and VB.
• SQL 2005 or above knowledge is an advantage
• Strong compliance with HTML4 &5, CSS and Jquery
• With or without experience
• Only Singaporean or PR need to apply

Interested candidates are invited to submit a comprehensive FULL resume together with a recent photograph to honmeng.moh {at} gmail(.)com.

Date: 19th December 2009
Time: 3-530pm
Venue: NUSS Guildhouse, 5th Floor, Suntec City
Fee: Free for Mensans, who can bring in guests subject to a nominal fee of $10 per guest.

• Turkey
• Gammon Ham
• Christmas Log Cake
• Roast Potatoes
• Vegetarian Spaghetti
• Chicken Wings

Please register early using our form below so that we can make sure there is enough food for everyone.

Cranium is billed as “The Game for Your Whole Brain” and involves artistic, trivia, language and performance skills. Note we will be playing the family edition so kids can join in too.

The game can take up to 40 players so it promises to be a fun and exciting event!

Date of Event : 21st Nov 2009
Venue : Suntec City NUSSU Guild House
Time : 1pm - 3pm

Registration Fee: $5 for members and $15 for each guest

Prizes to be won include portable ionic air purifiers and the Cranium board game itself. Please register below.

Inspired by the transformations in their own lives, they are set to travel beyond Singapore to Asia in pursuit of their wildest dreams: to change the world by helping perfect strangers fulfill something on their bucket list.

Members are invited to be part of this exciting movement in this workshop. Get ready to be inspired!

Date : 17th October 2009 (Saturday)
Time : 1445 hrs - 1800 hrs
Venue : NUSS Guildhouse Suntec City

Cost: Free for Members and first accompanying guest. S$5 per person for each subsequent guest.

If you are attending, please register using the form at the end of this post.

** Please bring your membership card for verification.* Attendees without membership card or whose membership has lapsed will be charged S$8 entrance fee. Members whose member has lapsed can renew on the spot and gain entry at member’s rate. Entrance fees, where applicable, will be collected upon arrival.

Speaker’s profile

Soon Loo is currently a director of two companies, a locally publicly listed real estate investment trust and Izara Capital, a hedgefund based in New York and Singapore. Having graduated with an MBA from Harvard Business School, he is also a lecturer in Singapore Management University and an Executive Coach with AdvantEdge Coaching Pte Ltd.

If you like to come, please register using the form at the end of this page so that we can cater enough food for everyone.

Date : 15th August 2009 (Saturday)
Time : 1500 hrs - 1730 hrs
Venue : NUSS Guildhouse Suntec City

Cost: S$10 for Members and S$30 per person for each accompanying guest.
(Actual cost of the spread/head is $30; members get a $20 discount!)

** Please bring your membership card for verification.* Attendees without membership card or whose membership has lapsed will be charged S$30 entrance fee. Members whose member has lapsed can renew on the spot and gain entry at member’s rate. Entrance fees, where applicable, will be collected upon arrival.

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A peek into the menu for the day ….

CANAPES
Stuffed Egg with Tobiko Caviar
Hawaiian Chicken on White Smoked Salmon Roulade
Assorted Vegetables Crudites Honey & Lime Dip

HOT SELECTION
Shrimp Bomb Ball
Chicken Yakitori
Chicken Chive Dumpling
Prosperous Bag
Chicken Lasagna

TIM SUM
Superior Shrimp Dumpling
Steamed Spinach Dumpling

DESSERTS
Assorted French Pastries
Assorted Fresh Fruit Bowl
Sweet Corn Custard Cake
Fruit Cocktail with Almond Beancurd

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You want to attend but your membership has expired? Renew on the spot, get to savor the spread prepared for you, and also receive a Mensa Singapore laser pointer at the same time. A set of Executive Notebook awaits you if you renew for 3 years in a row!

We hope to see you there! Register for the event here:

Date : 18th July 2009 (Saturday)
Time : 1500 hrs - 1730 hrs
Venue : NUSS Guildhouse Suntec City

Cost: Free for Members and 1 accompanying guest. Subsequent guests at S$5/pax.

** Please bring your membership card for verification.* Attendees without membership card or whose membership has lapsed will be charged S$8 entrance fee. Members whose member has lapsed can renew on the spot and gain entry Free of Charge. Entrance fees, where applicable, will be collected upon arrival.

Click here to register

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Let’s face it. People buy people first. If someone likes you enough, chances are he or she will do his best to help you succeed. The same principle applies at work. Your ability to make your colleagues and clients like you makes it easier to work with them. Doors open for you and you attract opportunities that otherwise would not have been available to you.

The good news is it is not difficult to become popular with the people around you. All it takes is to first be aware of the “mystery ingredients” that help you succeed in your dealings with people. And you get to learn all of that in this 2.5 hours workshop.

What’s in it for you?

- Hone a special set of people skills that gives celebrated leaders, millionaires and politicians an edge over the other 90% of the population

- Discover the 5 factors that you can control to win people over within the first 2 minutes

- Be let in on insider strategies to building instant connection with strangers that will open you up to a world of opportunities and possibilities

- Discover your personal limitations and barriers that prevent you from building quality relationships with people you care about most

- Uncover your 4 universal social gifts and find out how to connect with people with these gifts

Attend the workshop and learn how to become a People’s magnet! Besides, the FAQ book on “Public Speaking” co-authored by the speaker will be given 15% discount at the session.

Click here to register

About the Speaker

Eric Feng is the master trainer of Take The Stage. You may have read about him on Straits Time as one of top 25 alternative achievers. (ST Saturday Special, 7th Oct 2006). He was recognized for his public speaking accomplishments both in Singapore and United States. He ia also a Professional Certified Coach, certified by International Coach Federation. He has had the opportunity to work with over 250 students from Victoria Junior College and Innova Junior College in areas of public speaking and presentation. Other Junior Colleges he has worked with includes RJC, NJC, SAJC, JJC, TPJC, MDIS, SMU, NUS, HCI, MI, AHS, SCSS). His first book “The FAQ Book on Public Speaking”, a collaborative work with local celebrity Irene Ang and Asia Master Coach Kelvin Lim, became a best seller in Kinokuniya in May 2008.

The NewScientist magazine recently published an article on a space storm that will cause a catastrophe on Earth on 22 September 2012. Within 90 seconds, the entire eastern half of the US will go without power. A year later, millions of people are dead and the world’s infrastructure lies in tatters.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20127001.300-space-storm-alert-90-seconds-from-catastrophe.html?full=true

Is the world really coming to an end? What causes the space storm? Are there any ways that we can protect ourselves against the catastrophe?

We have invited Dr. Cindy NG (PhD in Cosmology), Lecturer, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore to enlighten us on the occurrence of solar flares and whether the world will end in 2012.

The teaser for June’s soapbox

We are looking for volunteers to become models for June’s soapbox on photography. Professional make-up artist will be present. Interested parties please e-mail membership {at} mensa.org(.)sg.

We would like to invite YOU to a volunteers’ briefing session on:

Date: 17th January 2009 (Sat)
Time: 3pm – 5pm
Venue: NUSS Guildhouse Suntec

Dress Code:

• Gentlemen: Shirts/T-Shirts without collars or sleeves, shorts or bermudas, slippers or covered sandals are not permitted
• Ladies: Shirts without collars, slippers are not permitted

More details on the roles and responsibilities will be given at the session. We hope to match the available roles with your interest and competency.

We sincerely hope you can step forward and to spend about 10-20 hours A YEAR to help in the running of the various activities. Without your support, we are limited by our resources to organize better events and activities for all members.

Please Register to confirm your attendance.

For more information (please login to view):

• Mensa Singapore organisation structure
• Discuss this event in the forums

We look forward to seeing you on that day! 

UPDATE (2009/01/12): If you are not able to make it on that day, we will post more information about the different areas in Mensa needing help (volunteers) on this website soon. Also, you can signal your interest by dropping us a note here.