Finding a Silver Lining in COVID-19
By Jason Law
During the difficult times of COVID-19, entrepreneur James Tean discovers there is security in God.
There has been much talk about the effects of COVID-19. Most of them are wrapped in tones of doom and gloom. It cannot be understated how much the pandemic has affected not just the health, but also the livelihood of masses of people, and even the survivability of whole companies.
Now that the Malaysian economy is slowly but surely opening, we corresponded with some Christian entrepreneurs about their experiences during COVID-19. We invited them to share about their challenges and encouraged them to hand on advice and lessons they have learned from their years as Christians in the marketplace.
This is a time when many young and hopeful individuals are taking the first steps in venturing into their own businesses because of the effect of the lockdown caused by COVID-19. We hope that this series of profiles and stories will encourage and help many of these aspiring persons.
James Tean
The name of James Tean may be familiar to long-time readers of Asian Beacon. His story was featured in our magazine in 2018 (https://asianbeacon.org/chef-with-a-mission/) where he shared about his mission as a chef.
Those who are unacquainted with James will very likely know one of his notable products, the Life chilli sauce. From this well-known chilli sauce, James has branched out into many other enterprises ranging from a health supplements company (Purigene) to bak kut teh workshops (famous in his hometown of Klang) and a new label called “Uncle James”, under which he produces and sells local pastes such as char siew sauce and black pepper.
Explaining the background of his company, James conveyed that he discovered his aptitude for the gastronomic unexpectedly. “We are a food manufacturing company, manufacturing herbs, spices and ready to cook paste products,” he shared. “By accident, I discovered that I have a special taste bud and skills that can create food products that are well accepted by friends and strangers. However, God did impress on my heart from earlier on that I would someday be a food manufacturer.”
God as Inspiration
As a Christian entrepreneur, James shared that God has always been there throughout all the years he has been in business. “God was there with me from the very start. He was the One who gave me the gift of creating and developing good food products and He determined my steps. All the products I successfully created and am currently selling in the local market and overseas, God was there guiding me 100%. Without His knowledge and guidance, I wouldn’t have learnt how to perfect my products.”
Along the years, God also taught James the biblical principle of hard work and integrity, which he found to be particularly helpful and significant in shaping the success of his company. “It is only through integrity that we will find success and people will trust us and be eager to work alongside us. Most importantly, as bearers of Christ’s name, we must show people the image of Christ. We must value diligence and do things right. Do not lie and cheat just for the sake of short-term profit. Be responsible for everything you do. Mean what you say and walk your talk. Let your “yes” be “yes” and your “no” be “no”.” This closeness in the relationship between God and James would abide even during the challenging times of COVID-19.
Secure in God
Despite the unnerving times posed by the pandemic, Tean discovered the power of God’s providence. He shared, “We are blessed that our sales have increased during this pandemic because people spend more time at home. Initially, during the first MCO, people could not go out to eat and either had to order food online or cook. Many people actually preferred to cook and the demand for our ready-to-cook paste went up. We, therefore, did not have to change the way we ran our company. We had to work harder to cope with the increased demand.”
“In terms of challenges, we thank God we did not have to struggle much. COVID-19 has in fact been a silver lining for us. Because of the demand for our paste, we had the opportunity to expand our business and we are shifting to a new factory. During this time, God had promised that if we put our full trust in Him during this challenging time, He will guide us through it.”
“In my opinion, the Christian community can be salt and light,” James expressed, “especially in relating to businesses and organisations that have been affected badly by the pandemic. This is a good opportunity for us to show our concern and reach out to them. The pandemic affects all of us. Remembering that God is in control is what gives us hope.”
Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
Being many years in the marketplace, James has this wisdom to convey for young Christians thinking of starting up their own business.
“My advice to young Christians thinking of starting up their own businesses whether in this tough time or even in good time are as follows:
- Always bear in mind, starting up a new business to make money is very tough.
- You must be prepared to work 10 to 12 hours per day at least for the first year.
- You must be prepared to work very hard without making a profit.
- You are bound to make mistakes. Learn from your mistake, mix with and learn from successful business friends to find out their working attitude. Learn the good things from them.
- Don’t be over-confident, remove your pride, be humble and honest.
- Be the first to start work in the office and the last to leave your office.
7. Honor and respect your employees and be patient to guide them with very clear instructions and have good self-control of your emotions. Do not lose your temper in front of workers.
8. Never give up and be positive. Don’t let people affect your spirit by pouring cold water over your idea, be strong, and don’t complain.
James’s story during this season may be a simple one and seemingly devoid of setbacks, but it is also one of faith and of having the knowledge and understanding of the security that he has as a child of God.
