Mr. Simon Goh Sai Meng

Title

Construction & Renovation Industry is a very tough and unpopular trade that the younger generation will not be attracted to due to the hectic lifestyle, long working hours, irregular meals and rest hours, sweat and wet to the pants whenever working on the job site in poor ventilated working environment during the course of work.

I have been in the Building Construction and Renovation Industry for the past 20 over years. Initially my ambition was to be an Electronic Engineer as it was popular and was in high demand in the 90s. Thus, I enrolled myself into the then Japan Singapore Technical Institute under training and induction of Japanese culture. However, things did not work out as planned after trying for 6 months. I found the subjects too dry, lack of talent to pick up foreign language, understanding and writing in Japanese. As a result, I decided to give up. I particularly benefited from learning The Art & Practice of Japanese Management which had great impacted in the later part of my career.

Thereafter, I had tried several other jobs and finally enter into the Building & Construction Industry. Starting to learn from the basic, raising through the ranks. Fortunately, along the way I met many experience entrepreneur during my early days and able to pick up many skills and knowledge from them while pursuing the relevant education to enhance my professional skill in Project Management.

I joined a local SME in 1996, which started with about 10 staffs and help to grow it to 160 staffs during my 24 years of service in the organization. Eventually, I was offered to be a shareholder. During my career there, I helped the company to obtain Biz SafeStar Status and Biz Safe Partner Enterprise Certified by Workplace Safety & Health Council, and assessed and registered under OHSAS 18001:2007 by ACS Registrars. We were also listed by DP Information Group as a top 1000 SMEs in Singapore for 2012. Our Company was awarded the Interior Builder Award (Bronze) for the Singapore Furniture Industry Awards (SFIA) in 2013 by Singapore Furniture Industry Council (SFIC). And we also won the Hospitality Asia 2011 – Best Stand Award, 1st Prize (co-located with International Furniture Fair Singapore 2011 & 28th ASEAN Furniture Show.

The company was eventually sold to a foreign company in 2019. That was a turning point for my career. The company requested me to stay on for another year to help out with the transition period when I tendered my resignation. My decision to leave is due to the PUSH & PULL factors, ‘PUSH’ because the company will eventually be under the new ownership control and ‘PULL’ is due to some good projects invitation for me to take on from some of my existing regular clients whom I had served for many years.

I’m also very active in community volunteering work and hold several appointments in Clans, Cultural Clubs and non profit organization for the past 20 years. The Grass Roots Leaders took notice of my enthusiasm and invited me to serve in the Bukit Merah Community Centre , Radin Mas Community Development & Welfare Fund Committee and Radin Mas Community Arts & Culture Clubs. I served as Honorary Secretary in a 85years old Guang Wu Club, Deputy Secretary at both Radin Mas CCC CDWF & Hainan Goh Clan. And also full member at both professional organization, Singapore Furniture Industrial Council & Society of Project Manager.

In December 2019, I took over S-Team Services Pte Ltd while  serving as freelance Project Consultant for the previous company till February 2020. Concurrently, I completed several projects before the Pandemic hit the world and Circuit Breaker was imposed by the Singapore government on 7 April 2020 as preventive measure in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It disrupted my start up and was a terrible set-back. I could not do much to help the business and for months, I had little or no income. As COVID continues to pose a serious threat, I realized that I should take this opportunity to re-align my business plan.  During the CB period I took the time to think seriously and plan carefully on the future for my start-up. New plans were drawn while many veterans in our industry calling it a day. I knew while there are businesses closing down, there will definitely business opportunity as well. The customers out there that these veteran serving will definitely need new people to serve them. I was fortunate to seize the opportunity when there is a crisis, this is where I fill up the gaps and grab it.

It has been a smooth sailing for me, considering I’m blessed with many supports from my network, clan and association connection chipping in to give me the helping hand. I moved to my first office in September 2020 from a make shift office at a vendor factory. Securing quality projects one after another, delivering many prestigious projects with many happy customers. Words of mouth spread and more referral to engage our service. Expanding my workforce gradually, a joinery factory was set up on 8 March 2021 followed by a branch office a year after the first office anticipating that the new working and business operating norm. To minimize the impact and disruption of business operation, I split my team into 2 office spaces at 2 different locations. Partly because of the strategic location of the 2nd office, it enables me to organize better the project team and for recruitment expansion.

S-Team Services Pte Ltd cater for the diverse business environment, we have close collaboration with several long-established company staffed by team of experienced and trained personnel who specialized in each business sectors through providing our clients with complete solution and customized services.

We take pride in the culture of excellence, and we seek to attract and retain a workforce that aligns with our philosophy. We have the privilege of employing the service of dedicated and skilled individuals who are passionate about what they do. Our teams bring together unique skills, expertise, energy, experience, and the team spirit that fosters our reputation for excellent project deliveries.

We continuously nurture the skills of our team members and challenge them to be innovative and to think out of the box. We have an active management team that provides the strategic direction and provides mentorship for the workforce. I’m honored to be elected into the Society of Project Managers Singapore in 2016, a testimony of my professional achievement, as well as a good standing in the industry. And subsequently awarded Certified Project Manager (CPM), under the accreditation scheme of Project Manager which was endorsed by Building Control Academy.

The smooth sailing of the new start up catches the attention of some, and one serious investor offered to invest in my company boasting our team confident. After several months of preparation and negotiation, this well-established builder invested successfully into my company in June 2021.

Lifestyle evolves constantly, we anticipate & adapt to the changing times, continuing with more exciting products and services to enrich our portfolio and the world around us. We are honored to be selected as the Authorized Partner of TOSTEM, a Japan’s leading brand of windows and doors. TOSTEM is a globally recognized brand and is a part of LIXIL Japan’s most respected name in building materials, housing products and services.

I attribute my business success so far to the teaching of Chinese military strategist, The Military Philosophy of Sun Zi. Leading by example, creativity in thinking & acting out of the box and having the courage to challenge the norm are similar values and essence of the with the teaching of Sun Zi  S-Team strive for, encourage and celebrate in the workplace. I believed Honesty & Integrity values is the key to success in doing business of any nature. Great companies are made, not born.

S-Team, Simon’s Team brings an unique corporate synergy to the interior contracting industry by successfully integrating service and manufacturing into one cohesive and economically effective function.