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TripCandy founder, Jeremy Foo, has it all going for him but rarely has anyone delved into the humble beginnings of the Singapore-based serial entrepreneur. Most of us might be aware of some of the companies he has founded over the years like DinoMao and GOshot, but it was not always easy for him.
Foo grew up with dyslexia which hindered his learning and writing abilities. Interestingly, however, Foo calls Dyslexia his strength that helped him grow and be a better version of himself.
Dyslexia is a learning disorder that involves difficulty reading, caused by problems with identifying speech sounds and learning how they relate to letters and words. Also called reading disability, dyslexia affects areas of the brain that process language.
While many consider it a big hindrance to life in general, many have crossed these hurdles and proved their worth to the world. Many successful entrepreneurs such as Disney co-founder Walt Disney overcame this disability to create a brand that has echoed for ages. Virgin Group founder Richard Branson and filmmaker Steven Spielberg are a few other notable personalities that grew up with the disability..
Growing up as a young kid in Singapore, the disability impacted his school performance. Why? Because the current education system ranks students based on their ability to read, write and answer.
Jeremy Foo said that it can be difficult for people to comprehend the effort it takes for a dyslexic kid to work on studies. Despite that, many keep failing while people jeer at them without understanding the nuances of this difficulty.
While many see just the end result, Foo said that it can, at times, be very disheartening. “I was constantly told that I was no good and was lazy for not scoring good marks. No one really understood that I gave it my all and I studied equally hard as my peers”, said Foo.
It came to a point that Foo felt depressed and even questioned his self-worth. For a young kid, the psychological effect of such a situation can be very distressing. While a situation like this can be very overwhelming for anyone and for no fault of theirs, this struggle against negativity developed a certain resilience in Jeremy Foo.
Foo realized at an early age that mixing up letters and struggling to follow written commands made him susceptible to failure. At a pivotal moment in his life, Foo said that he decided not to avoid it, but to embrace it. This acceptance changed his life and made him a better person.
Adding further, Foo said that he converted his disadvantage to his strength. “I visualized the situation differently, not thinking of dyslexia as a disability but as an avenue to work even harder”, adds Foo. He also said that he trained his brain from a young age to keep up with his peers. He used to look for creative ways to learn and actively look for out-of-the-box solutions to deal with problems.
This helped inculcate a sense of responsibility and a sense of competitiveness in him to be the best amongst his group of students.
It was this characteristic of mental resilience that cushioned him when he entered the job market back in 2014. As a derivative trader at Propex, Foo had to deal with a highly stressful environment and his ability to deal with markets differently came in handy for him at this stage. Reminiscing about this time, Foo says that his ability to view markets differently and a sense of composure helped him win many laurels at the organization, even winning the top trader award at Propex.
Since then, he has continued to challenge himself and has founded three different companies. From GOshot to TripCandy, Foo has created companies that have inspired many to overcome their disability and make a mark for themselves in the world.
On a similar note, Foo says that dyslexia is something he has grown up with and has learned to accommodate. He further asserts that this ‘strength’ is the reason why he was attracted to entrepreneurship, adding, “More than ever, we need to take charge and mold our work environment to our personal skill set.”
Putting the crux of his struggles in words, he says, “I now see my dyslexia as a gift as it helps me find unique solutions to problems – both professional and personal. It also makes me the entrepreneur I am today, one – who is adaptable and flexible.”
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