Genna Bennett Soh is the co-founder of Highlight Asia – a PR, Marketing and Events agency. Entrepreneur and creative, she believes in the value of storytelling, in its beauty and power to share a point of connection through vulnerability.
Tell us a little more about what you do.
I’m Co-Founder of Highlight Asia, a PR, Marketing & Events agency which started as a passion project in 2016. My team and I improve our client’s brand visibility through events, digital and buzz marketing by offering tailor-made packages to their goals and budget. We communicate with our client’s target audience directly and indirectly, through media, social media and events, with an aim to create and maintain a positive image while building a strong relationship with our audience.
How long had the idea been brewing before you started Highlight Asia? What made you finally start the business?
The idea had been brewing over sometime, my business partner and co-founder of Highlight Asia, Sarah Vee and I always had the idea in our minds to start a business together. We put our ideas to paper a few years back, but our full-time jobs at the time got in the way of us really developing or forming those ideas. Until just over a year ago, we found ourselves both free from anything holding us back, we thought it was the perfect opportunity for us to seize the good timing and take that leap into entrepreneurship. I’m so happy that we jumped straight into it and it’s been a roller coaster of challenges and milestones since.
How can you tell when a project is worth doing?
I always return to a few points when i’m in conflict with myself on project decisions. Although entrepreneurship is a one-man show (or in our case 2) we do have a great team behind us that we need to keep happy and engaged. I firstly ask myself if the project is a healthy challenge for the team, secondly if I like the client’s concept or mission, thirdly if it will improve our portfolio and most importantly if we’re going to enjoy it?! The great thing about running your own company is being able to say yes or no to projects, we have the ultimate decision.
You say that “it takes a blend of skill to shape a compelling story”. What do you think makes a story compelling?
Storytelling is such a beautiful art, it’s “an arousal of emotions, it stimulates learning, commands attention and persuades action”. The key to making a story compelling is to understand your audience and using that knowledge to tap into those desires of connection and feeling of vulnerability. It’s really about creating an emotional connection with your audience, wether it’s putting a smile on someone’s face, getting a laugh out of it and even stimulating anger or sadness in them. Words and visuals are such an influential tool and to be able to stir an emotion within someone, I think is extremely powerful.
What motivates and inspires you every day?
We live in an ADHD world filled with distractions that we forget to enjoy the simple things in life. Beauty is all around us! The little things, such as waking up to the sound of birds chirping, being immersed in nature, experiencing silence after a long day, listening to rain or a good book is what inspires me every day. My morning meditation always ignites my day, it reminds me to trust the process, listen to my emotions and is a constant reminder to give time to myself, especially on busy days.
What is one thing you stand for and believe in, and why?
“The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.” Ralph Waldo Emerson I believe we are in complete control of our life and we are given the opportunity every day to make conscious decisions towards our destiny and daily happiness. If you want something, go get it! If your unhappy, what can you do to change that? You pave your opportunities and pursuit of happiness!
How would you like to be remembered?
A symbol of happiness and love, to be known as a someone who’s always trying to bring out the best potential in people.
There’s a lot of people who have a great ambition to go after their dreams but don’t know how and where to start. What would be your advice for someone with those questions?
Create a timeline and reflect on it. I know it can be daunting to drop everything to chase your dream (it was for me too!). I’d start off with spending a day in a quiet space to draw out a timeline. The timeline should include your steps and goals to jump start the business idea you have, visualising is a great tool to help you understand your goals and obstacles. Wait your not done yet! Once done, spend more time reflecting and going over your timeline again and again. You’re definitely going to run into problems but be determined and muster up the courage to tackle those problems head first. Don’t forget your not alone! Enlist the help of family and friends, someone that you can trust as you embark on this journey, your going to need as much help as you can get!
We are inspired by Genna’s driving ambition and are proud to have her as Fieldtesters, a group of inspiring individuals that test MATTER products in their everyday journeys of passion, to help us improve durability and design. Genna is wearing the Cross-Back Top + Charcoal and Side Lunghi + Kirana in Size 1, the Pyramid Top + IChing Jade Pearl in Size 2, and the Classic Wideleg + IChing Jade Pearl in Size 1.
Grounded on the kinship of this philosophy, we collaborated with MISCHA, a travel brand known for their timeless bags with an iconic kame design that pays tribute to its Japanese inspiration from the sea tortoise shell. Together with MISCHA, we’ll be giving away two curated outfits – with accessories included. Enter below from now until April 9th to stand a chance to win.