Entrepreneurship & AI: Alan’s Sharing at Bukit View Secondary

Last week, our CMO Alan stood in front of a room full of secondary school students at Bukit View Secondary School, not to pitch, not to present a deck, but to share. His journey, his failures, the lessons that only come from doing things the hard way, and what entrepreneurship really looks and feels like when the highlight reel is switched off.

It was a career entrepreneurship and AI talk, and by the time it ended, the whole room was clapping.

The Tortoise, The Hare, and the Lesson Nobody Tells You

Alan kicked off with a story everyone in the room thought they already knew: the tortoise and the hare. But he didn’t stop at the version you find in a children’s book.

What if the hare hadn’t fallen asleep? The tortoise loses. What if there was a riverbank along the course? The tortoise, a natural swimmer, crosses with ease while the hare is stuck on the bank. What if there’s both a riverbank and a high wall? Suddenly, neither animal wins alone, and the answer becomes about knowing your strengths, finding the right people around you, and understanding the terrain you’re competing in.

The point wasn’t just about persistence. It was about perspective. Success isn’t a fixed formula, and the rules of the race change depending on the environment. The entrepreneurs who thrive are the ones who can read the situation and adapt.

Why Studying Actually Matters (And It’s Not What You Think)

Alan also tackled a question that sits at the back of every student’s mind: why does studying matter if I just want to build something one day?

His answer reframed the whole thing. Studying matters not because of the grades, but because of what the process builds in you. The discipline to absorb knowledge, the habit of learning, the attitude to keep getting better. When you look at the common thread running through successful people, it’s not that they all went to the best schools. It’s that they became the best at what they do. They never stopped learning, and they applied that knowledge relentlessly.

That same mindset, staying curious and being willing to go deep, is what separates those who build something from those who watch from the sidelines.

Ideas Are Common. Courage Isn’t.

Perhaps the most memorable part of the session was when Alan cut through one of the biggest myths in entrepreneurship: that having a great idea is what sets successful founders apart.

“Everyone has great ideas. The difference is who has the courage to execute them.”

And then the line that really landed: “If you don’t build your dreams, someone else will hire you to build theirs.”

In a room full of students still figuring out their futures, that hit differently. It wasn’t just a motivational quote. It was a genuine nudge to think about ownership, agency, and what it means to bet on yourself.

The Role of AI in the Next Generation of Entrepreneurship

The talk also covered where the world is heading, and for this generation of students, AI is already part of everyday life. It is also going to be central to how businesses are built and scaled in the years ahead.

Understanding how to work with AI, not just use it, is quickly becoming a foundational skill for anyone thinking about starting something. At Impossible Marketing, a team trusted with 200+ 5-star Google reviews, this is something we work with every single day, from AI-powered search strategies to generative tools reshaping how brands connect with their audiences. The message for students was simple: the tools have never been more powerful. The question is whether you will have the knowledge, attitude, and courage to put them to work.

SOE: More Than a Title

Alan’s invitation to speak at Bukit View Secondary was not coincidental. As a Board of Governor for the Spirit of Enterprise (SOE), a non-profit dedicated to promoting entrepreneurship culture in Singapore and recognising outstanding local entrepreneurs, community engagement like this is something he is genuinely committed to.

SOE’s mission is to inspire enterprise at every level of society. For Alan, that means showing up in school halls, not just boardrooms.

A Room That Showed Up

By the end of the session, the students were engaged in a way that is genuinely hard to manufacture. Asking questions, leaning in, staying present. And when it wrapped up, the room broke into applause.

Not everyone in that hall will go on to build a company. But if the session shifted even a few perspectives on what is possible, or gave someone the confidence to take that first uncertain step, that is exactly the point. Entrepreneurship does not begin with a business plan. It begins with believing you are capable of building something.

Giving Back is Part of How We Grow

At Impossible Marketing, we work at the intersection of business and technology every day. Behind every brand we support is a founder who started with an idea and the drive to make it real. Sessions like this are a reminder that nurturing that mindset early, before the strategy decks and the funding rounds, is one of the most meaningful investments anyone can make.

We are proud that Alan carries that spirit beyond the agency and into communities where it can make a real difference.