Not many remember this, but People’s Inc. was originally a social commerce platform. Then COVID-19 hit, and with supply chains frozen, logistics stuck, and no clarity on when (or if) things would recover, we made a choice: Pivot or perish.

The pivot wasn’t just survival. It sparked a rapid scale-up, and what followed was a digital transformation that laid the foundation for People’s Inc. 360 Unify — an AI-powered automation system designed to future-proof businesses by streamlining operations, outreach, and brand growth.

Resilience > perfection

If you’ve ever tried to build the perfect product, you’ve probably learned the hard way: Perfection is subjective. And expensive.

What saved us, and many SMEs we now support, is a different approach: Build the MVP. Test. Get feedback. Iterate. Then scale.

This is the same structure we teach in Royal Launch School, our flagship programme at the Royal Visionary Society.

Start lean. Launch fast. Adjust smarter.

Take Seraphina AI — my digital twin — as an example. It wasn’t built in a vacuum. I rolled out test versions to a closed group, gathered honest user feedback, refined the product, and now we’re in pre-order beta, selectively inviting users to shape the commercial version.

Most people make the error of building the “perfect” solution. But if no one knows about it or it doesn’t solve a problem in the real world, it won’t sustain.

Sustainable growth begins with testing, not polishing.

Also Read: From burn rate to break even: Why Southeast Asia’s startups must rethink growth

Digital infrastructure is cross-border, messaging isn’t

When borders close, or economies fluctuate, tech keeps going. But what works in Singapore might not land in the Philippines, Australia, or the USA.

That’s why People’s Inc. 360 Unify is built to work globally – with workflows, CRM, and automation that scale across borders. But the messaging? That’s where nuance comes in.

We help SMEs and creators localise not just language but tone, timing, and touchpoints. The tech foundation stays consistent. The delivery adapts per market.

Tip: Don’t rebuild for every country. Realign your messaging. Test first. And let automation handle the rest.

Systems prevent burnout, and build anti-fragility

Over the years, I’ve launched ventures across industries – fashion, tech, education, wellness. Every product is different. But business processes are surprisingly similar.

When you understand your workflows – lead generation, conversion, fulfilment, retention – you can systematise, automate, and empower your team to grow without burning out.

This is why we built People’s Inc. 360 Unify to act as the backbone for founders, creators, and SMEs. It supports consistent growth, reduces human bottlenecks, and frees up time for strategy or creativity – even when the world around you shifts.

Tip: If you’re doing the same task more than three times a week, automate it. If you’re not collecting feedback consistently, you’re flying blind. Create built-in loops.

Also Read: Unlock your enterprise agility to unleash the potential of your startup

Recommended tech + AI stack for resilient, cross-border startups

Here’s a practical stack inspired by what powers our ecosystem across People’s Inc. 360, Royal Launch School, and Seraphina AI — especially for businesses operating at the intersection of supply chain shifts and global expansion:

CRM + customer journey automation

• HubSpot: CRM and pipeline automation.
• People’s Inc. 360 Unify: Funnels, workflows, email automation, customer journey flows.

Outreach + lead generation

• Meet Alfred/Lemlist: AI-powered LinkedIn and email outreach.
• Seraphina AI: Personalised engagement, lead qualification, feedback collection.

Content creation + internal collaboration

• ChatGPT: Content ideation, scripting, and writing.
• Google Workspace: Collaborative marketing copy, decks, internal SOPs.
• Canva: Branded visuals, presentations, and carousels.

Social distribution + brand growth

• People’s Inc. 360 Social: Scheduling across Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Discord, Telegram.
• People’s Inc. Influence: Brand-creator matchmaking and campaign automation.
• People’s Inc. 360 Brand Feature: Organic exposure through media integration.

Feedback loops + team operations

• Typeform/Tally: Collecting user input and market feedback.
• Asana/Notion AI: Internal task tracking and process management.

Build smart, not just big

Startups navigating geopolitical shifts and supply chain disruptions don’t just need speed – they need clarity, adaptability, and structure.

That’s how you build anti-fragility: Not through guessing, but through systems that evolve with the world.

So if you’re in a final sprint, launching your next version, or stuck in analysis paralysis – this is your sign to start simple, test often, and systemise your way to scale.

Done is better than perfect. But systemised is better than both.

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