Techtamu #7: The Power of Global Business - Lessons from Malaysia's Tech Community
Introduction: Going Global from Cyberjaya
The seventh edition of Techtamu gathered at Agmo Space in Cyberjaya under the theme Kuasa Bisnes Global - The Power of Global Business. The room filled with founders, developers, and curious minds, all there for the same reason: to learn from those who've walked the path before them.
This time, the lineup featured practical wisdom spanning different aspects of running businesses across borders:
- Sam Lee (Serverfreak): On the unsexy but critical topic of backups and disaster recovery
- Rhys William (MSCM Studios): On building a content empire over 10 years in Malaysia
- Amir Fazwan (RunCloud): On selling to the international crowd from Malaysia with their own hard earned tips and up and downs.
- Myself: On running businesses in Japan and working with international teams
The beauty of Techtamu is how it strips away the polish. No one is selling anything, except ideas and hopes. The speakers share what actually works, what fails, and what keeps them up at night.
1. Sam Lee: Your Backup Strategy Is Your Last Line of Defense
Sam Lee from Serverfreak didn't come to inspire - he came to warn.
I made a wrong turn on my way to Cyberjaya (trust if when I say the roads in KL is waay to complicated) and missed the first 10 minutes of Sam's talk.
His talk was mainly with real scenarios his company faces regularly: ransomware attacks where hackers silently copy data for weeks before striking, developers who accidentally delete everything thinking they had backups (they didn't), and hardware failures that go unnoticed until it's too late.
The Harsh Realities
Sam was blunt about how companies fail at backups:
Ransomware is everywhere. One of his clients experienced an attack where hackers accessed the server, quietly extracted data over time, then one night deleted everything. The company's backup? Stored on the same compromised system. Gone.
Developers make mistakes. A common story: "Boss tanya, mana backup? Ah, Amat dah delete semualah boss." Translation: The developer accidentally deleted all the backups. Why? The boss was too cheap to pay for proper backup storage, so everything was stored in one location.
Hardware fails silently. RAID is not a backup. Sam emphasized that some companies use RAID and think they're safe, but they don't monitor it. Two or three disks fail over time without anyone noticing, until one day only the "last man standing" remains and the entire server dies.
The 3-2-1 Backup Rule
Sam explained the industry standard: Keep 3 copies of data, on 2 different media, with 1 offsite.
- 3 copies: Original + 2 backups
- 2 different storage types: Disk + cloud, for example
- 1 offsite: Critical for disaster scenarios like fires or ransomware
He stressed that many Malaysian companies skip the offsite backup because it costs more, but that's exactly what saves you when everything else fails.
RTO and RPO: The Money Question
When clients ask for enterprise services, two metrics always come up:
- RTO (Recovery Time Objective): How long can your system be down before it causes serious damage?
- RPO (Recovery Point Objective): How much data can you afford to lose?
Industry standard? One hour minimum for both. But as Sam noted with characteristic directness: "It's all about duit lah. Money lah."
Want 5-minute recovery? You can have it. Expect to pay accordingly.
Security Concerns People Ignore
Sam walked through the security failures he sees constantly:
- Unencrypted backups: Anyone can copy your files and extract your database with all your passwords
- Unauthorized access: Backup servers need to be as secure as production servers
- No checksum verification: Files get corrupted during transfer and no one notices until restore fails
- Weak access controls: Too many people have access to backup locations
His advice was simple: Encrypt everything. Use secure channels (HTTPS/SSH) for transfers. Check MD5 sums. Limit access strictly.
Backup Best Practices
Sam wrapped up with practical rules:
- Automate on schedule - "Orang yang malas akan buat kerja ni lah." (Lazy people will do this work - meaning automation is for smart people)
- Test your restoration - Never assume backups work. Restore them and verify
- Use versioning - Don't overwrite backups. Keep multiple versions by date
- Monitor everything - Even automated backups need logs and alerts
- Store in multiple locations - Never keep all backups in one place
His final slide was stark: "Backup is not optional. It's essential."
The message resonated. In a room full of developers and founders, everyone has either experienced data loss or knows someone who has. Sam's talk was a reminder that the boring technical fundamentals often matter more than the exciting new features.
2. Rhys William: Ten Years to Overnight Success
Where Sam Lee delivered warnings, Rhys William delivered hope - but realistic hope, tempered by a decade of grinding.
Rhys opened with a joke about being mistaken for the actor from Mat Kilau (a popular Malaysian historical film), then introduced himself properly: Rhys William, also known as "Mat Salleh Cari Makan," a British content creator who has built over 1 million followers across platforms over 11 years in Malaysia.
The Journey Started Small
In 2012, Rhys visited Malaysia for three weeks and fell in love with the country. He went back to the UK, spent a year wrapping up his digital marketing freelance business, and in 2013 - exactly 365 days later - moved to Malaysia.
His background? Digital marketing, SEO, basic web design. Skills that were valuable in 2012 but completely different from today's landscape.
When he first arrived, he had no intention of becoming a content creator. He just wanted to survive and maybe do some business in Malaysia.
Finding a Niche (The Hard Way)
Rhys started a blog in 2014: matsallehcarimakan.com. The goal? To practice his Bahasa Melayu by writing in Malay.
Early posts were all over the place: articles about language, reviews of parks in KL, random thoughts. His grammar was terrible. Nobody read it. "Dua-tiga viewer saya lah yang tengok," he admitted. Maybe 2-3 views per post.
Then he got burned out. Writing about random topics with no direction felt pointless.
Focus on One Niche Only
Once Rhys decided to write only about food - specifically, Malaysian food from an outsider's perspective - things changed. He had a clear direction. He enjoyed what he was doing. The writing became easier.
Then one day, someone found his blog and shared it in a Facebook group. Suddenly: 8,000 views. 300 friend requests.
"Tiba-tiba ramai orang masuk macam 'Eh Mat Salleh ini tulis blog lah, dia tulis dengan bahasa Melayu, dan dia punya ayat semua kelakar sikit.'"
That was 2015. He had been writing for over a year with almost no readers. Then overnight - or what looked like overnight - it went viral.
From Blogs to Video
Readers started asking: "Bila nak buat video?" They wanted to see if he really spoke Malay, or if someone was just writing for him.
Rhys was nervous. He didn't know how to make videos. But Facebook Live was becoming popular, so he tried it. Simple: open camera, start talking, go eat somewhere, stream it live.
People watched. People commented. "Okay, bukan susah sangat buat video. Kita buka kamera, kita cakap."
From there, he started creating proper video content. Quality was rough at first - phone cameras in 2015 weren't great - but the authenticity connected.
The Myth of Overnight Success
Rhys quoted two people:
Lionel Messi: "It took me 17 years and 114 days to be an overnight success."
Jeff Bezos: "All overnight success takes about 10 years."
His point: The graph of success isn't a straight line up. It's messy. Up, down, sideways, frustrating plateaus, then sudden jumps that look effortless to outsiders.
He showed a visual of his 10-year journey: lots of valleys, some peaks, mostly grinding.
Take Action Despite Feeling Scared
When he didn't know what to do, he did something anyway. Started a blog. Tried Facebook Live. Made videos. Each step felt uncertain, but each step forward created the next opportunity.
Nine Lessons in Ten Years
Rhys shared his full list:
- Focus on one niche only - Scattered efforts get scattered results
- Take action despite feeling scared - Perfection is the enemy of progress
- Long-term games with long-term people - Build real relationships, not transactional ones
- If your product is good, marketing is easy - Quality compounds over time
- Consistency is key - Show up even when results aren't visible
- Always have a black and white (contract) - Protect yourself legally
- Never stop learning - Markets change; stay curious
- Always be ahead of trends - Adapt or get left behind
- Everything is working for you - Reframe failures as lessons
The Agency and the Future
Rhys now runs MSCM Studios, a digital content agency specializing in F&B (reflecting his own background in food content). They've expanded from just content creation into full social media management and e-commerce.
He emphasized something crucial: The Malaysian market has changed.
In the early days (2014-2016), a "Mat Salleh" speaking Malay was novel. Audiences loved it because it felt genuine - people saw someone who came to Malaysia out of love for the country and culture.
Now? TikTok is flooded with foreigners making content specifically to go viral. The audience can tell the difference. They can smell inauthenticity.
His advice to other foreigners considering content in Malaysia: Don't do it for the views. Do it because you genuinely love Malaysia. The long-term audience respects intention.
3. Global Business: Questions from the Audience
During my own session, I focused on the practical realities of expanding businesses into Japan and working across borders. Rather than deliver a one-way presentation, I opened the floor for questions early.
Two questions stood out:
How do you expand a business into Japan?
The straightforward answer: Go through a reseller, and have a dedicated Japanese team.
Japanese businesses value relationships and local presence. They want to know there's someone in Japan they can call, meet in person, and rely on for support. Remote-only operations rarely work for serious business development.
A specialized team that understands both the technical side and Japanese business culture is essential. This means people who can handle customer inquiries in proper keigo (polite Japanese), attend meetings in person, and build trust over time.
Trying to enter the Japanese market without this infrastructure is possible, but progress will be slow.
I've addressed a similar question when I was talking to RunCloud's Amir Fazwan here.
Are there opportunities in Japan's software industry?
The question came with context: Japan's software industry isn't booming like semiconductors. The "Galapagos effect" means Japanese companies often use unique systems that don't integrate well with global standards.
But my answer was optimistic: Yes, there are significant opportunities.
Why? Because Japan has an acute shortage of people across nearly all sectors. The demographic crisis is real. Companies are desperate for talent.
Even if the software industry isn't explosive, there's demand for people who can bridge communication gaps. Specifically: professionals who can work with offshore software teams while communicating effectively within Japan.
If you can speak Japanese, understand software development, and coordinate between local businesses and international development teams, you're valuable. The opportunity isn't just in pure coding - it's in translation, project management, and cultural bridging.
Conversations in the Hallway
Some of the best parts of Techtamu happen during breaks. This time, three conversations stood out:
Hilmi and IlmuChat
I made a new friend named Hilmi, and we chatted briefly about IlmuChat, the latest sovereign‑AI project, a joint venture between a local conglomerate called YTL and University Malaya that is evolving. While we talked, another person at our table, using a MacBook, was putting the finishing touches on a Malay pop song he had created with AI.
It’s amazing what you can witness even over a humble nasi lemak meal.
Kagesenshi's New Product
Kagesenshi (aka Mohd Izhar), an old friend and veteran of the PyCon circuit, was telling me about a couple of new ventures he's currently working on. He sees a gap in the market and believes his experience can fill it, so we discussed possible marketing strategies and prior work that has been done. There might be a space where we can collaborate!
I'm always happy and excited to hear stories like these: Taking up challenges. Such stories always fill you with hope.
Shah on Working in Japan
Another new friend Shah asked about opportunities for working in Japan. We discussed the reality that while Japan has challenges (language barrier, work culture differences, cost of living), the opportunities are legitimate - especially for people with specialized technical skills.
I emphasized that success in Japan requires patience, and not to rush into things but take time to figure things which work for you and which doesn't. Like every other place in the world, Japan shows you something from the outside, but what you see when you're on the inside is totally different.
Conclusion: Global Thinking, Local Execution
Techtamu #7 reinforced a theme that runs through every successful business story: There are no shortcuts.
Sam Lee's backup talk reminded us that the fundamentals aren't optional. You can build the most exciting product in the world, but if you lose your data, you're done.
Rhys William's journey showed that "overnight success" is a myth. It took him 10 years of consistent effort, adaptation, and authentic engagement to build what looks effortless to outsiders.
My own conversations about Japan echoed the same message: Breaking into new markets requires patience, local presence, and genuine commitment.
What makes someone "global" isn't just operating across borders - it's understanding that every market has its own rules, culture, and expectations. Success comes from respecting those differences while maintaining your core value.
As Rhys put it in one of his nine lessons: "Long-term games with long-term people."
Whether you're building backups, creating content, or expanding internationally, the principle remains the same: Show up consistently, deliver quality, build real relationships, and trust that the compounding effects will follow.
As Techtamu continues to prove month after month, the Malaysian tech community isn’t just consuming global knowledge—we’re creating it, testing it, and sharing it forward. I am especially pleased to meet young, ambitious, curious, and inquisitive people with burning questions they want answered. Everyone seems eager to build and succeed.
Thank you again to the Techtamu team for inviting me to speak and the swag. he buffalo beef jerky is pretty good., but I can't find an official website for it. I suggest the buffalo jerky folks work on their branding and online presence.
Anyway, I hope that everything I shared was beneficial to the audience in some way.
P.S. I have to apologize to my friend Amir for missing his talk and not being able to write about it: I was caught up in conversations with other participants in the hallway outside. I’ll buy you coffee next time we meet, Amir!
