Why the M’sian co-founder of this Australian marketing co. is now expanding the biz back home

[Written in partnership with TGFX, but the editorial team had full control over the content.]

It’s not uncommon to hear the phrase “never start a business with a friend,” or something along those lines.

For TGFX co-founders Benny Yap and Jae Tan, however, not only is this statement false, it goes against what Benny cites as key to how they got to where they are today.

“The foundation of it lies in trust, open communication, and respect,” said the co-founders.

“It’s important to have complementary skills and to always be transparent about your goals and challenges.”

And for the duo, one goal is to take their marketing expertise to the global stage.

Two peas in a pod

Benny, a Malaysian local, graduated with a diploma in advertising and graphic design at The One Academy in Petaling Jaya before moving on to working for BBDO.

He would later find himself in Australia to further his studies in business and marketing, doing freelance work to sustain himself.

That was when he met Jae.

A fellow graphic designer, Jae was born and raised in Melbourne, graduating from RMIT and having work experience in “over 10 different industries” according to Benny.

One particular project saw the two work closely together as organised by their client.

“I then realised not only did I work well together with Jae, but also that Australia provided the perfect launchpad to start a company due to its dynamic and diverse market,” he explained.

“The country’s strong entrepreneurial ecosystem, combined with its evolving digital landscape, made it a great place for us to tap into the need for fresh, innovative marketing solutions.”

Benny and Jae also noted that Australia’s multicultural population made for just the right testing ground to try out different marketing strategies across different demographics.

This, they attribute, is what helped TGFX refine their approach early on.

“We truly believed that by starting in Australia, we could lay a strong foundation to scale our vision internationally, which ultimately led to our expansion into Malaysia.”

Learning the hard way

TGFX initially started off as a web and graphic design company, later pivoting to marketing during COVID.

The world rapidly shifting to becoming more digital at this time meant that many businesses were left struggling to adapt.

There was now a demand for new marketing solutions to help weather the storm.

“TGFX became our way to build something that could genuinely help businesses grow and thrive in an increasingly digital world,” said the co-founders.

Social media marketing, activation and event services, branding, public relations, and franchising would all soon become part and parcel of their new business model.

The problem, however, was that the company was more or less brand new. 

Not exactly the kind of people most would jump to trust their livelihoods with. And even less so with the market in complete disarray.

“We overcame these challenges by staying agile and keeping a pulse on emerging trends,” they explained.

“Our ability to pivot quickly and adopt new digital tools helped us build trust and strong relationships with our clients.”

These include the likes of Milksha, Sulbing, Calia, and Aoi Tsuki just to name a few.

Now, it was a matter of retaining them and bringing in new ones.

“If we could go back, we would have invested even more in building a strong team from the very beginning,” they elaborated.

“We learnt the importance of nurturing a team that’s not just skilled, but also passionate and aligned with the company’s culture.”

This, they noted, would’ve allowed TGFX to scale much faster than it did in reality.

No place like home

Beyond just the fact that Benny will always regard Malaysia as his home, TGFX choosing our country for its first expansion was also influenced by multiple other factors.

The first was that there is currently a growing demand for digital marketing services locally, according to Benny.

“Malaysia’s emerging digital economy and the increasing number of businesses looking to expand online presented an exciting opportunity,” he claimed.

This tracks with the words of Ninja Van Malaysia regional vice president Jeremy Hong who stated that Malaysia’s ecommerce scene is on an upwards trajectory, carrying its momentum from 2024 where it doubled that of 2023.

“Furthermore, the cultural similarities and shared business environment across Southeast Asia made Malaysia the perfect next step in our international expansion,” Benny added.

All that being said, however, consumer behaviour between the two countries couldn’t be more different.

TGFX’s co-founder stated that in Australia, the focus tends to lean towards individualism, where value propositions and high-impact storytelling reign supreme.

For Malaysia, it’s more about personalised messaging, community, and collective experiences.

“Understanding these cultural nuances has been a key part of our success in both markets.”

Going global

The immediate goal for TGFX is to expand their footprint further into Southeast Asia, all the while investing into new technologies and startups to keep themselves ahead of the game.

“We want to become a thought leader in the digital marketing space and build a lasting impact on the businesses we serve,” they added.

“Achieving these goals will come through continuous learning, staying adaptable, and remaining true to our vision of creating meaningful connections through creative and strategic marketing.”

When asked for their advice on making a business partnership last, Benny and Jae had this to share.

“Regular check-ins, not just about business but about each other’s well-being, are essential for maintaining a positive and productive working relationship.”

“And of course, celebrating the wins together, no matter how big or small.”

Sound advice for anyone, business or not.

Featured Image Credit: TGFX