How to Make Nights Profitable: Lessons from Singapore’s Festival Founders [TBS 35 ft INVADE, Timbre]
What really powers Singapore after dark? Beyond the parties and bright lights lies a thriving ecosystem of creativity, culture, and commerce. Our guests:
- Danny Loong, CEO, Timbre Group, a veteran shaping music and entertainment in the city
- Kent Teo, CEO, INVADE, the festival agency championing thousands of micro-businesses and creatives
Together, we uncover:
- How Singapore’s night economy is changing, and what’s driving that shift
- Why community and creativity are key to getting people out again
- The new wave of experiences reshaping our nights: from late-night markets to unexpected collaborations
- What it really takes to build a sustainable business after dark
If you’ve ever thought nightlife was just about bars and clubs, think again. Tune in to uncover how Singapore’s nights might just be its next big opportunity.
What We Discuss:
- 03:17 - How did the Shilin Market concept come about — was it officially licensed or your own initiative?
- 05:27 - What’s the long-term plan for revitalizing Boat Quay and Clarke Quay’s nightlife scene?
- 06:08 - Why did you decide to rebrand from the Nightlife Association to the Nighttime Business Association?
- 10:26 - How are you contributing to rebuilding Singapore’s nighttime ecosystem today?
- 13:03 - Has being a musician influenced the way you approach building and running your business?
- 14:43 - What new nighttime concepts or ideas have proven successful and could scale further?
- 18:59 - In your view, what parts of the nighttime business model can actually be franchised or licensed?
- 25:11 - How can Singapore better capture the spillover from major concerts like Taylor Swift into the wider nighttime economy?
- 30:11 - How do you strike a balance between creative experimentation and financial sustainability?
- 35:52 - What kinds of new spaces or venues would empower you to create more engaging nighttime experiences?
Episode Resources:
New episodes every Wednesday
Share us your thoughts on this episode and let us know what do you want to hear next.
You can now be our community contributor and make a pitch to have your favourite personality be on our show.
Join our community group and drop us your insights on this topic.
Let us know what you think of this post