Ms. Cindy Chong started NCL Solutions 10 years ago to offer training and development services. Despite advice to focus on one service, she introduced variety which is now what differentiates NCL. It offers various software, education, and training programs locally, regionally, and globally. Ms. Cindy believes in continually trying new things like recently opening three sister companies and plans to expand NCL further in the next 10 years beyond just education and training. She advocates collaboration and learning from others with different experiences to excel in the industry.

1. DOING VARIETY RIGHT
In this competitive era, many small and medium enterprises (SMEs) make their mark
in the marketplace by offering niche, unique offerings to consumers. However, being
a lover of variety since her schooling days, Ms. Cindy Chong decided to defy
conventional wisdom – as well as the advice of many others around her - and
introduce variety into the company that she started 10 years ago. Today, NCL
Solutions is recognized locally, regionally and globally in the training and
development industry for the various services that they offer. Top 10 of Asia had a
chat with her to find out more about NCL's success story.
Walk into Ms. Cindy Chong’s brightly painted office at Menara PJ, and you know that
she has done quite a bit of travelling. Amongst the many plaques and certificates on
the wall is a picture that she and hundreds of international delegates took with Bill
Gates at a Microsoft conference. An intricate date box from the Middle East sat on
the drawer below, and her computer mouse was designed in blue china, from China
– both were amongst other similarly unique, international gifts.
Her office reflects the amount of recognition that Ms. Cindy and her company, NCL
Solutions, have received locally, regionally and globally, in the past 10 years since its
formation. An emerging player in the training and development industry, NCL
Solutions offers various software and education services, such as education
software, career development programmes, IT training and certification, and edu-
tourism packages, among other things.
Some of the more notable achievements that NCL has achieved so far include being
a Novell Platinum Partner & Certified Linux Trainer since 2007, providing the
Business to Business Managing System used during the World Congress of ICT
(2008) that was attended by 81 countries, and being selected and nominated for the
HWT 21st Century Entrepreneur Award in 2011. Ms. Cindy herself is frequently
invited as a speaker to international forums and summits, such as the Global Women
Summit held in Greece in 2008, as well as various universities within the ASEAN
region.
What started as a 'jack of all trades' company that had no specific aim has distilled
its services – and does them well. "The name of the company was initially taken from
the initials from my name and two other former colleagues that came with me from
Microsoft. When we first started, I just took whatever projects that were offered to me
- software distribution, selling CCTV units and the like." Encouraged when NCL was
recognized by MATRADE within one year of its formation, Ms. Cindy continued to
experiment and take on new projects, making NCL the versatile company that it is
now.
Ms. Cindy chose variety despite discouragement from other people, who insisted
that she should only focus on one service. Today, variety is precisely what makes
NCL different from other companies in the industry. “We thrive on delivering a
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2. creative range of topics – from early childhood development to career level
education, constantly share new knowledge, and focus on technical skills as well as
functional career development to cater to the needs of society.”
A believer of lifelong education, Ms. Cindy always had a penchant for new things,
and she carries that zeal with her into how she runs her company. “In college, I took
classes that I liked even when my friends didn’t take them. Throughout my career
years, I have worked and done research for various projects across different
industries. In NCL, we are always trying new things.” NCL Solutions has recently
opened three sister companies, specializing in F&B wholesale and distribution,
Chinese traditional teas and gifts, and early childhood software respectively.
A successful company is not without its challenges. Financial constraints delay
further expansion, there is the need to adapt and cater to a new generation of
workers, and legal and collection issues delay several projects from getting off the
ground. Despite all that, Ms. Cindy is undeterred and plans to expand NCL even
further. “In the next 10 years, NCL plans to expand beyond ICT and educational
training to offer oil and gas training, build early childhood enrichment centres, and
educate people in true soft skills by introducing culinary, arts, and beauty courses.”
Ms. Cindy believes that young people starting out in the training and development
industry need to think differently to excel, instead of mimicking the methods of those
before them. “They can also collaborate and learn from those more experienced in
the field. Likewise, the older folks need to be open to sharing their experiences and
leading by example.” She also believes in finding complementary partners when
discussing and implementing projects - Ms. Cindy herself does projects with more
‘rough’, practical types. “Alone, we cannot do our best; we must not be afraid to ask
for help when we need it to make things work.”
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