Hitting the Right Notes

By Ho Khin Wai, Yr 1, Diploma in Banking and Finance

Second-year Diploma in Information Security student Frederick Choo is no ordinary IT kid. Not only can he design security programs, but he can also play the piano, the guitar, and has an acute passion for entrepreneurship.

Besides being a NYP-CSIT scholar, he is also the brainchild of Sgcube (local) and Cubecity (international), which are businesses specializing in selling customized, hand-made puzzles. Through his strong network and marketing, he had sold an average of 250 puzzles per month, and was featured in The Straits Times and an online news portal, asiaone.com in 2008.

We spoke to Frederick to find out more about his businesses and his strong enterprising spirit.

Tell me more about Sgcube and Cubecity, as well as any other business you are currently embarking on.
Sgcube (local) and Cubecity (international) were companies I started with a good friend in 2008, where we created my own variations of puzzles and sold them for cash. We basically catered to the demands of what was trendy among young people back then, and sold sixteen different types of puzzles, including the Rubik’s Cube. We acted as suppliers to our customers who were puzzle distributors in and out of Singapore.


After the trend had died down and due to my O’ levels, I only provided freelance services, such as website design and marketing strategies to companies.

Frederick was even featured in the papers during the Rubik craze in 2008

I am currently registering a new company, together with my partner, Nathanael Jerome Tan (Diploma in Information Security, Year 2), called ‘AudioTech and IT Solutions’, LLP (Limited Liabilities Partnership) and am working on its website http://AudioTechIT.weebly.com to target the IT, Music, Sound and Recording industries by providing customized products and services to these companies to meet their needs.

Some of the services we provide include: website design, logo design, computer repair and security, computer programming, sound engineering (for concerts and performances), music compositions and arrangements, and outsourcing for stage performers.

Wow. Managing these businesses must have taken up a lot of your time. How do you manage to juggle your studies and your businesses?

For me, my businesses always revolve around my passion, skills and interests. My course in Information Security has helped me greatly in being able to readily apply whatever I have learn to customize solutions and suit the needs of my clients in my business. So, I don’t see it as “juggling my studies and businesses”.

Need a stage performer? Frederick can help.

Furthermore, in running my own business, I feel that I have the power to impact the world around me with my products, services and ideas. This is so much better than watching a movie, and to me, that is my greatest satisfaction.

Finally, money, though not a big factor, is still an incentive. I can use it to bless others through gifts, and as an ignition to fuel my other passions.


What motivates you in your business?

It’s mainly my passion and the constant need for adventure. 

What are some of your personal achievements in managing your businesses?

I have learned to change my attitude from one that is "All-about-me" to one of "What-I-can-do-for-others", and this has empowered me to do what I can and what I should for people.

Any future goals or plans for yourself or your businesses that you would like to share?

For now, I hope to see AudioTech and IT Solutions grow, so that I can support my family, help the needy and also have some money to pay for my studies in a university in the near future.

What advice would you offer to student entrepreneurs who are thinking of starting out/have just started out?

Dare to dream and take risks. Failure means learning and being a step closer to success.
Pursue your passion and keep learning to impact the world.
Entrepreneurship cannot be about the money but passion and adventure.

That’s not all. Frederick intends to take his passion to the next level by helping young, aspiring entrepreneurs gain more insight into entrepreneurship and commerce – right here in NYP.

He was recently elected as President of the NYP Student Entrepreneurship Association (NYP-SEA), which was an interest group when he first joined at the start of this year. Frederick intends to introduce NYP-SEA an official CCA, if conditions allow so.

“Our aims are to promote entrepreneurship, help start-ups, improve our business skills, network with like-minded people who have an interest in business, and use business ideas to benefit the world through social entrepreneurship,” said Frederick. “We have collaborations with large companies such as SIFE (Student in Free Enterprise) and Penn Olsen, who will be assisting us on our journey.”

Interested? Like the NYP-SEA Facebook page now at https://www.facebook.com/pages/NYP-Student-Entrepreneur-Association-NYP-SEA/124488817644025 and stay tuned for updates.