We all know Stephanie Chai as the beautiful Eurasian who has been gracing the covers of magazines and appearing on our TV screens, but she is so much more than meets the eyes. Stephanie is an enterprising woman of her own right which led her to start the definitive wedding portal Wedding Guide Asia website. Besides Wedding Guide Asia and keeping herself busy in the entertainment scene in KL, the very bubbly and down-to-earth entrepreneur is also embarking on a new venture of travel and hotels with The Luxe Nomad, in which you will be able to grab some exclusive rates for the perfect escape! KLue managed to grab a couple minutes of Stephanie’s busy schedule to tell you about The Luxe Nomad, which will be launched in March this year.
I think the key thing is to always be open to learning. When I was a student I was never shy to ask questions and I’m still very much the same.
What triggered you to start The Luxe Nomad?
A good friend of mine gave me the idea. We’re both passionate about dotcoms and he dropped me an e-mail one day saying “check out this site in America, you should do this for Asia”. I had a look at it, loved the concept and ended up doing it!
What sets your company different from the rest?
The main draw card with The Luxe Nomad are our weekly flash sales where members will get exclusive deals that you can’t get anywhere else. And best of all, they’ll be deals of luxury stays that most of us dream about.
How long did it take you to start up The Luxe Nomad?
Research on the travel industry started end of June 2011, then by mid-August we have registered the company name and got things going. It is a regional website that involves bookings with hotels from around the world, so it wasn’t a business that you can launch in one month. Also, I was an entrepreneur with no hotel or travel background, so there was a lot for me to learn and to find the right team. We started approaching hotels by the end of September 2011 and is scheduled to launch by March 2012. I have never worked harder, but I am grateful for the response we’ve had from the hoteliers. We simply rang them up, pitched our company story and are lucky that we’ve had a lot of them come on board. From Capella in Singapore to the Como group of hotels to Sri Panwa in Phuket – there’s a long list of places I’d love to stay at!
What are your strategies for The Luxe Nomad?
As a new hotel-booking portal, it is important to have good partners. We’re very excited that one of our partners includes the leading travel magazine, DestinAsian. They will be featuring our flash sales on their website and as a return, our blog will publish selected articles from the magazine. It’s a good way to reach out to a larger market and at the same time, I think who you choose to work with says something about your company’s stance and strategy.
How do you think the business will fit into the minds of Malaysians?
Malaysians are traveling like never before so I think it’s a terrific fit! When I was a kid in the 80s, traveling was considered a past time for the very rich. Now, with the advent of budget airlines like Airasia; everyone really can fly and the beauty of it is that travel has evolved to be a ‘hobby’ for some. It’s not unheard of for people to visit a nearby destination a few times a year nowadays and why not? Who doesn’t love to travel!
What are your roles in The Luxe Nomad?
I’m the founder and CEO. It’s a role that comprises of many things but thus far I’ve been entrenched in every part of the business from technical development to sales with hotels to orchestrating partnerships. I think it’s important for any business owner to get a feel of what each area encompasses – that way you know what to expect from staff and how to guide them.
Who do you consider a role model for your business?
I’m a big fan of Natalie Messenent who founded Net-A-Porter and started it out of her home. There aren’t many female dotcom entrepreneurs around, though there should be – we are living in the internet age and if you’re smart about it – there are tremendous opportunities. Closer to home, I think Patrick Grove (Catcha), Joel Neoh (GroupOn) and Vishen Lakhiani (MindValley) are friends who have done really well in the online space.
What are the perks of your job?
Lots of invitations to stay at some of the world’s most beautiful resorts!
What is it like in a day of work for you?
If I’m not traveling then I’m usually stuck behind a laptop. I still run my other site WeddingGuideAsia.com and will meet up with the managing director, Rachel Ng, once a week to touch base on how the team and strategy is faring. I think the key thing is to always be open to learning. When I was a student I was never shy to ask questions and I’m still very much the same. Before starting WGA, I met up with a number of dot com entrepreneurs to seek their advice and tips – the key to being the best you can be – is to learn from the best.
What are your ultimate goals for The Luxe Nomad?
For it to be the leading luxury hotel portal for the Asian region. We have a lot of online travel agencies such as Agoda and Expedia – but no one is catering to that niche market which is high end. I believe in the future it’s all about ‘specialization online’. The internet has spoiled us with the immediacy and efficiency it delivers, and as time goes by, consumers will only expect things to get better and better. For the luxury consumer, that means a one-stop portal that caters to their lifestyle.
What can we expect from The Luxe Nomad for the rest of 2012?
Great hotels, great deals and great holidays!
Check out The Luxe Nomad at facebook.com/theluxenomad.
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