Getting Singapore’s Enrichment Company into Malaysia

Irwin See
7 days ago
4 min read

What are the 3 things that are key for any company to succeed in a market? It’s the boring fundamentals ;

1. Localization

2. Targeted positioning

3. Right leveraged partnerships.

When SpeechWorth, an education company that uses drama-based methodologies to teach English, explored entering Malaysia, Curt & Co stepped in to craft and execute a structured market-entry plan rooted in deep market understanding and strategic relationships.

1. Localising SpeechWorth’s Brand, Programme, and Positioning for Malaysia

Curt & Co first worked closely with SpeechWorth to understand their brand DNA and pedagogy. Drama-based English learning is powerful, but it needed to be contextualised for the Malaysian education environment, where schools balance academic expectations with creative, experiential learning.

We guided SpeechWorth through:

Localising their brand messaging to align with Malaysian priorities in literacy, communication, and holistic development. Some cultural sensitivities can range from removing illustrations that might be religiously offensive or using colours that appeal to the main population.
Adjusting programme content and structure to match local school schedules, learning requirements, and cultural context.
Calibrating pricing to suit both international and private school markets in Malaysia. Pricing is probably the hardest for any Singapore company to adjust to as it requires for us to understand that we are shifting from value to volume. And considering Singapore is a high value market, this is especially hard to accept.
Defining key target audiences, including international schools, English departments, curriculum coordinators, and school leaders.

These steps ensured that SpeechWorth’s offerings were immediately relevant and compelling for the Malaysian market.

2. Leveraging Strategic Connections: Introducing FairView International School

Utilising our education network, Curt & Co introduced SpeechWorth to FairView International School, a respected institution in Malaysia and a long-standing contact within our ecosystem.

We identified a strong alignment between FairView’s emphasis on creativity, inquiry-based learning, and SpeechWorth’s drama-based approach. Curt & Co facilitated engagement between both parties, paving the way for a collaborative opportunity.

Fairview International School in Kuala Lumpur, the venue for the upcoming workshop, showcasing its modern architectural design and spacious facilities.

This introduction became the strategic foundation for SpeechWorth’s first appearance in Malaysia. FairView is reputable in the education sector and thus also a good partner to leverage on.

3. Co-Organising a Flagship Educators’ Workshop in Malaysia

In partnership with FairView International School, Curt & Co. co-organised a professional workshop designed to showcase SpeechWorth’s unique pedagogy to the Malaysian education community.

Participants gather and settle in as they prepare for the start of the Speechworth workshop in a welcoming classroom setting.

Our involvement included:

Workshop design support, ensuring the session was hands-on, engaging, and reflective of SpeechWorth’s strengths.
Coordination with FairView International School for venue, logistics, and school partner alignment.
Positioning the workshop to attract decision-makers such as teachers, department heads, and school administrators.

4. Running a Targeted Marketing & Outreach Campaign

Elnie engages participants in a "Speechworth" workshop, discussing the impact of drama on classroom interactions and student participation.

Curt & Co executed a focused marketing campaign to bring the right educators into the room.

This included:

Direct invitations to schools within our Malaysian network.
Email outreach to teachers, English coordinators, and heads of school.
Well-positioned social media announcements to expand visibility.

The campaign emphasised quality over quantity—aiming to attract stakeholders who influence programme adoption within their institutions.

5. Delivering a Strong, High-Impact Market Debut

Speechworth Workshop participants stands in a circle during an icebreaker session titled "Name & Gesture," where Elnie is including the participants to practice what she had just explained in a welcoming environment.

The workshop was a resounding success.

Attendance was robust, with educators and school leaders from various institutions participating.
Engagement was high, as attendees immersed themselves in SpeechWorth’s drama-driven learning demonstrations.
Enquiries were strong, generating real, actionable interest from schools considering SpeechWorth’s programmes.

This event validated SpeechWorth’s potential in Malaysia and secured early traction for broader expansion.

Growing overseas

Workshop participants gather for a group photo after completing the "Enhance Classroom Engagement" session, fostering learning and collaboration.

The few fundamentals we consistently emphasize for overseas expansion are a great framework to keep in mind. For most Singapore business owners, the cost of growing overseas lies really in time, financial stamina and also a consistent drive together with local partners.

It sounds easy but does require the same grit and belief as you the business owner once had when you first started your business. While it’s no overnight success, but with proper fundamentals and a right partner, growth can be meaningful.

About Us

Curt & Co. Pte. Ltd. is a consulting company started amongst a group of business owners who were looking for a consulting company themselves for advice !

Our offices and our focus markets are in Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam and Malaysia. With clients ranging from 1 man operating SMEs to listed companies, we are proud to have helped our clients across different industries gain market entry into the South East Asian region.