Zzen Chan & Elvin Low: From Roadshows to Digital Empire

Conversation with a CEO: Empire Enterprise Founder Zzen Chan and Fasterbuylah Pte Ltd Founder Elvin Low

CEO Empire Enterprise Founder Zzen Chan and Fasterbuylah Pte Ltd Founder Elvin Low

E-commerce consumers today are bombarded with choices at every turn, scrolling past endless product listings, fleeting social media advertisements, and enticing influencer endorsements. In a space where trends change overnight and audience engagement is transient, establishing a foothold is not just difficult – it is a brutal business that requires originality, creativity and perseverance to survive. In fact, many businesses fade into obscurity before they even get a chance to make an impact.

Yet, against the odds, Empire Enterprise and Fasterbuylah Pte Ltd have done more than just survive. They have thrived in the local landscape. From their early days selling at roadshows to becoming the driving forces behind Empire Enterprise and FasterBuylah, Zzen Chan and Elvin Low has redefined the art of selling in the digital age. Their journey from face-to-face sales to livestreaming is a testament to their adaptability, resilience and a deep understanding of consumer behaviour. While others have struggled to translate traditional retail experiences into the online world, the dynamic duo have leveraged their years of real-world selling experience to create high-energy, interactive livestreams that do more than showcase products – they create a connection.

Zzen and Elvin’s ability to engage with audiences in real-time has turned their platforms into more than just sales channels; they have become vibrant communities where trust and authenticity drive purchasing decisions. Whether introducing cutting-edge health and beauty products from Korea, Japan and Taiwan, or collaborating with industry giants like Taiwanese compere Jacky Wu and 90s Hong Kong screen siren Rachel Lee, Zzen and Elvin have turned livestreaming into an art form – one where entertainment meets commerce in a way that keeps viewers coming back for more.

But success in e-commerce is not just about talking to a camera and pushing products. It requires strategy, precise timing, deep product knowledge and an innate ability to read an audience. So, what is the secret behind the meteoric rise of Zzen and Elvin? How do they keep thousands of viewers hooked from start to finish?

In this exclusive Prime Interview, Zzen and Elvin pull back the curtain on their journey, sharing the lessons they have learned, the challenges they have faced, and the vision that keeps them moving forward in one of the most competitive digital markets in the world.

Good morning, Zzen and Elvin. It is a pleasure to meet both of you, as well as your team. Would you care to give an introduction of your companies to our readers who may not know about them?

Zzen Chan and Elvin Low: Thank you for having us. It is a pleasure to collaborate with Prime. Our companies – Empire Enterprise (Empire Home Live), Fasterbuylah Pte Ltd (fasterbuylah) and Aurawell Pte Ltd, our wellness and health company/brand – have offices and warehousing facilities in Singapore and Vietnam. To ensure our operations run smoothly across these locations and more, we have a team of about 40-50 employees who keep things moving efficiently.

Besides these two countries, we also have business connections in China, Taiwan, Thailand, Japan and Korea. We livestream on the latest health and beauty products, working with brands, research laboratories and factories from these countries. Some of our key products include our bestselling hair growth tonic that has plenty of good reviews and has sold over 80,000 bottles, as well as the Propolis candy from Korea, which has sold over 150,000 boxes.

Our key service is real time communication with our audiences/community, with whom we share the latest high-quality wellness, health and beauty products from different countries which we have carefully curated. The consistent growth of our communities and the meaningful connections we have made with our viewers is a source of pride to us. Whether it is reaching a significant milestone in terms of having a certain number of followers or being able to collaborate with other exciting content creators and brands that align with our values, each step forward has been rewarding. We take pride in being able to create content that brings joy and entertainment to our viewers, or perhaps, even help them through tough times.

All these are in line with our mission, which is to bridge the gap between global health and beauty innovations, and audiences worldwide. By providing live, real-time insights into the latest products from leading countries like China, Vietnam, Taiwan, Thailand, Japan and Korea, we strive to deliver exclusive access to cutting-edge trends and authentic reviews. And through our strong partnerships with overseas brands, research laboratories and factories, we ensure that our community stays ahead of the curve with trusted, high-quality recommendations. With our facilities in Singapore and Vietnam, we guarantee efficient operations and fast delivery, creating a seamless experience for both brands and consumers.

By bridging the gap between brands, products and customers, we create authentic interactions that build trust, loyalty and lasting relationships. Through live streaming, we offer a dynamic space for businesses to showcase their products, share knowledge, and engage directly with our community. We are looking to shape the future of how entertainment and business intersect.

Thank you for the very comprehensive introduction. Your roots were in face-to-face sales at roadshows. How did those early experiences shape the way you engage with audiences in livestreaming?

ZC and EL: Our time doing face-to-face sales at roadshows really paved the way for us to move on to the platform of livestreaming. During our time doing physical roadshows, we interacted with a lot of customers personally in close settings as well as in larger crowd settings of about 2030 people at a time. These different experiences taught us how to do both personal selling at a smaller intimate level, and interaction and control with a larger crowd.

As a result of our roadshow experiences, we are comfortable with handling hundreds to thousands of people on livestreaming, where we have to juggle different questions at the same time, while selling a specific product. We believe that our multi-tasking skills have grown over time as we had taken part in roadshows for years.

People often think that a live streamer just needs to have the gift of the gab. What are some skills that people do not realise are essential behind the scenes?

ZC and EL: Well, it is true that having the gift of the gab is an essential part of being a live streamer. However, there’s a lot more to it than that. For instance, controlling the flow of a livestream is not an easy task. You need to know the right moment for close engagement with viewers, and you need to know when and how to switch your stance to selling mode in a live setting. It is not that simple. Besides controlling the flow, you also need to have sufficient knowledge or information about the products you are selling in order to answer questions that your audiences may ask. Last but not least, you must know the right way to convey the X-factor(s) of your products to your viewers smoothly.

Livestreaming is not a solo act. It requires a team, strategy and execution. What is a common mistake new live streamers make in trying to build an audience?

ZC and EL: A common mistake new live streamers may make when trying to build an audience is focusing too much on the content itself. They often do not pay enough attention to audience engagement and community building. They frequently assume that if they just create great content, people will come; but livestreaming is a two-way interaction. You have to involve your viewers. It is not just about your performance.

Viewers today have shorter attention spans than ever. What is your secret to keeping them engaged from start to finish?

ZC and EL: To be honest, there is no real secret to it. To keep viewers engaged from start to finish, the key is a mix of variety, pacing and interaction. Keep things interesting and moving at a right clip. Ensure your viewers feel involved. Get these right, and you will be able to keep your audiences coming back for more.

Has there ever been a time when an on-air moment did not go according to plan? How did you turn it around?

ZC and EL: Oh yes, there have definitely been lots of moments when things didn’t go as planned for us during a livestream. One example is when technical difficulties hit just as we were about to start a highly anticipated segment. This causes disruption to the flow, and you can easily go into panic mode trying to remedy the situation.

Thus, the first thing we did was to stay calm and acknowledge the issue right away. Viewers appreciate transparency and by doing so, they also know that you’re aware of the problem. Thus, instead of pretending that everything was fine, we explained what was going wrong, and we assured our viewers that the problem would be fixed as soon as possible.

However, even as we were working behind the scenes to troubleshoot the technical issues, we didn’t leave our viewers hanging. This is a major no-no as viewers may decide to up and leave, instead of waiting. So, what we did was we kept our audiences engaged by chatting with them, asking for feedback, telling jokes and making light of the situation. This kept the mood fun and interactive, while we worked on the technical solutions.

Then, once we got everything back on track, we made sure to come through with the content that our viewers were waiting for. In such situations, we strive to overdeliver by adding something extra to that segment, so as to make sure that it was worth the wait for our viewers, who were patient with us through the disruption.

In a nutshell, by staying calm and engaging with the audience, we managed to turn a mini crisis into an opportunity for connection and fun. Mistakes can always happen, but how you handle them makes all the difference.

You started with kitchen appliances, but over time, you expanded into health, beauty and wellness. What inspired this shift, and how did you identify the growing demand in these areas?

ZC and EL: The decision to shift from focusing on kitchen appliances and expanding into health, beauty and wellness products stems from our recognition of evolving consumer needs and trends. Over time, people have become more conscious of their overall well-being. This has led to a growing demand for products that enhance health, beauty and self-care. This shift might have been inspired by an increasing focus on holistic lifestyles, where individuals seek products that support not only their physical health, but also their mental and emotional well-being.

In order for us to identify the growing demand in these areas, we had to stay attuned to market trends by observing consumer behaviour and noting the rise of wellness culture. It was a totally different market altogether and we had to learn new things. So, pivoting from one category of products to another is not an easy task.

Health and wellness products require a higher level of trust compared to other consumer goods. How do you build credibility and assure your audiences that what you are promoting are genuinely beneficial?

ZC and EL: To build credibility in the health and wellness space that we were entering into, we needed to combine transparency with expert endorsement, evidence-based claims and a commitment to ethical business practices. Health and wellness products are very personal and important to all of us. Thus, consumers need to know that the products we are recommending are of the highest standards and quality, based on solid science and good research. By taking appropriate steps to prove and show that our products are genuinely good and beneficial, we can help to ensure that our audiences feel confident in the products we are promoting.

Are there specific wellness trends you have noticed picking up momentum that traditional health brands are not paying enough attention to?

ZC and EL: We think that community-driven wellness is one area that has not been sufficiently focused on and catered to. When it comes to wellness, we think you need to look beyond products and think about experiences and communities. Wellness communities, both online and offline, are where people support one another’s health journeys. It is a phenomenon that is growing, and more people are getting into this. We believe that brands which foster a sense of community or provide platforms for people to connect with one another on similar wellness journeys are seeing success. It is an emerging market, yet traditional brands are slow to react to this and continue to overlook this aspect.

Your livestreams are not just about Zzen and Elvin. In fact, you have an expanding team of live streamers with incredible chemistry on screen. What is your process for selecting and mentoring new livestream hosts?

ZC and EL: Livestreaming is not an easy job. There are certain qualities you need to look out for in a live streamer. Hence, when it comes to selecting and mentoring new livestream hosts, our process is centred around finding individuals who not only bring enthusiasm and knowledge to the table but also mesh well with the existing team’s dynamic. You need to stand out and blend in at the same time – stand out as an individual but work as a team.

You have collaborated with major names like popular Taiwanese compere Jacky Wu and 90s screen siren Rachel Lee from Hong Kong. How did those partnerships come about, and what was it like working with such big stars?

ZC and EL: Partnerships with stars generally start by building relationships behind the scenes. It’s important to ensure that the values and mission of both the brand and the celebrity align. Once trust is established, conversations naturally progress towards potential collaboration. These partnerships are about finding a common ground, where both parties see the value in working together. It is not just about finding a famous name and riding on the celebrity’s image. There is a lot more to it than that.

Five years from now, how do you envision the next evolution of FasterBuylah and Empire Home Live?

ZC and EL: We envision both FasterBuylah and Empire Home Live evolving in exciting ways in the future, driven by advancements in technology, shifting consumer preferences, and an expanded focus on holistic wellness, personalised experiences, and innovative commerce. We do not want to stand still. The key is to keep on improving, and possibly expanding into areas that we may not currently be in. PRIME

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