CornerStone wins Entrepreneur of the Year 2022 & Award for Best Strategy

As a family business that has lasted 3 generations and counting, Hock Tong Bee's approach has always been to ensure their business has continuity and scalability beyond generations.

Challenging times present the most opportunities, viewing a glass of water half-full rather than half empty - do not be afraid to hire talent for the long haul. The ONLY constant in LIFE is CHANGE.

Hock Tong Bee took the challenge to PIVOT and quadrupled down on B2C, launching their warehouse cash and carry almost overnight, a mega warehouse sale and many other initiatives. Everyone thought they were crazy to continue hiring when many were retrenching - from 43 staff during pre-covid to 59 staff now. They also continued to incentivize by increasing profit sharing when others were cutting their staff. They took the opportunity to buy large amounts of Original Wooden Case wines and spirits at discounted prices with a long-term view, only to experience a surge of demand and short supply, with higher margins than expected.

Hock Tong Bee never forgets to give back to community, supporting 30 charities yearly to bring blessings to others. In 2023, they will embark on a recycling project as part of their push towards sustainability. They will also be adapting their business to integrate fintech and automation, as well as embracing the Metaverse. To Clinton, being a winner of the EYA is a perfect tribute to his grandparents and father, who, to him were the true entrepreneurs. He also shares this award with his team, who have been supporting him relentlessly.

“The richest wealth is Wisdom. The strongest weapon is Patience. The best security is Faith. The greatest tonic is Laughter, & Surprisingly all are free .”