The mood in Singapore's F&B scene is heavy with a predictable kind of gloom. Another year of cautious consumers, rising costs and manpower constraints. We know exactly what we're dealing with – and that's perhaps what makes it harder to face. When the challenges aren't surprising anymore, how do you find fresh energy to tackle them?
I was chatting with a business owner last week who put it perfectly: "It's not about hoping things will get better. It's about getting better at handling things as they are." This resonates deeply – maybe the real question isn't "How do we survive until things improve?" but "How do we thrive within these constraints?" The most resilient venues aren't waiting for the storm to pass – they're learning to dance in the rain and finding opportunities in the struggle.
The Covid-19 years, despite their intensity, carried a sense of 'temporariness’ and relief were forthcoming, whether from the community or government. Today's challenges feel more permanent, like a slow descent to the bottom. So how do you steer your ship when gloom seems to be the only constant? How do you provide your team a sense of security when you can’t calm the storm?
