Friday espresso: 20 Years of MQ Training: Lessons From Building a Business With HEART
Aug 08, 2025 1:01 am
Rise and Shine!
Let's brew our espresso for an insightful shot!
20 Years of MQ Training: Lessons From Building a Business With HEART
Twenty years ago, I left the business registration office holding the official birth certificate of MQ Training Coaching Consulting. On the escalator ride out, my phone rang, my ex-boss offering me a prestigious Head of Sales role.
I smiled. Said no. And turned that job offer into my first client project.
That was Day 1.
What followed wasn’t written on any business plan. It unfolded in seasons of uncertainty, excitement, hard choices, lucky breaks, and the quiet, consistent act of showing up.
This is what 20 years in business have taught me.
WHY This Journey Still Matters
Two decades in, I often ask: What has sustained us? It isn’t just luck or timing, it’s the lessons that transformed how we show up for our clients, our people, and ourselves.
🔥 Passion is a spark, but purpose is the engine. Starting a business is exhilarating. But sustaining it means knowing why you’re doing it, beyond profit. Purpose kept us grounded when the thrill wore off.
❤️ Care cannot be outsourced. Processes can be trained. Skills can be taught. But care, the deep pride in your craft must live in your people. This belief shaped every partnership we kept and every team member we trusted.
🛠️ Readiness is more than a plan. Luck favors those who are prepared, not just with strategy, but with courage and resilience. The ability to pivot, to keep learning, and to embrace the unknown has been our true competitive edge.
WHAT We’ve Learned About Building With Heart
Our 20-year journey can be summed up in three pivotal phases that shaped who we are:
🚀 Expansion: Chasing the Dream vs. Paying the Bills. The early years were about proving ourselves. Saying yes to projects, chasing growth, and surviving. But even then, the tension was clear: Are we staying true to our mission, or just saying yes to stay afloat?
👥 Experimentation: Building With People, Not Just Processes. As we grew, we learned that true scalability isn’t just about systems, it’s about people who share your heart for the work. It meant learning to hire, trust, and sometimes walk away when values didn’t align.
🎯 Evaluation: Doing What’s Truly Ours to Do. Eventually, we found clarity: Who do we serve best? What do we do differently? This shift moved us from chasing every opportunity to building long-term, values-driven relationships with clients who return because of what we stand for, not just what we sell.
HOW We Keep Moving Forward
So what’s next? We keep Leading Change—the HEART way. Here’s how:
🌱 Deepen What Works. Rather than chasing every trend, we’re committed to refining the programs, partnerships, and processes that consistently deliver real impact for our clients.
🔍 Stay Courageously Curious. The world is changing. AI, multi-generational learners, and new business landscapes. We keep asking: What do our clients need now? How do we grow alongside them?
🙏 Lead With Gratitude and Care. Behind every success story is a network of clients, collaborators, and one very special person—Chooi Kuan, my silent anchor. Gratitude keeps us humble, care keeps us grounded, and relationships keep us moving.
The Heart Way Forward
If I’ve learned anything, it’s this: Passion starts things. Purpose sustains them. Care transforms them.
To every client, learner, partner, and friend who has walked with MQ Training—Thank You! You’ve been part of our story, and we’re only just beginning.
Here’s to the next chapter: still learning, still growing, still leading change—the heart way.
Follow us on LinkedIn and YouTube to be a part of our journey!
Program Highlights for Q3
Think On Your Feet® Workshop
Learn how to simplify complexity, handle objections, and speak with confidence, turning pressure into clarity and ideas into impact, on the spot, check out the workshop here !
📩Want to know more? Reach us at customerservice@mq.com.my !
That’s the espresso, keep the momentum! ☕😌
Stay caffeinated & curious!
Koo Lily
l Founder of mq Training Coaching Consulting l
Leadership Coach l Change Facilitator l Speaker l
_______________________________________________________________
CONNECT with Us!
