Imagine having the type of house you want. With all the amenities that you wish to have, while having the modern concept of living. Now imagine all of this concise into one tiny house that you can live in at almost anywhere. It doesn’t matter if the location’s at a remote place or if you think it’s impossible because with Big Tiny, they’ll make it possible for you. Assembled within 3 hours, you’ve got your house ready to decorate!
Big Tiny is also the first company in Singapore to integrate the concept of “tiny houses” with eco-tourism. “Tiny houses” are part of an international trend of simplifying lives by reducing the size, and therefore the resource consumption, of homes without sacrificing quality of life.
Co-founder, Jeff Yeo, explained that this idea was imagined during a holiday in Australia at a farm side which was favoured by the CEO of Big Tiny, Adrian Chia. They wanted to share what it was like to take a break from the hustle and bustle of life for the city dwellers so that they could unwind with their friends and family with the beautiful nature.
They also wanted to show what it was like to connect with our mother nature without having to give up the comfort of having a bed, air conditioning and shower rather than camping with a tent without none of these amenities. How exactly did this work? We’re wondering that too but let’s dive in to finding them out from Jeff Teo!
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What made you move forward with the idea of Big Tiny?
At first, we were quite apprehensive about how people would think about our idea. Meanwhile in Australia, there were a lot of space for us to make use of which contained about 70% of wasted land which was not used. This affected many farmers’ livelihood when there were prolong periods of floods and droughts. Our target was focused on how we could help them achieve a secondary source of income by putting our tiny houses on their plots.
What were some of the people’s opinions towards Big Tiny?
While tiny housing was not a new concept, we managed to convince our idea to those in Australia since they are involved in the green plan. They were more receptive to the idea especially since we were giving back to the country by partnering up with companies.
Would you say Big Tiny houses are considered as hotels or more of a product that one can purchase?
From a business perspective, as long as a person purchases a tiny house from us, the owner has full rights to it. We also help to curate places to put tiny houses in Australia for Singaporeans. Once we have placed them accordingly, we also help to manage the bookings. These houses will be listed on different platforms which would be a hybrid between owning your own tiny house and using it as an accommodation for tourists.
What sets the Big Tiny apart from your previous jobs?
As a scholar from the navy, I went into learning advertising and marketing. This concept of tiny houses was especially intriguing to me as well as it’s societal efforts to give back. During the search of my jobs, I look forward to brands that I can connect with as well as its impact to the world no matter how small they may be.
What’s one challenge that made it difficult for you?
Educating people about the tiny house movement can be quite challenging at times. While this movement is quite common in other markets, within Singapore it is something we are not used to. Raising awareness about why we do this and explaining to them the benefits of choosing one. Especially for travelling, the current trend among young people would be spending quality time with your loved ones rather than having just a bed to sleep in. Hence accommodating to these needs would be a challenge as well.
What are your thoughts on the entrepreneurial scene in Singapore?
It is definitely livelier as compared to previous decades whereby most parents were not exactly embracing this scene. In recent times, Singapore’s policy has changed whereby they do encourage people to be entrepreneurs as well. People are also more daring to take the first steps towards entrepreneurship.
Could you share with us one motivation that you constantly remind yourself of?
I guess my life mantra would be how I can always keep my energy level high and keep a positive mindset. Not just applying to business but also to my personal life, I believe this will allow me to have a good day by just keeping my morale and spirits high.
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Concluding our illuminating conversation with Big Tiny, it's evident that they're pioneers in Singapore, seamlessly fusing the concept of "tiny houses" with eco-tourism. We've uncovered their compelling journey, delving into the inception of Big Tiny, the hurdles they've overcome, their profound insights, and the driving force behind their entrepreneurial endeavors in Singapore. Their innovative approach leaves an indelible mark on the entrepreneurial landscape, inspiring us with their unique vision and unwavering commitment to sustainability and exploration.
Stay tuned for more inspirational stories on local entrepreneurs and businesses!
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