From Burnout to Breakthrough: Franchise Your Way to Growth (Event Recap)
At the GoSME event, experts shared how visibility, leadership, and intellectual property (IP) are essential for small business growth. Featuring insights from Li Legacy's Mark Goh, leadership coach Lisa Gillespie, and GoSME's Jonathan Goh, the event offered practical strategies for SMEs.
Why Visibility Builds Trust
Public profiling makes businesses easier to trust and more attractive to investors.
At our recent GoSME event, we explored a key message for small business owners: being seen builds trust. When businesses are open and share what they do clearly, they grow faster and attract the right kind of support—especially from investors.
Mark Goh, COO of Li Legacy, shared the story of Christopher, a hotel owner in Spain, who faced the "Burnout Loop"—working hard with little progress. Mark presented the RED PIG strategy to help break this cycle:
Recognise the burnout loop
Engage experts to protect your intellectual property
Document your systems
Profile your business publicly
Invite investment
Grow in leadership
One key part of this strategy is public profiling. As Mark put it: “Running a business with low costs is good, but if there are no checks, investors may not feel safe. Being seen builds trust.”
The Role of Leadership and IP in Business Growth
Leadership and intellectual property help small businesses grow with confidence and attract serious investors. GoSME empowers owners to build visible, trusted brands.
Lisa Gillespie addressed the human side of entrepreneurship. She spoke on the importance of:
1. Listening to others
2. Understanding people’s needs
3. Taking action (not just planning)
4. Staying flexible
She reminded attendees that it's normal to feel overwhelmed or unsure, but learning from others and working with mentors makes a difference.
Jonathan Goh spoke about intellectual property (IP) and why it matters. IP includes things like your brand name, creative work, inventions, and trade secrets. He introduced the “4 Es” to explain IP:
• Expression (copyrights)
• Experience (trademarks)
• Engineering (patents)
• Exclusion (trade secrets)
Of all the types of IP, trademarks—how people experience your brand—are often the most valuable when others are deciding whether to invest.
What You Can Do Now
At GoSME, we believe in what Nobel Prize winner Muhammad Yunus said about his Grameen Bank:
“When lending is built on trust within a community—where people know and support each other—the need for collateral fades, and the risk of default is dramatically reduced.”
Just like that, we want to help build trust in the small business world—by encouraging business owners to share who they are and what they do.
Create Your Free Business Profile
If you’re serious about growing and want others to believe in your work, start by profiling your business on GoSME. It’s free, simple, and shows others that you are ready for the next step.
Let people see you. It could be the first step toward real support and investment.
How Small Business Branding Can Help Escape the Burnout Loop
Branding helps small business owners escape burnout by attracting loyal customers, building investor trust, and opening pathways for growth, such as franchising and IP licensing. A strong brand can turn a business into a sustainable, scalable asset.
How Small Businesses Can Create a Powerful Brand Identity
Brand identity isn’t just a logo—it’s the personality, trust, and voice behind your business. This guide breaks down five essential steps small businesses can take to create a memorable and consistent brand that connects with their audience and builds long-term trust.