Redbox Studio

Would you like to meet some cool people in a small group setting over lunch and learn something new at the same time?

We're back with a new event and we're calling it Redbox Lunch and Learn because it's a combination of meeting people, having a great lunch and learning something new.

When we stopped organizing Marketing Mojo in 2019, more than a few people have asked us about our events. So after 7 years, we'd like to start it off with a small group gathering over lunch at our friend's restaurant, Dandy at Arena Curve on 29 August (Saturday).

Check it out and join us!

Lunch & Learn – Redbox Studio Redbox Lunch & Learn is a by-invitation gathering designed for meaningful conversations over lunch, practical learning and genuine connections. With only 15 seats available, everyone has the opportunity to get to know one another—no crowded networking, no hard selling, just thoughtful conversation...

Today reminded me that every big idea starts as a tiny one.

Many years ago, Big Timer was just a "What if?" in Nic's head.

He loves board games, but there were always things that frustrated him. Some games took forever (a friend once told me she spent SIX hours playing one 😳), some had so many tiny pieces that things got lost, and some required calculators, paper and endless calculations.

So he asked himself, "What if there was a business strategy game that was simple, portable and could be played in just 30 minutes?"

That little idea became Big Timer.

This afternoon, we sat back and watched people playing the game. They laughed. They negotiated. They challenged each other's thinking. They celebrated and shouted "Hooray!". Most importantly, they had those wonderful "Aha!" moments.

What I love most isn't actually the game.

It's what happens because of the game.

People walk into the room as strangers and somehow leave chatting like old friends. There's something about sitting around a table together that breaks down barriers so quickly.

At the end of the workshop, one participant sent us this message:

💙 "Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to experience the game. I truly admire the passion and dedication you as a couple have invested in creating it. It is an inspiring and effective tool to teach entrepreneurship, and I am grateful for the chance to learn from it. I look forward to exploring more and gaining further insights in the future."

Messages like this mean so much to both of us.

When Nic first had this idea, neither of us imagined how many conversations, friendships and business breakthroughs would happen around a simple game of cards.

It reminds me that every invention, every business and every movement starts with someone asking, "What if?"

Never underestimate a small idea.

It might just change someone's life. ❤️

P.S. Our next Big Timer Business Strategy Simulation workshop is happening in Hanoi, Vietnam on 17 August with our wonderful partner TAOStartup. If you're in Hanoi, come and play with us!

Find out more: https://redboxstudio.com/workshop-bigtimer-2026-hanoi/

One thing we've noticed after more than 20+ years of building websites and helping businesses market themselves online:

The tools change. The technology changes. But trust remains constant.

Years ago, businesses worried about getting found on Google.

Today, we're talking about AI search, ChatGPT, Gemini and other tools that help people find answers without even visiting a search engine.

A recent article discussing a Google patent suggests that AI systems may increasingly evaluate businesses based on the overall picture they present online—not just keywords on a webpage, but also their expertise, reputation, mentions, reviews, and other signals of credibility.

To us, this simply reinforces what we've believed at Redbox Studio all these years:

People do business with businesses they trust.

And trust isn't built overnight.

It's built when you consistently show up.

It's built when you share your expertise.

It's built when others speak positively about your work.

It's built when your website, content and online presence tell a coherent story about who you are and what you do.

Especially during uncertain times, trust becomes even more important.

The businesses that continue to educate, serve and build credibility are often the ones that remain visible, relevant, and resilient.

The technology may evolve. Trust remains timeless.

If you're interested in where AI search may be heading, this is an interesting read:
https://searchengineland.com/google-llm-patent-seo-teaching-ai-480625

What do you think? Will AI make trust even more important for businesses in the years ahead?

Google's LLM patent suggests a new goal for SEO: Teaching AI who you are Google's patent suggests AI may build entity profiles from websites, reviews, and public information. Here's what that could mean for SEO.

Unlock Your Revenue Potential with Big Timer

Redbox Studio is happy to support this year's National Training Week 2026 with a complimentary 3-hour workshop based on our Big Timer game on 22 July, Wednesday at Penang Digital Library from 2pm to 5pm.

If you're a business owner, trainer, consultant or coach, join us for this immersive session that shows you how you can unlock more revenue in your business while making new friends!

For the first 24 fast action takers. Link in comment.

See you next week!

Do you have friends in Hanoi? If you do, share this in-person event with them!

We're taking our Big Timer workshop to Hanoi where 60 entrepreneurs and founders will experience the game with our master trainer, Nic Sim.

This is a high-impact, 2.5-hour intensive workshop designed to fundamentally shift how you view your business and how to uncover revenue in your business.

This one-day only workshop is in collaboration with TAOStartup, Hanoi.

Register for the complimentary seats before 10 August. Link in comment.

We recently attended the China–Malaysia Technology Exchange Forum at TechDome Komtar, featuring researchers from Harbin Institute of Technology—one of China’s leading universities (ranked #9 in China and #143 globally in 2025, and widely recognised for its strength in engineering sciences).

The session offered a timely look into advances in AI, robotics, materials science, and space technologies.

One highlight was learning how university-linked startups are now launching satellites into space at remarkable speed and cost efficiency—developed and iterated rapidly by former students of the institute. It reflects how space technology is increasingly moving beyond large state-led programmes into more agile innovation ecosystems.

Another perspective came from researcher Chen Bin, who described AI in a grounded way: as systems designed to continuously reduce the gap between inaccurate and accurate outputs—iterating toward higher probability correctness. A simple framing, but one that helps clarify how modern AI systems evolve and improve.

Robotics also featured strongly, particularly unmanned autonomous vehicles designed for environments that are unsafe or inaccessible to humans—such as confined infrastructure spaces, hazardous industrial zones, and underwater environments. When combined with satellite technologies, the potential applications become significantly broader.

What stood out overall was the level of integration across disciplines—AI, robotics, materials, and space systems increasingly developed as part of a connected ecosystem rather than isolated fields.

An interesting contrast within the same institution was the presence of a School of Marxism alongside cutting-edge engineering and technological research—highlighting how academic ecosystems often span both technological advancement and ideological study.

AI, robotics, and automation are no longer future considerations. They are already being developed and deployed at scale, reshaping industries and redefining operational possibilities.

For businesses, the question is no longer if these technologies will matter—but how quickly we adapt and integrate them into our thinking and operations.

Big Timer is going to Hanoi!

We will be in Hanoi to run our Big Timer workshops for the Vietnam startup community as part of their 10 years anniversary this August.

Thank you to TAOStartup for the invitation. They are excited to feature and introduce our entrepreneurship game to the Vietnamese startups and founders community.

We will be conducting two sessions of our workshops on 17 August.

If you have friends in Hanoi, let them know that they can participate in our workshop. Registration details will be coming up soon but hurry as we only have 60 spots on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Viet Nam Startup Community Day 2026 Celebrating 10 Years of Building Viet Nam's Startup Community. Aug 18–23, 2026 · PTIT, Hanoi.

If you're interested in clarifying your positioning, check out the article that I wrote on LinkedIn today where I demonstrated a quick method that you can use right away.

What Your Favourite Brand Says About You If I asked you to describe your business, you might hesitate. It’s not because you don’t know it but because it’s surprisingly hard to see yourself clearly when you’re inside the picture.