You were running the successful Mitai Maori Village in New Zealand and the equally successful SnoozeCube facility at Dubai International Airport. What prompted you to move into the business of sleep?
I was looking to diversify my business interests and expand beyond tourism, not wanting to put all my eggs in one basket. One day, a friend, Larry Swann, approached me with the idea for a “snooze cubeâ€, a place for travellers to rest and recharge. I thought it was a brilliant idea and backed him with the money to fund that operation and it continues now as SnoozeCube in Dubai.
Tourism and sleep seem worlds apart in the business world. How different are they?
The biggest difference is in the traffic. My tourism business in New Zealand was dependent on an industry that has peak and off-peak seasons, while in the airports, there is a constant stream of travellers, making for a steady flow of business. Though the two businesses may seem different, they have the same goal of making people happy. Both depend on hospitality. In tourism, you aim to keep the tourists happy so that they will come back for more and tell all their friends to join in. It is no different in my sleeping facility business. I want the guests to feel happy and recharged for their travels. Hopefully, they will return to us and tell everyone how great our service was.
What made you decide to set up the sleeping facility in KLIA after Dubai?
I looked at many airports but they had places quite similar to this already and getting the airport authorities to say yes is no easy feat. There are a lot of procedures and red tape to go through before I can set up my facility. When you get the green light, you take up the opportunity and see how it goes. Despite being ranked as the 20th-busiest airport by total passenger traffic, KLIA only has one hotel to cater for such a large volume of passengers. I saw the gap in the market and swooped in. Besides, I adore Malaysia for its culture, food and people. To be quite honest, I am thoroughly enjoying durian, especially the Musang King.
What inspired you in the concept and design of Snooze KL?
The whole concept is: rest and fly. I wanted to create a comfortable space where people could get some sleep during a transit. I have been caught in a pickle myself during my travels. One time in Brisbane, my flight arrived early in the morning and the next one was not for another few hours. Some of the other passengers decided to leave and find a hotel, but I felt that the hotel was too far and it would be time to come back when I got there. I was left sitting on my seat with my leg on one bag and my arms around another. It does not matter which airport you are at, you feel very vulnerable sleeping like that. This is where Snooze KL steps in, offering a secure place to rest in comfort so that you’ll be refreshed to get up and go again.
Basic sleeping facilities are becoming quite the norm in major airports around the world. What sets Snooze KL apart?
I believe SnoozeCube was the pioneer. We were the first one out of the box, really, and others started following pretty quickly. It was a rush to the market and I believe competition is healthy. Everyone offers the same basic services, such as WiFi, charging facilities and luggage storage space. Snooze KL is special in that it has heart. Travellers become manuhiri, honoured family guests, when they step into Snooze KL as per Maori tradition. The concept of whanau dictates us to provide manuhiri with nothing but the best as they have become part of our tribe. When they are with us, we take care of them as best as we can and send them off, hopefully, refreshed and happy with their stay.
What are some of the challenges you’ve faced in setting up and running Snooze KL?
Time was a major obstacle in getting Snooze KL started and it still is. Things tend to happen slowly in the airport due to all the red tape and time is money. I am also concerned in getting Snooze KL’s name out there. It is such a new initiative and I am focusing on marketing now for travellers to get familiar with our name and services. It is also a huge investment in terms of time away from the family and other things I am doing in my life. I also find it hard working from a distance, having to shuttle back and forth between New Zealand and Malaysia.
The volatile global economy is making headlines on a daily basis, what with the weakening Malaysian Ringgit and fall of China’s stock market. Are you concerned about how this would affect your business here?
Well, I believe that we have to remain optimistic in the face of adversity and I still think this place is a lot busier than New Zealand. At the end of the day, we have to be vigilant. The economy will always go up and down, but you cannot let that scare you from getting things done. I think there will be a bright future although the economy does not say that (now). Then again, the economy is usually down for a certain amount of time and then it goes up again. Who’s to know in the future how things will pan out.
Can you share with us how you manage to keep well rested despite having a hectic schedule?
Sleep is like eating, everybody needs it. I actually don’t need much sleep but when I do, I sleep hard and loud. You need sleep to restore your health and, to me, health is very important. I have a kapa haka group that’s all about health, well being and vitality. We use it as part of our health and retaining our culture, and I want Snooze KL to embody that.
The Maori tradition and culture seems to play a big role in your life. How does that translate into your business sense?
The health and warrior aspects of the kapa haka guide me in being motivated to move forward in my business. The haka is all about motivation where ha means ‘breath’ and ka means ‘fire’, so it’s ‘breath on fire’. When you are doing the haka to your enemy in the old times, you are telling them, “You don’t mess with me. You come here to fight, I’m ready.†I find it natural to bring that into my business. I am also here to make more kumara. Kumara is sweet potato, which was one of the main sources of food for the Maori people. I don’t look at making a lot of money; I see it as making a lot of food. Whoever’s working in my business is part of my family, my tribe, and so I am feeding them. Therefore, the more kumara I can make, the more people I can feed.
As a jet-setter who travels all around the world, what are your top travelling tips?
To be well rested, one has to be centred and calm. It is all about mind over matter. Meditation is part of my regime where I go to a quiet place and enjoy the scenery or environment. I also believe in living in gratitude for all that I am given and am grateful for the opportunities I have to travel and grow my business. Once you have a positive outlook, it is easy to get rested. I also prioritise fitness because the fitter I am, the better I feel. I do boxing and Maori martial arts weaponry. When I am travelling, though, I prefer to do boxing because I can do it anywhere. It does not require heavy equipment or a large space. I also bring with me my nice big pillow to hug when I sleep and it’s like my teddy bear. Even a warrior needs his big teddy bear.
What is your outlook for the future of your business?
I think Snooze KL is a great addition to the airport, complementing the existing hotel here. There are plenty of exciting new projects coming to KLIA that will make this airport busier and Snooze KL is here to offer a service that is highly needed for passengers. As the airport develops, so will Snooze KL. I want to grow the Snooze brand and I am looking to build up Snooze KL so that it grows around the world. This is a start and it is good as leverage for our ventures in other places. I have been surveying several Asia-Pacific locations but I’ve got my eye on Australia at the moment because it’s closer to home. Snooze Brisbane could be a reality in the very near future. There are also other business ventures my wife and I may take on as I am keen on expanding my portfolio. All in all, I am very excited to see what the future will hold.
