Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Small businesses have been hit hard during the pandemic, which resulted in setbacks and shutdowns. With this, Astro, the satellite television provider in Malaysia, has launched a new campaign called ‘Time to Evolve’, which aims to help SMEs identify their weaknesses and turn their operations around and get back up from the recent downturn. 

‘Time to Evolve’ campaign, which has the tagline ‘Watch, Learn and Evolve’,is part of its efforts in supporting the affected enterprises. It features programs with expert guests from various industries who will share professional insights.

The new campaign includes Astro’s AEC signature ‘Business Talk’, which is returning for the 4th season. This latest installment of the series will see its host Gan Jiang Han and his new partner, renowned financial and current affairs DJ Xiao Ma, hosting together with a new lineup of experts from various industries, helping the SMEs to discover new business opportunities.

The talk show, which will premiere on 16 August 2021 at 9:30 pm MYT on Astro AEC (HD CH306) and Astro GO, will be tackling different challenging business topics, from navigating economic uncertainty to seizing opportunities amid adversity. It will also be providing all-around solutions to SMEs, allowing the viewers to submit questions related to the topic of the show via QR code scan. The experts will then answer the relevant questions via Facebook Live on Hotspot FB page the day after the show’s premiere.

Furthermore, the campaign includes a series of exciting business programs and activities for SMEs, including ‘Astro Equipped to Evolve Webinar’, a virtual seminar by experts in various aspects to support SMEs and furnish them with the right tools, techniques, and knowledge in adapting to the uncertain economic climate. Under the ecosystem, there will also be free online courses catering to different business sectors.

Siah Ping Wong, Astro’s vice president for Chinese customer business, said that with the pandemic going on for more than a year and the nation undergoing a prolonged lockdown, transformation is inevitable especially for the SMEs. 

“We hope to be able to help these enterprises in observing, learning, and evolving from the crisis in order to revive their businesses,” said Wong.

The campaign is also launching Astro’s brand new series ‘Small Business Big Ideas’, which provides microentrepreneurs with more knowledge, from the fundamental skills and information such as how to register for their businesses to the allocation of shares and more. And lastly, viewers can expect to see the return of ‘SME Great Helper 2.0’, a reality show showcasing mentors who are ready to give advice and help SMEs turn their businesses around.

Astro said that they have always been committed to assisting SMEs with their previous initiatives, and they were able to equip business owners with free advertising packages to gain optimal exposure for business growth.