20 years of experience is not the only thing that helped CEO and co-founder Darren Goh achieve his success. It was trusting his gut instincts and knowing when to ask for help.
After previous success in aiding AirAsia-Expedia grew into a $4.5B business and managing 3 hotels in Singapore, Darren Goh established StayHere in 2022. StayHere is an online short-term apartment rental operator based in Malaysia, simplifying the booking process of renting mid-to-luxury properties.
‘Our mission is to disrupt the accommodation booking industry where unbranded apartment rental supply is fragmented and under-serviced.’ -Darren Goh
StayHere extends their service beyond just renting. They also handle the property’s housekeeping and maintenance, which definitely sets them apart from your traditional property-renting services. In the future, we can expect even further conveniences provided by StayHere; from interior design, daily necessities and travel-related offerings.
The road to success isn’t straightforward, but overcoming predicaments in grace is one of the many things we can learn from Mr. Goh. He held fortitude during the height of the pandemic in rebuilding and stabilizing his team even after his co-founder left. The unprecedented pandemic also resulted to the implementation of travel restrictions. This posed yet another challenge for StayHere - convincing investors in business viability.
And yet, even after all the trials and tribulations, Mr. Goh was able rise above and lead his team to the final top 10 in 1337 Ventures in April 2022. According to Mr. Goh, building a team with world class super achievers and passionate individuals who support his vision is one of the key things that help him overcome these challenges and pivot the business to cushion the impact of the crisis. Being surrounded by a supportive family and team definitely alleviates any impacts of the challenges life brings to us.
‘Learn to manage crises one day at a time, ask for help.’ -Darren Goh
Today, StayHere is now another step closer to their vision in becoming one of the largest full-service mid-to-luxury apartment marketplace in Asia. Mr. Goh taking no short cut to success and never giving up is showing it's most positive results in the success of StayHere.