Breakfast with Ryan Huang, Emaad Akhtar and Audrey Siek

SMEs power Singapore’s economy, but rising costs, intense competition and talent pressures are making survival tougher than ever. With people often the biggest expense line, is HR still being treated as back-office admin instead of a strategic function? We speak with Stephanie Chua, Founder of Vault Personnel, about whether HR has evolved fast enough to meet the realities facing SMEs today, and why getting it wrong can be costly. Presented by Audrey Siek, Ryan Huang & Emaad Akhtar Edited by Sean Cheong Photo credit: Pixabay & its talented community of contributors

Markets are navigating fresh uncertainty after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down former President Trump’s emergency tariff powers, while oil prices swing on U.S.-Iran tensions and AI-fueled tech stocks brace for Nvidia’s earnings. We speak with Vasu Menon, Managing Director, Investment Strategy, OCBC Bank about what this means for investors in Asia, market volatility ahead, and whether the AI trade still has room to run. Produced/Presented: Ryan Huang

You don’t need a long rest to reset,  studies on micro-breaks show that even pauses under five minutes can lift your mood, restore attention and reduce mental fatigue. So, a simple three-minute pause gives your brain just enough space to detach and let its “reset networks” switch on, so you return sharper than before.  This episode explores why these “micro-resets” work and how to fit them naturally into a busy day.

Entrepreneurship is often framed as speed, scale and venture capital. But what if longevity is the real advantage? The Breakfast Show invites Joanna Teo, Managing Director of Attribute Data, to share her journey from bootstrapping a profitable data agency to building a self-funded product startup, and what sustainable entrepreneurship really looks like in Singapore.

Budget 2026 has added nuance to Singapore’s sustainability journey. While the country remains committed to its long-term net-zero ambitions, the tone around carbon pricing appears more measured, reflecting a global environment where climate momentum has become less uniform and economic pressures more pronounced. Beyond the carbon tax, the Government continues to push ahead with solar expansion, regional electricity imports and the exploration of emerging low-carbon energy sources. So how should businesses interpret this mix of pragmatism and ambition? Kum Mun Lock, Vice President of Strategic Client Success at Univers joins the Breakfast Show to unpack what Budget 2026 signals for corporate sustainability strategies and long-term investment decisions. For more Budget 2026 insights: https://www.moneyfm893.sg/whats-on/budget-2026/

U.S. stocks pulled back, leaving the S&P 500 hovering near flat for the year as investors rotated out of financials and kept a close eye on simmering tensions between the United States and Iran. Steve Sosnick, Chief Strategist, Interactive Brokers examines mixed corporate signals from Walmart and Deere & Company, and what they reveal about the consumer and cyclical outlook. With the Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index expected to edge higher, we ask whether inflation is stalling — and if markets are too optimistic on rate cuts. Produced/Presented: Ryan Huang

Interest rates have plateaued, long yields are easing, and capital is slowly returning to property markets. But is 2026 a true recovery year for real estate, or just selective strength? Dan Koh sits down with Vijay Natarajan, Vice President, Real Estate & REITs, Equity Research, RHB Singapore to unpack the rate impact on property valuations, segment divergence across real estate, and the investment case behind co-living operator Coliwoo.

Startups may dominate headlines, but SMEs remain the backbone of Singapore’s economy. So why are so many struggling to scale or survive beyond the founder? On this episode of Mind Your Business, the Breakfast Show speaks with Daniel Charles, Founder & CEO of Sum Capital Partners, about acquiring and modernising traditional businesses, building shared systems across SMEs, and using AI as a strategic advantage.

The New York Times is back in focus after Berkshire Hathaway disclosed a roughly 3% stake in the media company. Shares jumped following the news, adding to a strong 12-month rally driven by digital subscription and advertising growth. Dan Koh and Audrey Siek break down why Warren Buffett’s move matters, how NYT’s business has transformed, and what investors should watch next.

Under Budget 2026, Singapore will raise the qualifying salaries for Employment Pass and S Pass holders from 2027, alongside lifting the local qualifying salary and adjusting selected work permit levies. The changes are phased in, but they form part of a continued calibration of the foreign workforce framework. So, how might firms adjust their workforce mix? And what should businesses be reviewing now as the changes take effect from 2027? Jod Gill, Partner, Deloitte SG Tax Services, joins the Breakfast Show to unpack what the Budget 2026 measures mean for employers on the ground. For more Budget 2026 insights: https://www.moneyfm893.sg/whats-on/budget-2026/