Senang has quietly become one of Malaysia's most interesting insurtech stories. The company hit EBITDA profitability in 2024. Gross Written Premium reached RM44.9 million. They've expanded to the Philippines. And they've gone from a micro-insurance startup to something far more ambitious: a unified embedded finance platform that now covers protection, savings, and alternative credit.

But Senang has also gotten strange, in the best possible way. They've launched a pet insurance product that identifies your dog by its nose print; no microchip required. And a traffic delay insurance that pays out automatically when you're stuck on the PLUS highway, without you ever filing a claim.

CEO & Founder Sharian Raj returns to Open For Business to explain what 'embedded finance' actually means in 2026 and why he thinks Senang is building the financial supermarket for the 140 million Southeast Asians who have been underserved by traditional finance their entire lives.

Senang has quietly become one of Malaysia's most interesting insurtech stories. The company hit EBITDA profitability in 2024. Gross Written Premium reached RM44.9 million. They've expanded to the Philippines. And they've gone from a micro-insurance startup to something far more ambitious: a unified embedded finance platform that now covers protection, savings, and alternative credit.But Senang has also gotten strange, in the best possible way. They've launched a pet insurance product that identifies your dog by its nose print; no microchip required. And a traffic delay insurance that pays out automatically when you're stuck on the PLUS highway, without you ever filing a claim.CEO &amp; Founder Sharian Raj returns to Open For Business to explain what 'embedded finance' actually means in 2026 and why he thinks Senang is building the financial supermarket for the 140 million Southeast Asians who have been underserved by traditional finance their entire lives.

The flagship entrepreneurship show on BFM, featuring personal business stories from early stage start-ups, all the way to billionaire octogenarians in Malaysia and abroad. Notable guests include Martin Cooper (father of the mobile phone), Julian Assange (founder of WikiLeaks), Ralph Henry Baer (father of video games), Tony Buzan (Mindmap Guru), Isaac Tigrett (Hard Rock Cafe founder), Robert Kiyosaki (Financial Guru), Nick Vujicic (motivational speaker) and more. Tap into this valuable resource of shared experiences for the SME industry, which also touches on news, issues and trends affecting the business community and beyond.

Open For Business

Discover fresh concepts, tackle obstacles, and unleash growth - Open For Business is the dynamic show where BFM engages with entrepreneurs, business leaders, and industry trailblazers, igniting inspiration, sparking success, and exploring new business models.

Senang: From Micro-Insurance to Financial Supermarket

For independent hotels and boutique operators across Southeast Asia, managing guest communication can be a logistical nightmare. Understaffed front desks are overwhelmed by fragmented messages across WhatsApp, Agoda, Airbnb, and direct emails. When communication breaks down, response times drop, guest satisfaction plummets, and critical opportunities to drive additional revenue are completely lost.



Enter Janus Digital. Lee Wei Chee, Director of Janus Digital, is building an AI-native, omnichannel guest engagement platform tailored specifically for the regional hospitality market. Rather than treating customer service as a costly operational headache, Janus centralizes all guest communications and uses artificial intelligence to automate workflows, answer FAQs, and push timely upsells—turning everyday chats into a high-intent sales channel.



Wei Chee joins us to discuss how AI chat automation is evolving from a luxury into a mandatory operational tool for small hotels, the exact return on investment for a RM399 monthly software subscription, and how AI-driven analytics can uncover hidden service gaps to unlock new revenue streams.

For independent hotels and boutique operators across Southeast Asia, managing guest communication can be a logistical nightmare. Understaffed front desks are overwhelmed by fragmented messages across WhatsApp, Agoda, Airbnb, and direct emails. When communication breaks down, response times drop, guest satisfaction plummets, and critical opportunities to drive additional revenue are completely lost.Enter Janus Digital. Lee Wei Chee, Director of Janus Digital, is building an AI-native, omnichannel guest engagement platform tailored specifically for the regional hospitality market. Rather than treating customer service as a costly operational headache, Janus centralizes all guest communications and uses artificial intelligence to automate workflows, answer FAQs, and push timely upsells—turning everyday chats into a high-intent sales channel.Wei Chee joins us to discuss how AI chat automation is evolving from a luxury into a mandatory operational tool for small hotels, the exact return on investment for a RM399 monthly software subscription, and how AI-driven analytics can uncover hidden service gaps to unlock new revenue streams.

Automating the Front Desk for Visit Malaysia 2026

Debbie Soh started her career as a home tutor before pivoting to an online model during the pandemic. By leveraging free, short-form math content on social media, she built a massive organic funnel that has propelled her bootstrapped company, Debbie Soh Education, into the seven-figure revenue range. Today, she’s expanding her revenue streams into e-commerce, publishing, and branded content.



Debbie joins us to talk about the unfiltered reality of scaling an education business. We discuss the profit margins of digital tuition, the challenge of building a team that can keep up with a founder-led brand, and the hidden burnout that comes with trying to balance purpose with profitability.

Debbie Soh started her career as a home tutor before pivoting to an online model during the pandemic. By leveraging free, short-form math content on social media, she built a massive organic funnel that has propelled her bootstrapped company, Debbie Soh Education, into the seven-figure revenue range. Today, she’s expanding her revenue streams into e-commerce, publishing, and branded content.Debbie joins us to talk about the unfiltered reality of scaling an education business. We discuss the profit margins of digital tuition, the challenge of building a team that can keep up with a founder-led brand, and the hidden burnout that comes with trying to balance purpose with profitability.

How a TikTok Math Tutor Built a Seven Figure Business

Adrian Goh has been in the pet care game since 2004, eventually launching Wet Nose in 2011 to create a completely bootstrapped, neighbourhood pet hub. 



Currently generating up to RM800,000 in annual revenue, the business relies on localised word-of-mouth customer acquisition and specialised pet care knowledge to retain its client base against the heavy discounts of online competitors.



Adrian joins us to discuss the financial realities of running a service-based retail shop. We explore the unit economics of pet grooming versus product sales, the occupational hazards and liability of handling aggressive pets, and the strategic pivot toward opening a daycare facility to stabilise post-pandemic cash flow.



Image Credit: Wet Nose Pet Shop

Adrian Goh has been in the pet care game since 2004, eventually launching Wet Nose in 2011 to create a completely bootstrapped, neighbourhood pet hub.&nbsp;Currently generating up to RM800,000 in annual revenue, the business relies on localised word-of-mouth customer acquisition and specialised pet care knowledge to retain its client base against the heavy discounts of online competitors.Adrian joins us to discuss the financial realities of running a service-based retail shop. We explore the unit economics of pet grooming versus product sales, the occupational hazards and liability of handling aggressive pets, and the strategic pivot toward opening a daycare facility to stabilise post-pandemic cash flow.Image Credit: Wet Nose Pet Shop

Senang: From Micro-Insurance to Financial Supermarket

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