A Familiar Scene That Made Me Stop and Think

The other day, I was watching a YouTube video — and suddenly, a TV3 advertisement appeared before it started.

TV3. The same TV3 that once was the media industry in Malaysia.
The same brand that used to dictate which politicians were visible, which brands could go big, and how public opinion was shaped.

And yet, here they were — running ads on a third-party platform like YouTube.

That moment made me pause.

If the king of media — once the gatekeeper of influence — now needs to buy attention from someone else’s platform, what does that tell us about the changing game of business and influence?

 

Lesson #1: Business Is a Process, Not a Destination

Many people think success is a peak — a point where you “make it” and can stop climbing.
But the truth? Business is never a straight line.

It’s a process — one of continuous evolution, adaptation, and reinvention.

TV3 didn’t fail overnight.
The market evolved. Attention shifted. Technology changed.
And like every business that ever existed, the moment you stop adapting, the decline begins.

As business owners, we must understand that momentum isn’t permanent.

“Success is never owned; it’s rented — and the rent is due every day.”— Rory Vaden

 

Lesson #2: Influence Is a Process, Not a Position

Influence used to be about who controlled the channel — radio, newspaper, TV.
Today, influence is about who adapts fastest to where people’s attention goes next.

TV3 used to be the channel.
Now, it must use the channel — by advertising on YouTube or may be others.

Influence today is earned daily — through content, consistency, and customer trust.
That’s true for media companies, brands, and even personal brands.

So if you’re a business owner depending only on word-of-mouth or old-school marketing — it’s time to realize:
Influence moves. And you must move with it.

 

Lesson #3: Today’s Glory Doesn’t Guarantee Tomorrow’s Relevance

There’s a dangerous comfort that comes with success.

We see it in big brands, politicians, and even business owners — once you’ve “made it,” it’s tempting to believe your success will last forever.

But technology doesn’t wait.
Customer behavior doesn’t wait.
Competition doesn’t wait.

If you don’t evolve, you’ll eventually end up buying attention from someone who did.

 

The Business Wake-Up Call: Ads Alone Are Not Enough

Here’s the key insight — TV3 didn’t just lose viewership; it lost control of the customer relationship.

Today’s most successful businesses don’t rely only on ads — they build ecosystems.

Yes, ads are powerful — they drive awareness, sales, and traffic.
But if your entire business relies on spending money to stay visible, you’re walking on thin ice.

Because once your ad budget stops, your attention disappears.

That’s why modern businesses are investing in:

• Mobile apps that build direct connections with customers

• Custom applications that automate internal processes

• AI systems that understand customer behavior

• Digital ecosystems that reduce dependency on third-party platforms

When you own your tech, you own your audience.
When you depend entirely on ads, you’re renting it.

 

Building the Future: From Ads to Assets

Let’s be honest — ads work.
Even TV3 knows that.

But the real power is when your ads drive people into your own system — a platform, app, or community that you control.

Think about it this way:

• Ads are like fishing lines.

• Your app or system is the pond you own.

When customers come into your ecosystem, you can nurture them, serve them better, and build loyalty without constantly paying for visibility.

That’s the shift we all need to make:
From buying attention → to building attention.
From renting influence → to owning connection.

 

Real-World Example: How Local Brands Are Evolving

Some of the smartest Malaysian SMEs I’ve seen recently are quietly building internal systems to manage customers better:

• A custom CRM that tracks leads automatically.

• A mobile loyalty app that keeps customers coming back.

• A sales dashboard powered by AI summaries.

These aren’t fancy “tech projects.”
They’re survival tools.

In a world where ads get more expensive and attention gets shorter, efficiency and ownership are the only long-term advantages.

 

The Shift Every Business Owner Should Make

If you’re reading this as a business owner — here’s the challenge:
Don’t just spend on ads.

Build something that lasts.

Start small:

• Automate one part of your process.

• Build an app to serve your customers better.

• Create a dashboard that tells you what’s really happening in your business.

These may seem like technical steps, but they’re actually strategic decisions.

Because in the future — the businesses that win will be those that don’t just buy reach, but own relationships.

Quote to Remember

“The same water that softens a potato hardens an egg — it’s not the environment that defines you, it’s how you adapt to it.”

The same digital landscape that broke old giants has built new ones.

The question is — which side will your business be on?

 

Final Thought: Stay Hungry, Stay Building

When I saw that TV3 ad on YouTube, it didn’t make me laugh — it made me reflect.
Even the biggest brands have to fight for relevance.
Even the loudest voices have to buy attention.

So if you’re still building, still learning, still adapting — you’re already doing the right thing.

Just remember: don’t stop at ads.
Use them to build something deeper — something that scales with you.

Build systems.
Build apps.
Build connection.