By Aster Cheng
It all started with a holiday trip to Melbourne’s Great Ocean Road, recalled Jeff Yeo (BBA 2004), co-founder of Big Tiny, a firm that specialises in building and managing small eco-friendly houses. “My co-founder Adrian Chia was on vacation, enjoying the tranquility of a rural setting away from Singapore’s bustling city life,” Jeff reminisced. Little did they know that the escape would plant the seed for a unique and sustainable venture that would change the landscape of holiday accommodations.
Returning to Singapore, Adrian, Dave, and Jeff saw an opportunity to integrate the concept of tiny houses with eco-tourism, providing a sustainable and minimalist option for city dwellers looking to escape. Big Tiny was born, becoming the first company in Singapore to introduce the tiny house movement and redefine the holiday accommodation experience.
The trio embarked on an entrepreneurial journey; invested S$100,000 and started designing and building tiny houses. To their delight, they broke even in their first year of operation. Today, Big Tiny boasts an impressive portfolio of nearly 200 tiny houses spread across Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Taiwan, and Malaysia.
Sustainability at its best
Big Tiny’s holiday accommodation brand, Tiny Away, offers travellers a chance to disconnect from the hustle and bustle of city life and immerse themselves in nature. What is truly unique about Big Tiny is their commitment to sustainability. Jeff and his team understand the importance of minimising environmental impact without compromising on the quality of accommodation. Each tiny house is constructed with sustainable materials like reconstituted wood and recycled plastics. It is also energy-efficient, featuring waterless compost toilets, rainwater collection tanks and solar panels for electricity.
Reflecting on his time at NUS Business School, Jeff shares, “The practical approach to learning like project work with real brands and exposure to the entire spectrum of business operations have really shaped my perspective and my entrepreneurial journey”.
For aspiring entrepreneurs, Jeff offers this advice: dare to dream big. While entrepreneurship may present challenges, embracing and overcoming them with hard work, persistence, and resilience is key to success.
Looking to the future, Jeff envisions Big Tiny becoming a leading sustainable travel provider, inspiring others to adopt similar practices within the industry.
