Goodbye and thank you, Honestbee

“Journalism is printing what someone else does not want published; everything else is public relations.” – Anonymous

We first heard the buzz about a potential Honestbee scoop around a year ago. Our chief correspondent Terence – who was still editor-in-chief back then – told me that we have insider information about Honestbee’s financials and inner workings.

The newsroom was ready to dig deep and investigate. But truth be told, I was worried that while we were putting the story together, any misstep – whether valid or not – could cause us trouble. The society we live in favors the rich and powerful, after all.

We pursued it anyway because that’s the core duty of journalists. We engaged lawyers and other professionals to advise us on what we can or cannot print. We probed and unearthed as much info as we could, and we believe that we’ve been fair. Actually, you can be the judge of that – catch all of our Honestbee stories here.

Our latest piece is an exclusive interview with Brian Koo, a scion of the family that controls South Korean electronics giant LG. As a key investor in Honestbee, he was able to give a unique perspective and in-depth insights into what it was like working with ex-CEO Joel Sng.

Joel Sng’s name card for “Sun Group Capital”

Sng’s rise and fall is a cautionary tale for founders, a clear illustration of what can happen when you take the mantra of “fake it until you make it” way too far.

And while we believe doing a good job is its own reward, we always appreciate kind feedback from the community. Tech in Asia will remain fearless and vigilant so that we can continue to deliver high-quality journalism to this part of the world.

Thank you for the lessons, Honestbee. But I think it’s also important to note that the troubled company isn’t representative of Southeast Asia’s tech community. The majority of the people in this industry have a good heart.

Stay tuned as we have a series of noteworthy stories lined up. Please consider supporting us by subscribing.

Stay safe and optimistic. 💪

Cheers,
Willis