Lavender Foot Reflexology

Lavender Foot Reflexology is located in Petanak, Kuching. Opens from 11am till 10.30pm daily.

Phone: (082) 248848

Address: 26, 1st Floor, Block C, Wisma Nation Horizon, Jalan Petanak, Phase 2, 93100 Kuching, Sarawak

Location map click (here)

Nearby hotels: Limetree, Longhouse, Grand Margherita, Riverside Majestic, Hilton

Borneo Reflexology

Borneo Reflexology, featuring masseuses from Thailand, China, Philippines, Indonesia

Available in 3 locations:

Petanak: (082) 233333
Nearby hotels: Limetree, Longhouse, Grand Margherita, Riverside Majestic, Hilton
location map: click here

Ang Cheng Ho: (082) 245488
Nearby hotels: Hotel 360, Kingwood Inn, Kuching Park
location map: click here

101 Branch: (082) 457476

Nearby hotels: Four Points

location map: click here

Famous Honey Sea Coconut Drink

Many people frequent the Song Kheng Hai food centre for the ABC, belachan bee hun, char kueh, fried kueh tiaw, etc. which I think are just average tasting. The only thing I found which stands out from the crowd is the honey sea coconut drink which is very refreshing on a hot day. The drink comes with a slice of lemon which adds to the taste and chewy bits of sea coconut. Make sure you check it out from stall number 24. You can also try the sugarcane mixed with coconut drink. Also a meat filled kompia (a.k.a. Foochow burger) from stall number 7 goes really well as an afternoon tea snack.

For location map, click here

Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill (Part 4)

This is Part 4 of my book summary of Napoleon Hill's influential success classic, Think and Grow Rich.

Hill was able to personally meet the most powerful and successful people of the 20th century for over 25 years. Through his work, he was able to formulate a philosophy of achievement based on real stories of real people who had used those techniques to create their successes. In a nutshell, his book teaches how we can put ourselves into the same state of mind as those who have created great wealth.

Practice 7: Reach Decisions Promptly

One thing that the wealthy people interviewed by the author had in common was every one of them had the habit of reaching decisions promptly, and changing these decisions slowly, if, and when they were changed. There are many people surrounding us that will try to influence our decisions with their own opinions but in the end, we are in control of what we ultimately choose. To acquire the habit of making prompt decisions, keep your eyes and ears wide open while keeping your mouth shut.

“Tell the world what you intend to do, but first show it”

Practice 8: Have Persistence

The basis of persistence is the power of will. Persistence is knowing that failures are just temporary obstacles to success. Many people believe that material success is the result of favourable “breaks.” If that successful person was not persistent in achieving his goals, that opportunity or lucky “break” would not have presented itself. Persistence is habit that can be cultivated with the following 4 steps:

1. Have a definite purpose backed by a burning desire to achieve that goal
2. Have a definite plan to achieve that goal, expressed I continuous action
3. Do not be influenced by negative and discouraging influences and opinions of your surroundings
4. Surround yourself with people who will encourage you to follow through with your plan and purpose

Let's put this "lucky break" in context of a singing contest audition. If you were a judge and you had to make a 50/50 decision on whether or not one candidate can make it to the next round or not, you take more than his talent in consideration. How he behaves and acts will project an impression to you and influence your decision. As the gatekeeper for the contestant, you will want him to show the confidence that if you let him through to the next round, he is going to do better and not disappoint you. This example is to illustrate that the simple act of believing you are lucky will increase the chances of you receiving lucky opportunities, partly because others will hope some of your luck will rub off them. This is the biggest secret lucky people know to create their own luck.

Continued from Part 3

To be continued... Part 5

Thienjing Reflexology

One of the biggest reflexology massage centres in Kuching, Thienjing Reflexology is located at the unofficial "massage centre capital", Chonglin Park.

Phone: (082) 240881

Address: P-9-G-4B, Plot 9, Chonglin Park, Jalan Tabuan, 93200 Kuching, Sarawak.

location map: click here

Provides shuttle services to Kuching International Airport.

Famous Kuching Vinegar Noodles

There are not many eateries in Kuching that you need to wait for a table; but at Next Coffee Shop on Carpenter Street, there is an average waiting time of 10 minutes. Being one of the longest running noodle coffee shop in Kuching, Next Coffee Shop is located along Kuching's colonial shophouses and is famous for their vinegar mee with "spare parts" (pig internal organs) soup.
Vinegar mee is not to be confused with Kuching's signature kolomee because it has its distinct sour taste compared to the salty/sweet taste of kolomee, even though the noodles have a similar texture. The "spare parts" soup is a mixture of pig internal organs, fishball and pork meat. The noodles can come with meat but customers usually order plain noodles to go with the meat in the soup. The fragrant sour taste of the noodles is what makes people coming in droves to this establishment. Taking 1 hour to find a car park, wait for a table, and having your noodles served is a common occurrence during the weekends.
If having good customer service is key to a great business, this coffee shop definitely breaks all the rules because not only is the food famous, so is the notoriously rude order-taker. Impatient customers are usually given a good scolding from him but that doesn't stop customers from coming. Customers just need to abide by an unwritten protocol:

"only speak when you are spoken to"

Here is a step by step guide to having a pleasant experience at Next Coffee Shop:

• Order your drink when you are asked
• sit and wait for the order-taker to come
• place your order, but do not second guess whether or not he got your order right (BECAUSE HE HEARD YOU THE FIRST TIME),
• wait some more for the chopsticks and spoon to arrive, an indication that your order is being processed, but do not ask if they have forgotten your order (BECAUSE THEY DO NOT FORGET)
• your noodles will arrive shortly.

Important note: Don't try to be over-friendly or a Smart Alec with the order-taker! (see picture below), or you will be verbally dealt with accordingly

Next Coffee Shop open in the morning and closes after lunch. Do not expect to have a quick meal whenever you come because of the waiting time involved. For location map, click here

Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill (Part 3)

This is Part 3 of my book summary of Napoleon Hill's influential success classic, Think and Grow Rich.
Hill was able to personally meet the most powerful and successful people of the 20th century for over 25 years. Through his work, he was able to formulate a philosophy of achievement based on real stories of real people who had used those techniques to create their successes. In a nutshell, his book teaches how we can put ourselves into the same state of mind as those who have created great wealth.

Practice 5: Unleash your Imagination
Imagination is like a muscle; it grows stronger with regular exercise and weakens through inaction. It is a creative workshop that is limited by Man himself. There are 2 types of imagination; synthetic and creative imagination. Synthetic imagination is the rearrangement of old concepts, ideas or plans into new combinations, which I would summarise as evolutionary ideas. Creative imagination is the creation of new concepts, ideas and plans, which I would summarise as revolutionary ideas. Both types of imagination can create wealth, but great leaders of business and arts are people who have developed their faculty of creative imagination. Revolutionary ideas are the products of creative imagination which only functions when the conscious mind is stimulated, or vibrating at an exceedingly rapid rate. The commentary section of the book then goes on to give practical examples of imagination with the likes of Coca-Cola, KFC, McDonalds, Starbucks, 3M, Wal-Mart, and many more.

Practice 6: Practise Organised Planning
Planning is the transition between ideas from the imagination into tangible products or services. Align yourself with people who can review and contribute to various aspects to your plans and if your first plan fails, try another till you succeed. Being one of the longest chapters in the book, I feel that this chapter in a way sways from it's main topic into discussing topics such as:

• The 11 Major Attributes of Leadership
• The 10 Major Causes of Failure in Leadership
• How to Write a Resume
• The QQS rating of Service
• The 31 Major Causes of Failure

In summary, this chapter emphasizes that in order to get something, you must clearly plan how to get it.

Continued from Part 2

To be continued... Part 4

Business Concept 7: The Culture of Excellence

I just attended a 1-day corporate training workshop and here are some lessons that I thought were worth documenting down while still fresh in my mind.

• Creating a culture / environment of high performance / excellence is about teamwork. It begins with 1, but also keep in mind that each and every 1 has a part to play no matter how insignificant 1 might think
• A corporate motto can drive the message throughout the company, but each and everyone has to believe in the message and driven from top-down. Dwelling on this, I came up with the motto "Helping People"
• We all have untapped potential we choose not to maximise. Look at handicapped people: The blind have a heightened senses of smell, touch and hearing. Those who cannot make use of their legs make up for them in their arms to the point that they are stronger than able-bodied people. Complacency and taking things for granted are roadblocks to most people
• The kung fu masters of the old days would teach their disciples 9 out of the 10 steps they knew for fear that their disciples will outperform them in the future. They needed the 1 step to maintain the advantage, but what happens when their disciples take on new disciples? They teach 8 of the 9 steps they know for the same reason and this creates a culture of dwindling ability. Creating a culture of excellence is teaching the disciples all 10 steps so it forces you to learn and create the 11th step
• Continuous improvement is an action, whereby when repeated, can turn into a habit that becomes second nature.

Thanks to Nicholas Choo for creating an interesting learning experience.

Best ABC in Kuching

Air Batu Campur, also known in short as ABC, is a familiar dessert in Malaysia and Singapore. Different people call it different names. ABC is also known as Chendol or Ang Tau Chan Lut. Shaved ice, mixed with read bean, assorted gelatinous foods such as chan lut, sien chau, and jelly, with swirls of sweetener such condensed milk and coconut milk makes it a refreshing dessert during a hot day. Additions such as corn and tropical fruits are also available in its "special" version.

The best ABC in Kuching is located at a humble stall along the Waterfront. What makes it special is the traditional (manual) way he shaves the ice, unlike the motorised machines used everywhere else. Besides the method, his fresh springy chan lut, soft red bean, special blend of coconut milk and caramel sugar makes it different to any I have ever tasted.

Even the setting is unique in its own way. Sitting on the long wooden stools kinda makes you feel like going in back in time and watching cars drive by gives you a carefree feeling. I would put this little best kept secret as a worthwhile tourist attraction. You can even chill out at the VIP lounge with cushion seats in his van :)

The vendor starts selling late in the morning, around 11am till late evening, around 5pm. At night, another group sets up a burger stall there. The best ABC in Kuching can be found here: (click for location map)

Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill (Part 2)

This is Part 2 of my book summary of Napoleon Hill's influential success classic, Think and Grow Rich.
Hill was able to personally meet the most powerful and successful people of the 20th century for over 25 years. Through his work, he was able to formulate a philosophy of achievement based on real stories of real people who had used those techniques to create their successes. In a nutshell, his book teaches how we can put ourselves into the same state of mind as those who have created great wealth.

Practice 3: Hypnotise Yourself with Auto-suggestion
The basic principle underlying auto-suggestion is closely related to hypnosis. Auto-suggestion is "tricking" your subconscious mind into believing something because you genuinely believe it. Once achieved, your subconscious mind will unleash powers your conscious mind (what you know), do not realise. To do this, you have to have a goal i.e. how much you intend to make, followed by how you plan to achieve this. Repeat this in your mind, including what you are willing to give in return for your goals. You can also surround yourself with books, pictures, mottoes and other suggestive devices that symbolise and reinforce achievement and self-reliance. Remember that you are the master of your own fate, and not a victim of your surroundings and background.

Practice 4: Acquire Specialised Knowledge
Knowledge is power, but is of little financial value unless it is organised and intelligently directed through practical plans of action, to the purpose of accumulation of money. If you plan to be an employee, it means acquiring the knowledge to carry out the tasks required of the employer. In business, it it means acquiring the knowledge to expand and improve your business. General knowledge is limitless and easily accessible through libraries and the internet, but most people lack the ambition to acquire the knowledge they can commercialise. You do not have to be the most knowledgeable person on the planet to make money, just specialised knowledge you can commercialise and opportunity with, with notable examples such as Bill Gates and Henry Ford.
Yes, rich men are lucky because:
LUCK = Labour Using Correct Knowledge

Continued from Part 1
To be Continued... Part 3

Business Concept 6: Target Market

In every business, you have to know who your customers are. If you don't, you have to make a profile of the customers you want, so you can customise your products and services to suit their needs. The clearer you are about your target market, the better you can cater for them. Take for example the tale of 2 coffee shops located side by side at a highway rest stop pictured below:

You can see that the coffee shop on the left has at least 5 tour vans parked outside and the coffee shop on the right is empty. Why is this so? Here's my interpretation of their business plans:

Lee Chong Cafe (left)

Target Customers: high volume, high revenue customers = tourists

Where to find them: Tour agencies, so need to visit their offices in town to make arrangement for them to send their tourists to dine here.

Decision maker's concerns: Quality of food, cleanliness, tour guides taking tourists elsewhere and making money on the sidelines

How to address their concerns: Create a set lunch comprising of local dishes complete with dessert (which equals to more sales revenue), use table cloth so tables can be cleaned quickly, create cashless payment vouchers and signed by coffee shop owner.

Jia Shing Cafe (Right)

Target Customers: nearby residents, anybody who stops by

Where to find them: Don't need to, just wait for them

Decision maker's concerns: cheap food

How to address their concerns: Create a cheap menu using the cheapest ingredients

Lee Chong Cafe is operating at a higher profit margin and higher volume compared to Jia Shing Cafe even though they are in the same type of business located next to each other. Thinking and planning that little bit extra can make such a big difference to your business.

Best Kueh Chap in Kuching

Kueh chap is another signature dish of Kuching, but less popular than the kolomee and laksa. One reason it is less mainstream is because of the ingredients used i.e. pig internal organs such as stomach, liver, ear, tongue, and intestines, which might not be everyone's cup of tea. Kueh chap is unique because of the large pieces of flat noodles cooked in a thick stewed soup. Other ingredients include hard boiled eggs and boiled chicken feet. You can customise what you put in you kueh chap and if you are not adventurous like I am, you can just tell the seller you don't want any "spare parts", which refer to internal organs, like the one pictured below:

Sometimes it's hard to find kueh chap when you want it and even harder to find a really really good one. My pick is the kueh chap stall at Poh Kwong Park. It's just a small stall located in a vacant open-spaced car park lot. One of Kuching's best kept secret, is hard to find because it is hidden behind the shoplots in Poh Kwong Park, a residential area. For location map, click here.

The stall doesn't have a name, so I refer to it as Poh Kwong Park (PKP) kueh chap. It is a very humble stall with a humble owner (pictured above). What makes this kueh chap better than any others out there is his kick-ass belachan chilli. I always pour the first serving of belachan chilli into my soup and ask for another for the meats. The belachan chilli is really in its own class: strong in taste, not overly spicy, and a perfect addition to the stewed soup. This gives the kueh chap in PKP a very unique taste.

(Mind you, kueh chap already has a very uniquely Sarawakian taste).

Opens after 6pm, PKP kueh chap serves dinner and supper till around 9pm. He rests on Saturday and it might be a bit tricky eating there when it rains.

Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill (Part 1)

This is Part 1 of my book summary of Napoleon Hill's influential success classic, Think and Grow Rich.

Hill was able to personally meet the most powerful and successful people of the 20th century for over 25 years. Through his work, he was able to formulate a philosophy of achievement based on real stories of real people who had used those techniques to create their successes. In a nutshell, his book teaches how we can put ourselves into the same state of mind as those who have created great wealth.

Practice 1: Create a Burning Desire

Every person who wins in any undertaking must be willing to burn his ships and cut all sources of retreat. The example given was a great warrior burning his ships after landing in enemy territory where they were outnumbered, so failure was not an option for their men. Desiring riches with the correct state of mind that becomes an obsession , then planning definite ways and means to acquire riches, and backing those plans with persistence that doesn't recognise failure, will bring riches.

Wanting to be rich and having a burning desire to be rich are 2 different things. To bring yourself into the correct state of mind, you have to be able to see, feel and believe that you have already achieved that goal. This is the same psychological exercise that forms the basis of hypnosis and auto-suggestion

Practice 2: Maintain Unshakable Faith

Faith is a state of mind which can be created by conscious repeated instructions to the subconscious mind. Faith, or belief, is a thought that you can control i.e. you are able to control what thoughts to put in your mind. This is a very important concept because what you put in your own mind, will affect your subconscious mind, which will affect the decisions you make, which will affect the actions that you take, which will affect the results that you get. Having a strong self belief and clearly defining what you plan to achieve will plant the seeds of faith that will influence your conscious attitudes and actions.

This concept was also discussed in my earlier article, The Mindset.

To be Continued... Part 2

What I Learnt from a Self-Made Multi-Millionaire

I got the honour of spending 4 days with a self-made multi-millionaire from Taiwan. With over 95 countries under his distribution network, it is no surprise that he is one of the smartest businessmen I've ever met. What makes him stand out from the crowd is his knowledge in marketing. He is also a voluntary invited speaker to MBA courses in Taiwan universities. The following are some business concepts that I learnt from him during my brief encounter with him:

1) Find the right customers

There are some hotels that charge $100 a night and others that charge $1,000 a night. There is no point arguing which rate is reasonable because the value is determined by the guest. Guests that stay at the $100 hotel value a no-frills hotel, whereas guests at the $1,000 hotel value comfort, service, security, class, hygiene, etc. Instead of spending time, money and energy into converting one type of guest into another (sales skills involved), it is more efficient to use those resources into finding more guests of that same type (marketing skills involved).

Commentary: I wrote an article earlier explaining sales vs. marketing. As an analogy to the paragraph above, sales is like trying to convert a person from one religion to another, whereas marketing is finding a location where the people are free-thinkers and trying to convert them. Directing your resources into marketing, followed up by sales, will make your business more efficient.

2) Have a strategy - and maintain it

You have to acknowledge that you cannot satisfy everyone. If 80% of your current customers share the same characteristics, you must be aware that your current business strategy is catering to their needs. There will be criticisms coming from the remaining 20% and you will be tempted to change your strategy for them but bear in mind how it will affect the 80% majority. If you will lose customers from your majority to cater for the minority, then it is not worth doing. Keep doing what you are doing right.

3) Capturing the city

When asked why he picked Chile in South America as the first country when expanding overseas, he replied,

"The biggest market is the USA, but as in the art of war, you do not attack a main city head on because it is the most heavily fortified. To capture the main city, you first take on the weaker surrounding villages. After you have captured the surrounding villages, it is easier to take on the main city."

4) Show concern to your customers

Showing that you care for your customers will add value to your product, especially important for a product that is competing in the premium range. This is why his company's motto is "Care about your products, and show concern to your customers". The company encourages their distributors to find a low cost way to show customers you care even though there is no transaction, using the example of an optometrist cleaning your glasses for no charge even though you do not buy from them.

5) Have a strong competitive advantage

Being the only brand from Asia of his category in one of America's largest distributor is not an easy feat to achieve. These are his competitive advantages to stay ahead of the game:

• One stop shop - His brand has the biggest range of products so his customers do not need to look for other brands to find what they are looking for (example of doing thing better)
• Ahead of the game and continuous improvement - His products are always the trendsetter and continuously improved in quality because the company invests heavily into research and development (example of doing things faster and better)
• Great quality products at a reasonable price - Because of continuous improvement and strategically located, his products are cheaper (not cheapest) than comparative products in the same quality (example of doing things cheaper)
• Unrivalled marketing knowledge - With 30 years of experience and a wide global distribution channel, the company can provide advice and recommendations to new distributors on how to increase their sales volume (example of doing things better and faster)

6) Get a "lost leader"

This is a marketing concept which supermarkets use a lot. They advertise one product at 30% off to draw you to their shop with the idea that a shopper will end up buying more than just that 1 product on sale. When trying to widen his distribution network, the businessman made it a point to sell at least ONE product when the distributor has no interest in any of his products. Even having only 1 product on his shelf has a chance, however small it may be, for a re-order. If you leave empty handed, you get ZERO chance for future business. That 1 product on his shelf may open doors that might otherwise be impossible.

Best Tomato Mee in Kuching

The tomato mee is another signature dish of Kuching and Sarawak because it almost exclusively available only in Sarawak. I like to call it the local version of spaghetti bolognaise. The outstanding features of this dish is the fried crispy noodles and the tomato sauce gravy that is used to pour over the noodles. Newly opened in 2009, Cafe De Margherita serves the best tomato mee I've tasted so far. What makes it the best is the thick tomato sauce gravy. Many noodle sellers skimp on the tomato puree used to cook the sauce so it ends up tasting quite bland, but not the one at Cafe De Margherita though. You can literally see the chef taking a big scoop of tomato puree and cook it over such a fierce fire, that you would think they would go through a barrel of cooking gas every night. With that said, it is worth paying the above-market price of rm 5.The chef and staff never fail to greet me with a smile every time I dine there. Good food, friendly staff and a clean place to dine for dinner and supper. Cafe de Margherita is located on Green Hill Road, just opposite the more established Ah Ka Su Seafood Restaurant. For the location map, click here.

Check it out and leave a comment after you've tried it.

Sunflower Foot Reflexology

Sunflower Foot Reflexology features traditional Chinese style points massage and Thai style massage. Opens daily from 10am till 10pm.

Phone: 016 8931940

Address: 14, E-15, Ground Floor, Block E, Wisma Nation Horizon, Jalan Petanak, 93100 Kuching

Nearby hotels: Limetree, Longhouse, Grand Margherita, Riverside Majestic, Hilton

The 4 Levels of Wealth

Adam Khoo is one of the smartest Singaporean business authors I've ever come across. His book titled, Secrets of Self-Made Millionaires, is a very easy read and summarises many business and money concepts taught by other great authors such as Robert Kiyosaki. In chapter 5 of his book, he writes on the 4 levels of financial wealth (summarised with my own words), in ascending order:

Level 1: Financial Stability
- without having to work, you have enough money that can sustain your most basic lifestyle for at least 6 months

Level 2: Financial Security
- without having to work, you have "money making machines" that can sustain your most basic lifestyle indefinitely

Level 3: Financial Freedom
- without having to work, you have "money making machines" that can sustain your current lifestyle indefinitely

Level 4: Financial Abundance
- without having to work, you have "money making machines" that can sustain your desired lifestyle indefinitely

Famous Kuching Sio Bee

Just like my favourite har gau tim sum, the famous Kuching sio bee is a localised version of the standard "international" dumpling (or siu mai in Cantonese). The taste and texture is totally different, so it is a must-try if you're from out of town. The sio bee goes really well with the sweet chilli sauce, which is not very spicy. You order by the number of sio bees you want and each cost rm 0.60 at the time of writing. Compared to what you get in West Malaysia, the size of the sio bee is pretty good value for your money. The soya bean drink they serve is also very refreshing, especially during a hot day.
This sio bee establishment, Sin Kwang Heng, is of legendary status amongst the locals. It is located in the centre of town, referred to as "open-air market". It's a recommended place to go for a light afternoon tea or supper. As with the har gau place recommended in an earlier article, the selection of tim sum is pretty limited here as well. That's not really a problem because almost everyone who patronises this place is there for the sio bee.

Open-Air market location map (click here)

Things to to in Kuching during RWMF (Part 4)

Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) is fast approaching, so here's recommended activity #4 to do in Kuching:

Visit the Beach

Kuching isn't famous for its beaches because you do not find white sand with blue waters here. Most people would recommend Damai Beach resort because it's the more commercialised one, but if you have the time to spare, you're better off going to nicer ones which are further out of town:

Pandan Beach (pictured below) is roughly 2 hours drive from Kuching and is a lot more beautiful than Sematan or Damai Beach because there are more coconut trees and the beach is clean. There is a canteen selling coconut juice and other refreshments which is great if you're spending the afternoon there.

Sematan Beach (pictured below) is approximately 30 mins drive from Pandan Beach. You'll find a pier which locals use to fish. Ideal to have a sunset dinner by the few coffee shop style restaurants there.

I would recommend to head to Pandan Beach first arriving at around 3pm, then head to Sematan Beach at around 5pm for a sunset dinner.

Sematan Beach location map (click here)
Pandan Beach location map (click here)

Business Review 3: Massage Centres

What's the difference between a massage centre and a foodcourt? At first I didn't think there were any similarities until I was enlightened by how massage centres operate from a friend...

My friend told me that massage centre bosses usually get their employees from referrals from their current employees. He would help to arrange the travel documentation and provide them accommodation. I used to think that accommodation and food would be included in their employment agreement, but according to my friend, it isn't. Accommodation rental is charged to the masseurs, together with other services like food catering and transportation. This is where I think is the brilliant aspect of this business.

The massage centre bosses have 2 income streams:

1. paying customers who come for a massage
2. their own staff who pay - royalty for each massage transaction, rental for accommodation, charges for transportation, food, travel documents, etc

So even when a massage centre has zero customers, income derived from his own staff can offset some of the fixed charges he has to pay. The massage centre boss is basically creating an environment for the employees to work and make money, while charging "rental" as an income stream. Once again, the concept of helping others make money applies here.

If you put this in the context of a typical foodcourt, the masseurs are renting the place like renting a stall which requires them to pay a rental to the foodcourt owner. The foodcourt owner sells drinks and the volume of drinks he can sell is dependent on the quantity of customers who patronise the foodcourt. The quantity of customers is dependent on the pulling power of the stalls collectively. This foodcourt drinks business is like the royalty the boss earns from every massage service carried out by the masseurs. The boss has to ensure the quality of massage remains at a high standard to pull in crowds because this will not only increase the amount of money he receives from the royalties ("drinks" business), but also the chargable services ("rental" business) he earns from the masseurs. When masseurs can make money, they will recommend friends or family members to come work for the boss, which increases the income derived from his "rental" business. 1 action can grow 2 streams of income. You can consider it unethical or inhumane the way some of the bosses run their businesses, but as an income-generating business model, it is simply brilliant...