- What inspired you to start Third i, and what gap in the SME marketing landscape were you aiming to solve?
During our casual cricket sessions in Singapore, Anand and I kept having the same conversation – brands were struggling with marketing decisions because they lacked clear, actionable insights. Having worked at Google and Meta for over a decade, we witnessed a stark reality: while giants like Nike had entire marketing science teams, millions of SMBs were left struggling with data. The insights were striking – while small businesses represent Meta’s largest revenue segment, most are left without proper support that only goes to top-tier accounts. We saw a huge opportunity to level the playing field by democratizing marketing data science for SMBs.
- How does Third i help SMEs cut through the “vanity metrics” of clicks and impressions to focus on what actually drives growth?
Most current solutions only solve the analytics part of the equation, but few provide readable, actionable insights. We’ve moved beyond the era of endless analytics into the age of intelligent action, where AI transforms data into decisions. Our platform creates an intelligence layer between analytics and business outcomes, incorporating our expertise coded into a system that converts raw data into actionable solutions. Instead of chasing clicks and views, we help businesses understand what truly leads to their goals like sales, customer loyalty, and brand growth.
- Many SMEs in Singapore pour money into digital ads but still struggle to see results. Why do you think that disconnect persists?
This is exactly the problem we’re solving. While 84% of companies in Singapore use digital marketing, only 17% can directly link their marketing strategies to increased revenue – significantly lower than Asia’s regional average of 41%. The challenge is that many companies still rely on traditional methods or surface-level metrics. They have access to data, but struggle to translate it into strategies that deliver real, measurable results. Without the skills to sift through data, businesses find themselves drowning in information that makes little sense to them.
- Can you share a story of an SME client that transformed their business after adopting Third i’s platform?
A Singapore-based D2C brand partnered with Third i to optimize and scale its marketing efforts, leading to a 2.5x increase in sales while reducing wasted ad spend. By making sense of their data, we helped them reach the right audience with the right message at the right time. We’ve consistently helped our customers discover new audiences, create personalized creatives, and provide instant, actionable recommendations that improved RoAS, CAC, and sales.
- How do you see AI reshaping SME marketing in Asia, and what opportunities does it open up for smaller businesses competing with bigger players?
AI is a force multiplier, not a replacement. The most successful marketing strategies emerge when AI handles complex data analysis, freeing humans to focus on creative problem-solving and strategic decision-making. AI spots patterns, humans spot opportunities. AI provides recommendations, humans provide context. We’re creating the perfect symphony of AI and human intelligence – that’s why we are building Third i as a co-pilot, not an autopilot. This democratizes access to marketing data science that was once exclusive to large corporations.
- What do you think most people still misunderstand about “data-driven marketing”?
The biggest misconception is that it’s about having more data. It’s not – it’s about better clarity. Many businesses get stuck chasing vanity metrics, missing the deeper insights that reveal why customers act the way they do. Data-driven marketing isn’t about numbers for the sake of numbers – it’s about making smarter, more effective decisions that align with consumer needs. The era of traditional analytics is over; we’re entering an age where AI-powered business intelligence reshapes how companies make decisions
- Third i has shown success with D2C brands, apps, and new product launches. Which sectors do you think stand to benefit the most from clarity in marketing right now?
Any sector where businesses are spending on paid media and need actionable insights to deliver better returns benefits from our platform. We’ve particularly seen success with businesses that want to gain insights from siloed marketing data and need an end-to-end funnel view of their campaigns to optimize media spend across channels. The key is that our solution is designed for small business owners struggling to make sense of marketing data and medium-sized enterprises looking to optimize campaigns.
- As founders and operators yourselves, how does empathy shape the way you built Third i’s platform and client relationships?
Our early challenges taught us invaluable lessons. We spent months in the trenches, working directly with clients to truly understand their pain points. We spent the first six months working closely with clients everyday to build deep empathy with our customer’s problems. These experiences forced us to deeply understand their struggles with fragmented marketing data and create a product that actually solves real problems. This empathy continues to be our golden ticket to building something truly valuable.
- In a crowded digital landscape, how do you define the difference between ‘substance’ and ‘noise’ in marketing, and how does Third i help SMEs find that substance?
Substance is about actionable insights that drive real business outcomes, while noise is the glitz and glamour of the outcome without actually achieving it. We bridge the gap between complex data and implementable strategies. Our technology stack includes our inhouse predictive AI and ML models for analytics, plus generative AI using large language models to translate our expertise into understandable language for end users. We help businesses focus on what truly moves the needle – understanding consumer behavior rather than just tracking surface-level metrics
- What’s one unpopular opinion you hold about the marketing industry that you wish more SME leaders would hear?
The era of endless analytics and complicated dashboards are dead. Most companies focus on implementing AI tools, but few are addressing the fundamental challenge – how to evolve their business models alongside this technology. The real opportunity lies in reimagining business processes, not just automating them. The future isn’t about choosing between AI or human expertise – it’s about creating the perfect symphony of both. Stop chasing the latest trends and start leveraging data to gain deep understanding of consumer needs and behaviors.
