Thomas Cazacu 
While more governments are using digital transformation to serve residents better, they need to consider some important factors to smoothen the transition.
I’ve been a part of Toku right from the company’s humble beginnings 4 years ago. I’ve seen the business grow from a lean team of seven (we literally sat at just four tables back then), to what it is today – a leading cloud communications provider in APAC with over 70 employees and counting.
Resilience is key
There was something special about Toku that made me want to join the team, and continues to drive me to do more even today.
It’s the culture of resilience, and our ‘just-do-it’ spirit. We have all heard about the high rates of failure amongst startups. And there are many theories on why so few actually survive and thrive. I’ve worked in Toku’s enterprise sales team, and from all that I’ve observed over the years, I believe a company’s success really boils down to resilience and willingness to bootstrap their way to the top.
Toku has never stopped being resilient.
In my 4 years here, every time we achieved a milestone – no matter how small or big it was – we did not rest on our laurels. Instead, we looked ahead and saw there were so many opportunities for growth. Importantly, we understood that if we cannot hire somebody else to do something for us, we would simply get our hands dirty and ‘just do it’ ourselves.
That mentality has become part of Toku’s DNA with ‘Take Ownership’ being one of our core values. I believe this is also the reason why even though we have grown fast and furiously, Toku continues to be bold in everything we do whilst going the extra mile for our customers.
Our unique position – literally
Want to know something else about Toku that hasn’t changed?
Our very first office was located in a shophouse on Amoy Street in Singapore, which overlooked a Chinese temple. I still remember the distinct gongs and bells, and the constant stream of tourists visiting the temple. Curiously, our new office also overlooks a Chinese temple. So maybe that’s what has made us successful.
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On a more serious note, I’ve seen Toku successfully expand into new territories in APAC, with new product lines. This is no mean feat, considering the APAC market is so fragmented, and it can be challenging to find market fit. Like any startup, every time we took the plunge, it felt like we were in over our heads.
At the end of the day, it was our resilience and attitude of radical ownership that kept us moving forward one foot after another.
I want Toku to be…
Indestructible.
More specifically, I want us to have an indestructible position in one of the Gartner Magic Quadrants, firmly in the top right Leaders corner. I see a bright future for Toku as long as we stay true to our roots and continue to be resilient.
Ambitious, I know.
But to me, it is great challenges like this that drive Toku to be bold and punch above our weight like no other tech company can.
Nora Huin 
Girish Dharmaraj 