What’s Shaping Work: Connection and context – why one size doesn’t fit all
In this What’s Shaping Work article, Jacqui Barratt, Founder and CEO of Salt APAC, reflects on why understanding local context is essential to building stronger organisations, partnerships, and communities across APAC. Together with a guest perspective from Singapore-based entrepreneur and technology founder Nick Erskine-Shaw, Jacqui explores why meaningful collaboration begins by recognising that one size rarely fits all.
In What’s Shaping Work, Jacqui Barratt, Founder and CEO of Salt APAC, shares practical observations on the people, leadership, and workforce challenges shaping organisations across APAC. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience navigating the evolution of recruitment and the world of work, and conversations with business leaders, HR professionals, hiring managers, and candidates, Jacqui offers frameworks, insights, and practical questions designed to help organisations make better people decisions. Every article reflects real experiences, real conversations, and the belief that while technology can support better decisions, human judgment remains essential.
One of the highlights from my recent weeks working with our team in Kuala Lumpur has been experiencing the excitement of the 47th ASEAN Summit and feeling the power of what people and countries can achieve when they work together. Echoing a recent observation from Singapore-based entrepreneur and technology business founder Nick Erskine-Shaw – who shares his perspective later in this article – while every ASEAN member has its own agenda and is fiercely proud of its individual contributions, all members are ultimately trying to work and trade together effectively to build a stronger region.
Experiencing each of our APAC markets is one of the favourite parts of my role. On my travels, I often hear Asia referred to as an analogous region, the same way we may refer to Europe, but (arguably more so than our Northern Hemisphere counterparts), each country across Asia-Pacific is so distinct, unique, and brilliant in its own right. Yet, we all collectively understand that outcomes multiply when we work with our neighbours to achieve them.
Working better together
It’s in this vein that I bring up John Donne’s 1624 poem, No Man Is an Island. Donne was trying to convey that we are all interconnected – “every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main” – and I think this has never been more important than in our world today. None of us can operate in isolation; we all have a role to play, not just for our own benefit, but for the benefit of the communities we’re part of.
Human connection is what unites us – as people, partners, and professionals. It’s also what drives us at Salt; we Create Futures through meaningful collaboration. As the world of work evolves, so do we – expanding how we support our clients, candidates, and communities. Across our APAC footprint, we’re working with industry, government, and education partners to strengthen regional talent mobility and help build future-ready workforces that can thrive in a changing economy. Because when we work together to elevate people and performance, we all move forward.
Community perspective
Jacqui’s reflections on connection and collaboration across APAC closely align with the experiences of leaders building businesses throughout the region. In this guest perspective, Nick Erskine-Shaw, Co-Founder of 90 Seconds and Human Layer Lab, shares the lessons he’s learned from launching into multiple APAC markets and explains why a local-first approach is essential for long-term success.
Asia is not a country by Nick Erskine-Shaw
I’ve spent the last decade building and scaling a global business – launching 90 Seconds into 10 markets, including five across the Asia-Pacific region – and from Singapore to Tokyo and Hong Kong to Sydney, every launch was a reminder of one simple truth: Asia is not a country.
Too many companies still talk about “expanding into Asia” like it’s one market, but it’s not. Depending on the regional definition you subscribe to, Asia-Pacific comprises upwards of 36 countries, each with its own culture, regulations, customer behaviour, and rhythm. The opportunity is enormous, but so too is the risk. Enter too fast or too broadly, and you’ll burn time, talent, and capital.
The key is precision: choosing the right market fit, localising deeply, and expanding outward from a strong beachhead market. At 90 Seconds, when we stopped trying to roll out a global playbook and started building a local-first approach, everything clicked into place: real relationships, real traction, and real revenue.
Five factors to get right when launching or expanding into Asia
- Start with fit: Choose your first market strategically – Asia rewards precision, not presence.
- Localise relentlessly: Go beyond translation – relevance beats reach every time.
- Build local, move fast: Hire people who know the terrain – learn from the market, not from HQ.
- Partnerships over pitch decks: Relationships drive everything – trust can open doors money can’t.
- Stay in the fight: Market entry is never smooth – brands that endure in Asia refuse to tap out.
Asia isn’t a single market to “expand into” – it’s a region of opportunities you must earn one country, partnership, and customer at a time.
For more insights from Nick Erskine-Shaw, connect with him on LinkedIn.
