The world shut down.
Salaries vanished. Certainty collapsed.
And somewhere in Malaysia, two HR professionals chose to bet everything on belief. Not comfort.
Not safe. Belief.
When Lockdown Hit, They Leveled Up
2020 didn’t just pause the world, it exposed it.
Businesses panicked. The workforce froze. Leaders searched for answers no one had rehearsed for.
That’s when Venice Yee and William Yap made their boldest move yet.
After years deep in Malaysia’s HR ecosystem managing thousands of local and foreign workers, advising manufacturers, sitting on Federal Manufacturer Association (FMM) committees they could’ve stayed put.
Instead, they pivoted.
They stepped out of stable corporate roles and into uncertainty, launching ECI HR Solutions
right as COVID slammed the brakes on everything.
No playbook. No guarantees. Just a vision.
RM2,000 Salary. Full-Scale Belief.
Let’s be real entrepreneurship isn’t the highlight reel people sell on LinkedIn.
During the pandemic’s toughest stretch, Venice paid themselves RM2,000 a month for nearly a year.
That’s it.
While managing:
- A housing loan
- Insurance commitments
- Children’s education
- A brand-new company fighting to survive Most would’ve quit.
They didn’t.
They held operating costs steady. They stayed lean. And they stayed focused on one thing only:
Create real value when people need it most.
No Physical Meetings. No Excuses.
When face-to-face training disappeared overnight, ECI didn’t slow down; they adapted. They mastered virtual delivery before it was cool.
While others froze, ECI went deep into the issues keeping employers awake at night:
- VSS & MSS decisions
- Employment Act changes
- Workforce restructuring
- Crisis leadership
Clients weren’t looking for slides. They needed clarity.
ECI delivered.
Why ECI Isn’t Just Another HR Training Company
Here’s the difference and it’s not subtle.
ECI doesn’t sell templates. They solve problems.
Their foundation is built on three words that actually mean something:
- Empowerment
- Consistency
- Integrity
Before proposing anything, they listen. Really listen.
Production slowing down? Cash flow tight?
Team morale shaky?
Only then do they design solutions custom, practical, human.
Even as ECI moves into AI, analytics, and future-of-work consulting, one belief stays locked in:
Behind every system is a human who needs to grow with it.
Collaboration > Competition
In a market obsessed with undercutting prices, ECI chose a smarter lane. William puts it simply:
“This era isn’t about who’s cheaper. It’s about who complements who.”
ECI collaborates. They partner.
They build ecosystems.
That mindset alone has opened doors money never could.
From Cold Calls to Public-Listed Clients
The early days?
They weren’t glamorous.
They chased SME jobs. They followed up endlessly.
They got rejected again and again.
Some companies said no for three straight years. ECI still showed up.
Today, many of those same companies are long-term partners including public-listed corporations that return year after year for leadership and HR programs.
That’s the real KPI. As William says:
“If clients come back, you’ve done something right.”
The Next Chapter: ESG, Sustainability & Trust
ECI’s future isn’t about flashy projections or aggressive sales targets. It’s about flow.
And trust.
Their five-year vision centers on:
- Sustainability advisory
- ESG strategy
- Long-term workforce resilience
Because businesses don’t just need profit anymore. They need purpose.
And ECI is positioning itself exactly where modern companies are headed.
More Than HR. A Legacy in Motion.
ECI HR Solutions isn’t just a consultancy. It’s proof that:
- Crisis can create clarity
- Sacrifice can build strength
- Integrity still wins
From RM2,000 salaries to boardroom trust, Venice and William didn’t just survive the storm. They built bridges through it.
And in doing so, they didn’t just help companies stay afloat. They helped Malaysia’s workforce move forward.
That’s not just business. That’s legacy.
