What does it take to lead an organisation through uncertainty? And what kind of journey shapes someone into the leader they are today?
Who is Tines Anbarasan?
Tines Anbarasan is the current Chairperson of A Good Space Co-operative (AGS), and a dynamic social entrepreneur dedicated to building people-first organizations that foster genuine connection and community impact. Guided by the philosophy “If there is good to be done, we do”, he is the co-founder of serendipET, an impactful social enterprise that designs transformative outdoor adventures, school camps, and corporate experiential learning programmes. Expanding his footprint in community-building, Tines also co-founded The Bridge by ET at Katong Shopping Centre—a dedicated space designed to bring people together. A master facilitator with backgrounds in leadership training, communications and animal training, Tines specializes in creating spaces where individuals can seamlessly collaborate and thrive.
Building Purpose Through Action
As we neared the end of our internship, we had the opportunity to sit down over coffee with Tines Anbarasan. Curious about what inspired him to start his social enterprise, SerendipET, we asked him how his journey first began.
For Tines, the answer was simple: he wanted to create something that could make a meaningful difference in society. Rather than relying on external funding, he wanted the freedom to decide how that impact would be created. That belief led him to build SerendipET as a business that reinvests its profits into the charities it supports, allowing the organisation to sustain itself while continuing to give back. It quickly became apparent that making a positive impact is the principle that guides the decisions he makes, and it has never been just a career aspiration for him.
The Responsibility to Give Back
At the heart of Tines’ philosophy is a deep sense of responsibility towards society. Throughout our conversation, he repeatedly returned to the idea that if we have the capacity to serve others, we should make the effort to do so.
To him, integrity means more than simply holding certain values. It means living them out consistently through our actions. Those who are fortunate enough to have the ability to give also have a responsibility to contribute where they can. Rather than expecting others to step forward, he believes in leading by example and hopes that his own actions will inspire others to do the same.
Facing Adversity
As the conversation unfolded, he emphasized the importance of being resilient through difficult times. When A Good Space was first established, Singapore was entering one of its most challenging periods as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted businesses and organisations across the country. Like many others, A Good Space struggled to sustain its operations during those uncertain years, and building the organisation also came with its own set of challenges.
Despite the obstacles stacked against A Good Space, the team persevered. Rather than allowing these setbacks to define the organisation, they became opportunities to strengthen its foundations. Looking back, Tines shared that resilience is one of the most important qualities anyone can develop if they hope to build something meaningful.
Elaine (one of the authors of this article), who hopes to become an entrepreneur in the future, shared that this was the lesson that resonated with her most. It reminded her that meaningful work is rarely built without setbacks, and that perseverance often matters just as much as having a good idea.
Tines’ Vision
Having reflected on his journey, he went on to outline his vision for the years ahead. Within the next two years, he hopes to hand over the leadership of A Good Space before leaving Singapore to volunteer with animals full-time. It was a heartfelt reminder that success is not always measured by titles or professional accomplishments, but by whether our lives remain aligned with the purpose that first inspired us.
Final Reflections
Before concluding our conversation, he left us one final piece of advice that has stayed with me ever since: life is short. As youths, we have the privilege that our parents did not have. We are no longer confined to following a script built for a labour market that no longer exists in this modern age. His conviction was clear when he said the words: “loyalty is overrated” – his outlook challenged the notion that loyalty to a company is fundamental for career progression. He firmly believed in constantly being active in seeking work opportunities that support our growth, he encouraged us to step outside our comfort zones in search of experiences that foster continuous growth. If a company isn’t supporting your growth, leave and seek for better opportunities.
He challenged us to rethink about our negative preconceived connotations surrounding failure – having navigated numerous challenges, he is guided by the belief that if chances of failure are high, the more determined he is to pursue it because there are only 2 outcomes of taking risky measures which are – failing and the outcome already being expected by others or the alternative, you succeed and learn something new. Facing challenges is only part of growing and you’ll be surprised with what you’re truly capable of only when overcoming adversities. Failures are lessons you can learn from – not proof of your self-worth.
Looking back on our conversation, we realised that Tines’ story is not simply about entrepreneurship or leadership. It is about choosing purpose over comfort, resilience over certainty, and growth over fear. Those lessons are ones we hope to carry with us long after our internship comes to an end.
To connect with Tines, you can find him on linkedin. You can also find out more about serendipET on instagram @serendipet and on their website.
This is part of a series called People Behind Purpose, where we sit down with changemakers in A Good Space to discover more about their work, build deeper connections, and gain fresh perspectives on creating social impact.
Through these conversations, we hope to share our experiences, reflections, and key takeaways so that others can be inspired by the journeys and insights of those driving change in our community.
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Written by Elaine Sim Xuan Ying – [Digital Marketing Intern] and Ye Weixuan – [Programmes and Community Engagement Intern]
