Stop Procrastinating, Start Building!
From side hustle to shelf space, building a business while working full-time
GUEST SPEAKERS: Douglas Aitken & Pete Sabine
Join us for an exclusive live conversation with two of the founders from Neon Tiger, Doug and Pete, who built a thriving beverage brand without quitting their day jobs. Their story is packed with bold ideas, strategic decisions, and lessons learned along the way.
From creating innovative, low-sugar fruit sodas inspired by authentic Asian flavours to securing retail giants like City Super, Park n Shop, Pacific Coffee and DKSH as a distributor, Doug and Pete will share how they navigated sourcing, production, and scaling beyond borders. They’ll reveal their approaches to managing partnerships, handling setbacks, preparing for international expansion into the US, and co-founding as friends and family.
Whether you’re dreaming of launching your own product, scaling your startup, or balancing entrepreneurship with a full-time career, their insights and lived experiences will motivate and guide you to turn your ideas into reality.
Event Details
- Thursday 4th December 2025
- From 6:30pm to 9:00pm
- Banyan Workspace, Quarry Bay
WHAT WE WILL BE COVERING
Turning an idea into a tangible product and establishing a compelling brand with authenticity and purpose
Strategies for sourcing, production, and building a resilient supply chain for growth
Navigating friendships and family ties while fostering a sustainable business
Successful approaches to scoring major accounts like City Super, Park n Shop and Pacific Coffee
Lessons on expanding from Hong Kong to international markets, starting with the US
Managing the entrepreneurial roller coaster alongside your day job
The Launch
Turning an idea into a tangible product and establishing a compelling brand with authenticity and purpose
Scaling Smart
Strategies for sourcing, production, and building a resilient supply chain for growth
Partnership Management
Retail Success
Successful approaches to scoring major accounts like City Super, Park n Shop and Pacific Coffee
International Expansion
Lessons on expanding from Hong Kong to international markets, starting with the US
Work-Life Balance
AGENDA
18:30 – 18:50 | Registration
18:50 – 20:15 | Conversation between Douglas Aitken, Pete Sabine and host Rasheed Shroff, plus audience Q&A
20:15 – 21:00 | Networking Drinks
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Douglas Aitken
Hong Kong native, father of three, trail runner, and surfer. Frustrated by the lack of healthy, tasty energy sodas, Doug co-founded Neon Tiger with his wife Jessica and childhood friend Pete. With a background in launching and selling tech startups, Doug’s passion for entrepreneurship runs deep. Today, while working in the packaging industry, he’s driven by a relentless startup spirit and a desire to create better-for-you beverages.
Pete Sabine
A Hong Kong-born journalist, DJ, events organiser, and entrepreneur. Pete founded Cantomania, an international Cantonese disco night, and holds a WSET Diploma in Wine and a Master of Journalism from The University of Hong Kong. Inspired by the rise of sophisticated non-alcoholic drinks and Asian flavours, Pete co-founded Neon Tiger to bring vibrant, health-conscious sodas to the market. His diverse background fuels his passion for innovation and storytelling.
SOLD OUT
Unfortunately this event is currently sold out. If you would like to be informed about our next event, subscribe to our news letter and don’t miss the next episode.
REGISTRATION
General Admission | HK$100
Drinks and snacks will be served and are included in the ticket fee.
You will be redirected to a secure payment page to enter your contact details and select the number of tickets.
We accept cancellations if notified via email at least 48 hours prior to the event start time, but refunds will exclude the non-recoverable transaction fee of 3.5% of the ticket price plus HK$2.5, and depending on the event, there may be an option to transfer the ticket to another event.
