From ASB MBA to Founder: How Thomas Maddison Kickstarted Candour Labs

Thomas Maddison came to the Asia School of Business (ASB) MBA after a stint in Australia's mining sector. He wanted to widen his network, experience a new culture and open doors outside his industry. Since graduating in 2025, he has done something bolder: he became a founder.

Through Candour Labs, Thomas is in the early stages of building a solution that helps MBA graduates strengthen their leadership capabilities and be better prepared to secure the jobs they want.

The MBA as an entrepreneurial toolkit

"The MBA has definitely helped me in my entrepreneurship journey," says Thomas. "One of the main ways being that my customers are MBA students, so it's massively helpful to have just come out of a cohort."

Getting to know potential buyers and CEOs during the programme taught him how they think and work, an advantage when shaping ideas. Skills like financial modelling also carry straight into the next stage: "Once I get to the more advanced stages, I already have the experience."

Soft skills that founders need

Thomas credits ASB's Career Development Office (CDO) for more than CVs and interview prep. Coaching, mentoring and workshops helped him sharpen the skills that matter most when you pitch, sell and lead.

"The soft skills are really important — how to prove it, how to show it, how to story tell," he explains. "I can't thank the CDO enough for the energy they put into the students, introducing us to their networks, and just being willing to take a bet on us."

Thomas's advice for future founders

• Know your goals early. "I knew what I wanted to do quite early on, which helped me use the resources to get to the next step."
• Iterate, don't rush. "I did one or two steps, then I would come back and reevaluate. It wasn't always linear."
• Seek honest feedback. "Be prepared to actually get tested in the first few months. Ask your classmates, ask faculty, ask CEOs who have observed you, so you know what you really need to work on."

At ASBhive, we love seeing ASB alumni turn their learning into ventures. If you're an ASB graduate with an idea, our programmes are here to help you take the next step.

Learn more

Inspired by Thomas's story? Learn more about the Asia School of Business MBA program — a transformative 12-month journey built in collaboration with MIT Sloan, right here in Kuala Lumpur.

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Credit: This story is adapted from "How MBA career support helped kickstart my entrepreneurship journey" by Molly Baker, published by GMAC on 30 March 2026. Photo courtesy of GMAC.