Despite struggling within education, Daniel Charles has found ways to optimise businesses and investments.
What’s your story?
I grew up in a middle-income family, struggled through Singapore’s school system, and barely made it through. At 16, I cold-emailed the world’s top Italian kart manufacturer and became their Asian distributor, no connections, no money, just courage. That led to 10 years in motorsports, then a decade working as a global “fixer” for a New Zealand billionaire, turning around distressed investments across Dubai, the Bahamas, and the US, including aerospace work with NASA. I came home to Singapore to build Sum Capital Partners, acquiring and transforming 30 SMEs into world-class businesses by 2030.
What excites you most about your industry?
The untapped potential in Singapore’s SME sector. Most of these businesses have real demand and strong fundamentals, but they lack the systems, talent pipelines, and infrastructure to scale beyond their founders. We’re at a point where smarter capital, disciplined operations, and regional expansion can transform ordinary SMEs into extraordinary ones. Being the operator-investor that bridges that gap is what drives me every day.
What drives you in your career to push beyond what other people consider normal?
I’ve never measured my life against other people’s timelines. I failed my O-Levels with my cohort, got held back a year, and realised the “failure” wasn’t fatal, it was freeing. Once you stop fearing the downside, you start unlocking the upside. That mindset has driven every pivot, every acquisition, every bold move. I’m not chasing normal. I’m chasing meaningful.
What have been the most useful skills you have learnt and applied in your journey?
The ability to communicate your idea in a clear and succinct way that allows the other person to buy into your vision and support you in your journey. You need employees, suppliers, and customers to buy into what you’re doing to gain momentum.
What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?
No one starts out anything as an expert. Everyone starts somewhere. So you don’t need to disqualify yourself just because you are not there yet. You will get there.
Who inspires you?
Lee Kuan Yew. A person who inspires not only me but everyone who calls themself a Singaporean. A man who is filled with passion, integrity and a sense of purpose to build the future he envisions. I want to continue upon that spirit to build for the next generation that will come after me.
What have you learnt recently that blew you away?
How fast AI is reshaping the skills economy. By 2035, routine execution will largely be automated, but the ability to think clearly, reason under uncertainty, and communicate persuasively will become more valuable, not less. That’s exactly why we built Catalyst School to give young people the cognitive tools the AI age will demand, before most schools have even recognised the problem.
If you had your time again, what would you do differently?
I would have wanted to put myself out there and try to make more connections and networks. I felt from an early age that my youth was a disadvantage and that many people would not want to talk to me because I was inexperienced, but now looking back, I realised it was my strength. I needed to showcase the hustling side of a youth and gain people who wanted to help me in my process.
How do you unwind?
Playing tennis. I picked up this sport a couple of months ago. And it is incredibly technical, and I love how difficult it is to pick up. But it’s been my main source of unwinding after a long day.
What is a major mindset change, belief shift or ‘ah ha’ moment that you’ve experienced in relation to your career?
The moment I stopped thinking of my career as a linear path and started treating it as a series of experiments. Each acquisition, each pivot, each bold move is not a permanent decision, but a data point. Once I internalised that, the fear of being “wrong” disappeared. That shift from “destination thinking” to “iteration thinking” is the single biggest reason I’ve been able to operate across such different industries.
Everyone in business should read this book:
The Manager’s Handbook: by David Dodson (Author)
I wish I had learned the techniques and tools of how to manage a business earlier. This book was written by one of my mentors/investors. I would have saved so much time had I known the things taught in this book. Super practical and to the point.
Shameless plug for your business or career:
Sum Capital Partners is a Singapore-based operator-investor acquiring and transforming SMEs into scalable, world-class businesses. Many SMEs have strong foundations but lack the systems, leadership, and infrastructure to scale. We bring operational expertise, disciplined execution, and long-term capital to unlock that potential. With a portfolio spanning F&B, home services, education, marketing, and advisory, and a goal of 30 companies by 2030, we build with heart and operate with discipline. If you’re a founder looking for a long-term operator partner, we’d love to connect.
How can people connect with you?
People can connect with me on LinkedIn or Instagram, where I share insights on building and scaling businesses. If you’re a founder, operator, or someone passionate about growth, feel free to reach out. You can also learn more about what we do at Sum Capital Partners through our website.
Social Media Links?
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielcharlessg/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/builtwithdaniel/
Website: https://www.sumcapitalpartners.com/
This interview is part of the CallumConnects series.