SMU alumni Benson Tan and Tabatha Maitland co-founded Global Causeways (GC), a consultancy that helps firms make more informed decisions about charity. GC now turns a decent profit and its founders are getting paid - which was not the case for its first two years. As fresh social science graduates from SMU in 2009, when the economy was battered by the global financial crisis, the opportunity costs of starting a business seemed fairly low. But it was still a weighty decision. The entire venture was funded by their own savings. They had decided against applying for grants as many of those available came with strings attached, such as a seat on the company's board and a say in its affairs. "We knew we had to find our feet and required more flexibility," said Mr Tan. "Also we had a lot of free advice from the SMU faculty and a very supportive environment. The only thing that was missing was the money. And I've never believed that's a reason not to do something," says Ms Maitland.