Singapore, Aug. 23 -- When Mr Raay Lim started selling durians in May 2020 during the Covid-19 circuit breaker, he expected the long hours and physical toil, but not the non-stop yapping that would come to define his job now.

Growing up, communication was never his strong suit. He had a habit of stammering and stuttering, so a career as a live streamer was the furthest thing from his mind. He went into the durian business to facilitate conversations, not lead them.

"I started out because my grandma loved durians a lot. Every durian season, we'd lay out the newspaper, sit and eat together. It's something I'll always remember. So, I hope that by starting my business, I'll be able to replicate these family moments for other people," says t...