Interview with Jenny Liew, Founder of Chicfave Boutique

Jenny Liew

Founder, Chicfave Boutique www.ChicFave.com

This interview turned out to be my dress-me-up day! Among other surprises was an entirely red dress which I tried on and really liked! I had walked into Jenny’s boutique in an old outfit, and emerged with new ideas.

You’ll have to pardon me. I was very surprised to find that a woman can still look as good as Jenny does at age 50, hence I had a number of beauty-related questions I just had to ask!

1) Why have a premium boutique in a HDB heartland like Tampines?

I want to inspire the HDB Taitai to look good. I have become their role model too. When I tell them I am 50 years old, they are really surprised! They then trust me to introduce clothes that fit them.

2) How do you maintain your figure?

I’m not really a food lover and I eat everything in moderation. I choose to eat healthier food and I especially love fruit and greens.

I step onto the weighing scale every morning and if I am heavier on any particular day, I’ll eat something ‘lighter’ at each meal that day.

I tend to eat small meals and stop eating when I’m 70% full. I have my dinner before 7pm.

3) What advice do you have for women who want to look as good as you do, at your age?

I have been using Olay’s products since I was 12 and I’m still using them now, together with Kiehl’s eye treatment products. It’s important to find a good product that suits your skin.

I have 2 daughters, aged 19 and 21. When I go out with them, people think we are sisters! When you look good and feel good, it builds confidence.

Be you. It doesn’t matter where you work (even in Tuas), just dress up!

I also jog for half an hour every morning as I believe in keeping fit and looking radiant. It’s something that all of us must maintain.

4) Where are the clothes in your boutique from and do the heartland aunties buy them?

They are from Hong Kong. My purchaser scouts around on my behalf and sends the pictures over to me and I pick the pieces I want for my boutique.

When I was starting out, I didn’t know what my customers like. I brought in a lot of designs only to realize that people don’t fancy loud designs. Most are conservative. I then try to convince them to try different colors.

5) Why did you leave your job to open a boutique?

I was a Citibank banking executive for 17 years. 16 Dec 2011 was my last day of work and 17 Dec was my shop’s opening day! Yes, I was stressed up but I have wanted to own a fashion boutique since I was a young girl. At 50, I think it is still not too late!

I was born in the year of the Ox, hence my boutique is open everyday from 11am to 8pm (except Mondays).

I suppose “business” is in my family blood! Also, I love dresses as that one piece can be feminine, classy or elegant.

Grace says: What an experience this interview was! I got to try on a chic red dress, the first totally red dress I have ever worn…

It got quite a number of Likes on Facebook so I suppose I look quite good in red! XD

I tried a couple of other dresses and another one I really liked is this dress which Jenny calls the Happy Dress. I would usually give horizontal stripes a miss. Seriously, who wants to look fat? But this dress is really cheery with 2 rows of birds. Plus, it’s so unique!

You simply have to pop by Jenny’s boutique and check out the clothes. You’re sure to find one that you will fall in love with. It’s barely a two minute walk from Tampines One. And here’s a bonus: It’s the pre-GSS sale now and you can expect up to 50% discount! Hurry! You may even be able to spot me there – I need new clothes in colors that aren’t black, white or grey! XD

Visit Chicfave @ Blk 503, Tampines Central 1, #01-313, Singapore 520503 and check out their Facebook page here. (Web: www.ChicFave.com)

 

*Email me at gracewwg@gmail.com if you have a boutique I should visit! Subscribe to this blog if you haven’t done so already, in the Subscription field (top-right). And come back soon for the next interview!

Interview with Dyan Chang from RosaBlu Coterie

Dyan Chang

Founder & CEO, RosaBlu Coterie Pte Ltd

You must have seen my very pretty bag from Camomilla.

For this interview, I met up with the lady who brought Camomilla from Italy to Singapore! There were some things which really surprised me. Read on…

1) What were you working as before starting this boutique?

I co-own a design agency with my husband. I am also a Graphic Designer. I’m from the pioneer batch of the Graphic Design course in Temasek Poly!

Contrary to popular belief, I’m not a Hello Kitty fan [Grace: *gasp!*] but there’s a market for it so you see many Hello Kitty items in my boutique.

From handbag…

To sling…

I like strategic planning and used to work 18 hours a day. Also, because of the time difference, I can be communicating with the Italians via email at 12 or 1am.

Every year, I will go on one long and one short trip… After my MBA, I went to Rome. I saw Camomilla and fell in love. I can’t buy everything in the store… So I decided to bring the whole shop back! :D

2) Why did you decide to bring Camomilla Milano to Singapore?

I like roses. But I’m not a pink person [Grace: !!!] I love blue roses. Blue roses are unique, hence my company name is RosaBlu. What I want to bring into the market must be something unique.

I’m hoping to start a RosaBlu cafe.

3) I see posts on the Camomilla Milano Facebook page that announce the birthday of your customers. What else is the company doing to endear itself to its customers?

We know our regular customers by name and we call them on their birthdays.

4) What has your entrepreneurship journey been like?

I am someone who loves studying. I did a Higher Diploma in Business, a Masters in Design and an MBA.

When I was in Design services, I only needed my clients. But in Retail, I now need people. I need to manage staff, suppliers, logistics, etc. And I need many, many customers.

Managing customers can be a challenge. They will ask questions such as “There’s no discount for my birthday month?!”, “Can I reserve this item till the end of the month?” We thus have to handle these enquiries on a case-by-case basis.

5) What is your staff selection process like? How did you decide to hire male staff for a store essentially female-oriented?

In Italy, the sales agents are male. They usually wear a big flower on the chest. When I incorporated this into our store in Singapore, my male store manager was thought to be gay by the people he met when visiting the washroom! So we did away with that.

You may not know this… We don’t attract the very young customers. Our customers are between 30 and 60 years old! Some even tell us that the Hello Kitty “face” on the merchandise is not obvious enough.

Grace says: Here are some gift ideas for you…

For the Hello Kitty-loving friend of yours (read: Grace Tan)

For the PINK lover (again, read: Grace Tan), here’s a cute clutch that doubles up as a lunchbox carrier (or just put a present inside!) …

For the mother who would love something both pretty and dignified at the same time:

Business hours have been extended till 11pm today and tomorrow. And there’s also a 10% discount!

Camomilla Milano Singapore has a Christmas Wish List where 5 winners get to choose their favourite item from the store and take it home free (Yes, even the highest priced item!) All you need to do is to make a purchase of $150 and above to stand a chance to win in the Lucky Draw!

FYI: The brand was even featured on the popular “HDB Taitai” programme hosted by Kym Ng & Chen Liping, on 2nd Dec!

Here’s one other thing you may not know about the boss of this store with many Hello Kitty items: Dyan is into Muay Thai boxing – she even has a Personal Trainer! Very ‘fierce’!

Visit the flagship Vivocity store if you can ‘cos they have a REAL tree cut from the Milan forest. They even flew in 7 Italians to design the store!

Spot the tree:

Camomilla stores are at:

1) Vivocity #01-119

2) Ion B3-41

I visited the Ion store on its opening day… ‘People Mountain People Sea’. Thankfully I had a media invite!

Dyan with the lovely cakepops given out that day:

Camomilla Facebook Page where all the newest items can be found (often snapped up before they reach the retail stores!) -> http://www.facebook.com/pages/Camomilla-Milano-Singapore/215377281833910

Happy Shopping and Merry Christmas!

With lots of love,
Grace

Interview with Lin Tan from Naked Room

Lin Tan

Creative Director at Naked Room

1) Why the switch from full-time life coach to boss of your own fashion label?

Hmm, ‘boss’ is a little over-embellished as a title – I’m more like the admin, accountant, photographer, designer, driver, delivery woman, merchandiser, marketer, PR executive – just short of ‘kopi-soh’ since there’s Starbucks to do that job for me! While I still coach on the side, I’d really rather go hands-(and legs)-on instead of being all just talk – imagine a coach coaching others to live their dreams without living mine! Wouldn’t want that as a coach, would you? Living is in the moment, and boy do those moments come with business challenges and breakthroughs on the horizon every other day!

2) What has the process of entrepreneurship been like? 

It’s like marrying someone and then seeing different sides of him/her every morning. On some days, it’s all good, happy and smooth. On others, it’s ho-hum and the rest; varying levels of suffering!

NAKED ROOM launched her debut collection at a fashion show last year and received very positive reviews from key industry people. That was very encouraging. We kicked off with a good start, clocking in 4-figures a day for a new label. However after our first month of retail, sales started to drop. With so many factors affecting the retail market, most of the time it is baffling as to why some days do well and others don’t.

There was a period of time every other person was giving us their opinion on our business, products and design style. It was really confusing, we were drifting and losing ground as each day went by. It was a frustrating period for me and I cried several times in fact. It’s a good thing my partner Jada kept her cool and her march forward.

In the meantime, we turned a hasty decision into a smart move that left a ‘special buy’ blouse flying off the shelves like hotcakes. Media exposure followed soon after, with some blowing us off last minute and that can get very annoying.

Manufacturers that produce errors in the products can spoil the rest of the day and set the timelines back.

We recently launched our second collection and we’re attempting expansion into other stores. That’s again new ground we’re unfamiliar with which means, more challenges!

The challenges of running a fashion label include:

Obtaining affordable pricing for consumers while still ensuring we have profits to roll over into the next collection

Designing comfortable clothing that suits the average woman without losing the design edge (we don’t do low-quality pieces, nor ridiculous clothing just to follow trends, nor exquisitely beautiful clothing that won’t fit the non-models)

There is no place in all this for emotions! Staying detached and objective is key.

Lastly, competition! H&M just sprouted in Singapore – need we say more? The fashion market is unbelievably competitive. On top of that, gone are the days of consumer loyalty. Brands really need to stay competitive with reasonable prices and good quality.

Running NAKED ROOM forces us to be creative in both our designs and our business strategies. This also means relying heavily on our strengths to keep going, and needing to brush up on our weakness constantly!

3) What are the plans that you have for your label?

Ohhh…plans.  The plans are made only in the beginning so that we are well prepared for whatever that happens, but when the rubber meets the road, we need to flow with the market and the plans often get thrown out and replaced with more workable strategies. The main plan we are sticking to is to run a profit generating business (or else what’s the point of a business?) because this is beyond just ‘a hobby’ (which by the way is a huge mistake many budding entrepreneurs make).

We’d love for NAKED ROOM to spin off into several boutiques or a chain, but we stepped up onto this platform knowing that it could take us anywhere, and we’re open to that.

4) What’s unique about your label, and who should buy the clothes?

To be honest, the uniqueness is in the customer and not the label.
We do our best in producing clothes that make a woman feel good and look attractive with a comfortable price and fit – but that’s only what clothes are supposed to do anyway!! (So girls, please, run far away from anything but.)

It is how our customer experiences the clothing, combined with how she styles it and most importantly, carries it off. Our clothes aim to enhance what one already has, so that she fits it and feels like she and the dress are meant to be. We have a belief that our darling exclusive fashion show pieces wait for The One to come along because it won’t suit ‘just anyone’. You can call us spiritual, optimistic, or deluded – but hey, it’s true.

So far our customers are between 28 – 40 years old and have a level of confidence to carry the pieces off. Our design style is ‘classy, sexy and just a little quirky’ and call out to women who go after edgy sophistication.

5) What do you think differentiates you from other people who know what their dreams are but don’t pursue them? How would you encourage them, regarding the barriers that they have to overcome before they live their dreams, like you are?

I can’t speak for them! I can share what I hear often in my coaching experience. Many individuals don’t pursue their dreams because of their fears, hesitations and in the blink of an eye, 10 years have passed.

Some are afraid to get off this vehicle called ‘society’s mainstream’ and get caught in following the crowd without really giving a second thought to their dreams, others don’t even dare to dream or know what it is they want in the first place.

A minority completely gives their lives up to more dominant people around them and forgets that they should be the ones in the driver’s seat.

I think I’m very fortunate to have the right people around me – family, friends, mentors – who support and believe in me. These pillars are important. Most of the people I look up to, like my parents, mentors, and some really really successful individuals, have showed me that it is possible to have it all. I guess this exposure is priceless and it is what I use to propel me forward and up.

Add on some hard work and obsession. Malcolm Gladwell’s ‘Outliers’ is a good book to get exposed to.

The best thing you can do for yourself is to position such that you get what you need. It’s 1 thing to be faced with circumstances; it’s another to be passive and be a doormat to life. I think it will come a point (hopefully not too late) when one has to ask oneself ‘Am I more afraid of my fears, or am I more afraid to live a life of fear and regret?’ When the answer shows itself, you’ll know what to do.

Grace says: Lin’s an amazing life coach. I know, ‘cos she has kicked my ass before. Hahaha!

I’m very happy for her that Naked Room’s such a hit (actually, how can it not be?)

The pieces are all very classy and quirky. So support this local designer by heading to Parco next Next at Milennia Walk – the incubator for aspiring fashion designers!

To wrap up, here’s an interesting pic for you. Lin spots someone getting NAKED at Naked Room:

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Nah, just kidding! She discovers my digicam has a dual LCD function.

——————————– ALSO —————————-

GIVEAWAY: 3 Smiggle Prize Packs !!!

Remember the interview I did with the Marketing Manager of Smiggle, Australia’s coolest stationery store (which is now in 4 locations in Singapore)?

I was invited to check out their coolest and newest products this week:

That’ll be in another blog post.

In the meantime: win yourself a Smiggle prize pack, with goodies in your favourite Smiggle colour!

Here’s how to win: Email me at gracewwg@gmail.com and answer the following questions:

1) Where can Smiggle be found in Singapore? Name all 4 locations.

2) What’s your favourite Smiggle colour? (Mine’s PINK!)

Please include your name and mobile number so I can contact you when you’ve won! There’ll be 3 lucky winners!

Have more smiles and giggles!

*Updated!* Interview with Michael Tay & Mark Ng from Happy Eyes Group (Optic Point, Spex & Seen @ Dempsey)

Michael Tay, CEO of Happy Eyes Group & Mark Ng, Senior Optometrist

1) Mark, why did you decide to become an optometrist?

I graduated with a diploma in Electronic Engineering but was interested in optometry. I got my Masters degree in clinical optometry and have been in this line for 20 years. It’s not just about helping customers get new spectacles, it’s about giving them a full eye examination and giving them new vision!

For example, we have the Cornea Reshape Therapy (CRT) in which customers (especially young children) do not need to wear glasses in the daytime but they go to bed at night with special lenses. This therapy is effective in controlling the speed at which the degree of myopia increases. The lenses are specially custom-made to measure every point of curvature of the eyes, using this machine:

Myopia is becoming increasingly prevalent in Singapore. In primary schools, on average, there is an increase of 25degrees every year, and this worsens in secondary school, to 50-75degrees year on year. Thus, I’m happy that I get to share eyecare tips with the public via FM97.2!

2) What are some eyecare and eyewear tips you can share with us?

• Your computer monitor should be below eye level so the eyes are in a low, relaxed position, thus reducing strain.
• Wear sunglasses for their UV protection, which helps prevent cataracts from forming. Buy them from an optical store.
• Don’t put your glasses/sunglasses lens downwards on tabletops. To prevent scratches, have them face upwards.
• Don’t use soap to clean your glasses as this peels off the multicoat layer. Avoid rinsing with tap water too. Instead, use a cleaning cloth.
• Near work or bad posture causes eye strain. Make sure your sitting posture is upright and take regular breaks.

3) Michael, why did you decide to venture into the optical business?

This will probably shock you – I majored in Economics and I am not a trained optician.

I never dreamed I’d go into business. It was by circumstance.

Because I love to talk, I became a consultant to small companies. In the process of helping an optical shop owner, my research led me to conclude that it was a good idea for the optical shop boss to set up a shop in the National University of Singapore (NUS). The boss was only willing to do so if I came up with 50% of the money required and went into the business together. I wanted to prove my point, so I got into the trade, after getting highly leveraged.

The business broke even within 4 months.

Later on, I proposed to companies to include optical benefits among the host of welfare benefits they offered to staff. Thus, Optical Point was born and I even went overseas to hire staff from places like Hong Kong and Melbourne, among others.

Spex was started 1.5 years ago as a joint venture with Popular bookstore to make spectacles affordable for students. We modeled this after Airasia (“Now everybody can fly”), and we call it “Now everybody can see”. When I was young, my parents bought me new spectacles only when the old ones got broken or the school nurses wrote to them and said I needed a new pair.  It is now possible to get a decent pair of spectacles for $60-$70, which is acceptable to parents as students usually outgrow them after 1 year or are rough when handling them and need a new pair soon.

4) What are the challenges you’ve encountered in managing and growing this business, and how have you overcome them?

The pay of opticians is one. It has risen by 30-40%. The pay of optometrists has also gone up by 40-50%. On top of that, there is also the issue of the poaching of staff in this industry.

We have never used pay to attract new staff. We offer career development and other intangibles. The rationale is this: if you use money to attract people, money will become the same evil that will motivate them to leave.

One of our staff, Simon, is from Hong Kong. He came to Singapore in 1991 and joined us a year later. Till today, he is still working with us.

Previously, getting funding for the business was very difficult. As people often say, banks only lend money to people who don’t need the money.

On top of that, a good and affordable shop location is difficult to come by. And we often have to deal with rental increases too.

I find this business very challenging and fulfilling. My staff are looking up to me to grow the business and this has kept me going year after year.

5) How do you differentiate your brand from your competitors?

Firstly, we are the only company in Singapore which takes care of the eyes of babies. You may not know this, but 10% of babies have eye problems! But these are not usually detected till the child is 5 or 6 years old and in school, by which time any remedy would be insufficient and have come too late.

Did you know that a baby can only see the mother’s face when born, and little else? And there are a whole host of eye problems that only a baby eye specialist can detect. Examples are squint eyes, lazy eyes, crossed eyes, and other abnormalities.

This system is used to check the eyes of babies:

A special jingle attracts the attention of the baby, so the eyes can be scanned:

And the report shows the state of health of the baby’s eyes:

Secondly, we are also the sole agent for some eyewear brands, e.g. Manchester United, Mizuno, Chelsea F.C., Lee Cooper, Surfers Paradise, and more.

This is a unique pair that will ensure you don’t get nasty red marks behind your ears from shades that are too tight or of a wrong fit. Looks kinda cool too! -Grace

6) What tips do you have for young entrepreneurs?

The Nike slogan – ‘Just Do It’. If you believe in an idea, you have to try and do it. There is no point pondering and recalculating. If you don’t try, you’ll never know. There is no harm in trying. Don’t try when you are very old, and have many responsibilities and obligations.

Dare to try and you will learn many lessons that the textbooks do not teach you.

Grace says: A big thank you to the awesome people at Happy Eyes Group who not only shared very useful tips with me but also gave me this:

Looks cool and helps prevent the formation of cataracts too. Get yourself a pair at Optic Point (International Building; between Shaw Centre and the Thai Embassy) with the help of Mark, who is really patient and gives expert advice (even fashion advice!).

I had fun trying on the eyewear at Optic Point! Here are more pictures:

Cool Ray Ban shades; will definitely turn heads with this one!

Mark says PURPLE is the IN colour now. Try it!

I would name this pair the Phantom of the Opera glasses:

Very interesting Starck glasses; extremely flexible!

Exclusive tour of Seen @ Dempsey

These shades remind me of pretzels:

The most expensive pair of shades at Seen: S$2438

I was told Kit Chan bought the pink pair below. And if you spend S$500 in the store, you get her newest album free. How cool is that?

And Kit also bought the orange pair on the left

I like this pink pair though:

Get treated to coffee (take your pick from the selection below *yums*), tea, soft drinks, etc (I got red wine, from the very cool Kelvin!)

Who was seen @ Dempsey? Kelvin, the friendly guy with the cool specs working there. Check out his shirt! You can take an eye test by just looking at his shirt and… spelling his name!

Alright, I’m signing off from Seen now:

Whether you need contact lenses, spectacles or sunglasses, head over to Optic Point, Spex or Seen@Dempsey, all under the Happy Eyes Group. SEE you around!

Interview with Audrey Quek, Image Consultant

Audrey Quek

Image Consultant

1)      Why did you choose to become an image/fashion consultant and what do you love most about the work you do?

It was after winning Miss Singapore World in 1999 that I had several opportunities opened for me such as grooming aspiring beauty contestants in image and deportment. Immediately, that led me to think of a career switch from Real Estate which I graduated in to becoming an image consultant after my training from First Impressions U.K.

The best part of my work is being able to empower and equip those who wish to enhance their personal or professional image, creating a positive transformation on their image and seeing that change bring about better job prospects, more dates, increased confidence and an overall well-being.

2)      How do you think Singaporeans should work on their image to become the obvious choice for employers?

For fresh graduates, they need to learn to transit from a tertiary student to a working adult especially after being so ‘casual’ in school. They are advised to learn the professional do’s and don’ts in interview dressing (tips can be found in my book) and learn to always ‘dress for the position you want and not the job’. In addition, image is not only about how you dress to look the part, but also how you carry yourself with confidence and speak with eloquence. In order to be differentiated, one has to be consistent in their ABC (Appearance, Behaviour & Communication) and this creates a positive personal branding for one to become memorable.

 3) You’ve won a number of beauty pageants. Please share what the experience was like and what were your secrets to success?

Every experience is always so challenging and keeps the adrenaline flowing! Most people think that joining such contests is easy when they watch it on TV, however lots of hard work is required the moment one is in the contest – from having to keep their appearance in pristine condition (from keeping fit to having flawless skin even with little sleep sometimes with long hours of rehearsals) and at the same time picking up skills from deportment, confidence building, stage presence, presentation skills and learning to handle the media. All these require lots of stamina, courage and a positive mindset! Be willing to learn from others and have a winning attitude!

4) How can jobseekers dress well or look good without breaking the bank/overspending? 

 They need to learn the ‘Art of Capsule Wardrobe’ and the formula of ‘Cost per Wear’ and hence a one-time investment in an image consultant may bring about a lifetime of returns and rewards for the jobseekers.

5) A lot of women tend to neglect their looks after having children. What would your advice be to busy mothers?

As a busy mother myself, I always quote this phrase in Mandarin to all women ‘没有丑的人(there is no ugly women，只有懒惰的人 (only lazy women)。

Mothers must learn to balance between work, family, friends  and children. This can be really exhausting hence they need to keep a positive mindset and attitude and continue to still give themselves quality time to go for facials, mani&pedi, massages or even take time to go for their favourite sports or pastime to keep relaxed [and also keep sane]

As I am also a fashion designer and personal shopper, understanding the new fashion trends is highly important to me, and styling is part of my job thus I will often mix old with new to give a new updated look. It’s also important to always dress to flatter one’s body type and learn to update through reading magazines, websites and blogs.

As to looking good, besides one’s attitude to life, it’s also important to stay healthy through exercising (I swim at least 3 times a week); eating well (I avoid fried and oily food) and having a mother from Hong Kong helps since I always get home cooked herbal soups that keeps the skin and body well; drinking well from water, chicken essence to birds nest; for the last 2 years, I have been a local ambassador of SKII thus I have a good and diligent skincare regime. I stay motivated and driven all because I do not feel that I have a job but rather a passion that keeps me alive…I enjoy my work (which is
also my interest) and hence it becomes part of me. I believe in quality rather than quantity hence when it’s time for family, we should be dedicated and focused, similar to our work, this way, we will also achieve greater satisfaction and success!

Grace says: I got to know about Audrey after purchasing a copy of her book ‘ABC To Your Dream Job’ from a bookstore. It was the very last copy. And after reading it, I found out why. It was seriously worth every dollar, packed with useful tips, and full-color pictures. Friends, if you can’t find the book, feel free to borrow mine.

I’m gonna put what Audrey has shared in this interview into practice. The fried food bit is gonna be tough. The smell of fried chicken is usually irresistible.

Come back again soon for a special surprise

Interview with Smiggle

Emma Fulford

Marketing Manager, Smiggle

Grace says: I was at Plaza Singapura recently and spotted a very colourful stationery store, just about every colour of the rainbow could be found in there! Walking into the Smiggle store was an eye-opening and happy experience. Hence, I went and asked the company a couple of questions. Enjoy!

1) How was Smiggle conceptualised? 

It all started with a great idea- what if there was a store filled ONLY with bright, colourful, fun, fashion-forward stationery?

A gap was identified in the Australian market for this type of retail concept and so in 2003, Smiggle opened its first store in South Yarra, Melbourne. The brand launched with a very clear goal to embrace creativity and colour and to bring a new and exciting shopping experience to Australian customers. With our inspired range of products, a trip to Smiggle is enjoyed by anyone who shares a passion for fun, colourful, quirky products that can be used at school, the office, the art studio, or home.

Excitingly, Australian shoppers embraced the idea and in 2008, we opened our first international store in New Zealand. Since then, we’ve received much support from fans abroad, who loved their visit to an Australian or New Zealand store. So it was with much pleasure that we launched our first store in Asia (Singapore) earlier this year. We now have two stores located at Plaza Singapura and Lot One Shoppers’ Mall.

2) What were the factors that contributed to Smiggle’s success in Australia & New Zealand?

Taking a design-focused direction, Smiggle’s philosophy is to stand out from the crowd. We aim to inspire and develop the creative spirit of our fans, and so focus on delivering original, fun and affordable stationery. At the heart of it, Smiggle products are all about great design and innovation, bold colours, quirky graphics and great value. We believe that it is this philosophy that has kept fans coming back for more, and new customers sneaking a peek into a store.

Just as importantly, we believe we make the stationery shopping experience fun! Fans can spend as much time as they like in our stores, give everything a try and always walk away with something new and different. As a testament to this, we were privileged to be a recipient of the prestigious Australian Retailer of the Year award in 2010. 

3) What were the reasons for Smiggle’s selection of Singapore for their first international outlet outside of Australia and New Zealand? [We need more colours in this country besides just green? ]

Well we do love green But we also love purple, pink, blue, black and silver!

Asia seemed like a natural progression for Smiggle. With the island nation’s strategic base as a lifestyle destination and its reputation as a leading retail and financial hub, Singapore was a logical choice for Smiggle to set up its first Asian store.

We also had many requests from Singapore fans through our facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/smiggle), suggesting we set-up a store! We were so excited to be able to respond and say we now call Singapore home too. 

4) How do Smiggle’s designers come up with such creative and colorful stationery? Is the office filled with fun and quirky products to inspire creativity? Something like Google’s offices?

We ask our creative team this every time they present the next range! They continue to amaze us and we know if we start shrieking about a product in the office, then it belongs in the store!

Our designers research, travel, play, test, trial and laugh A LOT. For a stationery company with great storage solutions, we sometimes look a bit of a mess in the office! There’s lots of colourful samples flying about, jumping from desk to desk to be tested.

The best thing about working at Smiggle is setting up your desk in your favourite Smiggle colour. Each team member’s desk is decked out in their Colour Crew (http://www.smiggle.com.au/tem/colourcrew.tem) colour and it looks like a sea of blue, green, pink and purple! 

5) What else can customers and fans expect from Smiggle, which has a plan to be “the world’s most famous and exciting stationery brand”?

We’ll continue to deliver new and exciting products that makes you ‘smiggle’ (that’s where a smile meets a giggle)!!! Great products, great creativity and great fun! See you at the store!

Check out Smiggle’s Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/smiggle

Smiggle’s website: http://www.smiggle.com.sg 

Here’s the notebook I couldn’t resist buying: 

Interview With My Sponsor RubAFox’s Founders

Md Shahid & Simon Soh

Founders of GreenCapsicum.com & RubAFox (RAF)

http://rubafox.greencapsicum.com/

Meet the duo who initially wanted to name their company FashionFondue, then settled on Green Capsicum!

Wonder why their first company is called Green Capsicum? Head over to their website for the answer!

Here are the namecards my sponsors gave me… Wheee…

Yes, in case you’re wondering, I have plans for a website at www.GraceTan.com. There are just some older interviews there now. But once a fresh coat of paint has gone on, you’ll be invited to head over for a surprise!

Am loving the quality of the cards and how clean everything looks – just like this blog! The star’s supposed to symbolise the inspiration you get from reading/watching my interviews with all the people featured on this blog, and the hope that you’ll be inspired enough to reach for the stars too & achieve your goals, dreams and more.

Another pic and we head for the interview:

1) Why did the two of you start this business?

We’ve been talking about starting a business since 2003. We wanted to start a cafe selling Indian-Western fusion food but we were too young then and didn’t have the capital.

On our ORD trip to Thailand, we bought loads of shirts cheaply to bring back to Singapore for sale online.

Imagine this… 2 guys went to Platinum Mall and bought 2 large bags’ worth of clothes!

We chose only shirts made from the best material but we later found out that the market wanted cheap stuff only.

Then we went into the business of printing tees.

[Grace: So how did you two decide to start a business together?]

We are BFFs so making this choice was easy. We were in the same CCA and PE class since Sec 1!

2) Have there been disagreements, and how did you guys resolve them?

We just decide upfront to talk it out. Plus, we have arguments only because we are fighting for the best for the company.

“Nothing cannot be resolved over a cup of teh tarik or hot chocolate!” – Simon

3) So why the name Rub A Fox?

We wanted a catchy name.

Shahid: My nickname’s Rubbery and Simon’s Fox. Don’t ask.

Rub A Fox supplies tees and corporate gifts to schools, JCs, universities, churches, temples, mosques, and other organisations. We’ve even worked with A*star, LTA, and Universal Studios through a partner company.

4) You guys are engineering and science faculty people, so pardon my stereotyping, but who does the artistic/design work?

Simon: Yes, Shahid got 1st class honours in Engineering!

Grace: *very impressed*

Shahid: Time management was very important. I was handling quotations even during the exam period. We couldn’t say no to business, right?

Simon: I do simple design work and the rest go to freelance artists (most of whom are our clients!) and we engage them as-and-when we need their expertise.

5) What other exciting things can customers and fans expect from Rub A Fox?

Shahid: I’ve got a full-time job, however, we’ll be working on expanding our customer base too.

We are now involved in a Studentpreneurship programme at Ngee Ann Polytechnic. We help FYP poly students start their own companies, and give them advice on how to start from scratch. We share realistic examples and our experiences which the students can relate well to.

We train them with our business model while we benefit from their creativity. In so doing, we also free up more time for business development.

Grace says: 

Rub A Fox takes all orders, even those 1-piece-only ones. Yes, so if you want a limited edition shirt for yourself but other printers/companies tell you they only take bulk orders, look for the RAF team.

These 2 dudes are so friendly and funny that I’m not going back to the grouchy uncles & aunties who used to print my cards for me. And I’m not saying this just because RAF’s my sponsor

If you need any tees (corporate or school), cards, or corporate gifts, head over to http://rubafox.greencapsicum.com/

Want to be my sponsor too? Click on the ‘Advertise Here’ tab for my contact information.

Come back on Thursday! You’ll find out what my experience is like as a volunteer with Junior Achievement. I’ll be heading to Bedok New Town Sec Sch to teach today!!! p/s: If I don’t make it back alive, a trusted friend will update this blog for me.

Interview with Florence Long

Florence Long

Owner, Haute Avenue 

1) Why did you set up Haute Avenue and what do you love most about the work you do?

The business was founded in November 2009. I had a romanticised dream of passing my luxury handbags as heirlooms to my then two-year-old daughter, when she’s ready to tote her own Chanel. When I saw the high prices at local boutiques versus what we were getting from our contacts overseas, I immediately saw a void in the market for discounted luxury handbags. If you ask my husband, he will think the business is my excuse for buying bags to the power of infinity! The thing I love most about my work? It’s the delicious smell of leather in the office. Whenever I feel frazzled at work, all I need is a good sniff inside a Bottega Veneta wallet and I will feel better instantly. (Wow. I know! I should probably see a professional about this.)

2) How do you differentiate your business from the other companies offering similar discounts on branded bags?

Haute Avenue, being the first company to bring into Singapore the guerilla warehouse sale concept for designer handbags since November 2009, has the first-mover advantage of top-of-mind recall when it comes to designer handbag warehouse sales. Not one to rest on our laurels, we are constantly working on enhancing our customer value proposition and improving our touchpoints. Our launching of www.hauteavenue.com in March 2011 to offer a more convenient way for our customers to shop with us was part of our value creation, as well as offering free doorstep delivery within Singapore for all online purchases.

3) What plans are in the pipeline for your company’s expansion/growth? Venturing overseas perhaps?

Having spent two months fine-tuning our online model, we are ready to open our website to shoppers from Asia and Australia by June 2011. As for other expansion plans, we are keeping our cards close to our chest for now. There are some exciting projects we are working on now is all that I can say.

4) Which are your favourite bags? Your biggest splurge item?

My favourite bags? They have to be the Hermes Birkin and Chanel Classic Flap. My biggest splurge is a $21,000 Chanel J12.

5) Do you expect the recent Tin Pei Ling episode will affect Kate Spade bag sales?

Where’s the indemnity clause for answering this question? I can see where this question is steering me to, you sneaky girl! Seriously, I don’t think people will dislike (or like, depending on which camp you are from) the brand by association. The matter of that fact is, Kate Spade is an extremely bold brand that pushes the envelope each time they launch a new collection. Just when you think they’ve outdone themselves in the last season, they will come up with an even wilder (in a good way) collection this season. Who isn’t in love with the brand’s quirky and whimsical designs, not to mention candy colours that beg to be the centerpiece of your look? There is no such thing as bad publicity – in the fashion arena, at least. See what Monica Lewinsky did to the blue Gap dress. More power to Kate Spade, I say!

Grace says: Florence is such a fun person to interview! You can tell from her replies what a cool person she is, right?

Best of all, she has this gift for you: a $10 coupon code. All you need to do is to click through this link to claim the discount: http://on.fb.me/iM57CN  Happy shopping, folks!

Are you new to this blog? Enter your email address in the Subscription field and you get all exciting updates sent to your email inbox. Awesomeness!

Come back soon for the next amazing interview!~

Interview with Elfaine Tan

Elfaine Tan

Founder of ‘The Sample Store’

1) Why did you choose to become an entrepreneur and what do you love most about your job?

I want to be in control of my own destiny. I always have dreams and being an entrepreneur not only enables me to fulfill such dreams but at the same time, business teaches me about wisdom, hope and courage.

Business actually makes life complicated and busy, but whenever my clients are satisfied with our collaboration, I feel that all the trouble is worth it, because I help make Life better.

2) What advice do you have for budding entrepreneurs, especially those who are young like yourself?

 
Never give up. Running a business is just like running a marathon. Most people give up after they are half way through the race. But it’s always at the last quarter of the run, where you start to see champions emerging from the crowd because they never give up despite how hard it is. They believe in every step they put forward to complete the run.
3) What is your mission in Life?

To make a difference in people’s lives. Just like how the computer changes the way we work, Apple iPhones giving phones a new look, Facebook changing the way we communicate, I hope my little efforts everyday can help improve people’s lives.

4) How do you create a work-life balance for yourself?

I don’t really focus on creating the balance as I love my work. My work is part of my life. Just like what many people say, “I Work To Live NOT Live To Work”.
5) Who inspires you?

The genius in Steve Jobs and the courage in Jack Ma.

Grace says: Elfaine is one entrepreneur who is exceptionally inspiring for me. Simply because this pretty lass is 2 years younger than me and is already a successful businesswoman. Aren’t we always reading motivational quotes urging us to find ‘work’ which we enjoy so much that it ceases to be work? I think Elfaine has definitely found hers.

Look out for: The interview with child/family photographer, Kym, on 8th April, 2011!~

Interview with Hazel Chang

Hazel Chang

Owner, Eclecticism and Lauren Jasmine by Eclecticism

1) Why did you choose to become an entrepreneur and what do you love most about the work you do?

I chose to become an entrepreneur as my father who is an entrepreneur as well, inspired me from a young age. He, together with the rest of my family, were extremely supportive and they encouraged me to chase my dreams. I had an idea in my head and the passion to make it happen and all these factors led me to start Eclecticism

What I love most about the work I do, is that I believe in my product and that I have the opportunity to convert something I love into an everyday job. I love the clothes and accessories that I carry in my stores and I wear them on a daily basis. More importantly, I am able to go to work everyday, excited and passionate about what I am doing, to work on something I believe in.

Right now, I have just opened a new store carrying my own label, Lauren Jasmine. Together with my co-designer, Liyana Johan, we are now able to go one step further and create the clothes that we sell.

2) What were the challenges you faced in starting your own business when you were a fresh graduate?

As I was only 21 when I started Eclecticism, I was definitely inexperienced. I had barely any significant working experience and even less knowledge about how to run a retail boutique. As I had never even studied anything related to fashion or fashion management, it was really challenging to learn everything from scratch. I definitely made many rookie mistakes along the way and it forced me to have to learn quickly so that I would not repeat these mistakes.

When I started Eclecticism, I had to work long hours, 7 days a week, sacrificing my time with my family and friends. As I was my own boss, I had the freedom to choose to slack off and be lazy so I had to learn to be disciplined and to stay motivated and focused.

3) You mentioned in the Straits Times interview that you delegate work to people you trust. How do you determine who are those you can trust?

I think there are two aspects of trust in this situation. I have to trust that the person I work with is honest and has the sincere intention to help me and I also have to trust that the person is able to complete the task I give her successfully. When I employ someone, I begin by giving her small tasks, which builds up into more important tasks, should she be able to prove herself.

I always make a note of how she communicates with me and how she treats her superiors or her juniors. I also notice how she handles problematic situations or solves issues that may crop up. Her response and her actions would show if the girl had integrity, respect for others and a sense of responsibility.

 4) How do you create a work-life balance for yourself?

With the freedom to create my own work schedule, I am lucky to be able to give equal priority to both my work life and my personal life. Having the flexibility to manage my own time gives me the chance to spend time with my friends and family, have time to myself as well as complete the work that needs to be done. As I am able to work from home and at any time of the day, I am better able to use my time more efficiently, allocating my time to the right priority at the right time.

5) What do you envision your life will be like 5 years from now?

In five years, I would love for both Eclecticism and Lauren Jasmine to be thriving and expanding. If it’s meant to be, I’d love to have a family of my own as well.

Grace says: I spotted an interview with Hazel in the Straits Times in November 2010 and was very impressed by how someone so young (she’s about my age) was accomplishing so much. Her story, as well as Merry Riana’s, has shown me that it really takes a lot of hard work for one to achieve success in any field. So let’s not stop at admiring these inspiring individuals, but also put in the required effort (and more) to achieve our own successes as well!

To ask Hazel a question: Email GraceWWG@gmail.com with your name and contact details, and include “Ask Hazel” in the subject title.

Look out for: The interview with Cayden Chang, on 21st January, 2011.