Stories

September 8, 2022

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In order to produce environmentally friendly household goods such as tissues and wipes, Singaporeans Angela Sim and Lynn Yeo, the founders of Cloversoft, invested in bamboo trees as the material of choice. 

Bamboos were discovered to be the fastest-growing plants in the study, so they decided to cultivate them. Furthermore, unbleached bamboo does not contain any chemicals, which contributes to its sustainability.

Angela and Lynn founded Cloversoft in September 2014, and both are passionate about producing safe and environmentally friendly consumer goods. They became close friends while working at a bank for several years before launching their business. Lynn’s lifelong passion is recycling and green projects, whereas Angela strongly cares for animals.

According to Angela, a documentary on a polar bear in the Arctic brought her to tears on an aircraft back to Singapore from a business trip abroad. Because of this, she became fond of the cute critter that would eventually become Cloversoft’s mascot.

Cloversoft only uses superior, cruelty-free, vegan, and eco-friendly raw ingredients. No artificial scents, colors, alcohol, chlorine, or other chemicals that might harm the consumer were included.

Other brands may not adopt bamboo because of its higher cost, despite its environmental benefits. Angela and Lyn, however, keep prices low so people and companies may afford to go green. The duo plans to expand its operations in the United States, including Vietnam and Indonesia. 

Coversoft’s long-term objective is to build the most successful fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) company in Singapore, with offices around the world, centered on the core values of providing products that are affordable, environmentally friendly, and derived from plants.

Lack of business experience made learning tough at first. There was no demand for their eco-friendly goods, and other corporations repeatedly turned them down. Angela admitted,  “This was one of the darkest moments in our entrepreneurship journey”.  

Fortunately, consumers now publicly acknowledge their items and frequently purchase their green products  Word-of-mouth and consumer feedback helped them quickly spread the word, and their sales grew 1,500% in one year.

They’ve also donated a portion of their revenues to Polar Bears International in Canada to help protect the polar bear population.

Cloversoft’s first year of business saw strong sales and rising client bases in Asia Pacific countries. The firm aims to become the largest FMCG company headquartered in Singapore, with branches throughout the world, by delivering safe, environmentally friendly, and fairly priced plant-based products.

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Image Source: Harper's Bazaar Singapore

News

A Culinary Adventure With Mark Wiens On HBO Go To Debut This November

As the nation’s most famous foodie Mark Wiens is coming back to HBO Go with his very own show. He is currently located in Thailand and is a co-owner of Phed Mark, a popular Thai eatery known for its “very spicy” pad krapao.

A small look into the culture of Singapore will be presented in the Food Affair with Mark Wiens episode that will be made available on HBO GO on November 18th. Food is a serious matter; for Mark, it is not simply about consuming food; instead, he will bring each dish’s cultural and traditional elements to life.

The six-part series will feature him shooting the breeze up with everyone from Michelin-starred chefs to legendary street food vendors in Singapore.  He is impressed but used to being delighted by the city because it is home to more than fifty restaurants with Michelin stars and over sixty entries in the Bib Gourmand guide.

Mark found it inspiring to hear how the owners of different restaurants came to follow their dreams and create the unique cuisines they do today. ”It’s undeniable that food is at the center of all our lives, and that’s what brought us all together,” Mark shared.

The 36-year-old food enthusiast has persisted in pursuing his hobby of food vlogging, and he frequently takes the 9.3M audience of his YouTube channel around the world as he samples a variety of mouthwatering cuisines. The expressions on his face communicate to anyone who watches him exactly how delicious each dish is.

Follow Mark as he explores all aspects of Singapore’s food culture, from hawker centers and high-end restaurants.

Image Source: Open Table

Blogs, Development, Ideas

If You Are Doubting On Your Career Move, Take It From This CEO Who Made Corporate Twists and Turns

If you’re worried about making the wrong career move because you’ve started to second-guess yourself, keep in mind that there is no bad decision regarding your professional development. Debby Soo, CEO of restaurant reservation service OpenTable, can understand.

Consider Soo’s words carefully if you’re struggling to make a major career choice or feel paralyzed by uncertainty.

She eventually settled on a mantra that brought her peace. She struggled with worry and stress over her future career path and doubted her choices at each turning point. Eventually, things worked out for her. 

She realized that her work experience was valuable despite her dissatisfaction with her job. She knew that her decision which appeared disastrous at the time might ultimately result in professional success in ways she could never have imagined. Soo firmly believed there are no wrong turns in any career, “I didn’t have to spend so much time stressing about it,” she told CNBC Make It.

To maximize one’s employment as a learning opportunity, Soo suggested working diligently in any position. Soo advised, “Do the work, do the homework, and be prepared, even if it’s a boring and tedious task or position,” Soo explains to CNBC Make It, “If you put in the effort, something will come to fruition eventually.”

As a result of keeping an open mind and learning from her mistakes, she has come to appreciate the tasks she once found tedious. She has acquired knowledge in areas such as the types of work one never wants to do again and the best ways to handle problematic coworkers.

Soo was well aware that one choice regarding a job opportunity would not determine the course of the rest of her life. She may find that her definition of an ideal dream job shifts for the better due to the twists and turns she encounters along the way toward her goal of advancing her career. 

At the moment, Soo has continued to manage OpenTable since 2020. After more than a decade at the travel search company Kayak and work experience at Google that left her with a great deal of doubt about her professional future, Soo is now actively working to better herself and is successfully advancing her career as a CEO woman.

Image Source: Brendan Duong

Stories

A Secret Business Purchase Grew Into A Multi-million Dollar Enterprise

Tess Nguyen who is a trained physiotherapist was searching Gumtree, Australia’s marketplace, for a physiotherapy clinic to buy. Instead, a sleepwear ad called Midnight Mischief captured her eye, “I’d never heard of personalised pyjamas, and I was pretty up-to-date with trends, so I sent an inquiry,” she told 7life.

She consulted her friends who have accounting and business experience and told Tess it was worth nothing and advised her not to buy it. However, she liked the pyjamas’ style and name, plus she was able to bargain the business down to $15,000. So, a month later she bought the business.

Tess kept the purchase secret from her family. The business was going slow during the first two years, and running the business while working as a full time physiotherapist, took its toll.

When 2020 hit, the business was ready for the huge demand prompted by COVID and people staying at home. The big moment was when TV presenter Jules Sebastian posted a photo of herself wearing Midnight Mischief pyjamas.

The brand grew 165% in the year to July 2021. And Tess has gone from pyjama girl to Pyjama Queen – selling a set every 10 minutes. The designs retail for about $99.95 – and her sleepwear empire is now turning over $2.3 million.

“I’m so glad I did it and I’d tell anyone else to do the same,” Tess told 7Life, “Just go for it. You can figure it out as you go along. It’s worked for me.”

Image Source: Chris Pizzello/ Invision /AP file

Stories

Awkwafina Knows Best About How She Is Still More Financially Great Living On $500 A Month

Even though the Crazy Rich Asians actress’ wealth is likely in the millions, she believes that a mere $500 per month is sufficient to cover her expenses.

The 32-year-old actress recently told Harper’s Bazaar that her money philosophy goes back to when she was building her Awkwafina musical and comedy persona, which she used as an outlet for her creativity while she worked a day job in book publicity.

Her grandmother brought her up in a one-bedroom apartment in Queens, New York. Because her family’s restaurant went out of business and they were forced to sell their home, she has developed a greater appreciation for monetary gain than any other aspect of her life.  

Awkwafina remembers that funds were tight at home and that she would stay up late with her grandma, who worried about paying the bills.

She also claims that despite being in a better financial position to support her family and herself, she still maintains a just-the-basics mentality. The actress has been known to buy clothes at Target and not spend much money on anything. She set out with the simple objective of covering her living expenses. 

She explains to Harper’s Bazaar, “I went into this mode off, if I can make $500 a month, that’s all I need.” 

Awkwafina’s motivation and success are attributed mainly to her refreshingly optimistic view of financial considerations. She has kept herself busy acting in the years since, including launching her comedy series on Comedy Central and becoming the first Asian-American actress to win the Golden Globe for best actress for her lead role in the 2019 drama “The Farewell.”