What is the nature of your business? (Business Profile)
When we first started, people always thought we only sell cakes because we always have a 8 ft cake chiller that displays a wide variety of cakes. We are actually a one-stop, whole-day dining cafe that caters to a wide range of people. People can come to our cafe for their meals at reasonable prices. We have a variety of food that ranges from grilled chicken, lamb stew, spaghetti to fusion food like Tom Yam Kung and Thai fried rice. If the customer prefers something light, he/ she could choose from our popular pastries like our chicken cornish, curry puffs, shepherd pies, or the different kinds of brownies. We are also very popular for our cakes. We are best known for our Chocolate Banana Cakes and our Marble Cheese Cakes. We have a wide variety of more than thirty types of cakes to choose from. Like all cafes, we also serve a wide range of hot and cold beverages, fresh juices, as well as ice cream.

What made you embark on this venture choice?
I am an accountant by training. After graduation I pursued a professional career with Ernst and Young (then known as Arthur Young). After 5 years with the professional firm, I proceeded my career with American Express to have a taste of the corporate world. I was working in the finance department for five years. After I gave birth to my 3rd daughter, I quit my job to care for her as she was quite ill. One year after she recovered, I felt a need to re-enter the work force. So in 1995 I started my own consulting company and practised as a CPA. In 2002 due to the economy down turn, my accounting and consulting business was going downhill. To add to the woe, my husband was retrenched from his job. With four children to feed at home, and a team of staff that have been with me since 1995, I know I have to strike out in a new career. I was given the opportunity to join my cousin in Secret Recipe. At that time, Secret Recipe was only three years old and only had two outlets (Holland Grove and Forum). With my consultant background, I fast work with my cousin to expand the business to better utilise the capacity in our factories. Now, three and a half years after I came into the business, we have grown to ten outlets in Singapore and we see an opportunity to grow to around 15-18 outlets.

How does your business work?
We have a central baking factory for our cakes and a central kitchen for our food. I am taking care of the overall running of the company, my cousin overseas the central kitchen and my husband oversees the central baking factory. We hire managers to manage the various outlets, with an operation manager help to oversee the overall operations. To ensure consistency in products that we sell, all the cakes and the food are centrally supplied. We depend on the outlet managers to monitor the stock and do the ordering for their individual outlet. Either in the morning or late afternoon, the stock will be sent to the outlet to replenish the supply.

Did you have the capital to start the business or did you have to borrow from someone to get started?
As mentioned, when I came into the business in beginning of 2003, we only had two outlets - Holland Grove and Forum, it is not hard to imagine that we did not have a lot of reserve. During our span of rapid expansion, we were pouring back all our returns into the business. We are however grateful to our suppliers for being understanding and helped us tied through that period. Till now, we haven't taken any bank loans and we have thus far been on track with all our payments.

Do your parents have their own businesses too? Have they inspired you in one way or another?
Yes. My friends always say that I belong to a family of entrepreneurs. My father was a plumbing contractor for many years. When his business failed in the early 80's, he lied low for quite a few years. Subsequently he switched to the hair industry, a field that he had totally no experience in. Yet he managed to survive and excel in it. Today, he is one of the major distributors of hair care products in Singapore and is known to be the "Godfather" of the hair industry. It must be that "Never Say Die" attitude that is flowing in our blood.

What was your childhood dream? When did you decide that you would strike out on your own instead of working for someone else?
When I was younger, up to the time I graduated, everything was pink and rosy, and I never had to think about "future". My dad's business went down four years after I graduated, when I just have my first child. My youngest brother was still going through university. Overnight, I felt this huge responsibility dumped onto me. I grew up overnight, took everything in its stride and somehow manage hold the family together and helped my brother through his university. Starting my own business was never a childhood dream. I gave up my stable and well-paid job in 1994 to take care of my daughter. When I started my business in 1995, I was starting from "Ground Zero". It was the eventual turn of events and with the coincidence and luck of the business opportunity that led me to join Secret Recipe. Given the need and absolute necessity to feed my family, venturing into Secret Recipe was more a decision of circumstance rather than choice.

Why does someone decide to be on their own rather than join an existing company?
I do not know what inspire another person to start out on their own instead of working for someone. For myself, after going through the corporate life and now being on my own, I dare say that I have absolutely no regret in making that decision. The saddest thing I can imagine is when you are in your 40's, you know deep in your heart that your energy level is going down, you are not so up to date with the latest technology. On top of this, you are quite highly paid. If you are working in a corporation, the stress level must be very high. You could potentially be replaced by someone younger, cheaper and more updated. I have seen many of my friends going through this stress. Of course, running your own business is equally, if not more stressful.

Are there at any point in your life that you experienced a significant event (WW2, racial riots of the 1960s, the Economic Crisis of the 80s or 90s, SARS, new competition or shifts in market behaviour and trends) which affected or influenced you and your business that made you change the way you think and do your business?
SARS happened in April 2003, few months after I started with Secret Recipe. Of course, during those period, we saw the worse in our business. However, we are thankful that for the last few years, we have been seeing consistent growth in our business. I will not say that there is a single significant event that has made me change the way I do business. I actually learn and tune the way I run the business on an on-going basis. It is of course very important to be in tune with your business, and be sensitive towards to environment that is affecting your business.

What are some of the challenges in starting a business from scratch? (Modify question to what are some of the challenges in maintaining a family business if applicable.)
Money, money, money! Besides money, as I said in the previous point, It is of course very important to be in tune with your business, and be sensitive towards to environment that is affecting your business. As an entrepreneur, we must understand that what we like may not sell, and what can sell may not be what we like. Whatever it is, if you are already in the business, you must put your whole heart and soul to it.

Who/What motivates you?
My children and the team I work with motivates me. If my business doesn't do well, then my family will have to bear the consequences and so will the families of the 300-400 employees working for me. I can't afford that. I have no choice but to motivate myself to strive on and keep the business going.

Tell me about the first few customers and the first few years of business.
Like I said, I had no F&B background at all. When I first started out, I didn't even know how to use the microwave oven. I often had my ten fingers burnt while trying to learn how to operate the coffee machine. Despite not being well-trained in the technical aspect, my cousin and I expanded aggressively to take maximum advantage of the opportunity. Driven by the potential profits, we always tried to complete the renovations and open the outlets in the shortest time possible. I recall the chaos every time an outlet first opened. I'd be disoriented and un-used to the new environment. Especially during peak hours when it was really crowded, customers were quick to complain and express their dissatisfaction when there orders were not being served promptly. It was really stressful rushing all over the shop. There was even once when I slipped and fell while walking to serve a customer with a slice of cake. All that was in mind was that I mustn't drop the cake. In the end, I was injured and had to get 3 stiches!

Please tell me some stories of your best day in business or your proudest achievement to date.
I would say that my best time in business is now. The business has been improving and growing. Things have stablized now. I don't have to make so much coffee anymore. But we can't be complacent. We must continue to learn and improve ourselves. My proudest achievement to date is having lost 10kg in six months after I started the business. I was initially 66kg and I wore a U.S. size 14. With all the standing, walking around and stress from managing the business, I was 56kg and dropped to a size 6 (better than any slimming centre). Of course I have since put back some weight and now I am a happy size 8.

Do you recall your worst day in business? Have you ever felt like giving up?
I am well known to be "Ms Positive". I do not like to remember "bad things" and I have my way of blocking them out of my mind. I always believe that unless you are prepared to give up, do not let all the "bad things" pull you down and drown yourself in sorrow. If this is my business to keep, I will always look from the positive side and make the most out of it.

When was the moment you realised the business would work and support you?
I never doubted my business hence there was no specific point which I suddenly felt that it would work and support me. I always believed in Secret Recipe and knew that I HAD to make it work. If you are asking about when I started seeing returns (financially), it was in September last year after 2.5 years.

What are some of the things you have had to overcome to succeed?
I had to learn about the operations of the business and its technicalities since I had no prior F&B experience at all. My knowledge in accounting and consulting helped me greatly in running the business. But over the years, I've learnt that there is a crucial element of F&B that I might have missed out on - the capacity to draw a customer into our shop. We might have the best cakes and best coffee but if we are unable to attract the customers, the business will still suffer. I often visit other cafes to learn about how they do their business and what makes them successful. The quality of service is really very important to the F&B industry and this is definitely a challenge which I am still trying to overcome.

What are some qualities that you feel you possess which differentiate you from someone who works for others?
"Never say die" attitude.

To succeed in business, what qualities are essential? What are some of the secrets in making a successful business?
Same as the previous question. To possess the "never say die" attitude and never to be complacent.

Who or what inspires you?
My cousin and uncle in Malaysia. They started Secret Recipe in Malaysia in 1997. With hard work and very acute business sense, they have made Secret Recipe a well known brand in Malaysia. As of today, there are a 100 over outlets in Malaysia. My cousin and uncle truly braved the odds have achieved success.

Have you ever thought of expanding the business in some way or in multiple locations? How and where?
My cousin and uncle in Malaysia. They started Secret Recipe in Malaysia in 1997. With hard work and very acute business sense, they have made Secret Recipe a well known brand in Malaysia. As of today, there are a 100 over outlets in Malaysia. My cousin and uncle truly braved the odds have achieved success.

What aspects of expansion would you like to see for your enterprise?
Besides geographical expansion, I am also considering increasing my product mix. Product line extension is definite as we are continuously doing R&D on new types of food, new cakes and so forth. But I am also looking into increasing the number of product lines Secret Recipe has. For e.g., Starbucks sells mugs and souvenirs in addition to coffee. We are thinking of expanding the product mix in that light.

In your opinion, how would you define entrepreneurship?
Entrepreneurship is the ability to smell an opportunity and turn the business opportunity into reality. Of course, entrepreneur must always stay focussed and be very agile in manoeuvring the business.

To what extent does one's educational level help or hinder entrepreneurial-ship?
Education is important as it equips one with basic knowledge and skills. My accounting degree certainly came in handy. It's not education itself that hinders entrepreneurship. It is the tenure with a corporate career as a result of education that discourages entrepreneurship. As one's seniority increases, there will be a bigger pay check and greater stability. Hence the opportunity cost of starting one's own business rises correspondingly. However, if one has minimal education, entrepreneurship is a natural and unquestioned fight for survival as one has nothing to lose.

As we try to select the final 41 entrepreneurs, what qualities would you think a person should have to inspire others?
Singapore environment is actually not conducive for someone starting out as an entrepreneur - our population is low so we have a small market. Operation costs, especially rental and payroll are very high in relation to the market size. Hence, for those that can make it in this environment, they must have possessed that "perseverance" quality that deserves to be recognised. As an entrepreneur, it is important to be true to oneself and ensure that you are doing something that you truly believe in. Integrity is important in running the business.

What are some of your own values in doing business and what do you like to pass down to others, particularly the younger generation?
Life is tough, so we should try not to make it tougher for another person. We should try to make society better. If there is a chance to help, always help. We owe our success to the society and the people that have helped us made it. I always believe that our employees are the greatest assets we have, especially those that stick with us through thick and thin. We must make sure that the employees are well-taken care of.

What advice would you give young people who want to start their own business?
They must do their sums correctly and do enough market study to ensure that the business is profitable. As I said before, Singapore is tough for new entrepreneur to start out due to the high costs. The motivation behind the business should also be right and it should be undertaken for the right reasons. For example, for a youngster that loves to go clubbing and hence decided to start out his/ her own pub may be a wrong motivation to start the business.

How do you manage to run two businesses at the same time?
I believe in both my businesses and love how they can help and serve people. This gives me the drive to keep up the good work, regardless of the hours I have to put in. Good time management is key and being able to delegate effectively is very useful.

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