BioApex is the brainchild of Ms Idy Low, the former flight attendant and Mrs Photogenic Singapore 2003. Not only is she a female entrepreneur, but is also a beautiful and intelligent entrepreneur with a heart of gold.

Company: BIOAPEX INTERNATIONAL PTE LTD Address: 144, Upper Bukit Timah Road, #01-12/13 Website: http://bioapex.com/index.asp Interview with Ms Idy Low by Christina Gao Fangda on 06-Jun-2009. Student can be reached at finding_meteor@hotmail.com   Business Profile: Established in June 2001, Bioapex is a home-grown skincare brand that specialises in 'total derma care and wellness'. It is also the first in its industry to be awarded Smart Program by Spring Singapore.   Interviewer's Comments: Ms Idy is a living example of how ladies can be the pillar of their own world and impress the rest of the world with both their capability, charisma, friendliness and kindness. She has set an excellent example for all young ladies who wish to lead a successful and fulfilling life.   1. What is the nature of your business? Started in 2001, despite its small size, Bioapex is the only beauty salon in the market with a laboratory in each of our 2 outlets. I am a person who does not believe in all-in-one service, therefore we offer customised service that solves the root of each client's skin issue, rather than a "packaged services" that caters to all. Other than providing treatment and services, we also sell skin products.   2. When and why did you decide to become an entrepreneur / take over your family business? NOTE: If it is not a family business, ask: Do your parents have their own businesses too? Have they inspired you in one way or another? (Select appropriate question according to the entrepreneur being interviewed.) I started this business with my husband Simon Goh, who is the founder of Home Success Pte Ltd, but I am the overall in-charge and the business is solely run by me. Simon is my mentor and is involved in the marketing aspect. I had 2 dreams when I was young. Being a tough and disciplined girl, I wanted to be either a police officer or be my own boss. In year 2001, a friend of ours invited us to start another business line in the beauty industry. Since I have an ardent passion in the beauty line, I took up the challenge and started Bioapex.   3. What are your reasons for choosing to do business in this particular industry? I am a person who is very passionate about the beauty industry, and since the opportunity came by, I do not want to give it a miss.   4. How did you put together all the resources needed to start your business? For example: getting the start-up capital, hiring staff, doing sales and marketing, advertising, etc. After running Home Success for a few years, I was rather comfortable with the start up as all the capital needed was there. And I told myself, should this business fail, there will be no regret because at least I've tried my best. As for the recruitment, I sought help from my friends and the business was started up within a short period of time.   5. What are some interesting stories you have about your first few customers/first few years in business? Our very first unit was located at another unit in Beauty World Centre. It was next to a clinic. While the clinic's patients were waiting for their queue number, many of them would give our outlet a visit. As such, 40% of their clients became our clients too! And through word of mouth, we managed to build up our client base.   6. What are some of the challenges you faced when you first went into business? The greatest challenge is to get well-trained employees with good servant attitude. Getting a right people with the right attitude and experience is not an easy task. Most of the Singaporeans do not like to be in the service line, it is very tedious for them to work in the service line and many of the local employees whom I hired have quitted. Therefore, I could only switch to foreign employees. By doing so, I have to sacrifice a significant sum of tax rebate from the government and have to give more CPF contributions.   7. How did you overcome these challenges? Please share some specific examples of the action you took to overcome the challenges. Despite the higher tax and CPF contribution, I'll make sure that all my employees have undergone 3 months of intensive trainings in Malaysia and are sufficiently insured and good employee benefits such as bonuses for transport and attendance are given to them. This is a way of rewarding my employees as well as forging strong relationships with them. Till date, we have 15 employees in total, and many of them have stayed with me through thick and thin   8. Can you remember your worst day in business or a time when you felt like giving up? What happened that made you feel that way and how did you triumph over it? Yes, there was a period when (2003/4) Home Success was facing downturn, some of its outlets had to close down and I was forced to step out from the design department. Bioapex took over one of the outlets at Jurong East and there were only 3 staff inclusive of myself. There were days with zero sales and that was really a tough period. I asked my employees, 'are you able to fight with me to brave through this period?' I am blessed with a strong team. Through hard work and never give up on what I'm doing, and keep focused on quality delivery, we managed to pull through that period. I always believe that every downturn is like a storm, when it's over, rainbow awaits.   9. Can you share some of the lessons you learnt from overcoming your own business challenges that you think will help other businesses? I used to be guided strongly by my own set of principles and vision. After being into the business for many years, I realised that personal values and principle are essential to developing confidence, but being overly stubborn is unwise. Through the years, I became a more eye-opening and heart-opening person. It is important to involve employees in decision-making. Not only you'll be able to identify their potentials, but also able to cultivate their sense of pride and identity towards the company.   10. When was the moment you realised the business would work and support you? The inspiration came from market surveys and my personal experience. I realised that traditional clients rely on the relationship with the service provider, but the new generation of clients do not behave in that way. They want immediate results. I realise this is the new consumer behaviour and even before the business started I knew that our results-orientated strategy would definitely be successful.   11. What are some of your proudest business achievements to date? And why are they so important and meaningful to you? I am very proud of my employees. When they first joined the company, I see them as white pieces of paper, until they grew with skills and experience. I've even attended my staff's wedding at Malaysia. This gives me a feeling that what am I doing right now is not only creating income, but also generate lives. This family tree extends from employees to clients.   12. How do you differentiate your business from your competitors? Please provide specific examples. We work on customised treatment. Nothing in our menu is all-in-one. We also have laboratories in our outlets. I am confident to say that the high tech equipments we are using are something that 95% of the salons cannot afford. Our products are also 100% no colour, no preservative and no fragrance.   13. Where or who do you get your business ideas from? Through readings and experience. I used to be a air stewardess from Cathay Pacific, the exposure that I gained from overseas served as eye-opener for me.   14. What do you see for your business in the next 5 years, and does it include any plans for expansion? Beauty is a line that can be expended to overseas. Once the local market is secured, we can venture into overseas markets by franchising our products over. But the servicing aspect is tougher to enhance overseas. In the local context, we are bidding for a shopping mall location at Orchard or Toa Payoh, hopefully another outlet will be opened by 2010. Eventually, I would wish to see our products being sold under the name of Bioapex, just like the international renounced brands like Shiseido and L'oreal.   15. Being a entrepreneur as well as a mother of 3 must been tough. How do you juggle btw family and kids? Fortunately our family bounding is quite close, the kids will do sports with their father and on Sundays we will go church as a family. After running Bioapex for 2 to 3 years, I realised that as our business grow, our children grow as well. Their childhood and teenhood are the periods that we could never afford to miss and therefore, I'll now make sure that my weekends and at least 3 of my weekdays are free for them. We chit chat and do prayers together to bond our relationships. Not only that, I'll try making our children involve in the business as well.   16. How do you involve them in the business? By bringing them along to the companies' events as well as to the outlets, they are able to learn about entrepreneurship too. We also encourage them to set up their own 'stalls' outside the Bioapex and Home Success outlets and sell their drawings and toys. They really enjoy it and by being little entrepreneurs themselves, they are able to show more support and understanding to us.   17. What does entrepreneurship mean to you? Be a daring risk-taker, and must be able to contribute income back to the society.   18. How do you contribute your income back to the society? Since 2002, I've been regularly contributing a 4 figure sum of money to the church funding and the accumulated sum has reached 6 digits now. I also enjoy doing volunteer service in the community centres, children society and old folk's home. These are the group that needs personal touch from others, so I chit chat with them and sing for them. Be your boss. I love being my own boss.   19. What are some entrepreneurship qualities that you have which has helped you come this far? Firstly, I'm a sensible person who is good at understanding and interacting with people. So the service industry is suitable for me. On top of that, my passion in the beauty line has allowed me to stay on in the business. Determination is also an important factor that I posses, be it during the good or the bad times, it makes me always ready to take up any challenge ahead   20. In your opinion, what other qualities does a person need in order to be successful in business? And why? (e.g. Educational qualification, work experience, family influence, attitude, etc) I am very particular with attitude. I find that a good attitude can override everything. Secondly it is to have a humble heart and a servant-hood.   21. In your opinion, what does it mean to have the 'spirit of enterprise'? Give chance to others, and never give up. You need to have the faith to keep yourself going. Do your very best in whatever you're doing and live your life as if it's your very last day.   22. Who or what motivates and inspires you? Of course my children and husband. They enjoy seeing me running business they feel that they've a place to come to whenever they want and to be involved in whatever I'm doing. My husband and I will encourage each other in our businesses. There was once he asked what if our business fails, and I just said, "We'll just start all over again! Since we've been through business building from scratch, it 'not an issue for us anymore'. I have developed the confidence and faith in doing business.   23. What are some of your business values and what wuld you like to pass down to others, particularly the younger generation? I find that the youngsters nowadays need to be more caring and relating, which are many times lacking among the younger generation. They also have to be humble, hardworking and learn to be grateful towards what they have. At the end of the day, it is the never-give-up spirit, and the servant-hood heart that will push them far.   24. Can you share some of the more significant events / incidents that affected or shaped your business philosophy and the way you conduct your business? I.e. SARS, new competition or shifts in market behaviour and trends, etc. During the SARS period, I have generated the business idea that we've to incorporate some strategies to help clients to boost their immune system and gain more confidence with their lifestyle. Therefore, I have introduced a few treatments that are in relation to the current H1N1 saga, these treatments can be relevant to the current situation and the market trend. Not only that, we even sent greeting cards to all our existing clients to inform them of how to wash their hands, and to show our care and concern during this critical period.   25. What is the age range of your clients? The youngest was a 6 year-old who came for mole treatment, and the oldest could be as old as 73. The average age range of our clients is 35-50. As for geographical wise, we also have clients from as far as Malaysia, Japan and France.   26. Out in the market, many beauty salons are located in city areas or big shopping centres. Why this particular location was chosen over the big shopping centres? Sometimes it is easier to be a big fish in a small pool rather than a small fish in a big pool. We are the biggest over here and it makes us very well-known in the area.   27. What are your marketing strategies? We seldom market ourselves on the TV or print media as many of our clients are referrals. Our clients are our marketing tools as word of mouth is deemed to be more effective. Rather than marketing ourselves, we are more concerned about the equipments we use and the service quality. The results will speak for us. During our company evens and seminars, various artistes will grace our events and are loyal customers of our products. This also boosts our confidence as well as new clients' confidence.   28. With the changes in the market today, do you think it has become harder or easier to succeed in business? Why do you say so? Harder. Because there has been an increasing trend of starting their own business as long as they have money to invest. This is something hard and challenging to do well. However, the success depends on your business strategy and personal passion. Anyone with an innovative idea could do business, but it is the attitude that determines the altitude.   29. What advice would you give young people who want to start their own business? My advice to them is that not to think too much and calculate too much. When you have the inspiration to do something and at the same time being able to impact the market place, just go for it. But make sure to keep the passion and integrity with you all the time.   30. Does being the Mrs Photogenic in 2003's Mrs Singapore help in your business? It helps to boost the clients' confidence as I am the living model of my business. However, I don't depend on this title to boost my business, it's more of the attitude that determines who I am today.   31. Do you think women are in a harder position to do business as compared to men, since the public usually perceive successful entrepreneurs as men? Definitely I do agree that women face harder challenges. In order for them to balance their schedules and further their career in the business, they've to sacrifice a lot. The most significant one would be the time spend with children. Children require only quality time with fathers, but they need quantity time with their mothers.   32. In that case, do you still encourage women to go into entrepreneurship? Certainly. But they have to be wise in terms of balancing their time and effort. It is about spending the right time with the right person at the right place. If a mother of 3 like me is able to handle both family and business, I'm sure many women out there are able to excel too.