For Mother’s Day this year, we want to delve into the relationship a mother has with her children. For instance, forging a meaningful mother-daughter relationship is a societal expectation of any mother. That’s tough enough as it is but what if you add the complexities of being business partners with your child? That’s the lived reality of Elizabeth Chan and her mom, Sandy Tan – the mother daughter duo behind Kueh Ho Jiak.

How it all began

Interestingly enough, the first inkling of Kueh Ho Jiak forming was due to motherhood itself. About a decade or so ago, it was Elizabeth who was getting ready to have her first child. “My mom decided to quit her job (she’d been working in Australia all this while) to come back to live in Singapore and babysit my daughter,“ Elizabeth says. 

Sandy would spend the first couple of years at home, babysitting her granddaughter, Penelope. When Penelope started preschool, that opened up some free time for Sandy. While her granddaughter was in school, she picked up baking – more specifically the making of kuehs. 

She fell in love with the art of making kuehs and a home based business was formed. Family and friends would support by ordering kuehs as gifts. “Initially, I helped by managing deliveries. This was until I decided to join my mum in the business as I was inspired by her passion and love for others,” Elizabeth recalls.

A pair of strong willed women, working in tandem

Fast forward to today and Kueh Ho Jiak has definitely grown in stature. Elizabeth and Sandy now oversee a team of seven. From managing deliveries in the early days, Elizabeth now takes up multiple roles within the business. Be it business development, social media marketing, research and development and she even works in the kitchen when needed.

“The initial phase was very tough to be honest. It was our first time doing F&B, the hours were long, the environment in the hawker was new to us as well. On top of that, both of us are very strong characters,” Elizabeth explains. This led to differing opinions and arguments galore. Over the years, they’ve had to learn how to bring out the best of each other at work. 

“We learnt so much more about each other, what we liked or disliked. How to communicate in a better manner. We are so much happier now, we understand & appreciates each other’s hard work in the family & business,” Elizabeth says.

Being business partners has also helped improve their personal mother-daughter relationship. Elizabeth and Sandy hadn’t lived together since Elizabeth was young, so running Kueh Ho Jiak together became a journey for them to understand each other on a more personal level.

“It’s a new finding everyday, like a jigsaw puzzle. Slowly, piecing up the missing jigsaw pieces from my childhood days.”

No regrets at all, just growth 

Taking a second to look back, Elizabeth has had no regrets working alongside her mom. Not only has her relationship with her mom strengthened, she’s experienced a great deal of personal growth too. Even now, despite the challenges brought about by the circuit breaker period, Kueh Ho Jiak is still going strong. While retail has decreased, their online transactions have increased tremendously – to the point where they’ve had barely 4 hours of sleep daily. “It was really tiring, as it was a sudden increase but at the same time, we are truly very grateful and happy,” Elizabeth says.

Mother’s Day this year will be a little different but what stays the same is the quality time spent together. “I do have plans to surprise my mom with a Mother’s Day gift but most important is to hug her very tight!” Elizabeth quips. Simple, sweet and comforting, just like the irresistible kuehs they make on a daily basis.

If you’ve got a sudden craving for some kuehs, click here to get yourself some sweet delicacies from Kueh Ho Jiak! Here’s a quick reminder for you to shower your mom with some extra love this Mother’s Day. Wishing all moms out there a very happy Mother’s Day!

We, at Delegate, have started an initiative to support vulnerable individuals and families affected by the COVID-19 situation. During this circuit breaker period, for every package purchased on Delegate, SGD1 will go to The Courage Fund by National Council of Social Service (NCSS). Do feel free to spread the word and support this cause!

Another initiative we’ve started involves the wedding industry. This global pandemic we are in has brought a host of challenges to everyone involved in said industry. From brides-to-be to wedding vendors, these are unprecedented times. We want to be part of the solution and that is why we started this Facebook group – Save Wedding Vendors. We aim to build a community of helpful vendors and members. You can post your queries, ask for recommendations and share promotions or reviews as well.

The post The sweet and comforting elements of kuehs and a mother’s love appeared first on Delegate.

Elizabeth is a cheerful and creative florist with a keen eye for detail and aesthetics. She believes that one of the best ways to express love is through flowers, and enjoys bringing happiness and inspiration to her clients through her work.

She focuses on creating rustic, whimsical and romantic designs for weddings, special occasions and corporate events. Her numerous features in Her World Brides, The Wedding Scoop and Singapore Brides as well as having worked with various brands such as Clarins Singapore and Butterworks – Walk & Roll Studios, are testament to her expertise and reputation in the field.

Becoming a full-time florist had not always been on Elizabeth’s mind. Before she discovered her passion in floristry, her ambition was to be a clinical psychologist – “One initial challenge was coming to terms that years spent on studying and my academic degree has no direct relation with my job today.” However, being a psychology major helped in other ways including better communicating with her clients. Liz Florals first started out as a hobby, but Elizabeth gradually managed to make it into a business and decided to take a leap of faith to turn it into a full-time job.

She counts herself lucky to have family and friends who support her in her dreams, and attributes her success with Liz Florals to them. She recalls a project from 2019, “This was the first time we decorated the iconic Intercontinental staircase, and I did this up with my dear family. They’re the best team!”

“It was a small timeframe to build everything from scratch, and this was both stressful and exhilarating,” says Elizabeth about the Intercontinental staircase decor she did with her family in 2019. Photo credits: Annabel Law Productions

Describing herself as both a dreamer and a planner, Elizabeth loves making meaning out of her projects and works hard to achieve her goals. “I love creating something beautiful and meaningful for others”, she says. “Being happy comes from creating something I am proud of and which portrays both mine and my client’s vision.”

Apart from keeping herself updated with design trends, she also focuses her attention on her clients’ preferences and personalities to give them highly personalised, timeless floral arrangements.

“Every project is unique in its own way and that is the beauty of this job.”

With the diversity of clients and projects, Elizabeth notes that she will always feel the stress to deliver. However, she dives into her work with the mindset of trying to improve and go beyond her comfort zone, which motivates her into giving clients high quality floral pieces each time. As a florist, she reminds herself that she can never be ‘too prepared’ for any project, and to have confidence and trust in herself.

“I will have to take it to my stride and transform this stress into a positive motivation force to do better every time”

Although Elizabeth loves flowers and arranging them, she says that she never has a favourite flower or project – it changes with every new project she takes. Recalling what her floral teacher said when she was training at Nobleman School of Floral Design, “He told me he never had any favourites, because if so then he will always be focused on using his favourite flower and will never be able to try something new without a pre-existing bias.” This resonated with her and she strives to make every project she takes on to be her ‘new favourite’. “Only then will I be able to give my best every single time to my clients,” she says.

Elizabeth’s greatest influence is her mother, who also took up floral classes out of interest when she was younger. She reminisces about childhood times, being woken up by her mom on her birthday to have a flower crown put on her for photos. “[My mother] is someone I respect and admire because of how she thrives in every situation she is in. She puts in her best, is disciplined, and does effortful things effortlessly.” Elizabeth is also inspired by her mother’s creative input and opinions for her floral arrangements. She mentions that “through her, I get reminded of the value of working hard and smart, and being kind.”

And for selecting the freshest flowers, here are Elizabeth’s tips:

• Sometimes it’s not about the petals, but the stems and leaves too. Try to ensure that the stems and leaves are not mouldy or mushy.
• At the wholesale flower market, many flowers are sold in stalks of 10. Amongst the 10, there are usually 3-4 stalks that are less ideal than the rest in the same bundle. This is quite common, thus it’s important to cater for this when deciding on the quantities of flowers you need.

In her free time, Elizabeth loves movies – be it rewatching old movies or catching new ones. She also enjoys spending time with friends and family, and some alone time to recharge. “You can find me with a cup of coffee at a cafe on some off days, or indulging in hotpot!”, she says.

Elizabeth sees herself as ‘in her element’ when she is able to embrace the myriad of emotions that come with her job without judgement. “Being happy while doing flowers also comes with other emotions such as being under pressure, being motivated, and eventually being content and at peace,” she says. “To find one’s element, exploring different things that may interest you is very helpful! Consider putting yourself out there to try new projects and be mindful of how you feel when and after you do that project.”

One quote that Elizabeth lives by is:

“Live life, cherish your loved ones.”

Check out Liz Florals on Delegate for wedding flower packages, bridal flowers, personalised bouquets, flower subscriptions and collaborations!

Get a special rate for her 2020 Valentines Day bouquet designs here.

The post In Her Element: Elizabeth Chew, Founder of Liz Florals appeared first on Delegate.

Meet JJ, the founder of Rehyphen®!

Rehyphen® pioneer an up-cycling initiative whereby they collect discarded cassette tapes from locals and weave them into a piece of MusicCloth® as an effort to reduce and eliminate e-waste, while giving the product a new life.

As a pioneer in sustainable fashion, Rehyphen® was praised by Kevin McCloud, British Designer and Television Host of the show ‘Grand Design’, as an “astonishing reinvention of tape into something fashionable and fabulous.” It also made it into Kevin McCloud’s list of Top 7 Green Heroes for both 2018 and 2019. 

In this edition of Get To Know, find out more about the magic behind the birth of Rehyphen® and its founder, JJ! 

D: Tell us more about yourself and Rehyphen®!

I am JJ, the founder of Rehyphen®. I am a multi- local who has been working and living in Singapore, Malaysia, New York and Shanghai. I graduated from Parsons The New School of Design in New York and I am a recipient of Yeohlee Fellowship program which I learned from the luxury designer Yeohlee in New York who advocates locally made, zero waste and sustainable practices. I believe that music is a universal language, and it has the power to change the world. Our team reimagine a new way of exchanging music by addressing our global e-waste issues and transform our pre-loved cassette tapes into pieces of MusicCloth® that inspire global community.  I created Rehyphen® with the aim of solving real-life problem. Run by a mother-daughter duo, our brand produced all our product locally in Singapore. 

MusicCloth® is an innovative up-cycle material made of discarded cassette tapes and video tapes. The tapes consist of polyester film with metallic coatings, which could otherwise be considered a waste material. The material is woven in a basket weave pattern, which allows stability and durability. Cloth edge finished in a smooth finishing. Each MusicCloth® owns its own unique colours combination and patterns. MusicCloth® is lightweight, sound absorbing and highly water resistance. 

MusicCloth® swatches have been stored and are available in Material ConneXion world wide libraries (Product Number: MC 7654-01) & University of Pennsylvania material lab. This material has been exhibited at TEDx as one of the ideas worth spreading. American Design Club’s jury selected MusicCloth® tote bag as one of the modern methods of what it means to build an object. Kevin McCloud hand-picked Rehyphen® as one of his Top 7 Green Heroes. Our MusicCloth® has also been selected by Interior design Magazine as one of the 7 most innovative woven materials in Material ConneXion world wide Library.   Since 2017, RedDot 21 included MusicCloth® as one of the excellent products in the 21st-century world of design.

D: What is the mission and vision of Rehyphen?

I founded Rehyphen® studio with the mission to lead and inspire a sustainable way to be fashionable. “Re” stands for resources, reveal, rethink. A prefix, used with the meaning again and again to indicate repetition, or with the meaning “backward”. “Hyphen” is a sign ( – ) used to join words to indicate that they have a combined meaning or that they are linked. I want to sell the world “a better world”. Rehyphen® is created with the aim of solving real-life problems. 

The objective is to collect our pre-loved cassette tapes and video tapes which was once a precious asset to us and turn them into a brand new form and function that people could use it and be inspired in today’s world. At the same time, we put an effort to reduce and eliminate e-waste in landfills. Nearly 50 million tons of electronic waste was generated in 2018, and only 20 percent of that was recycled, according to United Nations E-waste Coalition. 

Hence, I believe that strategies for the future should be based on a deep understanding of humans as emotional beings. We aim to create a ripple effect to help local communities keep and extend their memories to the next level. As we consider the challenges associated with the process, we have the opportunity to come up with a circular design idea to resource, reveal, rethink and re-share our MusicCloth® in the modern world. Our final goal is to encourage public to reimagine how we care for our planet and challenge our community to turn waste into beautiful memories. 

 D: How did the business first start out? Could you elaborate on some adversities that were faced in the beginning?

The business started out very organically, cassette tapes were part of the medium of communication with my best friends ( who live in Australia ) when smartphones and social media had not been invented yet. During a major clean up of my room when I came back from New York in 2016, I found those cassette tapes and came up with this idea to use them to weave into a piece of cloth, to make waste and memories beautiful. We also found out that cassette tape is plastic material, which is non-biodegradable, and they can’t be burned in the landfill, and is very harmful to the earth. My mum and I then started this project together and took about 9 months to work out a proper way to weave cassette tapes. 

Music is a universal language that ties people together. It has the power to change the world. A quote from Alvar Aalto which had inspired us a lot, “Nothing old is ever reborn but neither does it totally disappear. And that which was once born, will always reappear in a new form.” The idea of MusicCloth® is not just an innovative products, services and experiences, but also an innovative system that embraces change. 

As I was collecting the cassette tapes, I also found that every tape tells a story. In fact, I feel that I am not just collecting cassette tapes, but collecting their memories and giving them a brand-new form. 

D:  Any trade secrets you can reveal?

As you said is a trade secret, it should be kept as a secret. But we do occasionally conduct workshop to reshare our technique. Our private workshop “Ready, Cassette,Go!” which launched in Airbnb experience platform has helped us reached out to many locals and tourists who want to have a unique experience in Singapore. Our experience was selected by Park Royal Hotel as one of the “6 secrets spots in Singapore to Learn unique skills”. We also work closely with government organization and school to host upcycling workshop to educate the younger generation about the technology revolution, as well as making awareness about our global e-waste issue and the important of up-cycle design. 

D:  What aspects of your personality can we see in your work?

We create a mass personalization where every piece of our product is unique and different, and each MusicCloth® is tracked by the original cassette album that we used to weave. We want to make upcycling fun and not a serious thing where everyone could relate and participate in this movement. 

D: What is one thing people don’t know about you?

When I was 18 years old, I was working in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. I had never flown before and it happened to be the longest flight that I have ever taken. It was summer, and I was working in the kitchen of the national park, with an active volcano that could erupt anytime. Animals in the park are free to roam and I was surrounded by nature everyday. It was an unforgettable journey that allowed me to look deep into nature and it felt as if my spirit, too was cleansed. 

D: What are your hobbies and passions outside of work?

I love reading and travelling. I treasure the time when I am in the plane, where I can disconnect myself from technology and focus on reading my favourite books up in the air. 

D: One quote that you live by?

“My eyes are on my life, they are my own private camera, I extend all the experience from my private life into my work, because living is my library.” – by Ralph Lauren. 

When different people see the same thing at a particular moment, their reaction is built up through what they have seen in the past. Some people choose what they see, some people ignore what they see, but I believe in my eyes, that is the truth that I am searching for. 

MORE ON Rehyphen®: 

Kevin McCloud Green Heroes Exhibit: Rehyphen Booth 2019

(Photo Credits:  Rehyphen®)

Redefining Interior Design with MusicCloth®.

(Photo Credits: Rehyphen®)

Sustainable Fashion and Accessories created with MusicCloth®

(Photo Credits:  Rehyphen®)

Creative Greeting Cards: “Tweet tapes” inspired by Donald Trump

Empty tapes, which were previously used for MusicCloth®, being upcycled to become “Tweet tapes”. These unique greeting cards are filled with 140-character meaningful quotes on the end tapes. Tweets can be customized and are therefore perfect for celebrating special occasions.  The Neon tweet tape (below) is specifically designed for NYCxDesign Sound and Vision. 

(Photo Credits:  Rehyphen®)

Rehyphen® has definitely made their mark in our world today – with the call for sustainability more relevant and more urgent than ever before. As we learn to adapt and cultivate new sustainable habits in all aspects of our lives, perhaps we could take our next step into sustainable fashion with our very own outfit made with MusicCloth®. 

Check out their profile on Delegate here.

The post Get To Know: Rehyphen® appeared first on Delegate.

“To be in your element is to feel happy because you’re doing what you like or can do best.”

In Her Element is a photo-series by Delegate featuring inspiring women in Singapore who excel in their various domains. For our latest issue, we sat down with Monica Anne Lie, founder of The Ordinary Co, at her home office.

Monica Lie launched The Ordinary Co. in 2014, offering an unparalleled selection of accessories. Her vision is to make trendy accessories accessible to Singaporeans and encourage them to make accessorising part of their lifestyles.  With an eye for style, Monica curates simple yet sophisticated designs, perfect for easy wearability in every day life.

At the age of 15, Monica was already dabbling in the jewelry industry. Back then in 2006, when e-commerce was still a nascent business in Singapore, Monica launched her first online jewelry shop with a capital of $500 from her mother, of which she managed to earn back in 3 months. She took a break from her jewelry to focus on school, and eventually decided to enrol at Singapore Management University to major in Business to learn more about managing her own.

Although the e-commerce scene had seen great development since she first opened her jewelry shop, she still felt that there was a lack of stores selling affordable accessories. In her last year at SMU, she launched The Ordinary Co. to fulfil just that.

“When The Ordinary Co. first started out, the concept of micro-influencers really helped the brand grow,” Monica says. Reflecting the brand’s vision of incorporating accessories into every day lives, her series of collaborations with micro-influencers – who are seen as relatable, accessible and ordinary people – helped the brand to penetrate the market and capture the hearts of Singaporeans.

“Here, we believe jewelry is a necessity, not an after-thought.”

Today, The Ordinary Co. has amassed upwards of 25,000 followers on Instagram and has been featured in a number of pop-ups around Singapore and collaborations with brands such as diptyque and Clinique.

Monica’s success with The Ordinary Co., however, is not without its challenges. “The e-commerce scene here keeps shifting. At the start, people were not as willing to purchase jewelry online but now that people are more open to doing so, it also means that more competition is coming in.”, Monica says. She notes that brands have caught up as the e-commerce industry evolved, and it is always a challenge to find new ways to market the brand and keep it relevant.

However, she welcomes these challenges and enjoys working to build The Ordinary Co. Her favourite part about her job is growing the brand from the ground up and that as a business-owner, she is able to respond with more flexibility to any market changes.

Another part of her job that she enjoys is to be able to work on her own schedule and achieve her own targets. While most of her work is based in her home – where she gets to work in her PJs occasionally (we’re envious!) – she also has a workspace in WeWork. “It’s easy to get distracted when at home and being outside in a conducive workspace helps me get work done,” Monica says.

When it comes to hobbies, Monica cites her Instagram account (@luxmondi). She has always loved fashion and taking photos since she was young, and @luxmondi is an avenue for her to explore a perfect combination of both. Her feed is clean, minimalistic and features a lot of neutral colours, something which she tends to gravitate towards.

“I love anything with texture in it because it instantly elevates the piece, whether it’s a clothing item or furniture laminates.”

Her personal style is reflected not only in her fashion sense but also in her home decor. Reminiscent of the Muji aesthetic, the clean white walls in her home are balanced with the warmth and texture of wooden furnishings, creating a calm, comforting atmosphere.

“Choose a colour palette from the start and stick to it religiously. It makes every single decision much easier after and helps the house look cohesive,” Monica says, regarding home styling. She also recommends creating lots of storage spaces so that everything has a place and doesn’t clutter up the space.

And as for fashion, Monica’s top 3 closet must-haves are:

• A pair of pants that fit great
• Turtlenecks – they always instantly make you look chic
• Loose dresses with clean lines, made with beautiful materials

To de-stress, she enjoys chilling on the sofa with her husband and enjoying their home. “My husband is my greatest influence,” she says, “He’s very intelligent in both terms of knowledge and people skills and has helped me grow a lot as a person.”

Monica is a big believer in work-life balance. “I feel that it’s always a personal choice to exert that little extra energy after work to interact with the people around you or to meet friends and family,” she says. Time management is crucial, and she counts herself lucky for being able to manage her own time well.

For aspiring entrepreneurs, she advises that you should do it for the right reasons. “Start a business expecting to do the work and take nothing home for a while – don’t do it because you think it’s cool to own your own start-up or only like the idea of being your own boss, not willing to put the work in,” she says.

And for those who are still finding your element, Monica feels that it’s important to know yourself best – what triggers you, what your working style is. “The sooner you find the patterns the easier it is to find something that suits you,” she says.

One quote that Monica lives by is:

“If we do not find anything very pleasant, at least we shall find something new.” – Voltaire

The post In Her Element: Monica Anne Lie appeared first on Delegate.

But could you imagine if your mom was also your colleague and business partner?

This Mother’s Day, we take a look at the intricacies of taking on the dual role of mother/daughter and business partner with Lydia and her mom, Mrs Lim, the mother-daughter team behind Teaspoon of Love.

As far back as Lydia could remember, Mrs Lim has been baking and taking orders for her creations. “She taught me how to bake. We made cakes, mooncakes and cookies that were simple and rustic, using whole ingredients, never artificial flavourings from a bottle,” Lydia says. They enjoyed playing around with botanical pairings of herbs and flowers, and that’s where tea came into the picture.

Lydia has a burning passion for everything that is tea. “I had always been intrigued by tea, but the more I researched and explored the world of tea, the more I fell in love”, she says. She laments that afternoon tea as the English do can be prim and fancy, but misses the point of what tea really is. She describes tea as being just like wine, and that tea is very much about its terrior: the climate, soil, tea bush cultivar, cultivation method and processing methods influences the final tea product.

“We want to present tea in a way that’s natural, focused on the natural character of the tea, yet in a modern manner”

Yearning for a space to share their creations and love for tea, Mrs Lim and Lydia launched Teaspoon of Love, an online bakery and tea shop.

“We want to present tea in a way that’s natural, focused on the natural character of the tea, yet in a modern manner,” Lydia tells us. Thus, they offer a range of single-origin teas, each with a character of their own and direct from tea gardens. To complement their unique tea blends, they bake delicious seasonal confections to pair with their tea products.

At Teaspoon of Love, Mrs Lim oversees baking, operations and customer service, while Lydia manages creative direction, marketing and tea sourcing. “We also do work together a lot actually, like developing new products in the kitchen, and travelling and meeting tea farmers,” Lydia says.

She describes her mom as being very resourceful, organised, efficient and great with people. Their favourite thing about working with together is getting to spend time with each other, be it baking in the kitchen or travelling to their sources and learning about the history and culture of tea.

“We disagree sometimes but we always make it a point to talk it out, discuss and then see things from each other’s perspectives.”

While working together may be fun, Lydia finds that being in different generations creates challenges in the way they view things. “We disagree sometimes but we always make it a point to talk it out, discuss and then see things from each other’s perspectives,” says Lydia. She elaborates that while she has her own set of ideas, she keeps in mind that her mom also has her concerns from her years of experience which Lydia cannot see. Working together, they have both learned to be open to new things, different perspectives, and never thinking that one is better than the other.

When it comes to celebrating Mother’s Day, Lydia and Mrs Lim usually take a breather from work and go on a mother-daughter trip overseas. They truly cherish and enjoy their time spent together and don’t ever hesitate to spend more.

When your mom is also your business partner, you get the best of both worlds. 

The post Lydia & Mrs Lim: Mother, Daughter & Business Partners appeared first on Delegate.

Jaq’s Bakes is a home-based baker in Singapore that provides customised cakes for birthdays, events and parties.

Made with passion and love, each cake has its own personal touch. Each cake is made with the highest quality ingredients and is not the same as the other.

In this edition of Get To Know, find out more about the lady who helps make your perfect dream cake come true!

DELEGATE: Tell us more about yourself !

The post Get To Know : Jaq’s Bakes appeared first on Delegate.

The Bloomish Eden is a Singapore-based florist that provides floral arrangements for events like weddings, parties and convocations.

To them, flowers signify many things like joy, comfort and love, and they want to be able to spread those feelings to the ones who you treasure the most.  That’s why they call their floral arrangements ‘eden(s)’.

Living by their philosophy of  “irregardless, everybody deserves blooms”, The Bloomish Eden strives to provide the most elegant and beautiful edens just for you.

In this edition of Get To Know, find out more about the lady who helps make you and your loved ones smile with their fresh and beautiful edens!

DELEGATE: Tell us more about yourself !

D: What is your vision/mission for your company?

“Soulful & Creative: Your Symbol of Love”

The Bloomish Eden is always more than just the flowers. It is our mission to use flowers as a medium to share the ultimate beauty of gifting – heartfelt thoughts put into the crafting process that touches hearts. Here, we actively invite our clients in on the process to customise edens for their loved ones. We want our edens to be something uniquely yours; something reflective of your love.

D: How did you start your business? What were some adversities you faced when you first started out?

Well, my dabbling with flowers started out from pure enthusiasm in gifting florals unique to the personality of loved ones. And as I got through university, I knew I just wanted to pursue something meaningful with what I could do. But, my initial journey into full-time floristry was not rosy as people mainly thought of it as a ‘hobby’ or ‘a phase’ I would get out of. Long story short, what really convinced me to dive right into it was what someone told me: “if you have a vision, why not pursue it with all you’ve got while you’re still young”. And that really struck a chord deep within me, so tada here I am! So you know, to those who are reading this, that’s the exact same advice I have: if you’re passionate about something & you can excel at it, then go get it tiger!

D: Most memorable experience since starting your business?

The fact that I generally have been so blessed with the many sweet clients who’ve been so kind and trusting! :’-) But if I really have to pick, it would definitely be the biggest wedding I have done so far. TBE was only a few months young but they placed complete trust in us to make their dream wedding a reality – it just meant the world! The next best part was that we actually got to interact with the family and it warmed our hearts to feel so welcomed and be part of the celebrations. And the icing on the cake was really seeing how much our work really meant to them at the end of the day! It was just such a beautiful experience I wouldn’t trade anything for.

D: What is one thing you would like your customers to know about your company?

That we may be small and young, but our passion and dedication to crafting your love with flowers is big and heartfelt. Getting flowers with The Bloomish Eden is really about moving away from that one-formula-for-all kind of floral service for your special milestones. For us, it really is about staying humble, maintaining that sincere, friendly and honest service for all every time. And so far, this has been our biggest takeaway with our clients – beautiful floral arrangements with lots of love from us. Some have even coined us as their “aunt agony” or “best friend” for flowers!

D: What aspects of your personality can we see in your work?

I personally have a strong preference for textured, rustic & wild floral arrangements as I feel it reflects nature more accurately and it is just way more beautiful that way! Hmm but translating those into ‘me’ traits would be my knack for attention to details, bringing authenticity and finding beauty in the wilderness.

D: What is one thing people don’t know about you?

I hoard more than I should…a habit I should kick really. But, doesn’t anyone else relate to those moments where you go: “oh it would have been great if I didn’t throw THAT away earlier”? Show of hands?? Because come on, how do you know when stuff comes in handy and useful? ?

D: Which habits of yours have gotten you to where you are today?  

Being determined to make visualisations and dreams into reality. Also, trying to not shy away from a challenge because that’s how we grow the best. Life motto: “Nevertheless, she persisted”.

D: How do you spend your weekends/ free time?

Outside of flowers, I mainly hop around between chilling with friends, catching up on shows and cooking up something in the kitchen.D: In your own words, starting your own business is…

All-consuming but oh so fulfilling and rewarding.

D: One quote that you live by?

“Every flower blooms in its own time.” – Ken Petti

Since we are constantly under pressure when we compare ourselves to those around us, this is really just a reminder to breathe in times of hectic madness, and that although it doesn’t seem like it, everything will still turn out fine in the end.

D: Where can we find out more about you and your business?

Drop us a message on any of these platforms to have a chat, we would love to hear from you!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.bloomish.eden/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/the.bloomish.eden/

Website: www.thebloomisheden.com

The post Get To Know : The Bloomish Eden appeared first on Delegate.

Knotties Frame is a Singapore-based photography service providing casual couple, engagement & pre-wedding photoshoots.

Specialising in Night photography and using different lighting methods for their night time photoshoots, Knotties Frame stands out from your other regular photographers. They believe in only capturing the best moments in life, ensuring that you will be able to keep these memories with you forever.

In this edition of Get To Know, find out more about the couple who helps you capture your most precious moments.

DELEGATE: Tell us more about yourself 

D: Most memorable experience starting your business?

D: What is the one thing you would like your customers to know about your company?

D: What aspects of your personality can we see in your work?

D: What are your hobbies and passions outside work?

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In Her Element is a photoseries by Delegate featuring inspiring women in Singapore who excel in their various domains. In this installment, we were joined by Veronica Phua, Burpple Brand Evangelist who previously founded her own ad agency, Plum Ideas.

For most of her life, up until recently, much of Veronica’s life centered around advertising. Having spent some time working at two agencies, she eventually founded her own, together with her husband. The inspiration for its name came from her love of plums, and combined with the fact that it meant ‘good’ ideas, Plum Ideas was born.

“Running your own company in any industry is very hard work, and it’s stressful because it always comes back to you – you’re responsible for everything.”

As much as she loved the work, it was tough. Its small, boutique size required multitasking and hands-on work from the team. With a number of major clients to their name, Veronica was constantly on-the-go; once she even flew out to Kenya for two days to conduct an interview. Leading such a high-powered lifestyle, eating became a form of de-stressing.  A true foodie, she was always seeking out good food that she looked forward to sharing with others.

Then in November 2013, she chanced upon Burpple. What seemed like an interesting app for finding food recommendations turned into her personal food journal. As someone who loves sharing her food finds, Burpple was an outlet for her to note down her foodieventures, sans the commitment of maintaining a blog. Instead she could share casual, bite-sized write-ups yet retain full creative control over her content. Working in an ad agency, Veronica often found herself constrained by her clients’ various guidelines, and Burpple felt like a breath of fresh air. And so, she embarked on her little passion project – taking photos of her meals and sharing her thoughts. One day, she opened her inbox to find an email from Jayne, Burpple’s then Community Manager. The Burpple team loved her content and offered to make her one of their Tastemakers. However, with all the demands of her job, Veronica wasn’t prepared to take on any additional commitments. Thankfully, not only was it free of requirements, it introduced her to a community – over cocktail-making classes, eat-ups and various outings organised by Burpple for its Tastemakers, Veronica found herself a group of like-minded foodies with a genuine love of sharing their food-scapades.

“I think I really believe in cultivating something positive. If someone asks you if the meal was good and you say yes, then you criticise on social media, it’s not very fair or nice. It would be better if you raised your concerns on the spot rather than splash it on social media because you didn’t even give them a chance and everyone deserves a chance.”

“There’s nothing wrong with closing a chapter. There’s a time for everything in life and Plum Ideas had run its course. People tend to hang on to things but sometimes you need to say you’re going to do it and then do it right to make sure there’s no collateral damage.”

As she and her husband began the process of winding down, they stopped taking on new projects. But Veronica made it a point to see through all her existing projects till the end, regardless of how long it would take.

Through regular eat-ups with the Burpple community, she found herself a group of friends who shared her passion and zest for food. Having heard of her plans, the CEO approached her with a proposition – a position as a full-time consultant. The position was much less demanding, and much more food-centric; it was a perfect fit.

In November 2016, after 3 years of being a user, the Burpple team welcomed Veronica onboard as their Brand Evangelist, a role created just for her. As someone who loves to eat, interact with the staff, and ask questions, it was a role she easily slipped into. She wasn’t just someone who wanted to eat good food; she cared about the story behind it; she wanted to have conversations about food.

“I’m curious about food and I love sharing. Not everyone is both. Some love to eat but dislike sharing and vice versa. Others aren’t as detailed or expressive, perhaps they don’t have time to share, but it’s my creative outlet. I love to do it and it makes me happy when I get feedback from people telling me they checked out a place I posted about.”

Eventually, she expanded her network to Instagram – given its popularity, it made sense to use it as a platform to promote Burpple. Working as a Creative Director for over a decade, she was always shooting videos and photos and conducting interviews. Years of her professional experience could be translated and distilled into what she could do on both Burpple and Instagram. Her experience with breaking information down in ways that people found easier to absorb helped her create content that was relatable and enjoyable. Always happy to help where she can, Veronica has made it a point to respond to every message she receives – if you’re in need of recommendations, don’t hesitate to give her a shout out! Her detailed posts have earned her a rather large following, especially within the chef community, due to her obvious and genuine passion for food.

“I’ve always felt working in the kitchen is hard work. It’s long hours on your feet. It’s intense; every moment is changing and you’re constantly exposed to danger. The quality always has to be there because you’re being judged for everything that you send out. Yet, it’s the only job in the world that people feel like they have a right to critique everything. If you have 100 orders, you have to prove yourself 100 times a day or more to each customer. I really  take my hat off to chefs. They’re like artists – they create something you can enjoy; art that is edible.”

Veronica views eating as a very personal experience – what she’s grown up eating, the foods that she’s tried have all contributed to the evolution of her taste buds. Everyone has different taste buds. She strongly believes in giving every place a chance, despite what the majority opinion might be, and drawing her own conclusions from her own experience. Recently, after attending a dinner, upon exchanging notes with a foodie whom she highly respects, they found they had opposing opinions of a particular dish. While she thought it was the weakest, it was his favourite; she felt that too many things were happening, whereas he loved the complexity.

Growing up with a mother who is a foodie, food has been a big part of Veronica’s life since she was a child. On weekends, her family would make trips to places that her mother wanted to try. One of her fondest memories was eating Prawn Noodles served out of a push kart in Joo Chiat. She fondly recalls sitting on rickety wooden tables and stools by the long kang, devouring her bowl of Prawn Noodles. Another place she has fond memories of, was the original Odeon Beef Noodles. As a child, waiting for an hour was akin to eternity but she would wait because she knew when she tasted the food, it would be worth it. She credits her mother with teaching her to appreciate and understand the value of traveling and waiting for good food.

As much as she enjoys fine dining, sometimes there is nothing better than discovering a good hawker store or unearthing a hidden gem that no one knows about. With Singapore emerging as a star on the global platform for food, Veronica believes it’s key to trust one’s own taste buds.

“Don’t feel that you need to dine at certain places just because they are endorsed by others. Eating is a pleasure, if it makes you happy, you don’t have to let others tell you how to be happy. Of course there are risks, you might have unpleasant experiences but what’s life if you don’t take chances?”

When quizzed about her favourite restaurant, Veronica tells me she doesn’t have one simply because her favourite restaurant depends on what she’s craving at the time. If something satisfies her cravings at the point in time, then at that moment, it is the best food she’s ever eaten.

She makes it a point to clearly distinguish between sponsored (e.g. hosted and invited tastings) and editorial content. She pays for all her food unless clearly stated. To her, it’s only fair to her readers, and it serves as a good and responsible practice. When stated upfront, the reader is able to understand the context, which would aid them in forming their own opinion and making decisions.

Veronica likes to immerse herself full in the present as much as she can. She views every moment in time like a box; some people occupy a tiny portion of the box, but she strongly believes in being fully invested in the moment as much as she can. This is the reason why she loves to dine solo – it gives her the opportunity to be fully focused on the food, to engage with the chefs and service staff and ask questions. She doesn’t have to feel as if she’s being rude to the company she’s with, unless they understand the way she operates. As long as the moment doesn’t feel like it was wasted when it ends. The passing of a close relative served as a reminder that life is unpredictable, and anything can happen at any time.

“When you encounter things like that it serves as a reminder. We have to live in the moment. Don’t put off things that you’ve been meaning to do or people you’ve been meaning to meet. Make the effort to do it. It’s important, and doing it over a meal is the best thing to do.”

The post In Her Element: Veronica Phua appeared first on Delegate.

In Her Element is a photoseries by Delegate featuring inspiring women in Singapore who excel in their various domains. For our latest issue, we sat down with Sarissa Rodriguez-Schwartz, Co-founder and Director of SJS Group, at their latest venture – Papi’s Tacos.

7 years ago, Sarissa and Joshua Schwartz left New York to help launch Pangaea in Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands. In 2014, 3 years later, the husband-and-wife duo opened the doors to Bang Bang. What began as a nightclub has now grown into the restaurant and nightlife company, known as SJS Group, with 5 ventures to its name. Outside of work, the couple live with their dog, Charlie; enjoy travelling, diving and exploring.

“We’re not retail therapy people. We like to go out, see new things, experience new cultures and be inspired by what we can take back to Singapore.”

At the age of 14, Sarissa was already getting acquainted with the F&B industry. Her very first job, she recounts, was at an Italian bakery in New York, where she spent her days filling cannolis and making espressos. Eventually, she went on to take up various roles in the industry – waitress, hostess, bartender; you name it, she’s done it. She continued to bartend while studying International Business and Marketing at a university in Washington, D.C. in order to finance to her education.

Owning an establishment of her own was something Sarissa had always dreamed of. Breaking into the scene in New York was a challenge, due to the high barriers of entry. The accessibility of entrepreneurship made it an entirely different ball game – everything happened so fast. Before she knew it, she didn’t just have her own place; she was the proud owner of four. With success, came confidence and the courage to take more risks. But Sarissa sees more to the business than just churning out project after project. For her, it’s about finding the meaning in these projects, creating something that matters, something she can be proud of; that is her ultimate goal.

“I woke up today and I asked myself – what do I want out of this new project? What do I envision it to be? What does it mean to me? And if it doesn’t mean anything to me, I’d rather not pursue it. I just want good places that I’m proud of; to give back to the community; a place where people can create really great memories.”

Their latest venture, Papi’s Tacos, is a taqueria, envisioned as a taco truck without wheels. The idea was to have bar seating where customers could see everything happening in front of them. However, the project couldn’t have come to fruition without Mauricio Espinoza, formerly a chef at Employees Only. One day, he expressed interest in owning his own venture. Although the idea he had was very different from what Sarissa and Josh initially had in mind, everything fell into place and Papi’s Tacos was born.

When Sarissa starts building a venue, she creates a persona behind the venue, whom she looks to as a guide when making decisions. She imagines Papi to be an older Mexican man. Keeping Papi in mind helps guide her when she looks at things like branding, the website and social media etc., which explains the nostalgic decor. Likewise, when choosing a perfume for Lulu’s Lounge, she thought about what Lulu would like as opposed to what she liked.

“It’s not about what I like, and it’s easy to get lost in the opinions of what other people like, or what you should do. But as long as you go back to what ‘Lulu’ would do, coming from her culture and personality etc.”

As a leader, Sarissa describes her style as one that is hands-on, one where she leads by example. It might be hard to believe, but she does not exempt herself from tasks such as cleaning the bathroom.

“No job is too much, and saying it’s not my job is not what I expect. I expect everybody to take ownership of the venue even if they’re not an owner. I expect everyone to take pride in what they’re doing, and understanding that the entire venue is a representation of you and your role.”

Empowerment is a major aspect of her leadership style – she wants her employees to feel empowered to make their own decisions, and to know that it’s okay to make mistakes. By letting them in on her thought process, she hopes it will help shape the decisions they make in her absence. She and Josh regard themselves as strict parents – they want their employees to succeed and grow, and they’re willing to teach them along the way.

Being in the restaurant and nightlife business, there’s often a misconception that it’s an easy business, that doesn’t take much to succeed. To Sarissa, challenge is a failure, and at times, it’s made her question her instincts. It’s made her more measured when it comes to making decisions. Josh and her approach new concepts by pitching them to each other; to convince the naysayer. While it makes them very tough people to get something past, it’s proven to produce remarkable results.

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