Meet the 82-year-old cheerleader who dances to the beat of her own drum
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Independent Singapore
17 hours ago
- Independent Singapore
‘We left our high-paying jobs in Singapore for S$300/month pay in India' — Couple shares how choosing ‘freedom over hustle' grew their own successful business
SINGAPORE: They probably had it all—fat paycheques, shiny job titles, and the daily adrenaline rush of corporate life in Singapore. But three years ago, this foreign couple did what most people only dare to fantasise about during MRT rides or while doom-scrolling LinkedIn: They quit! 'We're still in transition,' the woman shared on Instagram, painting a picture that straddles the city and the countryside. 'Between the city and the farm. Between school runs, family time, and the life we're slowly designing on our own terms.' And they didn't just quit their jobs; they quit the entire hustle culture that came with living in one of the world's most fast-paced cities. From high-rise stress to hill-view bliss, this couple swapped S$ paycheques for peace of mind—and don't regret a thing. Now, they're raising their kid, sipping chai, and building an online business—all from a quaint hill-view farm in India. It wasn't a dramatic exit with fireworks and fanfare. Just a quiet, deeply self-reflective decision that involved trading in their high-paying Singapore gigs for a lifestyle where freedom—not fortune—was the main currency. See also PM Lee seeks to rally youth while continuing to open FT floodgates From $ to ₹ She decided to just earn ₹20,000 (around S$300) a month doing remote work as a Virtual Assistant three years ago when they left Singapore for India. 'That was the only goal,' she said. No big plans, no business degrees, no digital nomad starter kit. Just one modest goal and a whole lot of courage. But what started as a side hustle turned into something far more transformative—a thriving online business that's now the backbone of her family's financial independence. 'A business that brings financial stability and lets me work a few hours a day, from anywhere… even from our little hill-view farm,' she wrote. You don't need a fancy degree, 10-hour workdays Her message is simple: You don't need a fancy degree, 10-hour workdays, or a miracle to get started. You just need a plan. And maybe a push. She now teaches others how to do the same, particularly women who are tired of waiting for the stars (or their resumes) to align. To date, she's helped over 150 women launch their own Virtual Assistant (VA) businesses, proving that even everyday skills can be monetised in meaningful ways. 'If you've been dreaming of working online but feel stuck in ideas, doubts, or too many tabs open in your brain… here's the truth…,' she wrote. 'You don't need to wait forever to get your first client.' Her Instagram call-to-action is refreshingly direct: comment 'VA Bundle' and she'll DM you a free starter guide—the very same one that launched her post-Singapore chapter. What if the rat race isn't the only race? The couple's story is more than just a career shift. It's a quiet revolution against the myth that success must come with burnout. They left behind high salaries in Singapore (which can easily exceed S$100K annually for skilled professionals) for a flexible work-from-anywhere lifestyle that prioritises health, family, and peace. And they're not alone. With the rise of remote work and digital skills monetisation, more Singapore-based professionals are starting to wonder: What if the rat race isn't the only race? The farm isn't just a backdrop for their new life—it's a metaphor. For growth, for grounding, and for planting something sustainable in a world obsessed with speed. Build your work-from-anywhere life Her final message is a gentle nudge to those who feel stuck, tired, or overbooked by their own ambition: 'Let's build your work-from-anywhere life—one small step at a time.' For now, even when they're still in transition, if freedom were a location, it's safe to say—they've arrived. In other news, similar to this Indian couple, a Singaporean man, husband and father of three, also decided to leave Singapore after getting completely burnt out with SG, and now he hears KL instead of India calling out his name… You can read about his story over here: 'I'm done with S'pore! I wanna move to M'sia…' — S'porean man earning S$100K/year feels 'jaded with life in SG; KL feels sweet place to be'
CNA
a day ago
- CNA
A homesick craving inspired her to launch a Singaporean supper club and food brand in London
It was a comforting bowl of bak chor mee (minced meat noodle) that changed it all. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Megan Tan was living in London and working as a finance lawyer. With the city in lockdown, her homesick roommate was craving local Singaporean food. 'It was her birthday and we couldn't go anywhere. I wanted to do something thoughtful for her, so I asked her what her favourite dish was. It was bak chor mee, so I Googled a recipe and made it for the first time,' Tan, 30, recalled. That simple act of cooking for a friend was enough to spark a realisation in Tan for two reasons. 'First, it was the feeling of making something with my own two hands. And second, it was making something that I love so much, and that she loved so much too, and the joy that it brought to the both of us.' In fact, Tan enjoyed the experience of cooking for others so much that for the rest of the lockdown, she started opening up orders for dishes such as wonton mee, Hokkien mee and carrot cake on her Instagram. During the weekends, she would cook the dishes and cycle out to deliver them herself. 'I had a lot of fun and I think it gave me a lot of meaning and human connection at a time when it was very short in supply,' Tan, a self-professed extrovert, reflected. Eventually, she launched Homi Kitchen, a supper club run out of her apartment where she serves Singaporean dishes to guests. What started as a nostalgic dinner for her social bubble soon evolved into something bigger. Beyond the supper club, Tan is on a mission to create a brand that can make 'Singaporean flavours easily accessible on supermarket shelves for everyone in the UK', said the young entrepreneur. In early 2025, Tan went on to launch her first product – the Giga Chicken Rice Chilli sauce, a flavour-packed condiment inspired by one Singapore's most beloved dishes, with more products already in the pipeline. FROM LAW TO LOCAL FLAVOURS Born and raised in Singapore, Tan grew up in a three-generation household in Serangoon, with her grandmother, an avid cook, cooking Teochew dishes every day for the family. 'She's the queen of the kitchen. I would try to help, but quite often I would be making things worse,' Tan recalled with a laugh. It wasn't until she studied law at the University of Oxford in the UK that she began experimenting with cooking herself. 'I missed food from home, and the funny thing is, I didn't have a kitchen in my college accommodation. I only had a rice cooker, and I had all my sauces and ingredients in a box.' She made do with the limited setup, cooking Asian comfort dishes such as chicken curry and katsu curry in that one pot. She often invited friends to gather in her room for dinner, who brought over their own bowls and cutlery. After completing her legal training back in Singapore, Tan made the jump to move to London full-time. 'Within the legal industry, London is one of the big hot spots for top-notch firms and teams. It is also a very international, cosmopolitan city,' she said of the move. A few years into her legal career, Tan quickly realised that her true passion laid elsewhere. 'What sparked the greatest joy for me was being in the consumer retail space, and seeing my customers really enjoying my food and being grateful for the comfort that a simple bowl of noodles brought them,' said Tan. Homi Kitchen was a way for her to indulge in her love for cooking while balancing a demanding day job. 'Why I started the supper club was to also test my theory that there's a growing interest in Singaporean food in the UK. It was a way to meet people who weren't necessarily from Singapore or Malaysia to find out how they know about the cuisine and why they were curious enough to try it,' Tan explained. For her very first supper club, Tan whipped up a Hainanese chicken rice feast. Later on, the menus featured other Singaporean hawker favourites such as carrot cake, wonton mee and even a chilli crab and black pepper crab session. Seats are usually priced around £25 (S$42). At the table, 'there was always a mix of nationalities, which is reflective of life in London,' said Tan. Despite the success of the supper club, Tan knew that if she were to leave her job, it would not be to continue hosting private dinners. Instead, she had bigger ambitions. 'Here in London, we already have a growing number of Singaporean and Malaysian restaurants. We have Singapulah, which still has long queues months after opening, and we've got Old Chang Kee as well, so I don't think London necessarily needs another restaurant,' said Tan. 'I think what the UK is lacking is authentic Singaporean flavours on grocery shelves.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Homi Kitchen (@ From her very first supper club session, where she served Hainanese chicken rice, Tan was already toying with the idea of selling the accompanying chilli sauce she had made from scratch. Over time, she used each supper club as a testing ground, gathering feedback from her diners. 'I wanted to get a good sense of what would be a great product that people actually want,' she said. 'By the time I left my job, I had a very clear idea of what the product would be and the kind of people who would be interested in the brand.' COOKING UP A BRAND With the Giga Chilli Sauce, Tan wants to bridge the gap between home-cooked meals and dining out at a restaurant. The condiment is meant to help home cooks add interesting, familiar flavours to their dishes with minimal effort. Tan's customers have been creative in the way they use the sauce too. Beyond pairing it with chicken rice, they have slathered it on sandwiches or stirred it into their takeaway pho from the nearby Vietnamese restaurant. At one of Homi Kitchen's pop-up events, Tan even created a 'chicken rice cocktail' in the form of a spicy margarita with the chilli sauce as a base, in collaboration with a bar in Camden market. Customers interested in the Giga Chilli Sauce can currently purchase it online on Homi Kitchen's website. The condiment is also stocked at grocers, food courts and delis such as Raya at Borough Market, Eat 17 on Orford Road, Polhill Farm Shop at London Road and Harvest E1 on Brick Lane. The name Homi Kitchen – a playful twist on 'home' that also means 'homie', as in friend – reflects Tan's dual vision for the brand. 'As I started out as a homerun supper club, I wanted people to feel at home with the brand. It's also a reminder to myself that my focus is also on getting my products into other people's homes.' The brand wants to share the 'crazy rich flavours of Singapore" beyond its shores, as its tagline encapsulates. And for Tan, the chilli sauce is just the beginning. 'Right now, it's just chilli sauce, but long-term, the other products I have in mind are stuff like ready made char kway teow that you can pop into the microwave,' Tan elaborated. 'Of course, it will never be as good as going to your favourite store in Singapore, but my goal is to get as close as humanly and to fill that gap for someone who misses local food, or someone who is curious about the cuisine.' Tan is already working on Homi Kitchen's next condiment, the Hei Hei Black Pepper Sauce, slated to launch soon. 'At my black pepper and chilli crab supper club, some of the guests loved the black pepper sauce so much that they asked if I was going to start selling it,' shared Tan. 'I started looking into it and making the sauce for people to try at my events, putting them on things like tater tots just to get people to see it as something different and seeing how it lands. People really loved the flavour.' FINDING PURPOSE Giving up a prestigious career in law to pursue an uncharted path is a bold move. 'Growing up in Asia, and maybe especially in my generation, you are brought up to study hard to secure a good, stable job for the rest of your life,' said Tan, who attended Raffles Girls School and later Raffles Institution in Singapore. 'Reflecting on my younger years, part of why I chased a law career was because my friends were doing so,' Tan reflected. 'But as objectively desirable I knew a law career is for many people, eventually I had to accept that I would never be 100 per cent happy.' Stepping into entrepreneurship is 'unfamiliar territory' for her family, who do not come from a business background. While her parents were initially worried she was making a rash decision, they supported her wholeheartedly. Tan makes regular trips back to Singapore to spend time with her family. Her go-to dish when she's home? A comforting bowl of bak chor mee. Back in London, Tan continues to host supper club sessions while developing new products for Homi Kitchen. In June, she hosted two sold-out events in collaboration with Hong Kong milk tea brand Chadong. On the menu were dishes such as Hei Hei Pepper Pork Belly, Hainanese Chicken Rice and Popiah, while Chadong contributed milk bread prawn toast, lychee and lime granita and Hong Kong French toast ice cream bars. Despite the uncertainties that lie with entrepreneurship, Tan has found a sense of purpose in building something of her own. 'Whatever the outcome, I can say that I already find this journey meaningful,' she reflected. 'This is something I intrinsically want to do. No one needs to tell me that I'm doing a good job, or that it's the right thing to do. It still feels right for me."
CNA
2 days ago
- CNA
How to make the most of a long pause between jobs and reap the benefits of a well-planned career break
After more than seven years working as a marketing manager, Ms Sue Ann Teo decided to take a career break from last October despite enjoying the work-life balance at her company and her working relationship with colleagues. She did not feel burnt out, but said that she just "wasn't fulfilled anymore". "I needed a change. In my line of work, you see people spending money on ridiculously priced things. And there's so much suffering in the world where the money can go," the 42-year-old said of working for a brand-name company dealing in luxury products. She has not jumped back to full-time work for now and is enjoying the extended break while doing part-time work for a startup. Career breaks, sometimes called sabbaticals, are emerging as an attractive option for segments of the workforce. Career coaches told CNA TODAY that people might do so because of evolving life priorities and caregiving responsibilities. Ms Shub Faujdar, chief career coach at consulting company JobS-ME Singapore, said that early-career professionals in their 20s in particular are rejecting the idea that they have to work non-stop and enjoy the fruits of their labour only in old age. These workers are temporarily stepping off the treadmill to reassess what they want in a move called " micro-retirement", a term that has recently been gaining traction on social media. However, there is a key difference between career breaks and simply being unemployed, career coaches said. The former is a deliberate pause to rest, upskill, pursue personal goals or travel. The person on a career break maintains a sense of empowerment and ownership. Ms Allison Ching, founder of life-coaching practice Dream, Do, Deliver, said: "They often have a plan or reflection process on how they want to grow, reset or re-enter the workforce." On the other hand, those who are jobless by no choice of their own – due to layoffs, for instance – often carry a sense of loss with no control of the situation because they were put into that situation involuntarily. However, the difference is not always about the circumstances. Career experts stressed that it is more about one's intention and mindset. "The way someone owns and frames that time is what changes the narrative from a passive gap to an active decision," Ms Faujdar said. REPRIEVE FROM THE HUSTLE Career mobility coach Wong Meiling noted that there are a few key groups who are more inclined to take a break. The first is mothers with pre-schoolers or teenagers in critical academic years such as the Primary School Leaving Examination or O-Levels. These mothers may want to take time off to help their children focus on their academic milestones. Some may also step back from work to manage mounting family responsibilities such as caring for ageing parents or sick relatives. The impetus is not always external. Mid-senior-level career professionals in their mid-30s to 40s sometimes pause to reassess their lives and look for more meaningful work. Young adults in their late 20s and early 30s may also feel a need to resign from their jobs in order to figure out what they truly want from their careers. 'While it happens across industries, it's more common in high-pressure sectors like banking, tech and healthcare where burnout is a real challenge,' Ms Wong said. Ms Faujdar believes that the primary enabler of this trend is that more people now have the means to do it. She said a voluntary career break was not even an option for earlier generations, but is now financially viable for adults still far from retirement age. This was the case for Mr Ho Shu Huang, 43, who left his job as a teaching fellow at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies in 2022. He said that he was able to step back from full-time work chiefly because he had been diligent in saving and investing money since he entered the workforce more than 18 years ago. He does not have any children and his mother is financially self-sufficient. "Years later, that kind of consistency (was what) gave me the option to take a break." Another factor driving the interest in career breaks is that there are many options available now outside of traditional employment, Ms Faujdar said. With the rise of the gig economy, more people can work on a project basis without sacrificing relevancy in their field. "If money is the only thing that people are getting from their work, they can become more open to exploring options," she added. During her break, Ms Teo the former marketing manager started working part-time for her ex-colleague's generative artificial intelligence (AI) startup. "That's fun because I don't have a full-time commitment. It's just a couple of hours a week," she said. This side hustle also gave her the opportunity to realise that she is interested in product and project management. POSITIVE RESET When approached with intention, a career break can be a powerful reset. Ms Ching said that such a move offers one the space to "step off the hamster wheel" and reflect on what truly matters. It is also a chance to reskill or experiment with new vocations and industries before making a permanent move, Ms Wong said. She has seen clients return from a break with stronger focus and energy, having identified roles or companies that align with their refreshed priorities. One of Ms Ching's clients, a woman in her late 30s, took a year-long break from her banking role to care for her father who was struggling with late-stage cancer. During that time, she enrolled in a digital transformation banking course that complemented her knowledge in banking operations. Later, she was able to re-enter the workforce in a more senior role. Senior career coach Joey Kang from government agency Workforce Singapore raised the possibility that people taking time off for childcare or eldercare may develop interests in early childhood education or gerontology, which is the study of old age and of the changes that it causes in the body. "They may then gain relevant skills during their break and switch to these fields when returning to work, effectively turning their break into a pathway to a new career," Ms Kang said. However, a career break may come with some downsides, the coaches said. One common risk is a loss of momentum. Ms Ching said that professionals might find it tough to re-enter the workforce, particularly if the break extends longer than planned and is not accompanied by ongoing engagement or upskilling. "There can also be bias from hiring managers who may question the gaps if they're not well-articulated or framed in a constructive way," she added. Those returning from a career break might also face difficulties negotiating salaries comparable to their previous positions, Ms Kang said. Another potential pitfall: loss of confidence. Without structure, validation and routine of work, some people can begin to doubt their relevance, Ms Ching said, especially if they are not staying connected to their network or industry. BECOMING CAPTAIN OF YOUR OWN SHIP For people considering a career break, how can they best avoid these pitfalls? Before going on a hiatus, there must be thorough preparation, Ms Kang said. They can start by determining a clear time frame and creating a detailed financial plan for how they would support themselves throughout the planned period. They should also develop specific goals and measurable outcomes, such as completing an upskilling programme within three months of the career break or updating their resume one month before the break ends. While on a break, what can micro-retirees do to make sure they are not left behind as their industry and the working world go on without them? The key is not to disappear, Ms Wong advised. "Out of sight often means out of mind. Staying visible is what keeps you on the radar of potential employers or collaborators." This can be done by maintaining a presence on LinkedIn, for instance. You may consider posting regular updates about what you are learning or doing while on the break, whether it is taking up courses or workshops, or even volunteering. Engage with your network by making thoughtful comments on posts that other people put out, asking questions or sharing relevant insights from your field with them. "Catch up with ex-colleagues over coffee or set up informal chats to gather industry updates and explore opportunities when you're ready to return," Ms Wong proposed. Another tip to keep your network warm is to join interest groups or communities that relate to you, Ms Ching said. Attend the occasional webinar, networking event or professional group meet. For instance, Ms Ching often encourages her clients who are seeking to speak more confidently to join Toastmasters, a nonprofit organisation that teaches public speaking skills, as a way to exchange ideas and build connections. "Ultimately, staying relevant during a break is about being curious, visible and authentic." All this considered, Ms Teo who used to work for a brand-name company seems to be on the right track. She recently took part in a generative AI bootcamp and hopes to enrol in a product management course using her SkillsFuture credits. However, she is in no rush to re-enter the workforce. For now, she is focused on spending her free time with friends, walking her dog and working on side projects such as cross-stitching or repainting her house – things in life that bring her joy. "I don't feel a strong need to apply for a job right now," she said, adding that she does not feel willing to commit to another full-time role unless the job "really calls out" to her. She also has no issue with living costs and has been travelling for leisure as well. As for the potential gap in her resume when she chooses to return to the corporate world, she is not bothered by that.
