Latest news with #MsChan
New Paper
04-08-2025
- Business
- New Paper
'It's a personal mission': Side hustles become way of life for more full-time workers
When Ms Joey Chan saw many pet owners struggling to find someone to care for their pets when they travel or work, she began offering house visits as a service. The 26-year-old goes to pet owners' homes to feed their fur kids, clean up after them and administer medicine if needed. She also offers dog-walking services, stepping in when owners are too busy to do so themselves. "Many of my clients have become regulars, and some even trust me enough to leave their home keys with me permanently so I can step in whenever needed," she told The Straits Times. During peak periods like holiday seasons, she sometimes has to manage five or six home visits a day while juggling her full-time job as a business development manager at The Mind Cafe. To do this, she has to ensure that the visits are scheduled strictly outside of work hours or on weekends. "It can be exhausting, but I make it work because I genuinely love what I do," she said. "This is more than just a side hustle; it's a personal mission," the animal lover said. Ms Chan is among a growing number of full-time employees, especially millennials and Gen Zers, who are pursuing side gigs not just to supplement their income, but also to seek personal fulfilment. Changing perception While having a side gig, or moonlighting, was once frowned upon, the practice is increasingly being reframed with more positive labels such as hustling, polyworking or having a "slash career" or "portfolio career". The trend has become more prevalent in the post-pandemic world. While some employees do it discreetly, others are embracing their side ventures openly - sometimes even with the blessing of their employers. Ms Chan's employer, for instance, is supportive of her pet-sitting gig. "There's a mutual understanding that as long as it doesn't affect my work performance and I continue to fulfil my responsibilities, it's completely fine," she said. According to a 2025 report by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), 33 per cent of Singapore respondents across all generations said they are now engaged in additional employment beyond their main job. The report, which polled more than 10,000 respondents from 175 countries including Singapore, said growing exposure to social media and technology might have shaped attitudes and made younger people in South-east Asia more open to having a side hustle. "For Gen Zers in Singapore, side hustles often stem from a desire for creative fulfilment, personal branding or income diversification. Social media certainly plays a role in normalising entrepreneurial ventures," said ACCA Singapore country manager Daniel Leung. The national curriculum has also increasingly encouraged innovation and entrepreneurship among students in polytechnics and universities. "That early encouragement has translated into greater confidence among young professionals to try something of their own, even while holding a full-time role," he said. Entrepreneurial experiment While some see their side gigs as a small passion project, others are keen to grow them bigger. Mr Tok Wei Cheng and Mr Jonathan Tan started building Acuppa, an online directory for home-based food and beverage (F&B) businesses in Singapore, when they were undergraduates. They found satisfaction in connecting these small businesses with residents living nearby, and do not charge for the listings. Mr Tok, 28, and Mr Tan, 27, now have full-time jobs in marketing and tech, respectively, but they regularly find time outside of work to visit some of the 140 listed businesses, shooting promotional videos for them, and to brainstorm ideas on how to improve the platform. The platform has grown bigger than expected, said Mr Tok. There is potential for monetisation, but the two founders are still considering it as they have to be prepared to put in more time and effort to scale the project further. Acuppa founders Jonathan Tan (with camera), 27, and Tok Wei Cheng (right) at a shoot with Mr Samuel Quah, who runs home cafe Blank on June 21. ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY Based on his observations, Mr Tok said most home-based businesses on his platform are run by those with full-time jobs, and they operate mainly on weekends or weekday evenings. Tofu Tofu and That Day At Home are two examples. Ms Tris Su, 34, owner of Tofu Tofu, has been selling the trendy matcha latte from her Bedok home since March. Sales have grown from about 15 cups a weekend to more than 60 now. "I genuinely enjoy the process, from whisking to packaging - it doesn't feel like a chore," she said. Ms Tris Su sold about 15 cups of matcha latte during Tofu Tofu's launch weekend in March 2025. Now, sales have grown about 4.5 times that figure over a weekend. PHOTO: TOFU TOFU The marketing professional is running her business as a "low-key" weekend hustle, and is keeping it "entirely separate" from her full-time job to avoid conflict of interest. For Ms LX, the owner of That Day At Home, who requested anonymity, the inspiration for her home cafe in Punggol came during a trip to Bangkok, where she and her husband stumbled upon a small bar with a warm atmosphere and inviting music. "What if we could create a similar vibe back in our own neighbourhood?" she thought. Ms LX's inspiration to start That Day At Home came from a small bar that she stumbled upon during a trip to Bangkok with her husband. PHOTO: THAT DAY AT HOME The couple experimented with different beans and brewing methods before they opened for business. "With matcha, I spent about a year trying different brands and ratios until I landed on a recipe that felt just right," Ms LX said. Ms LX spent about a year trying different brands and ratios of matcha before nailing a recipe. PHOTO: THAT DAY AT HOME The 35-year-old, who works in the tech industry, said she is grateful that her employer has been supportive of her small venture. "The beauty of it being a passion project is that it allows us to stay intentional, focusing on making good drinks and creating authentic moments with the community." Employers' take Several experts told ST that employers generally do not have issues with side-hustling employees who meet expectations at work. However, employers' tolerance levels can differ based on employee tenure, industry type and the nature of the work. Mr Jeffrey Li, co-founder of accounting and corporate services provider said he appreciates employees who develop skills from their side gigs and apply them effectively at work. For instance, an assistant accountant helped his firm set up a customer relationship management system. "We've had accountants who run their own or family online businesses bring in fresh perspectives and practical skills that go beyond their day-to-day roles. These capabilities are often hard to build in a traditional accounting role alone," Mr Li said. Ms Juliet Tan, founder of human resources consultancy firm Emplifi, noted that some employers have invested in their employees' side ventures and have become their investors. But in certain industries, such as retail and F&B, employers are unlikely to approve any side gigs as they want their employees to rest on their day off. "Side jobs can affect performance due to lack of rest and split attention," Ms Tan said. Mr Khelvin Xu, a disputes and employment lawyer and director at law firm Covenant Chambers, said it also boils down to the relationship between employees and their supervisors. "If they (employees) are meeting or exceeding expectations, their employer is more likely to see whatever they are doing in a positive light. "Conversely, if they are not doing well, their employer may well latch onto their side hustle as a reason, and perhaps even use that as a pretext to push the employee towards the exit," he said. "As a very general rule of thumb, if your side hustle is completely unrelated to your day job, and you are still meeting or exceeding expectations for your day job, then chances are less that you are in breach of this duty of good faith and fidelity." Mr Xu added that if there are no clauses in an employment contract that expressly prohibit outside work, "the courts are generally reluctant to impose restrictions which would hamper employees from increasing their earnings in their spare time". Income declaration The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore said earnings derived from side hustles are subject to tax under self-employment income, even if the business is not registered with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority. Generally, side hustlers are required to file an income tax return when they receive a notification from Iras. If they do not hear from the taxman, they will have to declare their income in the preceding calendar year if: their total income is more than $22,000; or they make a net profit of more than $6,000 from their self-employment; or they are a non-resident who derived income from Singapore. When declaring gig income, people may be able to reduce their taxable amount by claiming allowable business expenses, such as costs for packing materials and ingredients. ACCA's Mr Leung said side hustling can be increasingly accepted, or even valued - if done responsibly with clear boundaries. "In short, side hustles are not inherently problematic. It's how they're managed that matters."
CNA
30-07-2025
- General
- CNA
'Most of the things are gone': Toa Payoh resident's flat gutted by fire that started one floor down
SINGAPORE: Although the fire did not originate from her flat, one resident watched helplessly as flames spread and engulfed her home on Tuesday (Jul 29). Ms Cheryl Chan, 70, was at work when she received word that a fire had broken out at her block. The blaze started at about 1pm in a 10th-floor unit at Block 229 Toa Payoh Lorong 8, and quickly spread upwards to her flat directly above on the 11th floor. Seven people, including a firefighter and a child, were taken to hospital. Neither Ms Chan nor her sister-in-law, who lives with her, was home at the time. But they now have to grapple with the loss of their belongings and a home nearly destroyed. Ms Chan returned to inspect her flat for the first time on Wednesday afternoon. 'Most of the things, I think are gone already,' said Ms Chan, who is an administrative assistant. When CNA visited her home, there was a Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) cordon at the door. The flat's interior was badly charred, though some blackened furniture remained intact. Still, she put on a strong front, saying that at least both she and her sister-in-law were safe. 'They say in Cantonese, suey lor (unlucky) … things can just happen, we just have to take it easy,' she said. 'It's something that no one wants to have, this problem.' While she was stoic when speaking to reporters, Ms Chan became visibly emotional when neighbours stopped to hug and console her, saying they were thankful she was not injured. 'They offered me anything, saying that if I needed help to let them know,' she said. 'They're all very nice … we are lucky we have very good neighbours.' Ms Chan said that while her flat is covered under HDB's fire insurance scheme, she has not yet worked out what compensation she can get. 'There's nothing I can say, because we also don't know what's happening, and we have to wait for more updates,' she said. 'Whatever we can claim, we will claim.' She and her sister-in-law have been relocated to a rental flat at Toa Payoh Lorong 5. Unable to return home last night, she borrowed her sister's clothes to sleep in. NEIGHBOURS HUDDLED TO ESCAPE THICK SMOKE Harrowing details of the blaze emerged in the hours following it. CNA spoke to the owner of the 10th-floor flat where the fire originated, who was left reeling after his wife and helper were hospitalised, and his home destroyed in the blaze. The fire not only affected residents of the two damaged units, but caused significant disruption throughout the block. Mr Jeffrey Foo, who lives on the 15th floor, said black smoke began to seep into his home. Along with several neighbours, he climbed up to the 24th floor to escape. The 79-year-old retiree and some neighbours climbed up the stairs to the 24th floor to escape the smoke. One of the home owners on that floor opened his doors to the residents who holed up inside, praying the fire would not spread further up. 'Some of them were crying, very poor thing, they were shocked,' said Mr Foo. 'The fumes were terrible.' It was only after over an hour at about 2.30pm that SCDF personnel contained the fire and safely ushered the residents down. A woman whose elderly father lives in the flat opposite Ms Chan's said his unit was not damaged but she was worried he would be affected by the smoke. SCDF personnel evacuated him safely. The woman, in her 50s, said her father was uninjured and is now staying with her. Residents said those living on the 10th and 11th floors are still unable to return to their homes as the electricity on those floors remains cut off and is expected to be restored only after Aug 4. CNA observed water damage in a ninth-floor unit directly below the source of the fire. Water dripped from the ceiling and the visibly distressed residents declined to speak to reporters. CALLS FOR SAFETY REVIEW IN OLDER BLOCKS MORE SHOULD BE DONE TO IMPROVE EVACUATION PROCEDURES Another resident, who lives on the 13th floor with his wife and two young children, said his flat lost power overnight and the family had to stay with his parents. His electricity was restored on Wednesday. He raised concerns about evacuation procedures, noting the block is an older point block with a single staircase. He recalled that a fire 20 years ago prompted residents to request a second staircase, but this was never built. He also said many residents living above the blaze on Tuesday could not evacuate the block as the fire was near the staircase, and had no choice but to head upstairs for safety. 'It's up to the authorities or town council or HDB to see whether they want to do this, or any other measures, such as fire extinguishers,' he said. MP for the area Saktiandi Supaat told CNA he has heard similar feedback about safety at point blocks, and has relayed these concerns to HDB, the town council and SCDF. Mr Saktiandi also said affected households have been temporarily rehoused by HDB in nearby units, likely until flat owners complete the necessary repairs. Neighbouring units that were badly affected have also been offered interim housing. In a Facebook post on Wednesday, he said essential items such as mattresses, daily necessities and bottled water have been distributed through the Toa Payoh East Community Development and Welfare Fund and community partners such as Toa Payoh Seu Teck Sean Tong. Self-help groups have also donated clothing to affected residents. A community WhatsApp channel has been set up to keep residents updated on repair works to the block, he added.
