Cover Every entrepreneur has a story to tell of why they started on their business journey. From wanting to solve a personal challenge to hoping to impact the lives of others, they are often fuelled by curiosity and an interest to better the world (Photo: Midjourney)
Every entrepreneur has a story to tell of why they started on their business journey. From wanting to solve a personal challenge to hoping to impact the lives of others, they are often fuelled by curiosity and an interest to better the world (Photo: Midjourney)
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It‘s difficult to predict where life will take you. For these five entrepreneurs, it was a mix of curiosity, personal experiences and chance opportunities that led them to do what they do today
The Tatler Gen.T Leaders of Tomorrow showcases Asia’s most promising innovators across various industries including Technology, Food and Beverage, The Arts and Social Entrepreneurship. While their companies, awards and achievements may be well-known, these leaders possess unexpected passions and talents that set them apart.
We discover the compelling personal narrative that shapes their professional approaches and propels their relentless drive for a positive impact. From an accidental artist to a snack retailer, the stories of these five changemakers reveal the unexpected connections between personal interests and professional endeavours.
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Michelle Chai
Michelle Chai’s journey into entrepreneurship began with a personal challenge: finding suitable snacks for her daughter Amelie, who has food allergies. Unable to source nut and egg-free cookies, Chai took matters into her own hands, experimenting with ingredients like applesauce and wholewheat flour to create safe, delicious treats for her daughter.
That experience sparked the founding of Kintry, a Malaysian artisanal snack company that specialises in healthy, handmade snacks using natural ingredients. “Malaysians are inherently hospitable and warm,” Chai explains. “I wanted to capture those precious feelings and showcase them to the world through our products.”
Kintry’s unique charm lies in its deeply personal origins. In a touching tribute to the company’s roots, early packaging featured images of her family including one of Chai offering a tray of freshly baked cookies to an eager Amelie. This image not only tells the story of Kintry’s birth but also represents the heart and soul of the brand: family, love and the joy of sharing.
From her humble beginnings, Chai has grown Kintry into a beloved Malaysian brand, collaborating with brands such as Uniqlo and the frozen yoghurt chain, Llao Llao. The company now offers a range of snacks that cater to various markets and Kintry is in discussions to export its products to Indonesia, Hong Kong and Singapore.
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Sophia Hotung
Founder and managing director, Pangolin Society
Writer, illustrator and digital artist Sophia Hotung has captivated audiences with her ingenious series, The Hong Konger. This collection of satirical artworks cleverly reimagines the iconic covers of The New Yorker magazine, infusing them with a vibrant Hong Kong essence that both celebrates and gently pokes fun at the city’s unique culture.
“I was never supposed to be an artist!” Hotung exclaims, recounting her unexpected journey from an IT audit role at KPMG to a career in art. She uses her digital art to raise awareness about chronic illnesses and disability. Her work entertains and educates, bridging gaps in understanding and fostering empathy. Hotung’s career transition, however, was born out of adversity.
Read more: Meet Sophia Hotung, the accidental artist behind ‘The Hong Konger’ prints
At 16, Hotung developed autoimmune hepatitis, a genetic condition, and has subsequently suffered from a host of chronic illnesses. In 2017, while battling multiple autoimmune diseases, she discovered her artistic calling. “My condition made it impossible to hold a job. After years of cycling in and out of hospitals, I found myself bedridden and unemployed,” Hotung reveals. “Then, during Christmas in 2020, my mum gifted me an iPad. From my bed, I taught myself to draw, accidentally launching my creative career.”
Hotung’s artistic endeavours have led to the publication of her first book, The Hong Konger Anthology. Her art, deeply rooted in her personal experiences, explores themes of disability, female identity and mixed-race heritage—all viewed through the lens of Hong Kong culture.
Sareen Rojanametin
Chef patron, Small Dinner Club
Sareen Rojanametin, the chef patron behind Bangkok’s Small Dinner Club, brings a unique perspective to the culinary world. His diverse background in fine arts, photography and advertising has shaped his innovative approach to cooking, where visual aesthetics and culinary artistry intertwine.
“My path to the kitchen was anything but conventional,” Rojanametin says. “I started in fine arts and photography, then ventured into advertising. However, I have always been curious about the art of cooking, wanting to know how different cultures cook.”
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This curiosity led Rojanametin to explore the world of coffee, working as a barista between advertising campaigns. The fast-paced hospitality environment captivated him instantly. “I dove deeper into coffee, working my way through top establishments. Often, I found myself in kitchens alongside great chefs, which only fueled my fascination,” he explains.
But it was a simple dinner with friends that proved to be the catalyst for Rojanametin’s culinary metamorphosis. He decided to bake sourdough bread and grabbed the only book he had, the Tartine Bread cookbook. “It was my first time going through the lengthy process of creating something from scratch. The result surprised me as I didn’t expect it to come out well. That was the trigger point. It got me questioning how we eat and buy groceries and other possibilities in cooking,” he says, reminiscing about the experience.
Tan Yin Ling
Tan Yin Ling co-founded Cloop, a circular fashion enterprise in Singapore reshaping the industry’s approach to textile waste and sustainable consumption.
“I see myself as an accidental change maker,” Tan says. “Cloop was born from a youth challenge I joined fresh out of the University of Exeter.” She entered the challenge alone and was grouped with three other women. The challenge allowed participants to decide on the category of resource they wanted to make an impact on. As they huddled together to decide on their focus, Tan was the lone voice against tackling the fashion industry.
“I was so thankful to have been outvoted and ended up learning so much from doing the challenge,” she says.
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But Tan’s story doesn’t end with fashion. With a Master’s in Conservation Biology and Ecology, her passion for the environment runs deep. “I may be running a business, but my heart still beats for conservation,” she says. This dedication led her to become a divemaster with Livingseas, a coral restoration dive centre in Bali.
“A few times a year, I trade Singapore’s urban landscape for Bali’s underwater world,” Tan says. “There, I educate others on becoming better, safer divers while contributing to vital coral restoration work. It’s my way of staying connected to marine conservation.”
Justine Itugot
Justine Itugot, founder and CEO of the education-tech startup Cerebro, is passionate about bridging the gap between education and technology. Despite over a decade of experience as a teacher and school administrator, his path into edtech was unconventional. “Both of my college and master’s degrees are in religious education; they are not related to tech at all,” he remarks. “Back at the University of Santo Tomas, we used an e-learning platform, so I assumed it was the norm.”
Upon graduating and starting his teaching career, Itugot was surprised by the absence of e-learning platforms in his new workplace. Undeterred, he approached the school’s directress for permission to create one himself.
Despite lacking technical expertise, Itugot’s determination prevailed. “When I started, I only specialised in things related to religion and prayer; I knew nothing about tech,” he admits. “Hence, I resorted to a book titled Building a Website for Dummies. In less than two months, I was able to launch a simple e-learning platform for me and my co-teachers.”
This experience laid the foundation for Cerebro, which Itugot established in 2019. The company now addresses issues in the education system by providing ready-made, curriculum-aligned digital content for schools.
Meet more Gen.T Leaders of Tomorrow 2024.
