Ian Chua co-founded Hermo in 2012 just a year after graduating with a degree in Computer Science from Australia’s University of Adelaide. Inspired by the growing beauty online business in China, he and his co-founder PS Chong decided to quit their jobs to create a one-stop platform for all things beauty.

Initially having trouble convincing brands, which were until then used to traditional distribution channels to come on board, Chua and Chong managed to secure their first international brand Naruko from Taiwan, after multiple visits to its office. A year later, they also got an angel investor, followed by funding from Singapore-based Crystal Horse Investments.

Today, Hermo is a leading online cosmetics retailer with international brand partners like L’Oréal, Naruko, innisfree, Laneige and Holika Holika, among the 300-plus brands they carry. It has also expanded to Singapore and Indonesia. Chua was among Forbes Asia’s 30 under 30 in 2016, and has his sights set on growing Hermo throughout Southeast Asia in the next few years.