Kueh Ho Jiak’s Elizabeth Chan and Sandy Tan on healing their mother-daughter bond through kueh

She remembers moments when she questioned if she had made the right decision to mix family and business. But looking back, she has no regrets. “There were many beautiful moments that we had too and it was all worth it… it’s definitely not easy mixing family and business, and it takes a lot of trust, understanding, and maturity to do it,” she explains.

Over the years, the duo have gotten closer. Chan continues: “We started to admire and see each other’s strength significantly. It became a very purposeful and meaningful journey together as we embark and fulfil different milestones together.”

Today, the brand has its flagship store at Tanjong Pagar Plaza Food Centre, where it continues to delight customers with its vibrant and colourful kueh. Working alongside the mother-daughter duo are children with learning disabilities and women from disadvantaged families, providing them with meaningful employment opportunities and a supportive community.

Below, Chan shares her experiences working with her mum, her journey to get there and the lessons she has learnt along the way. 

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What strengths do each of you bring to the table?
My mum is a lady of strong resilience. She is very kind and outgoing. She can be very straightforward at times, too. When she believes in something, she would persevere and go for it.

Although I didn’t live with my mum at a young age, I saw how she led her life and how hardworking she was as the sole breadwinner of the house. 

I also see how kind and generous she is. When the elderly come to our stall, she would hug them and always tell them that she loves them. She would always give the cleaners free food or to those who needed it. When we employed children with learning disabilities or women with low income, I always saw her giving beyond more than what she needed to. These were the things that I’ve learnt and seen in her.

Do you think your relationship as mother and daughter makes the business stronger or more complicated?
I would say that it has its fair share of each side, but more on making the business stronger, as it’s a business that we are working on together, with the same values and same vision. It gets complicated at times when both of us have different views on certain perspectives but ultimately, I believe this is something that every partner will face in a business too. It’s not rainbows and sunshine every day, it’s important to remember that we are in it and in this together.

How do you separate professional disagreements from personal dynamics?
Over the years, I learnt to respect, be accountable to each other and be more gracious to each other in a partnership. There are personal guidelines to follow so that the line can be drawn clearly and we don’t act based on our emotions.

When we don’t agree on certain decisions or have very different perspectives, we sit on it and discuss before reviewing it again. We would make conscious efforts to also remind ourselves that we are both humans and will make mistakes. In every decision that we make in the business, we recognise that it’s not just about the business; the people in the business matter too.

How do your general perspectives show up in the business?
I believe in providing good customer service and going beyond our means to do the extra mile. This is something I would always emphasise to everyone in business. It’s difficult to say that you make the best kueh, as taste is very subjective, and everyone has individual preferences.

So, it’s important to have good customer service as it makes us different. Good customer service and tasty food creates a bond with our clients, leading us to build connections. Food gathers people. And most importantly, when we see that our customers are happy, we are happy too!

My mum and I also believe in growing the business with love and kindness. We will prioritise our staff and make decisions based on that too. We believe that it’s the team and its people who make up the business. When they are taken care of, they will take care of our customers and food too, being mentally and physically well is very important.

What have you learnt from each other while working together over the years?
I learnt to be patient, to be forgiving, and to let things go and understand that there will be times when things will get out of our control. I have also learnt how to handle situations better when problems arise. 

What does Mother’s Day mean to you now?
It’s a day that reminds me once again of the selfless sacrifices and love that my mother has made. It should be a daily thing to do, not just on this day. But, on this special day, it reminds me to show appreciation and how much I love my mum, expressing myself through words and actions. Now that I’m a mother, it speaks to me even more as I understand and know what it’s like being in my mum’s shoes.

What is the best thing about working together?
The best thing about working together is the ability to have a deeper understanding of each other. We are proud of each other’s achievements and abilities. We do well together as a team too, because we know that we have each other’s backs. There are a lot of beautiful moments that we have created working together, be it as a partner or as mother and daughter.

What is one word that describes each other as a businesswoman?
The word would be perseverance. I feel that it takes a lot to be a businesswoman and while it’s necessary to possess other traits like passion, humility, creativity, hard work, vision, and commitment, it is perseverance that sustains you. Running a business involves ups and downs. Even with strong passion, the challenges can feel overwhelming and there may be moments when you want to give up. However, perseverance helps you push through difficulties, find solutions, and hold on to your goals despite the obstacles.

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