Coming into my own

Ask me if I’d ever imagine myself as CEO of any company, and I would probably have laughed in your face.

I grew up as a shy, introverted girl, happier to be in the background than in the spotlight. As a kid, I would never volunteer to be house captain or leader of a sports team. Growing up, I would consciously wear black to blend in with the crowd. This didn’t change even as a working adult, where everyone around me was fighting to be seen and heard.?

I guess being CEO or let alone a senior leader felt a little more out of the ordinary for me. I didn’t have the magical aura of a natural speaker. I have never been a natural leader.

As Love, Bonito celebrates our 12th anniversary this year, we have thought about how we could best journey alongside our community as we evolve into a female ecosystem. After hours of brainstorming with our teams, we came together with the most important message we want to share for the next decade and more - Come Into Your Own.?

This new tagline inspires women to know that we are on a constant path of discovering our calling, and blooming into who we are meant to be. Every experience we go through brings us closer towards knowing ourselves better - whether we identify as being a mother, Vice-President, daughter, painter, wife, and more.?

We are multifaceted women, and are ever-evolving into the highest expression of ourselves.?

As we launch our campaign today, I think back to how I defied all odds and grew into my role.?

Finding my Fit

I went abroad to the United States for college, where the undergraduate dream was to be in the prestigious, well-paying industries of banking or consulting. I subscribed to this naively, believing that what everyone worked towards must be where I too belonged.

I started my internships in the finance industry and began my first job with a bank. Soon enough, I found myself genuinely uninterested and because of this, wasn’t very good at it. I realized that I was someone who had to be genuinely interested in what I do, if not, it drains me.

Lack of passion resulted in a lack of performance, the worst combination ever, and so I decided to quit early in my first job.?

Having spent 4 years studying finance, I felt lost and uncertain of what lies ahead for me and my career. In hindsight, this became the turning point that pushed me towards discovering the exciting new world of e-commerce!?

Navigating through my late-20s?

Through reconnecting with an old friend, I was introduced to Rocket Internet, an aggressive clone machine that would take a concept that works most commonly in the US, to other parts of the world and then scale it very aggressively. I was going to join one of their fintech ventures, but like most start-ups, when there’s high rewards, there’s also high risks. It could not launch due to regulatory issues, which meant my job no longer existed.?

I then got to interview with Zalora, a startup then, and started my role in marketing and onsite analytics. There, I got to deep dive into many aspects of the business and was incredibly fulfilled despite the hectic long hours. I was constantly challenged to learn more about e-commerce, marketing and technology and being part of a young, driven 20-something team greatly pushed me to stay open minded and bring my best self to work.?

At the age of 26, I got an amazing opportunity to become the Managing Director at Zalora, as my manager had left the company and I was recommended for the role. I was hesitant for a multitude of reasons to say the least.?

Could I lead a team? How do I gain respect from stakeholders older than me? Do I deserve this position? Am I a better fit as a leader or a sole contributor? The list goes on and on as my imposter syndrome took over.?

And then I had a conversation with the then Chief Technology Officer, Karthik S. at Zalora and he gave me that push — oh just go do it and see what happens because these opportunities don't come often in life!?

I’ve never looked back since.?

Expanding my skills?

Moving on to Sephora Digital (under the LVMH group), I wanted to learn business best practices from a successful global MNC. I personally experienced the power of a strong brand, and how integrated marketing and omnichannel strategies had such a great impact on business metrics.?

Back then, digital marketing and performance marketing were the sexy new in-thing that everyone talked about, but I also saw so much value in brand building and storytelling, supported by data-driven insights.?

With Sephora, I learned that the seamless integration between art and science eventually creates a strong community of fans who get excited about your brand, and will ultimately become your loyal supporter.?

Opening New Doors?

To connect with more like-minded women in the space, I went out for a women’s networking event, where I met Rachel Lim ,? Love, Bonito’s co-founder, for the first time. We hit it off and started meeting very frequently (before I joined Love, Bonito) and would exchange ideas on building brands and creating teams.

As I got to know Rach more, I was really taken by her passion for her brand, her community, her team - and above all, how she was exceptionally humble and genuine about all she does.?

One day, she asked if I wanted to join Love, Bonito and I eventually did. I was beyond excited to contribute my skill sets to a purpose larger than myself - to empower the everyday Asian woman and to inspire self-confidence.??

Coming into my Own?

Looking back at my journey, every hurdle was a stepping stone to help me learn more about myself, figure out what matters to me, and where I could make the most impact.?

Through my journey, I knew that:?

• Having ownership and autonomy gave me a great sense of fulfilment as I love to get my hands dirty and learn.?
• Making an impact was also crucial. I wanted to be in a position where I could shape cultures from the ground-up, and this was more possible in a start-up than an MNC.?
• Women need to speak up more! In the largely male-dominant workplaces, I recognised how important it was for female Asian leaders to be present at the table, and lift other women up into such positions.?

My experiences have also taught me that everyone’s journey looks different, and there’s no ‘one’ timeline for achieving your dreams.?

We are limitless and we are all on a journey to become more of who we are meant to be.?

All it takes is finding your voice, and evolving into your fullest potential. And you will come into your own.