Hsiao Bond lets us in on her journey, from switching career paths to following her passion and setting up her own business.
We love entrepreneurs and small business owners at Honeycombers, which is why we’ve created Launchpad, a comprehensive digital networking platform (with IRL benefits, too) that encourages connection, business support and community. It’s a privilege and pleasure to learn from so many talented and inspiring folks, so we’ve decided to share the love by interviewing some of the lovely Launchpad members. Looking for inspiration? Check out how Hsiao Bond, the founder of Neural Connections, gets it done like a boss.
Tell us the story behind your business.
As the founder of Neural Connections and an MNRI (Masgutova Neurosensorimotor Reflex Integration) core specialist and instructor, I’m passionate about supporting families and children who face development and learning challenges like ADHD, as well as educating the professionals and educators who work with them. We focus on the nervous system by giving them the somatic tools and resources they need to succeed. I’m also a mum to two teenage girls, one of whom is neurodiverse.
After graduating from university with a Bachelor of Arts degree, I landed in banking. But, I was more drawn to helping staff and clients rather than pursuing profit. My dad had always insisted I would be a teacher one day – and he was right. I left banking and retrained in education.
When my eldest was born, it was a struggle to balance teaching and parenting a high-needs child. We saw many therapists over the years but I was dissatisfied with the way therapies happened in isolation. It all felt very disjointed. I was diligent with homework from specialists to help my daughter at home. Years of work produced small gains that didn’t match the huge amount of time and energy we were pouring in. To shake things up, I homeschooled my daughter to prioritise her needs.
Despite all the therapies we went to, something was missing. I wanted a programme that would make a bigger impact. That’s when I found MNRI; it addresses challenges from the bottom up (from the brain stem up to the cortex). The positive changes in my child were so profound that she was able to go back to school. The improvement in her mental, emotional and physical well-being inspired me to continue training with the founder, Dr Masgutova. I love what I do today – around education, child development, as well as sensory and reflex integration work.
What was supposed to be a two-year sabbatical turned out to be a permanent break from teaching in a school setting. I am an educator at heart and in many ways, I still am a teacher. While I provide treatment to neurodiverse children, I am educating parents and professionals.
What has been your biggest challenge so far and how did you overcome it?
We faced many difficult challenges in my daughter’s early years. We felt isolated in our journey navigating how to help her developmental needs as well as her medical challenges. She was a sickly child with a poor immune system; she was in and out of the hospital for pneumonia, ENT issues and others. My husband and I had to dig deep and ask ourselves uncomfortable questions about how we wanted to move forward.
We weren’t satisfied with the status quo at that time and wanted to change the trajectory of how things were going. There was a lot of uncertainty about the future.
We knew there were big gaps in current therapy approaches and we wanted a different model that we hadn’t seen. We decided to zoom in on the gaps in her foundation, which was the root cause of my daughter’s difficulties. We learned to look at the big picture and not get caught up in the small things. Knowing what is important to us helps me navigate through the challenges that life brings.
Favourite place to work?
I like to “work” when I’m on my walks as it gives me space to get clarity and insight. I also love coming to the Neural Connections centre first thing in the morning. I set the mood with my warm lights, essential oils, gentle meditation music, and a cup of coffee to help me settle down to focus on deep work.
Can you share a work mantra that you use?
‘Don’t sweat the little things.’ Another saying I love is, ‘Simple is profound’. Pamela Curlee, an MNRI co-founder, says this all the time. I’ve found this to be true from my own experience – that the simplest changes often make a huge impact. Simple is not always easy though. This statement holds true today as many of us lead busy lives where the ‘busy-ness’ can be overwhelming and it adds to the stress.
How do you stay motivated and energised?
Knowing the positive impact of my work with neurodiverse children and their families keeps me motivated and energised. I get a lot of drive to continue when I witness a child go from being a mini tornado, zooming around and touching everything impulsively on the first day, to subsequently walking into the centre with increased awareness of the environment and having a greater capacity to engage in conversations. It’s the best gift for me.
Seeing the reduced stress levels of family members when a son or daughter gains better emotional and behavioural regulation is the best gift.
How do you deal with self-doubt or criticism?
I have 100% conviction in my mission to help others. I don’t have self-doubt when it comes to the work. But I do struggle with impostor syndrome. Sometimes, I catch myself thinking, “Who am I to tell people what to do?” I have fears about putting myself out there and opening myself up to the possibility of scrutiny. This is something that I continue to work on.
Top tip for maintaining a good work-life balance?
I love my power walks in nature; they keep me sane. There are pockets of greenery in Singapore if you know where to look. These walks are a sensorial experience – under the big open sky, away from the tall buildings and noises of city life. Connecting with nature grounds me and I feel the environment around me soothing my nervous system.
One thing you can keep talking about for hours?
Anything about the nervous system – the brain, the messaging between the brain, the spinal cord and the body, and children’s development.
Your go-to self-care activity?
Besides long power walks in nature, I love lying on my acupressure mat while listening to meditation music.
One piece of advice to your younger self?
I would tell a younger me not to be so critical and harsh. And definitely to be kind to myself.
Get in touch with Hsiao Bond online.
Launchpad is a comprehensive digital networking platform (with IRL benefits, too) that encourages connection, business support and community. It is designed to make the entrepreneurial journey not only easier, and more successful, but also a whole lot more fun. We offer almost daily activities for members to connect, along with weekly masterclasses, member networking roulette, small-business mentoring and media profiles on Honeycombers. Check it out and join us!