For Mother’s Day, we spotlight mums who started businesses with their children. How did it affect their relationships? Let’s dive in…
Mothers are, undoubtedly, the unsung heroes in our lives. They give birth to us, cook our favourite meals, keep the house spick and span, nurture us into becoming the people we are today… there’s nothing they can’t do. They’re also willing to give entrepreneurship a shot, even if that means potentially affecting their relationships with loved ones.
This Mother’s Day, six mother-daughter and mother-son business duos in Singapore share with us what it’s like working together. Who came up with the idea? How do they balance their personal and professional lives? What have they learned from each other? Here’s what each pair has to say.
Mother-daughter (and son) business duos on working together in Singapore
Phoebe Yang and Jonah Lim, founders of Jojomama
Working together requires constant communication and understanding. But what if your business partner is unable to do that? Jonah Lim, 22, a co-founder of Jojomama, a social enterprise that sells resin crafts like coasters and key chains, has been diagnosed with non-verbal autism since young. After graduating from a special education school, he was placed in a sheltered workshop to work. However, Jonah couldn’t cope with the 9-to-5 timing and struggled with understanding tasks.
“I started training him in craft during his spare time and found that he learns progressively and is motivated when he sees his finished handiwork. So, I decided to start a business with him,” 57-year-old Phoebe Yang explains.
While everything has run smoothly since Jojomama’s establishment, there are still challenges when the duo work together. “During the festive period, or when a corporate order comes in with a tight deadline, Jonah has to work longer as he’s my main artisan. Sometimes, he gets frustrated as he’s on the spectrum. Jonah doesn’t understand why he needs to work more than usual,” Phoebe tells us.
She explains to her son how adults (sometimes) work overtime to meet deadlines and rewards him with his favourite meal or place to go after he completes a challenging task.
Has working together changed Phoebe and Jonah’s relationship? The former replies in the affirmative. “At the start, Jonah almost ignored me when we were at home. I think he was afraid that I’d give him work! He also reacted to me like a teacher more than a mum.” Today, Jonah knows how to differentiate between work and home. He’ll come close to Phoebe and hug her when they’re not at the workplace.
Meanwhile, being in business with a non-verbal person lets Phoebe understand her son better. She notes the things that upset him, how he manages them, and how he relates to or ignores others because of sensory overload. From there, she modifies his work environment and how she communicates with him. Working together has also taught Phoebe to love and respect Jonah for who he is.
“He may have a disability, but he’s still capable of doing things. Given the opportunity and the environment, he learns well,” she states.
Desleen Yeo and Wenny Tan, founders of YeoMama Batik
They say things happen for a reason, and that phrase is totally applicable to this local fashion label. 33-year-old Desleen Yeo, the daughter in YeoMama Batik’s business duo, was recovering from ankle surgery when she received a phone call from her mother, Wenny Tan (aka the eponymous YeoMama), 62. Amidst their conversation, YeoMama asked if Desleen wanted to sell batik in Singapore (“ok lor” was her response).
“We didn’t have any fashion design background, nor did we understand the batik clothing business and fashion industry in Singapore. It was a purely random question, and I looked at it as something for me to kill time while being immobile at home,” Desleen tells us. The “random idea” eventually evolved into a modern batik shop that subverts how the fabric should be used in clothing designs.
Desleen admits it’s ironic that she’s running a business with her mum because they didn’t see eye-to-eye on many things when she was growing up. One memorable incident involved grey hangers, which YeoMama purchased for the shop when they started. “I thought they were ugly, but she insisted I use them. When she travelled overseas, I sold all the hangers and got white wooden ones that I thought were nicer!”
Hanger drama aside, Desleen says they’ve gotten closer after they got the business off the ground. They’re able to put themselves in each other’s shoes and understand the other’s perspectives on why they do things a certain way. Arguments are inevitable, but they move past that and compromise. The two also get to see each other more often now, compared to when Desleen was working in other jobs.
One important lesson YeoMama has taught Desleen is that work isn’t everything. “The many times she asks me to take a break and make snacks are her ways of telling me to take a breather,” she says.
“As for my mum, she learnt that I truly thrive on creativity and realised I dare to do everything!”
Haris Ahmad and Wati Abdul Khamid, founders of Kulon
Food has the power to bring everyone together. This is how (and why) Haris Ahmad, 28, and his mother, Madam Wati Abdul Khamid, 58, decided to start Kulon, a popular eatery in Bugis specialising in Indonesian cuisine. “We‘ve always wanted to share the dishes we grew up eating with the world,” Haris explains. “Though we don’t necessarily make a carbon copy of what you find in Indonesia, everything is prepared the way we’ve always preferred.”
Even though neither has any F&B experience, the mother-son duo figured everything out as they built their business in Singapore. They took on various challenges head-on, from working long hours to experimenting to find the right recipes until dawn. According to Haris, everything was handled through “pure determination and resilience.”
“Working together has strengthened our bond as mother and son, especially now that we have shared business goals to strive for,” he adds. Both of them have learned to use their strengths to their advantage and delegate tasks to the person who has the right expertise in that area.
Haris says there have been many memorable moments working with his mother, though getting invited by the Indonesian Embassy in Singapore to represent the country in major trade expos and events in Jakarta ranks top for him.
“That was a major stepping stone for us to gain valuable networks and forge new friendships with other business owners,” he highlights. “What made it more special was that since my mom was originally from Indonesia, going back for a business trip instead of leisure was something new for her.”
Sarah-Eden Chan and Winnie Chan, founders of 24 Saturn
Mothers can convince you to do anything in life – that includes starting your own business. Sarah-Eden Chan, 38, the founder of 24 Saturn, says she had bad skin and tried everything from aesthetic treatments to clinical, luxury, and even natural skincare. Nothing worked until she started researching organic and scientific ingredients that were beneficial for skin health. Under the guidance of a friend, Sarah created a range of serums which worked wonders for her skin.
That’s when her mother, 67-year-old Winnie Chan, persuaded Sarah to start her skincare brand and sell it online. During the first few years of their business venture, Mrs Chan learnt a lot about e-commerce and had many ideas about what they should do with 24 Saturn. “The possibilities were endless, and because she was an experienced entrepreneur in the healthcare industry, she was thinking along the lines of an online pharmacy or healthcare store,” Sarah says.
Despite having an experienced person working alongside her, Sarah says the mother-daughter business duo still encountered challenges, particularly around what they wanted to do with the brand. “I saw it as a passion project as I realised I like innovating new skincare products, but my mum looked at it as a business and wanted to know how I would scale things.” Mother and daughter eventually agreed that Sarah would take on the brand’s direction while Winnie would be the mentor.
Sarah reveals the two have cultivated an “additional relationship” as they work together. “When we talk about the brand, we talk like business partners. We’re tough on each other when it comes to work,” she tells us.
Working with someone who’s a lot more experienced in the entrepreneurial world may be daunting for some. However, that doesn’t faze Sarah; in fact, she shares they’ve learned a lot more about each other.
“She discovered that I am tenacious about the business. I stick to the core values of the brand and keep innovating great skincare,” she notes. On the other hand, her mum taught Sarah the mindset of keeping a business relevant to survive. “She has been successful as an entrepreneur because she always makes sure she’s up to date on consumer sentiments and listens to her customers.”
Esmond Toon and Mary Chan, founders of Bullock Cart Coffee
When two paths converge, it can result in a beautiful partnership. That happened with Bullock Cart Coffee, the newest caffeine spot in Chinatown. After being let go from his job, 27-year-old Esmond Toon decided it was the right time to pursue his passion. Meanwhile, his mother Mary Chan, 57, left the corporate world after almost 40 years to join him in his new venture.
“The journey so far has been interesting. There are a lot of new and unexpected challenges, especially as newcomers in the F&B scene,” he explains. Coming from different generations (“my mum is Gen X and I am a zillennial”) is also a factor. “As she grew up with local coffee (Nanyang kopi), she wasn’t used to the taste profile of specialty coffee. To her, it tastes a little ‘thin and lacks flavour’. I had to teach her to tell if the brew is over- or under-extracted,” the younger entrepreneur says.
According to Esmond, Mary typically reaches the store early and dials in the coffee before his arrival. When they started, he had to execute the process again as the shots were too acidic or bitter. “After letting her taste and understand the nuances of a shot, she soon learned what she should aim for. I’m proud to say she’s able to pull a good shot of espresso now!” he beams with pride.
The mother and son may see each other more nowadays thanks to their new business, but their dynamics haven’t changed. If anything, their conversations now revolve around the shop; they also let each other handle aspects of the business individually that play up to their strengths. The egg mayonnaise croissant available at the shop? That’s specifically prepared by Mary.
“Even if I follow the recipe to the tee, it won’t taste as good. Perhaps it’s made with motherly love. So I make sure she prepares enough to last me the few days she’s not in,” he quips.
Celine and Reeyern Ng, founders of Ree and Mummy
Can you recall what happened in 2020? While most people would’ve already blocked that period from their minds, Celine Ng, 43, remembers it clearly. “I had to stop working, as schoolkids were doing home-based learning. I decided to start an online business peddling handmade earrings before selling the venture,” she says. Celine pivoted to homemade toffee – initially as Christmas gifts for friends – which proved to be a hit, and that’s how Ree and Mummy got started.
How did 14-year-old Reeyern Ng get roped into the business? Well, as Celine isn’t social media savvy, she got her daughter to help manage the bake shop’s online profiles and raise the brand’s awareness. However, she admits this hasn’t been easy.
“Kids being kids, it’s difficult to ask them to be consistent. So, instead of helping me give the bake, she helped me with social media posting and writing thank you cards. I didn’t want to push her ‘cos it should be light and easy,” Celine explains.
Celine also taps into Reeyern’s Gen Z life experiences and translates those ideas into her creations. “It’s always the ones that are trending on TikTok!” she exasperatedly shares. “I don’t understand why the younger generations like those, but I’ll still bake them for her.”
Despite the generational gap, Celine admits working with her daughter has changed her. She has gained insight into what Reeyern likes and better understands her world.
“When we go out, we’ll take the opportunity to look at what other bakeries offer and how we can get ideas from there,” Celine says.“I hope to have more solo trips with my girl to explore good eats overseas.”
Happy Mother’s Day! We hope you’ve gained inspiration from the stories of these mother-daughter and mother-son duos who have survived the odds and built successful businesses in Singapore.
