As a self-taught jewellery designer, Eric Fung handcrafted his very first ring at the age of 12. After studying architecture in school, Fung and his sister, Rosanna founded GINYU in 2018. The company started out as an heirloom homeware brand selling golden bowls and chopsticks, but the pair soon found their passion for jewellery and rebranded. \u201cI didn’t want to stay in my family’s shadow. In the beginning, rebranding was very difficult. We faced failure after failure but through hard work and dedication we built GINYU into what it is today.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n “The GIN in our name stands for \u2018present’ and implies modern-day presentation applied to oriental elegance; while the ‘YU’ means ‘hard metal or treasure’ resonates with the brand’s provenance and philosophy,\u201d says Fung. By featuring traditional and natural elements like bamboo and spring blossom in his designs, Fung aims to preserve time-honoured family traditions from his grandfather. \u201cWe design products based on what we like first and foremost and find a balance between our brand values, style and market trends. We want to share these happy and memorable moments in our designs,\u201d says Fung. Fung officially moved back in 2009 and after meeting the love of his life, decided to stay in the city permanently. \u201cI have great friends here and the tax and banking structure in Hong Kong is a one-of-a-kind”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n While running a business in Hong Kong is an exciting opportunity, it\u2019s easy to lose sight of a healthy work\/life balance. Fung believes following a strict schedule is the secret to a healthy work and life. \u201cI always make sure to spend weekends having fun with my wife, family and friends and avoid working at home. Being busy is good, but money is not the most important part of life.\u201d As GINYU Design celebrates its third anniversary this year, the brand launched their natural diamonds line “Matria” line in the much anticipated Central Market and continues to gain popularity in Hong Kong\u2019s fashion scene. \u201cWe are planning to expand to ten more stores across Hong Kong over the next year and hope to bring more brand awareness to the public”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Born and bred in Hong Kong, Blanche Koo practised as an Intellectual Property lawyer for over 20 years. But growing up with a mother in the fashion industry, Koo\u2019s passion for fashion and design soon took over. \u201cMy mother was a fashion designer with Calvin Klein, she taught me about different fabrics and materials. Just watching her sketch designs was eye-opening”. As a teenager Koo was quite the fashionista, mixing and matching different items to create her own unique style. When the opportunity came to start her own business with her friend and business partner, Koo didn\u2019t hesitate for a second. In 2016 May16, an affordable fashion, accessories and beauty store was born. \u201cAt first, it was a very small business, we rented a co-working space and organised pop-ups once a month. Our friends and customers were very supportive and within a year, we developed an online store”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The business soon took off and the duo decided to expand offline and into a 1500 square foot shop in the heart of Causeway Bay. \u201cThe key to success is to know your customers\u2019 preferences by making detailed analyses on the basis of online and offline statistics. This is extremely important for planning our marketing strategy”. While Koo never envisioned herself as a business owner before, she has taken on the role of co-founder well. She hosted team meetings and organising live broadcasts to showcase the brand\u2019s clothing and other products. \u201cIt was not only about how I saw myself, it was about how other people saw me. My passion for fashion, recognition and encouragement from friends helped me realise that I should take on the challenge”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The brand has gone from strength to strength over the past few years. Even during the peak of the pandemic, Koo and her team were able to successfully adapt a new business strategy for customers who were unwilling to go out and shop. \u201cWe decided to broadcast live on Facebook every day to introduce our clothes clearly to customers. This proved very successful and we decided to continue this throughout the year”. As a female entrepreneur in the city, Koo has had a very positive experience. She is assured that women’s place in Hong Kong\u2019s corporate world is only becoming more heightened. \u201cMany women in Hong Kong are taking the initiative to build their own community and support each other. The motto for May16is to build a community which helps women of all ages to look best, stay pretty and confident”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n #Impact is a podcasting community built by Regina Larko. Originally from Austria, Larko moved to Hong Kong with her husband seven years ago. Now, she has made the city her home with their three children. When asked how she fell into her passion, Larko explained the art of storytelling was always something she was interested in. After many years working with a Think Tank, she decided to finally pursue podcasting. \u201cEven as a young girl growing up in Vienna, my preferred medium was radio. When I started #impact in 2017 I was at a crossroads in my career. I wanted to learn new skills and\u2013in our new home Hong Kong\u2013build a network of people that inspired me”. Now, she has created a company that helps others find their voice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Built on four pillars, voice, positivity, collaboration and exploration, #impact empowers everyone to speak their truth. \u201cOur platform attracts curious minds that are exploring new ideas to change the world for the better. We get to work with the most courageous and inspiring visionaries and creators. It gives the whole team so much energy”. It hasn\u2019t always been smooth sailing, though. Like any startup, #impact was a matter of Larko\u2019s dedication to her ideas. \u201cMy biggest lesson was to let go of perfection\u2013both in my business but also in my personal life. I also learned how to be more mindful with building my platform and business in a way that does not burn me out. I schedule more time for self-care, reflection and planning instead of hustling to reach all my goals at once. Progress instead of perfection is my new philosophy and it\u2019s been such a game-changer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Managing my mind and my calendar daily is what drives the success of #impact. There were so many challenges and setbacks along the way, there still are. But I know that as long as I stick to managing my mind and my time, anything is possible”. Larko\u2019s podcast has featured some of Hong Kong\u2019s most noteworthy people. When asked who are some of the most standout individuals who have graced the #impact roster, Larko responded \u201cDr Jamie Chiu who works with at-risk youth on their mental health, Jeff Rotmeyer who started two impactful charities at the same time and has grown them exponentially”. She also mentioned, “Sue Fertal Toomey who was my very first guest on the show. She has also become an incredible mentor and friend along the way”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n While #impact has bloomed thanks to the people who have worked with Larko, it wouldn\u2019t be half the platform it is today without Hong Kong. \u201cHong Kong is a vibrant place, full of talented and passionate people that truly care about making a positive impact. It never ceases to amaze me. I am so grateful that I got to speak to many of them for #impact Podcast”. Larko\u2019s final words of wisdom are for those who haven\u2019t found it within themselves to start their dreams yet. \u201cYour voice matters, so put it out there! I know how hard and impossible it feels. If you’ve been thinking about starting a podcast, just open a recording app on your phone and start recording today”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Born and raised in Hong Kong, Tracy Ho believes the city is small but mighty. “It\u2019s a world-class city with people that have high hopes and big dreams”. She founded her company, Frame & Fame Personal Branding and Executive Coaching, to help build relationships and develop people\u2019s potential. \u201cBefore I started the process of running my own business, my entrepreneur friends advised me to be prepared for a rollercoaster ride”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Ho had never imagined running a business, but when her previous role as a corporate communication consultant and its round-the-clock work started to take a toll on her health, she decided to step back. \u201cI felt stuck. I lost my motivation. Then, I hired a career coach to guide me to review what I achieved and where I envisioned myself in the long run,\u201d says Ho. With encouragement and advice from her friends in the Singapore Entrepreneur communities, Ho decided to take on the challenge. \u201cI have a strong desire to run a business that connects my passion and purpose as well as helping others reach their career and personal goals”. Ho believes everyone has a personal brand, whether they are aware of it or not. <\/p>\n\n\n\n She, therefore, encourages her clients to think strategically and take charge of it. While this year has been tough for those in the job market, Ho advises them to stay resilient. “Instead of waiting for opportunities, why not take charge of your career development? An agile mindset is one of the key differentiators. People should train their agility and resilience, so they can be able to create opportunities for career progression”. While Ho has celebrated many successes throughout her years, she believes the road of an entrepreneur has numerous bumps to test her resilience. \u201cEvery time I fail, I am the only person to pick myself back up. This is the downside of being an entrepreneur. It is lonely but I must accept this fact and continue the journey I chose”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n One of those bumps has been the pandemic, which saw many people struggle in their personal and professional life. \u201cNo matter how badly you want some plans to work, sometimes they just don\u2019t. I have had to learn how to embrace uncertainty, keep an open mind, be adaptive to changes and most importantly trust my intuition when making decisions”. Looking ahead at the next few years, Ho aims to put more effort into marketing the new offerings of her business – Image Consulting and International Business Etiquette Training – to generate more leads locally and regionally. Ho also plans to expand the business to other markets, acquire more overseas clients. She also wants to create an online learning platform to coach and consult clients from anywhere in the world on their image, executive presence and professional communication skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since arriving in Hong Kong in 2015, Simon Wilson has made his mark in the festival and events industry hosting top events including Taste of Hong Kong. He is most recently known for his work with The Grounds Project and The Lawn Club at Central Harbourfront. \u201cWe conceived The Grounds concept right at the peak of Covid restrictions in Hong Kong. My business partner, Michael Denmark, had the idea of creating a safe space for guests. If everyone had their own space and we could comply with pandemic regulations then we might have something that could work”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The hard work paid off and The Grounds became one of the city\u2019s most talked-about events of the season. Showcasing movies and even running its own delivery food service to and from Basehall. We did this all while following the ever-changing restrictions during that time. \u201cHopefully we have shown that you can safely operate large events and that more event organisers can learn from this. Now, we get to see more events back up and running in the near future”. While The Grounds was extremely popular with the public, it didn\u2019t come without its challenges. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe changing nature of restrictions was our biggest challenge. You are trying to build a business and plan while the sand keeps shifting beneath you. We\u2019ve had to learn to adapt to that and make it part of our process. You need plan B,C,D,E and so on”. The past year was also challenging for Wilson personally. \u201cOur wedding was booked for June at our home in Ireland last year, which we had to cancel due to the pandemic. So many other plans we had also got washed away. I even lost my job, it was far from ideal”. But Wilson bounced back and made the best of the situation. He got married in Hong Kong, started a new business and welcomed his daughter Penelope in April. \u201cYou can\u2019t wallow, you have to make the best of it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Despite all the turmoil, we have been very fortunate and I\u2019m very grateful for my wife\u2019s boundless patience and support”. Over the next few months, Wilson is looking forward to some much-needed quality time with his family and new baby. “Watching our baby girl grow up, she\u2019s starting to become more alert now and to interact and it really is the best thing ever. Hands down the best job I ever had”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Born and raised in Hong Kong, Sarah Vee is a Filipina entrepreneur. As the founder and CEO of Women of Hong Kong, Vee has a long, winding story to tell. When she was working as a marketing and events manager for a well-known venue in 2014, she started a Facebook group with the goal of getting more women through the door. Since then, it has grown to become a database of female professionals from all walks of life and industries. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Vee took the women she met through her Facebook group and turned it into a professional networking community: Women of Hong Kong. \u201cBy 2019, our Facebook Group had over 3200 women and an active WhatsApp group with 250 daily users. We dubbed our chat \u2018better than Siri\u2019 as the conversations ranged from requests for direct industry contacts and real recommendations to advice about therapy, consultation and even divorce lawyers”. The network shared the same interest: connecting with others without feeling like they had to compete or one-up each other. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As of 2021, Vee has transformed this network, which now consists of over 6,000 women, into a membership platform. “The biggest challenge for me was overcoming the belief that I couldn\u2019t. It\u2019s still an ongoing battle and far from a straightforward process! At the start, I was constantly experiencing cognitive dissonance (the mental discomfort that results from holding two conflicting beliefs). I believed that the community was great enough to add value to women\u2019s lives. That I had all the tools and experience to do what was needed. I was also battling with the thought that I\u2019m not special to be doing this. I felt like it wasn’t possible unless I had a lot of financial backing or the belief that it would just be a phase”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Proving that even the most seemingly confident people struggle with imposter syndrome, Vee is widely known for her vulnerability online. This has helped her transform the connections she\u2019s made throughout her career into a genuine community of women who treat each other with empathy, encouragement and understanding. \u201cSupport was abundant if I was brave enough to ask. The opportunities appeared as long as I took the initiative to look for them. It came down to believing I could, followed by acting on that belief”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Now that she has acted on that belief, Women of Hong Kong has celebrated with a launch party at the Central Harbourfront, where 200 women were in attendance. Their website is also now live, with forums, events, workshops and networking opportunities in full swing. As a mission-driven, user-focused platform, the company provides what its members want. Whether it\u2019s networking with the right women, mastering your mental health or finding ways to take the next step in your new career. \u201cHong Kong is full of opportunities! If you need specific tools, skills, people, it\u2019s all there. Your job is to look and once you find it, know how to use it. Women of Hong Kong makes that much easier for its members. This city is like a buffet of knowledge. However, knowledge is only potential power. The power comes from what you do with what you know”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n All in all, Vee and her team, which includes COO Jessie Drew Hawkins, are looking forward to a future where women reap the benefits of cohesive and uplifting relationships with each other. \u201cWomen of Hong Kong will be aiming to push women to connect and collaborate in ways they never thought possible. The days of competing are over, the future is collaboration. People have the potential to be great, and it starts when you have a safe and supportive space to thrive in”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a woman with many skills, Hiroka Lee has dabbled in lots of different areas of business. Her latest venture, Flog Fitness, is her biggest one yet. A fitness class-booking app and platform that connects boutique studios to users across the city. Flog is the brainchild of founders Jonas Hidalgo and Derick Quimson, who also happen to be professional fitness instructors. They understood the struggle of staying afloat during the pandemic, a fight that most fitness-industry professionals have experienced in the last two years. Enter Hiroka Lee, whose business savvy, experience and connections brought their idea to another level. Lee was born in Japan and moved to Hong Kong when she was seven years old. She lived in Canada for 12 years before returning to the city. <\/p>\n\n\n\n She then met Hidalgo and Quimson. Flog began to take shape. \u201cWe originally came up with the idea of creating a database for personal trainers and fitness instructors. It was much like \u2018LinkedIn for fitness\u2019 during the first wave here in Hong Kong. I started contacting instructors in mid-November 2020. I then met with over 500+ instructors and 50+ fitness studio and gym owners during the four-month interview period. Midway through, I realised we had even bigger problems to solve than just creating a database”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lee, Hidalgo and Quimson found out that most studio owners had a hard time selling their day-to-day group classes. The only fitness aggregator in Hong Kong at the time was ClassPass. Now, Flog is a fitness class-booking system that brings instructors and gym and studio owners closer to their potential customers. With Flog, Hongkongers have easy access to all the small-business studios and gyms that are worth supporting. They\u2019re closely vetted by Lee and Flog\u2019s two founders. \u201cI had a team meeting in February and we changed our mission then. Now that we had a clear vision of where this business was heading, I had to start meeting studio owners to see if they were interested in joining our platform. I remember going into studios after studios and being rejected for more than a month”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As Lee maintains, sales is a rejection business but that has never slowed her down. \u201cI still remember the first studio that we partnered with. As soon as the elevator doors closed when I exited that meeting, my knees buckled and I started crying because I was just relieved that someone actually believed in what we were trying to build! I realised that sales rejection is one of the biggest reasons why people don\u2019t go into business for themselves or fail after they launch. I always tell myself each rejection is a step closer to closing a deal. This has helped me overcome my fear of it”. As Flog continues to revolutionise the way users and professionals interact within fitness in Hong Kong, it leads with its top five values as a business: Fairness and equality, solution-obsessed methods, curiosity, passion, and improving community living. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPeople used to tell me Hong Kong is full of opportunities. Waiting for the right one though could take too long. If I had waited until our Flog app was running perfectly, I would have wasted seven months. I didn\u2019t have a business card, a working app nor a working website but I still went and met with the studio owners and created my own opportunities. So instead of waiting, just jump in before you\u2019re ready and open doors for yourself”. Flog\u2019s list of partners only continues to grow, with corporate members joining the platform this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After originally moving to Hong Kong on a three-month modelling contract, Lucie Petit fell in love with the city. She has now been here for over eight years.\u201cHong Kong has a great mix of Western and Asian culture, allowing it to be an international business hub with a diverse network that can lead to a lot of opportunities”. While Petit spends most of her time as a full-time model, having worked with high-end fashion brands including Calvin Klein and Victoria\u2019s Secret, she also founded her own Hong Kong-based model camp guiding aspiring models through the modelling process and helping them become the best version of themselves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI was a very shy kid growing up. Having to relocate and change schools many times often made me feel like an outsider, lowering my confidence and self-esteem. I chose to become the mentor who could have helped me accept myself and boost self-confidence, to others”. Through online and in-person workshops, Petit\u2019s sessions include honest discussions about the modelling industry, body positivity, self-acceptance and how posture can affect confidence. \u201cFrom my experience in working with teens in Hong Kong, I know many are confused about their future and making the right decisions in life. They feel the pressure to conform, to be beautiful and “perfect” in a world where social media often portrays distorted and unrealistic standards”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Petit believes that having a role model who understands the industry can help them overcome challenges and avoid mistakes. She herself was mentored by supermodel and successful entrepreneur Coco Rocha in New York and online last year. Alongside her model camp, she is also a role model for the female-focus organisation, Inspiring Girls. <\/em>While Petit\u2019s calendar has been pretty full recently, last year came with many challenges. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe past year taught me the need to adapt in ways that I\u2019d never thought of before. This included falling down and getting back up on a regular basis. Learning to know when to take a break and reassessing boundaries between yourself and those around you is extremely important. I\u2019m grateful to have these skills now”. Over the next few months, she hopes to continue to inspire and empower women across the city and internationally through her camp as well as supporting more people in the industry. \u201cCreatives are often offered unpaid work. Through this network, I hope to turn this around by creating employment opportunities that reward creatives for what they\u2019re worth. One day, I would love to offer HKMC services in Europe. This would also enable me to reconnect with my home country and visit my family more often in France”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2009, Shalini Mahtani\u2019s son, Zubin, passed away at the age of 3. Years later, the devastating loss of her son resulted in Mahtani establishing The Zubin Foundation. \u201cAs a mother who has lost a child, I feel like I should have died. A mother should not outlive her child. Zubin died from medical negligence and I could not help him. Maybe I can help others\u2013that is why I set up The Zubin Foundation (TZF). TZF improves the lives of Hong Kong\u2019s ethnic minorities by reducing suffering and offering opportunities”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Labelled a think tank and charity, The Zubin Foundation tackles systemic and foundational issues with the way ethnic minorities are treated in this city. They accomplish this by conducting research to understand the issues, developing and implementing projects (such as the Institute of Racial Equality and The Zubin Foundation scholarships) and influencing public policy to drive systemic change. Despite all of the work that the foundation has done to make positive change, there is still a long way to go. \u201cSome women face a number of issues inflicted by their own community. This can be forced marriage, having many children, being limited by their families from going out and making friends and being completely financially dependent on their husbands”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Due to the pandemic, the ethnic minority communities in Hong Kong, which were already struggling, have taken hit after hit. \u201cEven before Covid, 25 percent of ethnic minorities lived in poverty. Now, I think it is much higher. There have been massive layoffs in the airport and catering in particular. A poor community has become even poorer. We have seen an increase in unemployment, a reduction in students going to university and an increase in domestic violence and stress”. The Zubin Foundation, with Mahtani at the helm, has done what it can to help those who have been affected the most. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe have provided care boxes of food, scholarships to those who want to go to university and mental health support to children and adults. Our services are provided in English, Hindi and Urdu”. What is certain about Mahtani is that the love she has for her son and her two other children is deep enough to extend to those who have laboured and suffered\u2013no matter who they are. \u201cLife is short and if you have the means to help someone today, do so. Some people think that we should \u2018not give a man a fish, but instead, teach him how to fish’. I disagree with this. If someone is hungry, feed them and provide love and care. Only then, with a full belly, can you teach him how to fish. Each human deserves dignity and respect”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Michal Hochberg is an artist\u2026 but not exactly a conventional one. Her creations are whimsical, rustic and certainly thought-provoking. As the creator of Upcycled designs, she tells stories with her work. All of these stories are based on the old adage, \u201cOne man\u2019s trash is another man\u2019s treasure”. As the name of the business suggests, one of Hochberg\u2019s values is environmentalism. This is why all of her work is created by repurposing furniture, glass bottles and other discarded materials. The result is beautifully crafted small to medium-sized designs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Having lived in Israel, Taipei, Shanghai and Hong Kong, Hochberg has gone through many life changes with her husband and 10-year-old daughter. Along the way, she picked up a passion that\u2019s brought her to where she is today. \u201cI was very excited to move to Taipei but after the first few weeks, I found myself weirdly sad. In Israel, I was a journalist. I didn’t know what I was supposed to do if I\u2019m not a journalist!”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Thankfully, she found joy in her hobby of refurbishing furniture. \u201cI used to pick up things from the streets and put them in my spare room waiting for the spare time I didn\u2019t have. In Taipei, I found the time I needed. Then, we moved to Shanghai. I wanted to take it to the next level. I bought a glass cutter and I fell in love. At my daughter\u2019s school in Shanghai, a community market was held once a month. I took a chance and signed up as a vendor. The feedback was incredible, overwhelming. Since then, I haven’t stopped”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Hochberg has since used her art as a way to encourage people to upcycle the things they own, rather than throwing them away just because they\u2019re no longer good-as-new. \u201cSometimes, I see stuff that people throw away solely because it has a stain or one leg is broken and I’m shocked. How easily people just out with the old and in with the new. It doesn\u2019t even have to be complicated upcycling: New paint, added detail, everything goes! Just use your creativity (or bring it to me and I will do it for you)”. With a spirit like hers, it\u2019s no wonder she\u2019s received the praise she has. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere are no words to describe the love and support people here in Hong Kong have had for my designs”. With a whirlwind of changes in her life, Hochberg has sound advice for those who might be in the thick of uncertainty. \u201cEverything can change in a minute, so appreciate what you have but don\u2019t be afraid of what\u2019s coming”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Born and raised in Hong Kong, Giselle Lee spent 10 years studying in the UK. After 20 years of toiling away at a career in finance, her life\u2019s work came to an abrupt stop when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015. During her treatment, she poured her time and effort into studying the numerous natural remedies the world has to offer, from herbs to minerals and vitamins. Initially, these remedies were meant to aid her own health which, after excessive research, eventually did. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAfter I recovered, I decided not to go back to a high-stress job. I started to pursue a business I feel very passionate about \u2013 health, wellness and beauty. I started GLOHS in 2016, which is a skincare and health brand, and co-founded Berrybuzz in 2020, a health and wellness-themed platform\u201d. Lee has had to persevere through a few adversities to get to where she is today. Her biggest one is stepping out of her comfort zone. \u201cHealth, wellness and beauty were very new territories for me. I focused on learning about the industry and how to run such businesses\u201d. She took courses on natural remedies for about three years during and after her cancer treatment. This had a profoundly positive impact on her health. She also came up with products that would eventually benefit her customers too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDoing everything from scratch is not easy and it is a humbling yet deeply gratifying experience\u201d. Crediting Hong Kong as a very international and tight-knit, well-connected community, Lee believes that this city offers unique opportunities for people and businesses to succeed. \u201cHong Kong truly has everything to offer \u2013 its buzz, international vibes, diversified cultures, efficiency and true entrepreneurial spirit. It always fascinates me to meet so many amazing entrepreneurs with bright ideas”. Despite Hong Kong\u2019s work-dominated culture, Lee believes that the only way a good work-life balance can be achieved is by having the right mindset. \u201cIt is important to believe that it is an essential element of our lives, then set goals and actions in order to achieve it”. Lee says that there is a key element to sustainable living. It is to ensure that we stay on top of things for as long as possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n When asked what some of the biggest lessons she\u2019s taken from the past year are, Lee notes how much we \u201ctake for granted\u201d in our lives and the convenience of access and ability to do things at our will. \u201cGoing forward, I will go out of my way to focus on things that I believe are important. I’m going to learn to not take things for granted and I certainly won\u2019t sweat the small stuff\u201d. For the next few years, Lee is looking forward to continuing her pursuit to make Hong Kong a healthier place. \u201cI see people around me suffer from stress and illnesses, but at the same time, I know that there are many baby steps that everyone can take to improve their health without drastic lifestyle compromises”. She is now hoping to empower people with knowledge and relevant products to help them achieve that goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Residing in Hong Kong for about seven years, Roland Lee has always been a fan of the city\u2019s convenience and diverse cultures. He founded his company Rydex Enterprises in 2002. He then moved across different businesses eventually leading to specialise in dietary supplements, functional foods, skincare and beauty products. Three years ago, the company launched its first Qivaro brand rack at Citysuper in harbour city. <\/p>\n\n\n\n They sold a range of health products that can be difficult to find elsewhere in the city. This year we have fully launched our own Qivaro brand flagship store in HKTVMall as well. \u201cWe worked diligently for over 12-hours a day, seven days a week and had to overcome hurdles to get the business to where it is today”. While much of Lee\u2019s time is taken up with growing the brand’s awareness throughout Hong Kong and around Asia, he takes the work hard and play hard approach to life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cResponsibility and time management are crucial for success. When I do have a spare moment, I like to go karaoke and sing out my frustrations”. Coming out on the other side of the pandemic, Lee believes more people are turning their attention to their health and wellness. They are more aware of what they put in their bodies and and want to lead a healthier lifestyle. Putting health, safety and efficacy at the top of their brand’s priorities, Lee reassures his customers that the Qivaro brand\u2019s products all use premium quality ingredients and vegan formulas to give consumers the best results possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOur best-seller now is the Ultra Superfood Greens and Reds. It is a low glycemic superfood containing a range of powerful antioxidants to help boost your immune system, dietary fibre, cardio and cellular health”. Over the next few years, Lee and his team are hoping to increase their revenue, move into AI technology into their Qivaro Brand and continue to dedicate a portion of their proceeds back to society and charitable organizations. \u201cOur vision is to support charitable organizations that help the needy children, women and the elderly”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As co-founder of Brandstorm Communications and business partner at Brianstorm Content, Marina Watt, along with Brian Yeung, has built a communications consultancy brand that specialises in philanthropy, CSR, education and culture. Born and raised in Hong Kong, Watt is also on the executive committee of the Hong Kong Public Relations Professionals\u2019 Association. Both Watt and Yeung used to work for a private foundation with an annual giving of over $60 million. \u201cOur role was to raise the organisation\u2019s profile both at home and abroad. In our in-house role back then, we had worked with many consultancies from the Americas, Europe and Asia including Hong Kong”. That\u2019s when they discovered a gap in the market that Brandstorm Communications and Brianstorm Content are now striving to fill. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The co-founders left their jobs in 2019 to launch Brianstorm Content. Now, despite the pandemic, they have a client portfolio that ranges from private foundations and blue-chip companies to financial institutions. Focusing on philanthropy, corporate social responsibility and environmental, social and corporate governance, Watt saw the potential of their rapidly growing business and they decided to establish Brandstorm Communications to broaden their services. \u201cWhile the two consultancies work closely as sister agencies, we envision them building their own teams and client portfolios in the future”. Covid has made things challenging for Watt, but amid the chaos, they have found their brand\u2019s voice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOur customised and hands-on approach differentiates us from the big market players. Unlike their hierarchical way of operation, we communicate with our clients directly and we bring an objective. We do this to help them establish relevance among their stakeholders and communicate with them authentically to build a reputation”. Perhaps Watt can credit a lot of her success to her outlook on life. She strives to find the silver lining in all scenarios. \u201cIn a crisis, there\u2019s an opportunity, as the saying goes. It might sound cliche but it has its own truth. The market disruption presents a good opportunity for us to reexamine our business model, commercial offerings and resilience plan. For our companies, we believe that creative responses to a new reality can turn challenges into opportunities. Even, if the process could be painful”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, like most people in this teeming city, Watt has had to be conscious of balancing life with work\u2013a concept that most entrepreneurs grapple with daily. \u201cWhen working on my own ventures, it is almost impossible to draw a boundary between my professional life and my personal life. Getting priorities right is the key”. The struggle becomes much easier when you\u2019ve got a shared mission with people you admire, though, as Watt explains. \u201cI have the privilege of working with a business partner and a team who share the value of mutual respect, accountability and collaboration. When something important comes up, even on a personal front, all of us take the initiatives to support each other. Living every day fully is our team motto”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Despite the work-dominated culture that\u2019s prevalent in this city, Watt is thankful that she\u2019s made her career in Hong Kong. \u201cTraditionally Hong Kong positions itself as Asia\u2019s world city. But I think Hong Kong is now more than that. As the world has seen more international metropolises, the multicultural dynamics in business is what makes Hong Kong and its people unique”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s probably most trainee solicitors\u2019 dream to become a partner, and Jaerey Velasco was no different. From a young age, Velasco has wanted to become a lawyer and was willing to work hard for it. After obtaining her Bachelor of Laws and Postgraduate Certificate in Laws at the City University of Hong Kong, she started working as a trainee solicitor in her current firm, Payne Clermont Velasco Solicitors. \u201cThe first few years out of law school were tough, as it\u2019s a steep learning curve,\u201d recounts Velasco. \u201cYou have to learn so much on the job, so, on one hand, you are still like a student, but on the other hand, you have to work very hard to meet the standards of your firm and clients\u2019 expectations”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n One thing that helped Velasco a lot was her genuine interest in her job. She is especially interested in family law. When the opportunity to handle family and matrimonial litigation came up, she took that opportunity to gain more knowledge and experience to develop her firm\u2019s family and matrimonial practice. Later on, finally becoming a partner (a part-owner of the firm) was a big jump for Velasco. At that point, is when your job is not just on the law for your clients but is about managing a complete business. A business that is in a very competitive market here in Hong Kong. \u201cOne of the biggest challenges that I had to overcome was the shift between being a lawyer who handles cases and clients to a partner who handles the same, but has a stake in a business and management responsibilities,\u201d explains Velasco, of her new role. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI knew that would come when I made partner. I also knew I had the support and mentorship I would need. It has been a complete change in mindset. Just like when I was a trainee, it\u2019s another steep learning curve. However, I think that owning a business gives you that extra drive that you need when things are tough”. Looking forward, Velasco hopes to spend more time with her family and perhaps even travel. At work, she is looking to grow and continue to provide excellent service to her clients from a new perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Born and raised in Hong Kong, Alvin Lam is the founder and whisky ambassador of Courser of Woodland. This is where he holds workshops for multinational corporations around the city. His major clients include Swire, the Jockey Club and LVMH. At the same time, he is the co-founder of grandmama cafe and consultant of 1881 Heritage – The Cell as well. Since a young age, Lam has wanted to run his own fashion brand and has thought of multiple ways to achieve that dream. \u201cI wanted to be more than a fashion designer, a serial entrepreneur, bring various values to the world. I didn\u2019t want to limit myself to one specific field”. As an entrepreneur, Lam faced numerous challenges, which he took head-on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n He details: \u201cchallenges are everywhere \u2013 on a macro level, you have to maintain investor and partner relationship, management direction, company culture\u2026 on a micro level you would encounter HR issues, cash flow, marketing plans\u2026\u201d Starting Courser of Woodland and experiencing success has led to Lam becoming more ambitious. \u201cTime is a limited resource,\u201d he says. \u201cI know I have to work hard, live well”. He also notes that being the founder and owner of his own business has led him to better express his feelings. \u201cI no longer hide my own feelings. I completely reveal my love toward my parents and friends, reveal my ambitions during work, reveal my curiosity on learning different new knowledge”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Going forward, Lam hopes to continue to provide innovative and pioneering services to his clients. He is currently designing a Whisky Cask Trading Platform that never existed, that could be the game-changer. On a personal level, he wants to become a better influencer who brings different values \u2013 not limited to entrepreneurship \u2013 to his audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On a mission to support restaurants across Hong Kong, Karen Ko began her career working at a range of advertising and PR firms. They included Ogilvy & Mather and Voltage PR. When she noticed a gap in the market for small to mid-sized businesses, she decided to create her own firm. She founded K.Kommunications in 2018 to give a voice to smaller businesses across the city. Businesses that may not have the budget for traditional advertising campaigns. \u201cI love Hong Kong and wanted to share the stories of the inspirational restaurant owners with whom I work”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Ko is currently a one-man band, taking care of every side of the business. \u201cI don\u2019t have to manage a team. So, I’m able to provide my services at a more affordable price for restaurants, especially those who were affected by the pandemic.\u201d Working closely with each client, Ko adds a personal touch to their marketing strategy. She also helps them overcome challenges faced in the F&B industry. Much of Ko\u2019s time is spent online communicating with clients and the media and potential partners. She also keeps up-to-date on the latest dining trends throughout the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n One of her biggest challenges to date is blocking negativity while staying humble and accepting constructive feedback. Like many in the industry, Ko faced her fair share of negativity at the start of her business venture with some criticising her decisions. \u201cNo matter what you do, people will always criticise. I\u2019ve learned to embrace the criticism and remind myself to stay true to my vision and values”. Her advice to those looking to pursue a similar path is simple, \u201cyou can\u2019t always control what happens in life, but you can control how you handle it”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sidrah Umer is a Hong Kong-born Pakistani woman who, at the beginning of last year, founded SID Beauty. SID Beauty is a cruelty-free, vegan makeup brand. To some, that\u2019s a great achievement. To Umer, it\u2019s a dream come true. \u201cMy biggest dream was, is and always will be to run my own successful business and live life on my own terms. Freedom is the ultimate goal for me”. What makes SID Beauty special? The fact that Umer is repping for her native country. \u201cIt’s one of the first beauty brands in Hong Kong-owned by a Pakistani woman. It feels good to represent Pakistan”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n What started out as a dream has now become Umer\u2019s reality. This is thanks to all of the support that she gets from friends and the makeup community in Hong Kong. Umer\u2019s collection includes lashes, eyeshadow palettes, lip kits, compact mirrors and liquid lipsticks. \u201cSID Beauty products have sold out quite a few times and I’m glad to be inspiring girls to dream big. I believe we rise by lifting others”. Umer has always been an extremely passionate, independent person. Another goal of hers is to inspire women to go after what they want, but that\u2019s not to say that her journey to entrepreneurship was an easy one. \u201cI’ve always been an emotional person and that has cost me a lot. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There have been times when I wouldn’t stop overthinking\u2013all negative thoughts. Anxiety and stress would take over me. It took me a very long time to train my mind to think more positively and I’ve learned to take nothing personally. That\u2019s helped me become a lot happier”. Umer\u2019s experience of building a business that\u2019s hers and hers alone, has only reinforced the belief she had in herself. \u201cDesigning, marketing, sales, shipping products, customer service. I do it all by myself. I’m a person who is never afraid to fail, take risks or explore new things. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I’m always pushing myself to do better and compete with who I was yesterday”. Looking to the future, Umer is going to continue dreaming big, for herself and on behalf of all the young girls out there who are just like her. \u201c\u200b\u200bI’m looking forward to bringing in new amazing products at SID Beauty, hiring employees and increasing traffic to my business. I want to find new opportunities to network and expand my business further”. Her advice to those looking to pursue a similar path is simple. \u201cTo be successful at anything, you don’t have to be different, you simply have to be what most people aren’t. Consistent. Consistency is harder when no one is clapping for you. You must be the one clapping for yourself in those times. You should always be your biggest fan”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Over the past few years, female hygiene products have become a hot topic of discussion. The rise of the menstrual cup encouraged people to think about the environmental consequences of such a frequently used product for women across the globe. Enter Nicolia Ng, a budding entrepreneur on a mission to bring sustainable period care to Hong Kong. \u201cI believe that every female in the city deserves a comfortable, secure and sustainable period product”. Along with her business partners Brandon and Jonathan, Ng decided to create her own line of leak-proof underwear. She did this under the brand Kiri in August this year. \u201cWe wanted to design a product that is kinder to the environment, but at the same time, be able to provide women with extra protection from leaks and accidents”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n She hopes that Kiri can empower and protect women during their time of the month. By kick-starting the conversation around periods, the brand strives to help drive honest discussions with the public surrounding women\u2019s health and body. \u201cAlthough periods are a completely natural aspect of womanhood, conversations about periods are still considered taboo in Hong Kong”. Like many new entrepreneurs in the city, Ng and her team have to run the business while still maintaining full-time jobs. They also need to use their free time to create, distribute and market their products. \u201cWe have spent many late nights discussing products and how we envisioned the brand to be”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But with the rapid expansion of the brand, one of her partners has been able to take the operations full-time. With a more focused approach, she believes the brand can be taken to another level. \u201cI think it is important to be passionate about your business. You have to be willing to sacrifice your time and energy for the company you are building”. With a strong team behind her and a supportive network of friends and family, she hopes to expand Kiri’s collection. She also hopes to include more styles and provide more innovative products to benefit women in the future. \u201cFemale-tech is a space that deserves more attention. We are going to focus our time on developing more products that make women\u2019s lives easier”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hotung has always been a big supporter of an all-rounded education and believes that children should be able to creatively express themselves. \u201cIn the early days of co-curricular activities, my four-year-old daughter was told that she wasn\u2019t allowed to paint an elephant orange as elephants can only be grey. That was the trigger that led me to found Kids\u2019 Gallery”. Over the past 25 years, over 80,000 students have passed through their doors. The company has won numerous awards for its creative holiday camps and language programmes. \u201cOur mission has always been clear. We want to spread the power of creativity and create educational opportunities that nurture creative, curious and confident learners”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n While the brand has celebrated much success, it hasn\u2019t come without its challenges. From the SARS outbreak in 2003, Swine Flu in 2009 and Covid-19 in 2020, Hotung has had to learn to adapt to keep classes running. \u201cThe last two years have been the ultimate challenge, with school closures and constant uncertainty. However, we’ve been able to keep moving forward”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n She successfully moved the Hong Kong Speech Festival prep online when theatres closed. She also continued their Festival Week production of Cinderella by filming students in front of a green screen and making a movie. Hotung then premiered it at a public cinema. \u201cThe biggest lessons I’ve learned are to take things one day at a time. We also need to plan for the worst and hope for the best”. Having just opened Kids\u2019 Gallery\u2019s first location in Macau, Hotung hopes to expand the business further into China. She would like to ensure more parents and children can benefit from a creative education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Leanne Lam had intended to go the traditional route\u2013high school, university, travel and a job. After her first year of college in France, Lam dropped out and decided to pursue a path she knew would be met with doubt and reproval. \u201cI took a rather unconventional path after my first year of college to pursue my events planning business”. This is when she founded Le Lumi\u00e8re Events. Lumi\u00e8re Events is a company that \u201cstrives to connect people with premier customised event planning and consultation”. Like the domino effect, one thing led to another for Lam. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The experience she had in the early stages of her entrepreneurship had such a profound impact on her. It made her decided to do something with the lessons she\u2019d learned. \u201cMy unusual decision was faced with a lot of discouragement and criticism in the beginning. Even by close loved ones. I felt quite alone in that journey. So I decided to create a podcast for people to share their nontraditional journeys and to inspire others. The road to success and happiness is not linear and identical”. Beyond the Label is Lam\u2019s podcast, which she hosts to speak to people who have struggled from all walks of life, from Aama Ko Koseli, who travelled to Nepal to raise awareness on menstrual hygiene to Olympic fencer Moonie Chu, who opened up about self-acceptance and cyberbullying. \u201cHonestly, everyone I\u2019ve interviewed on my podcast is very inspirational in their own way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Each guest has a unique journey and mindset that inspires us to believe that nothing is impossible if you put your mind to it”.When asked to define the purpose of her podcast, Lam responded with the confidence of a person who has found exactly what she is meant to be doing. \u201cBeyond the Label is a safe space where we are not limited by societal expectations and stereotypes, where we are inspired by guest speakers who took on a nontraditional path, where we can freely explore our potentials and be ourselves unapologetically”. The road to this point was far from simple, though, as it rarely is. Like everyone else, Lam grappled with impatience before realising that that mindset wasn\u2019t sustainable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOne of the bigger challenges I\u2019ve had to overcome is to be patient and accept that success does not happen overnight. I used to be very harsh on myself, fixating on the result and doubting my abilities when things don’t happen the way you intend them to. Then I realised how much I\u2019ve learned and grown in the process, understanding that when you plant a seed, it needs time, sunlight and water for it to grow, much like my work endeavours”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n With her sights set on the next goal, Lam has another project in the works\u2013and just like with her other passions, it\u2019s with the intent to help others with the knowledge she\u2019s obtained in her experience. \u201cI am very excited to launch my self-care blog, the Blu Journal later this year to feature more inspiring stories and self-love tips. I will also create more content on my platforms to advocate gender equality and mental health. Hopefully, in a few years, these topics will not be as taboo as they are now”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Born and raised in Hong Kong, Kousar Meajeben\u2019s entrepreneurial journey began when she was just 21 years old in 2020. During the pandemic, Meajeben, who learned how to cook and bake at a young age, found herself with a lot of spare time under lockdown. It was then she decided to truly put her skills to use and try selling her baked products under her brand Meraki. \u201cI wanted them to be different, to be out of the box, something people never saw a lot before because let\u2019s face it, there are so many bakeries or businesses that sell baked goods,\u201d explains Meajeben. <\/p>\n\n\n\n She decided to start with cakesicles, which at the time was not a well-known baked product in Hong Kong. \u201cThe next thing I knew, it had blown up”. Although she has found success early on, launching and managing a business has not been easy. \u201cStarting a business in Hong Kong has its own ups and downs. One day you are doing so well, the others you\u2019re not. It\u2019s so important to be on your toes at all times, and that\u2019s something I didn\u2019t pay much attention to”. In particular, Meajeben notes that opening her own business has made her realise how much of a pushover she was. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe most important thing I have learned is how to say no\u201d she says. \u201cMy whole life I have been so gentle and naive \u2013 it was so hard to say no to people, to not let people take advantage”.Over the next few years, the entrepreneur wants to evolve and become a better version of herself. Businesswise, she hopes to collaborate with more brands and open her own physical bakery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A born and raised Hongkonger, Jasmine Liu was inspired by her first trip to Bhutan to found her own business, HYGGEWellbeing. While there, she discovered that Bhutan measured Gross National Happiness (GNH) instead of GDP, with the ultimate life goal of \u2018being happy\u2019. Living a busy and stressful life in Hong Kong, the concept stuck with her. HYGGEWellbeing is a community for health and wellness, with the aim to inspire people to live a simple, happy and healthy lifestyle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Although the business is now highly successful, as the founder of a small company, Liu\u2019s journey to entrepreneurship has not always been easy. Liu shares that \u201cthere have been a lot of challenges involved in operating a business which has only multiplied during the pandemic\u201d, and she has \u201clearned to embrace her own voice and to embrace failure\u201d. She further explains that \u201cwe all face challenges on a regular basis and the key is to develop your own approach in addressing them. Failure is a part of life and it\u2019s through these experiences that you learn and grow, both as an individual and as an entrepreneur”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For Liu, HYGGEWellbeing is not just about commerce but also the community. Looking forward, she hopes to host more events to develop a closer connection to other communities and entrepreneurs to continue helping others develop a healthy mindset that includes discovering the benefits of eating right and staying active. “It\u2019s also about giving back to those in need, like the Angels for Children charity or quite simply, the Earth we live on through initiatives such as a special tree planting programme in Bhutan offered through our loyalty program”. The HYGGEWellbeing community exists to connect like-minded people and those who want to learn more about living a life that works towards a goal of \u2018being happy\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Like many things in Hong Kong, the cost of legal fees are generally very high\u2013and very hidden. It\u2019s not every day you meet a lawyer who is actively working to change that, though. Jonathan Tai is the managing partner at Tai & Co. Solicitors, a firm that is run by an established \u201cgroup of young and enthusiastic solicitors who aim to serve clients with legal services of the highest quality”. People love a good \u2018level the playing field\u2019 kind of story, and that is exactly what this is. Their ambition is simple: \u201cWe want to make sure that clients who have a need for legal services have quick and easy access to lawyers”. How exactly are they achieving that? Tai and his associates don\u2019t believe in hidden costs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOur new concept is to make the pricing of legal services as transparent as possible. In the past, many people have wanted to seek legal advice but have been deterred due to the outrageously expensive and seemingly endless legal fees”. On the other hand, if the cost of legal services is too low, there is usually a reason for that. As the saying goes, you get what you pay for. \u201cThere are also law firms that offer extremely low fees. In order to keep prices lower than normal, it is well known that these firms are essentially run by legal executives and clerks, and the handful of lawyers actually present are there only to sign necessary documents but not to handle cases”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n At Tai & Co. Solicitors, they\u2019re looking to strike the right balance and to make sure hardworking, everyday citizens have the same access to legal services as higher-income families in the city\u2013 \u201dto let the public have access to justice, legal advice and legal services, all under the care of quality lawyers, but at reasonable costs”. Offering these services at lower-than-standard rates means having to manage daily operations differently than other firms. Thankfully, it doesn\u2019t detract from their business at all. Instead, it improves their quality of care for their clients, making the processes less disconnected and more personal. \u201cAs we aim to serve clients personally, I also take a lot of free legal advice calls directly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The biggest challenge is that most of such calls are clients without substantial legal issues. For example, a lady may call to ask for help finding her husband after he left for another woman. As lawyers charge based on billable hours, such calls cut directly into the hours we can bill. However, as we aim to provide down-to-earth services, I still insist on taking these calls myself, to establish a close connection with each and every client”. Once again demonstrating that he is using his hard-earned qualifications for the greater good of the people in this city. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Of course, there is a big-picture goal in mind for Tai. \u201cI aim to establish a new culture in the legal field in Hong Kong, such that clients will not hesitate to seek legal services when necessary. I aim to provide a transparent fee structure and reasonably priced services so that people will know how much they should spend on each task or document, and where their hard-earned money has been spent”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dr Jacob Huang began his professional career in Goldman Sachs Asia in Hong Kong in 2008 and was selected in the Hong Kong Talent Admission Scheme by Hong Kong Immigration in 2014. Eventually, he went on to found his own company, VisionMatrix. \u201cAt the beginning of my PhD thesis, it was discovered that visual information takes 83 percent in human perception of the world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n From one side, everyday life is full of images and video signals. From the other side, human brains understand structural semantics better”. \u201cThere is a need to provide the community with an efficient tool for the automatic retrieval of useful information from video and images”. That is exactly what VisionMatrix is \u2013 a system inspired by The Matrix that receives visual information from video and images. Dr Huang describes it as \u201can accurate, affordable, fast and scalable video search engine that improves the city\u2019s security and efficiency by helping users to search for interesting content such as people, behaviours, or objects among massive video big data\u201d. Simply put, it can be considered as a video version of Google. When asked about what he has learned from running his own company, Huang says \u201cGod is fair, sooner or later. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Any effort spent will pay back”. \u201cIn business, maybe not every effort we make turns into an order immediately, but every potential customer we engage, every technical trial we make, which does not make a difference now, will reward us in future”. Dr Huang has high hopes for the future. \u201cWe hope to be the leading video search engine in the world in the next few years”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Born and raised in Hong Kong, Simran Mohinani has always had entrepreneurship in her blood. From working with the United Nations on shark and coral preservation at the age of 15 to striking a book deal for a trilogy in college, she believes Hong Kong is a pre-made empire for aspiring business people. During the pandemic, Mohinani returned from university in the US and noticed a gap in the market for luxe floral decorations. \u201cI’ve never met a woman who doesn’t adore flowers. So I decided to start MOHLIA within the thriving, billion-dollar floral industry”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Using flowers from some of the best rosaries in the world, Mohinani preserves them at their finest bloom using a secret formula, before assembling them into unique styles and shapes. \u201cWe truly have something for every occasion and every person, and all of our products can be enjoyed for at least a couple of years if not more”. This includes Mohinani\u2019s favourite flower, the classic effervescent rose which symbolises love, life and eternity. Along with an array of exquisite products, Mohinani also offers flower decor services for any type of event and does bespoke collaborations with brands including Fortnum & Mason and Kate Spade, \u201cas a team we also love making things fun and pulling off next-level concepts and ideas”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Whether it\u2019s going to other companies’ press events, product launches, red carpets, or a pop-up, Mohinani and her team always make it a point to stick to the brand’s essence and values. With a new goal and mission every day, Mohinani has had a busy 2021, growing the business, releasing her fourth book and even starting a revolutionary pet business. \u201cMy constant challenge being an entrepreneur is striking a good work-life balance and that’s something I continue to work on every day”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a Registered Industrial & Organisational Psychologist, Corporate Trainer and Director at his own consultancy Talent Academy Limited, Matchy Ma has dabbled in many different jobs and responsibilities throughout his 20-year career. Working in multinational corporations, he specialises in transforming individual and team performance for all walks of people. He does this by applying practitioner skills backed by research-based psychological principles. Born and raised in Hong Kong, Matchy is a graduate from the University of Hong Kong and holds a Bachelor\u2019s Degree in Psychology. From the Chinese University of Hong Kong, he holds a Master\u2019s Degree in Industrial & Organizational Psychology. He took on roles as a Market Researcher, Corporate Trainer and Organisational Psychologist before starting his business. In fact, 2021 marks the 10th anniversary of Talent Academy Limited. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOver the last decade, we have built up our clientele covering both local and multinational corporations in different industries. 90 percent of our customers are either repeat clients or from referrals,\u201d says Matchy. \u201cWe are so grateful for the trust our customers have placed in us. We hope that we can help them, as well as our community and the world we are living in. Talent Academy limited really wants to make a positive difference”. Matchy has found that employee well-being at the workplace has become one of the top concerns among employers in Hong Kong. <\/p>\n\n\n\n An increasing number of corporations are willing to spend time and resources on different types of well-being programmes for their employees in order to build a sustainable, healthy, productive workforce. This is where Matchy steps in with his signature training programmes. \u201cOne of our major achievements during the last decade is developing a suite of signature training programs, namely \u201cStrengths-based Leadership Program\u201d, \u201cCoaching for Success Program\u201d, \u201cPositive Psychology Series”. Over a thousand people have attended these programmes. We are so excited to have helped them aim higher, grow stronger and live happier”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Looking forward, Matchy hopes to connect with professionals in the field from different parts of the world, and \u201cleverage their professionalism and wisdom to develop more innovative, meaningful, value-creating digital talent development solutions”. \u201cThe pandemic has reminded us of the importance of having good health and relationships,” he says. \u201cI will continue putting a constant effort in maintaining a healthy well-being, both mental and physical, and living in the moment \u2013 keeping my faith and staying hopeful for the future”.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Get to know this years influencers in Hong Kong’s Entrepreneurs & Business category <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":47578,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2350],"tags":[914,2912,915,1389,3713,3836,265,4418,4489,4548,1278,512,1391,4859,1950,6495,923],"class_list":["post-47561","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-business","tag-business-owners-in-hong-kong","tag-businesswomen","tag-entrepreneur","tag-entrepreneurs-hong-kong","tag-female-entrepreneurs","tag-hk-influencer","tag-hong-kong-business-owner","tag-hong-kong-entrepreneur","tag-hong-kong-influencer","tag-hong-kong-influencer-awards","tag-hong-kong-living-influencer-awards","tag-influencer","tag-influencers","tag-inspirational-people-hong-kong","tag-small-business","tag-women-entrepreneur"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/hongkongliving.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Eric-Fung-1030x687.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nBlanche Koo, Co-founder of May16<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/hongkongliving.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/IMG_4666-1030x687.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nRead more: Lessons on self love: 5 entrepreneurs share their tips<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Regina Larko, Founder of #Impact<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/hongkongliving.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Regina-Larko-1030x687.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nTracy Ho, Founder and Director, Frame & Fame Personal Branding<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/hongkongliving.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Screen-Shot-2021-10-25-at-16.54.49-1030x684.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nSimon Wilson<\/strong>, Managing Director at Greater Bay Media Entertainment<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/hongkongliving.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Simon-16-1-1030x836.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nSarah Vee, Founder of Women of Hong Kong<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/hongkongliving.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Sarah-Vee-1030x687.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nHiroka Lee, CEO of Flog App<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/hongkongliving.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Hiroka-Lee-1030x687.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nLucie Petit, Founder of HK Model Camp and role model at Inspiring Girls<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/hongkongliving.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Lucie-1030x687.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nShalini Mahtani, Founder of The Zubin Foundation<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/hongkongliving.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Shalini-Mahtani-1-1030x687.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\u200b\u200bMichal Hochberg<\/strong>, Founder of UPCYCLED by Michal<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/hongkongliving.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Michal-upcycled-1030x687.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nRead more: Hong Kong sustainable fashion entrepreneurs who are changing the way we shop<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Giselle Lee, Founder of GLOHS Organic Skincare<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/hongkongliving.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Giselle-Lee-1030x687.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nRoland Lee, CEO at Rydex Enterprises<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/hongkongliving.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Roland-Lee-1030x687.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nMarina Watt, Co-founder of Brandstorm Communication<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/hongkongliving.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Marina-Watt-1030x687.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nJaerey Velasco, Lawyer at Payne Clermont Velasco Solicitors<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/hongkongliving.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Jaerey-Velasco-1-1030x687.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nAlvin Lam, Founder Courser of Woodland Limited<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/hongkongliving.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Alvin-Lam-1030x687.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nKaren Ko, Founder, K.Kommunications<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/hongkongliving.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Karen-Ko-NEW-1030x687.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nSidrah Umer, Founder of SID Beauty<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/hongkongliving.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Sidrah-Umer--1030x687.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nNicolia Ng, Founder of kiri<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/hongkongliving.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Nicolia-Ng-1030x687.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nJoanna Hotung, Founder & CEO of KG Group Education<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/hongkongliving.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Joanna-Hutong-1030x687.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Starting her career as a management consultant, Joanna Hotung has always been passionate about performing arts and decided to retrain as a speech and drama teacher instead. \u201cI’ve taught and been immersed in the education industry since 1996 when I founded Kids\u2019 Gallery”. As Founder & CEO of KG Group Education, Hotung helps children to find their voice and embrace their individuality. She does this through interactive classes and art programmes. \u201cI have seen so many children transform in their confidence levels by pushing themselves outside of their comfort zones and performing in public”. <\/p>\n\n\n\nLeanne Lam, Founder, Le Lumi\u00e8re Events, Podcast Host at Beyond the Label<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/hongkongliving.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Leanne-Lam-1030x687.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nKousar Meajeben, Founder of Meraki <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/hongkongliving.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Kousar-Meajeben-1030x687.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nJasmine Liu, Founder of HYGGEWellbeing<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/hongkongliving.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Jasmine-Liu-1030x687.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nJonathan Tai, Managing partner Tai & Co. Solicitors<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/hongkongliving.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Jonathan-Tai-1030x687.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nDr Jacob Huang, Founder of VisionMatrix Technology<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/hongkongliving.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Jacob-Huang-1030x687.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nSimran Mohinani, Founder of MOHLIA<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/hongkongliving.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Simran-Mohinani-1030x687.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nMatchy Ma Founder, Talent Academy Limited<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/hongkongliving.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Matchy-Ma-1030x687.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n