That Mama archives - Sassy Mama Hong Kong - 1

That Mama: Anaitha Nair, Actor, Singer And Hairdresser

Anita Balagopalan — Mon, 08 Jul 2024 22:30:51 +0000

In a few years of setting up shop in Hong Kong, Hair by Anaitha has become a popular hair salon in the city. We meet Anaitha Nair, the mama behind it all.

Anyone who’s visited Anaitha Nair’s beautiful home in Hong Kong is struck by its warmth and vibrancy. The home reflects the personality of the mama who lives there with her lovely family. Running a business that’s gained popularity purely by word of mouth, Anaitha’s enthusiasm and genuine interest towards friends, family and clients have won her a lot of acclaim (including best Beauty Salon at the Sassy Awards 2023). We ask her how she manages it all while being a caring and committed mother to her 10-year-old daughter, Aaliya.

When did you move to Hong Kong and why? Do you now consider it home?

My husband, Akhil, and I moved to Hong Kong in 2011 when he got a job here. It is home for now. However when we retire, if we have no community here (Hong Kong being such a transient place for expats) or family, it defeats the purpose of making it our forever home without the people we love in it.

You’ve been an actor and singer in the past, so when and why did you choose hairdressing?

Hair has always been an integral part of how I felt about myself. I was blessed with great hair from my mum’s side of the family and growing up I knew at six the role my hair played in giving me confidence. I had a natural love and talent for it – I experimented all through childhood and adolescence, looking for Guinea pigs who were willing to let me cut and colour their hair. Later, being an actor gave me access to some of the best hair and makeup artists in the business who were also very kind to share their skills with me and allow me to apprentice with them. When we moved here, I wanted to put that passion to use and take it up full-time. That’s when I launched my hair business.

Do you miss your earlier careers and are there any regrets about moving to Hong Kong?

My earlier careers were all great while they lasted. If given an opportunity I’d love to act, sing and emcee again. Having said that I love what I do so much now as well, so it doesn’t feel like I’m missing much. I cannot express enough the gratitude I feel for being able to be a full time mother and have a full time job. I work the hours Aaliya is at school and am with her every evening as soon as she’s back home.

Very few countries would allow me this luxury – Hong Kong is special because of that. If it weren’t as safe as it is, I couldn’t have strangers walking into my home. If I didn’t have full time help, if the city weren’t as efficient allowing me to get so much done in a day, I know I would never be able to balance both career and motherhood the way I have.

Is Hong Kong a good place to bring up a child?

Hong Kong has been a blessing but it is a bit of a bubble that we live in. My daughter will have to figure out the big bad world, but she has a lifetime ahead for that!

Does she share your passion for any of the arts?

100%! She loves music, art, dance and I must confess she’s far more creative than I could ever be.

Where did you meet your husband? How does he support your business?

I met Akhil when we were in school.

He is THE reason for my business. In fact, he thinks I don’t do enough with it and has visions far greater than I even want to consider! I work out of our living room and there hasn’t been a single day when this sweet man has even as much as mentioned or requested if he could have our living room not infringed upon. He helps me with my accounts, ideas, strategy, etc. He constantly pushes me to embrace newer technology, invest more in education and equipment.

How easy is it to start a business in Hong Kong?

One day, one location, minimal documents – Boom! You’re registered. I will eternally remain grateful to the city and its women for helping me set this up, I don’t take it for granted for a second.

What has surprised you about other mum-entrepreneurs in Hong Kong?

It has a vibrant mumtrepreneur culture, though it is a very small market. I’ve always been so inspired and impressed with how these women constantly reinvent themselves and their work to keep being relevant despite catering to such a small local market. It’s truly inspiring.

In what ways do you support women-run businesses in Hong Kong?

I’m not a big shopper at all as I’m getting increasingly mindful about what I buy and consume. Having said that I’m always championing people’s causes and businesses I believe in by sharing it with clients and people I meet.

Any tips for anyone starting a business here?

Don’t procrastinate, start today. You will never learn anything about business until you start and it will teach you through the process.
Don’t rely on your network solely to gain business. It’s not sustainable. Eventually your product has to speak for itself, so work hard on creating/sourcing a product or service that is needed, price it competitively and the rest will sort itself out.
Know when something isn’t working. Be able to cut your losses and move on. Your time is valuable and if it isn’t adding value in one place, there will always be other avenues where it can add value. Look for those instead.

You recently got a new addition to your family – the adorable Milo! What made you get a dog when you weren’t always a dog person?

I could write two hundred pages answering this one question, but I will try to keep it short. I didn’t grow up with a pet. I was indifferent to having one. Aaliya and Akhil insisted and I agreed to the plan provided I didn’t have to be burdened with the additional responsibility a dog brings. What I didn’t realise though is that the responsibility is a very small price to pay for what this four legged, non-verbal creature teaches you. Five months since adopting him have taught me life lessons that no parent, school or book could have taught me – what it means to be loyal, joyful, non-complaining, loving, respectful of boundaries, disciplined, in tune with your body clock… I could go on! Animals view the world in a raw unfiltered way without ego. To be able to treat people the way they treat us is a gift. We truly aren’t worthy of animals, they are far superior beings.

What has been your proudest moment as a mum, so far?

Oooh… tough one! Aaliya comes across as a very reserved child , but she’s got the grit and self assurance most grown adults still don’t have. There are moments in which she gives me, Akhil or the grandparents life advice that is so sound that makes me believe she she will sail through life emotionally intact. I’m so proud that she has that kind of fortitude.

What has been your proudest moment in your career, so far?

My pride doesn’t come from success. It comes from the assurance in my ability to constantly pivot, learn and start afresh. I’ve switched four careers in 20 years of working, and have never once doubted my ability to make it work for me.

You went through a period when you were away from your family during COVID. What was that like?

I had NEVER left Aaliya alone for even a day prior to having to leave for India for ten months during COVID. My parents were both very unwell and I was very clear that if anything were to happen to them, I would never forgive myself for not having made it back to India. So despite the quarantine and not knowing how long I’d have to be away from my child, I left. The universe was kind and allowed Aaliya to be with me in India for four months out of those 10. But it was still a very long period of time for her to be away from me who had been her primary caregiver up until then.

What was the biggest takeaway from that trying period?

Would I do it again if I had to? Absolutely! Aaliya, I’m sure, learnt a great deal through the experience herself. Akhil and Aaliya developed a very strong bond independent of me through those six months. She learnt to rely on him for a lot what she would otherwise rely on me for. I hope she saw the importance of caring for a loved one when times get tough and putting aside all commitments to show up for those who matter. Also to fight through illness, never give up so you can get to the other side of it.

I, too, learnt from it. I realised:

Life can change in a second. Don’t hold onto any idea of permanence or believe that we have control over anything.
⁠Acceptance of situations. No matter how unbelievable and dire, the only way forward is to go through them.
There are no shortcuts to facing difficulty.
Life is short, make it count. Every single day is truly a gift.

I know in the last year, I certainly look at life differently.

I climbed Kilimanjaro, jumped out of a plane in Dubai, took a solo holiday (sans husband, daughter, friends of family!), am starting a Masters in Psychology (something I’ve wanted study since I was 15). I’ve actively reached out to create experiences and core memories with friends and people every opportunity I get.

I now make plans to do things now, not wait for “later”. I’ve also learnt that if ⁠I approach every negative experience or uncomfortable feeling with an immediate response of “this will be over soon”, it instantly takes the sting of the situation away.

The most important thing as a mother is that ⁠I’ve learnt to tune in to Aaliya and her life in a different way too, not taking her for granted.

The Woman Who Brought Lapland To Hong Kong: That Mama, Lizzi Wood-Vashishtha

Jess Mizzi — Mon, 13 Nov 2023 22:00:07 +0000

Thinking of visiting Santa this year? This incredible Mama is the creative brains behind one of Hong Kong’s most authentic Christmas experiences.

Those who have experienced Santa’s Secret Kingdom here in Hong Kong know it’s magical. An intimate and immersive festive folly like no other in the city. But few know the woman, Hong Kong’s own Mrs Claus, who makes it happen year after year. Sassy Mama sat down with Lizzi Wood-Vashistha, Director of FUN at Glitter and Gore, to find out everything — from her multicultural family to how she’s on such good terms with the Big Man In Red.

“A little bit English, a little bit Indian and a little bit Hong Kong!”

I’m from England, my husband is from India and my son was born here in Hong Kong. I moved to the city back in 2013, but the job wasn’t quite what I expected so I planned to head back to the UK. I handed in my notice, but fate intervened and I met my now-husband. After a whirlwind romance, I left as planned. He came out for a Christmas visit and three months later I was back in Hong Kong for good!

“Fun fact… We’ve been married five times!”

In October 2015 we had a wonderful wedding in India, followed by a legal ceremony in Hong Kong and an English blessing. At that point, a cousin said, “Well, you’ve wedded in three countries now, you should get married somewhere new each year!”.

Of course, we decided to make it happen! We’ve since had ceremonies in Bali and Finland, but sadly COVID put those plans to rest for the time being.

“I was keen to check if the rumours were true that you can get married at Wan Chai McDonalds! Unfortunately, my husband wasn’t so enthusiastic.”

Now, ten years after we first met, we have a beautiful 4-year-old boy and I love being his Mummy more than I ever imagined possible!

The Director of FUN!

Before moving to Hong Kong, I was a professional performer.

I wanted to travel and found that working at holiday resorts and hotels allowed me to see the world and earn money (as well as work and life experience!). This took me everywhere! From Wales to Spain, on to Egypt and finding my Christmas spirit as an Elf in Lapland.

In between, I’d return to the UK and work as a scare actor in Haunted Houses. Every Halloween I’d be given the highly-anticipated new maze — who knew there were so many haunted house super geeks out there! Eventually, this evolved into immersive theatre events.

“My favourite was a zombie apocalypse experience in the vaults underneath Waterloo Station.”

Seeking an Asian adventure, I moved to Hong Kong, like many do, on a contract teaching English and Drama. The plan never was to stay, in fact, I was all set to move to the Caribbean afterwards. During my downtime, I wrote the first Santa’s Secret Kingdom. It wasn’t until 3 weeks before the event, that I actually plucked up the courage to confirm it and start selling tickets!

Fast forward a few years, and my official title is Director of FUN for Glitter and Gore — delivering interactive, immersive and FUNtertainment, where people don’t just watch us doing our thing, they are a part of it too.

“I’ve always been on the nice list and a true believer, so when Santa invited me to work with him in Lapland we hit it off straight away!”

There is something truly magical about Christmastime. When I landed in Hong Kong, the cosmopolitan, cultural melting pot that it is, I couldn’t believe that there wasn’t a truly immersive Santa experience. I pulled together inspiration from my time in Finland and Wales (which also held an incredible festive programme) and combined it with my experience running haunted houses and immersive journeys. Lapland and Santa’s Secret Kingdom were born!

Each Christmas I write a new script and storyline. I think my husband thought I was completely insane when I told him that every year would be unique!

“It wasn’t easy… The first year we made a huge loss and the following years we just about broke even.”

There is SO much work that has gone into creating Santa’s Secret Kingdom to the experience it is now. It started off as just one Sunday for the year.

“Each year the tickets started selling out faster and faster until I was getting so many complaints that I couldn’t bear it anymore.”

We are now running 18 days and I have started to pay myself a fee for the work I do on the days I’m there. I still don’t draw a wage for the months of work in the lead-up, but this is my passion project and I would rather spend that money elsewhere to help give families a more magical experience than take it myself.

Protests, Covid, babies and single-handedly running a small business…

It has certainly been a rocky few years! World events aside, the biggest challenge of being a creative is that I have all the ideas but don’t have much experience when it comes to budgeting and business execution. When I first drafted up Santa’s Secret Kingdom and got in touch with a production company my ideas totalled $1.6million HKD! And that didn’t include admin fees, staffing, costume, props, ticketing, marketing, transport, accounts or incidentals.

On the personal side of things, it has been an interesting journey leaving my previous nomadic life behind. I really enjoyed the freedom of short contracts, moving frequently and keeping things fresh.

“I don’t tend to let my son see me in character because it would ruin the illusion for other kids”

Pop culture often has big crazes, like unicorns, mermaids or dinosaurs, and this usually reflects in character requests but there hasn’t been a big one for a while. Pirates, mermaids, fairies and dinosaurs are always popular but I think at the moment our Wacky Science is probably the one that gets booked the most. I love this party — we end with touchable dry ice smoke-filled bubbles which always wows the crowd! All my characters are unique and have a piece of my heart.

“I love that each of the characters are relatable to kids and families, yet they are original characters that I’ve developed.”

My favourite thing is when we can get a little bit immersive with it; take the kids to the ‘magic forest’ as Flora the Fairy and Hobson the Hobbit to find things to make wands, magic potions or secret hideouts. Or when we go on a treasure hunt beach adventure with Captain Gan Greene the Pirate and Mimi the Mermaid and really get to hunt around the beach for our lost treasure. It really helps to fire up everyone’s imaginations and creates a far more magical and memorable experience.

The post The Woman Who Brought Lapland To Hong Kong: That Mama, Lizzi Wood-Vashishtha appeared first on Sassy Mama.

International Women’s Day 2023: Spotlight On Leading Hong Kong Mamas

Sassy Mama — Sun, 05 Mar 2023 22:00:58 +0000

Celebrating these leading Hong Kong ladies by exploring their efforts to #EmbraceEquity.

Women should be celebrated every day! Though International Women’s Day is a great reminder for us to focus on the awesomeness of females around the world and what they have achieved. When it comes to exceptional women, Hong Kong is most definitely no exception. This year, we’re shining a spotlight on women in business who embody this year’s theme: #EmbraceEquity.

Jump to:
Caroline Choi — Founder of Hong Kong Divorce
Ziggy Makant — Women’s Health & Fitness Advocate
Crisel Consunji — Singer, Actress & Founder of Baumhaus
Betty Richardson — Food Writer & Influencer
Shima Shimizu — Founder of Foodcraft

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A post shared by Sassy Mama HK (@sassymamahk)

Caroline Choi — Founder Of Hong Kong Divorce

Let’s face it, divorce can be a difficult process emotionally and financially for all involved. That’s why Caroline Choi created Hong Kong Divorce, a free educational tool and resource for individuals struggling to navigate the system in Hong Kong. It aims to set out in simple terms what you can expect to encounter in the run-up to a divorce, and during the long and sometimes complicated process that may follow. Its mission is to provide a concise and clear overview of the law, answer common queries and provide general support to those in need. She shares her thoughts on the need to #EmbraceEquity, especially for women going through a separation.

What is your proudest achievement?

I recently got married! Throughout my career, people always have asked if divorce law has made me sceptical about marriage. Marriage is a beautiful thing and I always tell my clients that even if they get a divorce, it is never too late to try again and find your partner. Divorce is challenging and can feel like a long marathon, but once you cross that finish line, it’s an opportunity for a fresh start.

What changes have you made in your life to #EmbraceEquity?

I created Hong Kong Divorce with equity in mind, which is to provide every individual with free access to information that may be difficult to obtain without hiring costly solicitors and barristers. Whilst it does not provide legal advice, it does provide individuals with basic information on how to navigate divorce in Hong Kong, giving individuals the knowledge and power of how to proceed. There is also helpful information from mental health professionals and resources designed to assist families on an emotional level.

How do you see the position of women and girls in Hong Kong?

In divorce, women may sometimes feel at a disadvantage, especially in Hong Kong where traditional cultural values remain in place. Hong Kong Divorce aims to provide all individuals, regardless of gender with free access to information, with the knowledge that it will often be women feeling those cultural pressures who need better access to these resources. With this knowledge comes the power to make informed decisions for their future and the future of their children.

Hong KongDivorce, www.hongkongdivorce.com, Facebook: Hong Kong Divorce

Ziggy Makant — Women’s health and fitness advocate

Ziggy is a mother of two boys (with a baby on the way!), Hong Kong-born third-culture kid who has spent the last decade dedicated to women’s health and fitness. She is currently the training manager at Joint Dynamics Evolve where she works with a dedicated team of personal trainers, exercise physiologists, and pilates and yoga instructors who are passionate about all things women’s health: from menstrual cycles to menopause, and fertility to postnatal and everything in between.

Do you have any life hacks to help you juggle your family and professional life?

I have found that curating your village is the only way to do it. Some people have family support, while others don’t. I’ve found the mixture of communicating with our amazing helper, having my in-laws close by and a partner who has a flexible schedule helps! My work environment is extremely supportive, and I’m grateful for the structure we’ve managed to create to support our staff who undergo the motherhood transition.

How would you describe this year’s International Women’s Day theme #embraceequity?

Equity was recently described to me as this:

“Everyone is looking over a fence, and the way we embrace is by adjusting the height of the box we stand on.”

Then, everyone can see equally over the fence. It helps me conceptualise how we all start out at different places, and by providing an extra inch to that box with education, support, resources, understanding, compassion and opportunity, we can truly embrace equity.

As a mother of two boys, how do you empower your children to embrace equity?

Children are sponges, born without bias, and they gradually get taught social constructs. I’ve tried to encourage exploration of their interests, exposing them to different activities across sports, arts and language. My eldest found out how much he loved to dance through Ballroom Bees. I think it helps that my husband and I have similar jobs in the fitness industry, and their concept of “strength” or that “girls can’t do that” or activity is “just for boys”, is usually explored and dispelled very quickly.

Read More: That Mama — Ziggy Makant

Crisel Consunji — Singer, actress and founder of Baumhaus

Parents all over Hong Kong are familiar with Baumhaus, a family and community space in the heart of Wan Chai. The woman behind this much-loved infant and toddler playroom and music class provider is the award-winning actress and singer Crisel Consunji. The pioneering family centre is a space designed to empower children, parents and caregivers through child-centred educational experiences through creative arts and play.

What have been your proudest achievements?

Without a doubt, leading our small business and team through the social unrest and pandemic that have dominated the last few years, while still providing quality service, honest communication with clients, and meaningful employment for our staff. I’m proud that in the eight years of Baumhaus, our impact was not only in the families we served but in the training and empowerment of individuals in our team. I was able to mentor dozens of young professionals to make not just a living but to build a life that brings them joy and fulfilment.

What changes have you made to your personal or professional life to embrace equity in regard to gender, race, religion or any other aspect of your life?

Having once been in a disadvantaged position while trying to establish myself as an educator in Hong Kong, I decided (when I founded Baumhaus) to open professional opportunities specifically for young people, locals, and ethnic minorities who otherwise have had little opportunity to train and be hired as an early years educator.

At the same time, much of my community work involves training and empowering migrant women to upgrade skills, have opportunities for creative expression, and build “safe spaces” where they can better understand their intrapersonal and interpersonal development. I’ve done this both through Baumhaus and our partner organisations, most recently as a teacher for HKMU’s Capacity Building Mileage Program.

How do you empower your children to embrace equity?

At the moment, my baby is only 9 months old; however, my husband and I endeavour to create an environment where she is exposed to people of various cultures and backgrounds. I believe that through the language we use and the actions we take, we powerfully communicate to our children what respect for people in society means.

Final words of advice…

“Trust your instincts and believe in yourself. Your values and your vision are your company’s DNA. While you listen to good advice, remember that the best decisions come from within.”

Betty Richardson, Food Writer

Betty Richardson, also known by her Instagram handle BettyShanghai, is a food photographer, writer and blogger. She speaks Chinese and has made it her mission to find amazing local food spots and share them with my audience. By providing local content to an English-speaking audience, she hopes to empower non-Chinese speakers to discover the unique culinary culture of the city.

What have been your proudest achievements?

Being paid to write and take pictures of food is a job I never dreamed would be possible! I definitely count myself lucky to work in a creative field.

As lucky as I’ve been to turn my foodie passion into a career, learning Mandarin as an adult was, and still is, an uphill slog. I’m proud of the fact that I can communicate and navigate my way around China using it.

What changes have you made in your life to #EmbraceEquity?

Educating myself about my racial privilege and comprehending the historical and continuing lack of equity given to other communities has been the first step on my journey, which is a life-long process that won’t ever be complete. Following that, donating resources that I have, like time and money, to improve equity is more useful than performative equity.

How do you empower your children to #EmbracyEquity?

I have two boys, so gender equity is really important to me. When I read books, I frequently change the pronouns of non-human characters to represent the female gender and I also look for books with non-white and/or female main characters. When speaking, I avoid gender stereotypes, for example, I always say “firefighter” or “police officer” rather than “fireman” or “policeman.” It’s a small effort, but the semantics are more important than we think.

Shima Shimizu — Founder of Foodcraft

Shima Shimizu is the woman behind the all-female team at Foodcraft. Tucked away in Kennedy Town, it makes home-style food that you wish you had the time to make yourself! The brand pays particular attention to its ingredients and cooks with the love and care that you would give to your family at home.

What do you enjoy most about being a parent? What do you find the most challenging?

My kids are still young and I can see how important I am to them. I feel joy when I see how happy they are just by showing up at their school events or picking them up from classes. It means so much to them and it gives me a sense of purpose too.

The most challenging thing is patience. If I cook with my kids I’ll spend twice as long (not to mention the cleaning!) and it’s faster and easier to do it without them, but that is where I need to learn patience to allow my kids to go through the learning process. It’s not easy!

How do you see the position of women and girls in Hong Kong?

Coming from Japan, I must say Hong Kong is so advanced when it comes to women’s rights. Here in Hong Kong we have the choice of being a working woman or a full-time housewife. You will not be judged because you have a full-time job and hired a helper at home. In Japan, women are expected to be good mothers, wives, cooks and cleaners and if you cannot do that or outsource help for house chores you are “not enough” as a woman or “lazy”.

What has been your proudest achievement?

We have a small, yet amazing team here at Foodcraft and we have created so many great products together. We also try our best to provide exceptional customer service. 13 years in business in Hong Kong is no joke, hard work and there is no way I could have done this without my amazing team. I’m proud that we make foods that can be very crucial for customers. It could be gluten-free bread or unpasteurised sauerkraut with no MSG, but when we make that perfect product, it truly impacts our customers’ lives. That is the best moment and it gives us the purpose to continue what we do.

The post International Women’s Day 2023: Spotlight On Leading Hong Kong Mamas appeared first on Sassy Mama.

“When People Tell Me “No” Or “It’s not possible” It Fully Ignites A Fire Inside To Prove Them Wrong.” Katya Virshilas, On Hard Work Paying Off

Alex Purcell Garcia — Mon, 15 Aug 2022 22:00:42 +0000

BallroomBees founder and professional dancer Katya Virshilas talks to us about empowering children to follow their dreams. From acting in Hollywood to her time on Strictly Come Dancing, Katya is now tackling gender stereotypes here in Hong Kong with her own kids dance concept – for boys as well as girls. We chat to her about the importance of owning who you are and doing what you love.

Katya Virshilas (see her Instagram here) is one determined Mama. Not only did she prove her first dance teacher wrong to become a championship-winning dancer, she also conquered Hollywood and became a household name on Strictly Come Dancing. She started her own business – BallroomBees – right here in Hong Kong to challenge gender stereotypes and celebrate diversity and inclusion. Oh, and she’s one awesome Mama to her two boys!

We sit down to chat about the journey that lead her into the world of dance, how having positive role models and support from adults can help children thrive, and why Katya is so passionate about diversity in the ballroom. She also reveals how she met her dancing legend husband, Klaus Kongsdal, plus, we get a Sassy Mama exclusive on who is the better dancer: Richard Gere or Antonio Banderas (*hint* it’s a close call…).

How old were you when you realised that you loved dancing? Who or what inspired you?

I’ve been dancing since I can remember! I love music and my parents always had friends and family over around and music was always flowing in the house. My aunt is a ballerina and I started taking classes when I was 6 years old in Israel. We immigrated to Vancouver when I was 12 years old and that’s when I first saw a Ballroom Dance competition on ESPN and was absolutely mesmerised. The costumes, makeup, music, it was amazing! So I asked my mom take me to my first Ballroom dance class.

When did you realise that you wanted to become a professional dancer? How did your family nurture and support that dream?

I was 13 years old when I finally took my first Ballroom class and that is considered very old. My teacher told my mom I was “Too old,” and that “Nothing would ever come of me.” I took it very personally.

“I think until this day, when people tell me “No” or “It’s not possible”, it fully ignites a fire inside to prove them wrong.”

My mom would pick me up after school every day and drive me to the dance studio to practise; I missed a lot of high school parties and sleepovers. I started winning local competitions and it got a lot of attention from the local media and my school. It was amazing to see how if you practice and train hard you are able to get better at your chosen skill or art form. I was inspired by all the champions and I wanted to become a champion myself and I knew I had to leave Vancouver. My family paid for all my lessons, dance costumes and travelled around Canada and the US and finally helped me to settle in Toronto where I went to college and found my dance partner who I would then become the Canadian champion with.

Dancing seems to run in your family! How did you meet your dancing champion husband, Klaus? Was it love at first sight?

I knew of and studied Klaus’ dancing before we ever met. He is very well-known within the world dance community, along with his dance partner Viktoria Franova. Together they were Danish champions and European Champions. When my path took me to London to do Strictly Come Dancing, we were introduced to each other at the BBC bar in October 2009 where it was love at first sight.

What brought you and your family to Hong Kong?

Klaus has been coming in and out of Hong Kong for over 20 years as the professional dance scene here is extraordinary. He also used to own one of the most successful dance studios here. When I was pregnant in London and retired from dancing to start a family he suggested Hong Kong as our next adventure and I was up for it!

You mentioned that you set up BallroomBees due to a lack of dance classes for boys. Can you explain why you are passionate about making sure classes are available to all?

Empowering boys in dance is the reason for why I started BallroomBees. I wanted to create a safe and creative place and programme where boys feel comfortable to dance and express themselves.

“Boys somehow grow up thinking dancing is for girls and it is weak. How sad is that?”

Usually, of course, this comes from parents, in particular dads that basically think dancing is for the weak. I love changing these types of minds and usually, all of them secretly want to learn to dance themselves!

“During my time at Strictly Come Dancing I personally trained top football and cricket players and showed them how dance can help their speed and agility.”

Dancing teaches boys how to be around the opposite sex, to be respectful and to learn lifelong skills that they can use in life.

Is it challenging to teach little ones ballroom dancing?

Working with young children is a huge responsibility that we take very seriously. The BallroomBees program was designed and developed with early year childhood education experts and together with our years of experience and dance knowledge we were able to create a language and structure that is easy to follow and so FUN to do. Children learn to adapt to our creative class structure. We train our teachers with that in mind and make sure our language is the same through all our classes and locations.

When youngsters join BallroomBees they’ll learn a wide variety of skills such as agility, gross motor skills, interaction with their peers as dance partners, respect for themselves and their peers, as well as their teachers – all whilst having a lot of fun!

You’ve won many championship dance competitions and you were the youngest–ever British Columbian Latin Dance Champion at the age of 16. Do you think your kids will follow (or Foxtrot!) in your footsteps?

I am not sure if our children will follow in our footsteps but you never know. We just want them to be happy, so we are currently exposing them to many extracurricular activities, including dance. But soon they will need to choose. Of course, both boys are dancing and just saw their first dance competition in New York. They were really inspired by all the children there.

Who are your sons most like, you or Klaus? Or are they 100% their own personalities?

Oh gosh Alexander my 6-year-old is something else! He talks like he is 30 years old and is absolutely obsessed with animals, snakes and spiders. He is not shy and always makes sure everyone is aware that he has stepped in the room! Marcus, our youngest, is much more shy and follows his brother around (they look like twins but are 2 years apart).

Did becoming a parent change your view on the world? If so, how?

Becoming a parent changes everyone. Even if you think you will not.

“I love experiencing everything with them for the first time, like their fascination with everything new.”

They are fully the inspiration behind the creation of BallroomBees and they have been my test bunnies for all games, choreography and our manual behaviour.

What music do you and the kids dance to around the house?

EVERYTHING! Thunderstruck ACDC is one of our favourite crazy dance party songs. Salsa and latin music is on all the time and, of course, Disney tracks of whatever Disney movie is in at the moment. I try to educate them about all types of artists and eras.

Tell us about Hollywood! How did you land the roles in several movies and TV shows in Tinseltown?

I walked into my regular practice session with my then dance partner to my usual home studio in Richmond Vancouver, where:

“A very famous dancer and an American choreographer were training Jennifer Lopez. Right there and then I said hi to her and they told me there was a perfect role for me.”

They were casting for a small role “Perky Girl” to play opposite Stanley Tucci (Devil Wears Prada, Hunger games). I had the small script memorised and auditioned on the spot. A month later I was told I got the part! I flew to Winnipeg for three months to work on Shall We Dance with Jennifer Lopez, Richard Gere and Susan Sarandon. One of my jobs was to dance and train Richard Gere, along with most of the stars on the film. I then moved to LA and then back to Vancouver where I got into acting full time. From TV in shows like Smallville and Supernatural to films such as Take the Lead, alongside Antonio Banderas.

Who’s a better dancer, Antonio Banderas or Richard Gere? (We had to ask!)

OHHH that’s hard. Richard is definitely an amazing Ballroom dancer but Antonio is a passionate Latino. I mean, he is Zoro! He can do everything!

Let’s talk about Strictly Come Dancing in the UK. What is your favourite memory from that show?

Wow, so many amazing memories! Dancing my first live show in front of 9 million people was an incredible experience. I have worked with countless celebrities but becoming friends with Anita Dobson, the wife of Queen’s lead guitarist (Brian May) was a highlight. Listening to her stories of Freddy Mercury on tour was phenomenal. Dancing live shows in Wimbledon and being on live TV every Saturday night will always be a highlight.

What advice would you give other parents who’s kids want to become professional dancers? How can parents support their kids in their dreams and aspirations in the Arts?

Encourage and praise your child, even when they make mistakes

It’s important that your child knows that they have your support, even when they make a mistake. Point out the ways you see them improving and how they can learn from their mistakes.

Teach your child to be a team player

Cheer for the other students in the classes and encourage your child to do the same. This will help your child form friendships with the other dancers, rather than solely focusing on competition and comparison.

Give your child responsibilities regarding his or her classes

Allow your children to pack their own dance bags, lay out their own dance clothes and take care of their dance shoes. This instils a sense of responsibility and discipline in your child and allows them to take ownership of their dance career. We always hear kids say “Oh my mom or auntie forgot to pack this for me,” to which we always answer that it’s their own responsibility.

Support your child’s instructors

The dance instructor wants only the best for your child. Support the instructors by reinforcing the lessons at home or asking your child to show you what they learned after each class. This will give your child extra practice time and teach them to respect their instructors, improving the learning experience.

You are a busy mama! When you’re not in the dance studio you’re either in international dance competitions, building an empire, or running 22 locations of BallroomBees. How do you relax at the end of the day? And what do you like to do with the family in your free time?

I love creating adventures. My husband always hates it when on a day off instead of watching a movie on the couch I make everyone go and do something! But for me, being with friends, eating good food, drinking nice wine is a beautiful and simple way to relax. A treat for relaxation would be a spa day though that’s for sure! I love to cook and organise as well which sometimes helps my brain relax.

Which other Hong Kong working Mamas are you cheering on from the sidelines?

I love the female support in Hong Kong and I have been so lucky to be surrounded by these inspiring Mamas:

Ifat Hindes – Award-winning wellness entrepreneur, @ifathindes.
Sarah Keates – PR, marketing and communications powerhouse, @sarah_keates_.
Ziggy Makant – Eco-conscious FitMama, @zig.fitmama
Emily Lam-Ho – Eco Drive Mama, @emilylam.ho
Denise Pontak – Photographer and mama of four, @pontak04
Marina Hoyle – Russian/Ukrainian Mama, co-found of the Russian Culture Festival, @marinahoyle
Jessica Tan – Miss Universe Singapore 2007, @JessicaTan22
Trixie Isla-Velez – Fitness trainer, @3xcvelez
Iana Zinovieva – Makeup artist and founder of Wish Beauty Bar, @wish.beauty.bar
Aliya Althoff – Mama behind the bespoke Jewellery line Althoff Jewelry, @althoffjewelry
Sarah Vee – Mama behind Women Of Hope, @sarahvee.asia

What’s the best piece of advice your Mama gave to you?

I have a few quotes that I go by:

“Nothing is impossible, there is always a way” (I really don’t take no for an answer)

“Everything will be okay at the end, and if it’s not okay that means it’s not the end.”

Special thanks to the talented Janelle of By Janelle Photography for the beautiful photos of Katya and her family. The shoot took place at the beautiful SDF studio where BallroomBees run classes every Monday (SDF, 3/F, Vulcan House, 21-23 Leighton Rd, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong).

Katya would also like to send special thanks to Frederieke van Doorn at @frey.tailored and Natalie Chow at @kibo.eco for clothing and shoes, with hair and make-up by @wish.beauty.bar.

The post “When People Tell Me “No” Or “It’s not possible” It Fully Ignites A Fire Inside To Prove Them Wrong.” Katya Virshilas, On Hard Work Paying Off appeared first on Sassy Mama.

“Mum Guilt Is Seriously Real But I Don’t Feel It As Much Anymore.” Anjali Harjani Of Malabar Baby Talks About Life As A Working Mum

Alex Purcell Garcia — Thu, 07 Jul 2022 22:00:13 +0000

This month’s That Mama, Anjali Harjani, is the definition of an international Mama who rocks! The founder of the luxury lifestyle brand Malabar Baby, Anjali chats to us about making it as a mama in business, support for working mothers, and staying true to herself.

When Anjali Harjani discovered she was expecting, she did what a lot of mums-to-be do, by gathering the necessities required for a newborn. Part of that search was for affordable, yet beautiful, natural baby linens to wrap her precious bundle of joy in, but she didn’t have much luck. After welcoming her son, Aryan, into the world back in 2014, she decided to take matters into her own hands and thus, Malabar Baby was (also) born. With beautiful bed and bath linen, swaddles, mama-and-me clothing and more, the lifestyle brand has taken the luxury linen and baby world by storm. Not only due to the gorgeous prints (we’re looking at you, super cute avocado swaddle!), but because the organic fabrics are also eco-friendly, made of high-quality breathable materials, sustainably and ethically made, and safe for delicate skin.

Growing up in the US (where she would meet her future husband by a chance in a New York elevator!), the former financier spent a part of her pregnancy in Mumbai, living at the family home within the Malabar Hill neighbourhood (hence the inspiration behind the name). The couple then moved to Hong Kong where Ary was born.

We talk to Anjali to find out about Malabar Baby’s internationally inspired designs, flexibility in the workplace, managing mum-guilt, and her close encounter with the British monarchy.

You’ve mentioned in the past that it was your son who inspired you to start Malabar Baby. Does he continue to inspire you? If so, how?

My son, Aryan is absolutely the reason why Malabar Baby was created! He inspired me to create essentials that not only look good but, feel good and don’t hurt our planet. He has the wisest ideas about recycling and up-cycling, that he learns from Kellett and I think in so many ways, his little voice is always in my head as we create new collections and work on our supply chain.

Sustainability and comfort are at the core of your business. Why is that important to you and your family?

COVID-19 was a wake-up call for many people who were forced to stay at home. I think in a really positive way, many people came to the realisation that “your home is your sanctuary”.

For me, “home” has always been my favourite place to be. I was brought up with traditional Indian values; no matter how big or small our home was, it was special, warm, and always felt inviting to anyone that visited.

From the day I started Malabar Baby I knew I wanted to create that same cosy and welcoming feeling through lifestyle products. Initially, my thought was wholly centred around “baby” but, as we have reached our 5-year anniversary we see an evolution into a true lifestyle brand. Bedding, towels, sheets and loungewear for the whole family are at the forefront now.

We love the unique designs and patterns on Malabar Baby products (congratulations on the new muslin bathrobes for kids btw!). Where do you find your inspiration and how/where are the products made?

Our products are predominantly made in India with the exception of our organic Muslin which is spun in China. Bringing culture and heritage craftsmanship into people’s homes through our slowly made block-printed bedding, artisanal loungewear and towels is the real beauty behind Malabar Baby. Sounds a bit ironic, but we believe we are an aspirational brand that is actually attainable.

“All of our designs have a specific story behind them and most surround nature or places we have visited over the years. Some collections are inspired by very personal stages in my life or career.”

I was born and raised in South Beach, so we have an art deco Miami Collection! I met my husband during my Finance days in New York and so naturally we have a New York-inspired monochrome, Greenwich Collection. I feel blessed that inspiration comes easy since I’ve had the privilege to live in a few countries – USA, India, the UK and Hong Kong.

Since the start of the pandemic, many mamas have been juggling working from home while caring for children. How do you think organisations can best help support women WFH, and what do you think the future of the workplace should look like for working moms?

Flexibility is the number one keyword.

At Malabar Baby, our staff literally work from locations around the world. Production in India, QC in China, Sales in the USA, Distribution in Japan, Photographers in Hong Kong, Email Marketing in the Philippines, Collaborations in Kuwait and the list goes on. It’s such a privilege to be surrounded by talent that is so unique, but, the only way we have been able to have all this amazing talent and grow internationally is by offering flexible schedules and remote working. I strongly believe that our staff are successful because they pretty much work on their own schedules and meet communal deadlines.

“Most of our distribution partners are actually Mamas or aunts that have gifted our products and realise the USP behind the brand.”

It’s an exhilarating feeling to have enterprising women reach out to us to work with Malabar Baby. Those are the people who are truly passionate and will do whatever it takes to get the job done, who cares if it is at 2am or 9am.

Is there a good support network here in Hong Kong for female entrepreneurs? What advice would you give to other mamas considering starting their own business?

Hong Kong is such an amazing place to start a business. I owe so much of our success to the community in Hong Kong. That being said, you need to hustle here and go out of your comfort zone to make your dreams come true.

My two pieces of advice would be:

Reach out and talk to others who you think you can learn from. Even if you don’t know them, make the effort, go out of your way, and soak in their experiences. Don’t feel shy or overthink things. What’s the worst thing that can happen, someone doesn’t reply back?

Be honest to YOURSELF. Do you want to build an empire? Do you want to have a passion project? Do you want to have a business that pays your bills? And how much time and money do you have or are you willing to sacrifice to make your business come to life. Honestly, in the first three years of Malabar Baby, I barely socialised or slept, but, I was totally OK with it and thankfully my mum, my amazing in-laws and husband helped me stay afloat on the days I was drowning.

We’re all about raising up others! Which other female-lead Hong Kong brands do you love?

HULA – I’m in love with the brand and pretty much only shop here. I love the founder, Sarah’s down-to-earth attitude. She is an inspiration and very hard working.

Retykle – Sarah has built something incredible and I love that Retykle includes Malabar Baby in their circular fashion model.

Green Queen – Sonalie is a legend! She is one of the first entrepreneurs in Hong Kong that I met and honestly her work ethic and calibre of content are mind-blowing.

PAKT – Claire and Barbara are experienced women who are running a unique, well-needed service in Hong Kong, but also they are female entrepreneurs who go above and beyond to empower women in the city. They share their time and connections with others so freely and I love learning from their experiences.

Matchali – Cara Li is a ray of sunshine and so easy to chat with. I love that she just opened her own place and is sharing healthy treats with Hong Kong.

To the outside world you are totally nailing the delicate balance of being a working mama and entrepreneurial business leader. What’s your secret to the work/life balance? What does a typical day look like for you?

No real secrets! I’m organised, I work really hard. I start my day early. I have an incredible team and support system. And, I don’t have FOMO!

6:30am: Wake-up and then convince Ary to wake up (haha!). My boys are not morning people!

7:30am: Take Ary to school.

8am to 10am: In the office. Usually connecting with our Head of Sales in the USA on anything pending from the day before and cleaning up my inbox. There is always some element of new and unknown requests or queries that need to be tackled in the early morning. An XL ice cappuccino somewhere in between this time keeps me going – I’m obsessed!

10:30am to 11:30am: 1:1 Yoga online with my gorgeous teacher in India (my friend Miki convinced me to do this for myself and it’s helped me so much. I do yoga in my office, so there are no excuses!).

11:30am to 12:30pm: Review all our orders from the day before and ensure all our fulfilment locations are in synch.

12:30pm to 2pm: Is always a bit blurry but, usually involves social media, digital strategising and reviewing stats.

2pm to 6pm: I’m on the phone or zoom. Partners in India, collaborations, check-ins with distributors across Asia, Middle East and Europe. In between I often duck out for Ary’s tennis lessons or a school pick-up, but, nothing is set in stone and I go with the flow.

6pm to 8pm: Bath time, dinner, reading, with Ary. With a glass of wine in the background!

8pm: Either back online or on the couch with hubby. He loves to play records for me with a new player that his friends gave him. He has a love for music and eclectic music taste and always shares so passionately.

Let’s talk about love! How did you meet your husband?

I’ve been married for almost 13 years now! I met my husband, Pavan, the first day I moved to NYC after college.

“We ironically lived in the same building on 38th and 6th street in the design district and met in the elevator via my roommate.”

It was not love at first sight for either of us! HA! We both had moved to NYC with an agenda to build our careers on Wall Street and experience the best city in the world. Over the years our friendship blossomed and we finally realised the relationship we had was so special. NYC is my favourite city in the world. I literally fell in love twice in New York – with the city and my husband.

You’re an inspirational international mama. How do you bring a range of cultures into your son’s life? Is it challenging?

Hong Kong really makes it so easy to bring culture and experience to Ary’s life. Our community of friends is so diverse here that I think things just happen really organically. We celebrate festivals together and I think school does a great job at educating our little people too.

Of course, when travel was a bit more frequent we brought Ary along with us on our trips and my hubby, is a huge foodie, so I think Ary is learning a lot about culture through food! They spend the weekend sometimes watching food blogs and street food shows that really expose Ary to a lot of cultural nuances. We are travelling a bit around India this summer and Ary already has a list of local street vendors he wants to hit up!

From one working mama to another, is “mum guilt” real for you as well? If so, how do you get through the day when all the feels get too much?

I do think mum guilt is seriously real but, I have to say, I don’t feel it as much anymore.

I know that I always do my best to make every important milestone or event in Ary’s life and if for some reason I can’t, I’m lucky I have family and friends to rely on.

“I think the most important thing with mom guilt is managing the way you speak to your children and communicate. I overly communicate with Ary! He literally knows if I have a client pitch or have all-nighters ahead.”

He knows so much about our products and I think that helps him understand and respect that if Mama can’t be somewhere one day, it’s because she is working on something really big or just can’t juggle it all sometimes. I always try to remember that in Hong Kong we are so blessed with the kindness of the community and that if you lean in, you have friends that are literally like family. I think if you surround yourself with this culture you always feel like you have support and a tribe behind you.

We can’t not mention The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, and baby Archie’s first outing in one of your blankets (Erawan Mustard Royal Dohar Blanket)! How did that come about? Did she place an online order like the rest of us mere mortals?

It was a complete and beautiful surprise for the whole team!!! I was driving in the hills of Italy when I found out, and my phone actually ran out of battery so,

“I was’t sure for a few hours if I was hallucinating or had really just seen a photo of The Duchess of Sussex and Archie in Malabar Baby! It was surreal.”

My son was in the car with me and he was asking me to tell him all about the Queen and the monarchy, while I was literally thinking of our website crashing on the backend!

We aren’t entirely sure how Baby Archie got a hold of our baby bedding, but what we do know is that our online client base is very diverse and a lot of distinguished addresses check-out daily. Honestly, Malabar Baby is amazing quality and it was such a proud moment to see mums like The Duchess of Sussex choose a niche brand with purpose and style. I think Meghan has made a lot of conscious fashion decisions to empower and encourage female entrepreneurs, and we definitely felt the love.

Work and parenting aside, how do you stay true to yourself?

I stay honest and true to myself. Sounds really intuitive but, when you think about it, how many times are we swayed by others?

“Experience has now taught me to follow my gut and remember to be kind above all. The same lessons I try to teach Aryan as a child, I keep reminding myself as an adult.”

What is the best piece of advice that you received from your mum?

My mom is my biggest advocate and role model. She has always been hardworking, sincere and simple. I think her advice actually came from her actions and witnessing her everyday routine as a child. I honestly don’t know how the woman did it all!

It was not always easy or straightforward assimilating from her life in India to Miami (where I grew up) but she learned the ropes so fast and excelled at everything she put her mind to. Nothing has ever beneath her and her humble and sincere nature is what I try to bring to my everyday routine.

Read More: The Things Our Mamas Once Told Us

All images courtesy of the talented Joy Lee for Sassy Media Group. Follow her on Instagram here.

The post “Mum Guilt Is Seriously Real But I Don’t Feel It As Much Anymore.” Anjali Harjani Of Malabar Baby Talks About Life As A Working Mum appeared first on Sassy Mama.

That Mama: Amy Tang, Co-Founder Of The Wee Bean

Alex Purcell Garcia — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 22:00:59 +0000

Proud mother of two and co-founder of The Wee Bean, Amy Tang chats about positive environmental habits, super cute organic fabrics and how “There ain’t no hood like Motherhood!”.

Growing up in Vancouver, Canada, before returning to make her mark (and future!) in Hong Kong, Amy Tang has always taken a keen interest in the wellbeing of the planet we all call home. Passionate about sustainability, and with a skill-set in child psychology and HR, this people-person was always destined for great things! On becoming a first-time mother to her gorgeous daughter, Sophie Bean, her life took a ver different path. Sophie developed severe eczema as a newborn, which led Amy on a mission in search of a solution. Taking matters into her own hands, her own store The Wee Bean came to life.

Tell us about yourself and how The Wee Bean came about?

After graduating from The University of British Columbia (UBC) with a major in Child Psychology, I landed a role working for a government-funded programme to reduce carbon emissions. It was a project I felt passionate about and, during this time, I not only learned a lot about the harmful effects of chemicals on our Earth but also how small contributions can lead to significant impact.

Eventually, I moved to Hong Kong to pursue a challenge within HR and I was fortunate enough to work for some amazing companies like BNY Mellon and Fidelity Investments where I developed knowledge within financial services.

“My entrepreneurial journey began after I was blessed with my daughter, Sophie Bean. Many people don’t know this, but our brand is inspired by her and named after her.”

When she developed severe eczema as a newborn, it led me down a rabbit hole in search of a solution. I learned about the best natural ingredients and materials to treat this common skin condition and our first product was a unique organic swaddle, made from a blend of bamboo and organic cotton.

Soon after, we expanded our collection into essentials like bibs, blankets and clothing and thus The Wee Bean was born as a passion project between my husband and I. Our products feature Asian-inspired food designs with nostalgic treats that we loved growing up and we hope other parents can pass a piece of their own childhood to their little ones through our collection.

Have you always been interested in children’s clothing, accessories and fabrics?

I’ve always loved baby and toddler fashion, and now, having two little ones of my own, I feel helping them build their style is a fun way to play on their personalities!

Comfort has always been a priority so I’m very selective in terms of the practicality and quality of their clothing, especially knowing there would be a high chance of passing clothes from our firstborn to a sibling. A pet peeve of my daughter are labels, given that she has always had very sensitive skin, so our entire clothing collection is made with hot-stamps directly onto the fabric instead of labels. My son on the other hand is an avid fan of hats and bright colours so he was a big inspiration for our colourful prints and bold designs for our onesies and kids t-shirts.

I’m also a lover of accessories especially since newborns are almost always swaddled up. It was a big focal point for us to create pieces that are not only gentle on a baby’s skin, but also fashionable and cute for the modern mama.

How do you navigate external pollutants and sustainability as a family and as a business?

After researching the harmful effects external pollutants can have on us and especially on babies and young kids, it has definitely changed our view in terms of how we manage our household which contributes to an overall more sustainable lifestyle.

We use eco-friendly cleaners and detergents in our home and I love adding essential oils to make our own natural cleaners. With a dog and two young kids at home, we try our best to avoid any unnecessary chemicals and my husband and I do feel an obligation to ensure we leave a greener world for the next generation.

As a family, we’ve made small changes over the years, from using powdered laundry detergent to implementing a routine of sorting through recyclables in our home as an activity for the kids. This mindset has carried into our brand ethos as we always strive to give back to our community. We are also proud supporters of plastic-free packaging.

During the peak of the pandemic in 2020, we redirected our manufacturing efforts and used the organic cotton remains from the production of our bibs and apparel to create reusable face masks for kids. We also connected with an amazing charity called JLife Foundation, as they work with low-income families and individuals in Mong Kok and Sham Shui Po areas. They informed us about their mask shortage given the limited supply and surging costs. We’ve been matching our monthly mask sales and donating to these families with children in need.

How and where do you find inspiration for your designs? Which products are you most proud of?

My husband and I were both born in Hong Kong and moved to Canada at a young age. We were mainly connected with our roots through the food that our grandparents and parents made for us. As we became parents ourselves, we realised that these food memories are something we always look back on fondly. We wanted to highlight our Asian heritage in our designs and showcase all the nostalgic food that we both loved growing up. The beloved Egg Tart and our weekend mornings filled with Dim Sum gatherings with our families.

“The Dim Sum print was one of the first prints that we designed and we had so much fun creating these characters and their personalities. My husband and I did many tweaks along the way and we are so happy that this has become our signature print.”

Some other designs we had a lot of fun creating include our Boba Tea and Egg Waffle combo, as these were my pregnancy cravings! We love how the same memories can be shared for different people around the world; our brand is about love and family. The most delightful part, though, is getting to involve our kids and get their input. I would definitely say our two little humans are our biggest muses.

COVID has affected many businesses and families. How has it affected you?

It’s very unfortunate how much COVID has not only impacted many people’s lives, but also the livelihood of businesses, especially SME businesses, like ourselves. Our son was actually born during the early days when COVID was hitting and I remember that our parents were here to see his birth but when the cases started to rise, they returned to Canada. Our son turned 2 this year but he has only seen his grandparents via FaceTime. Children grow up so fast and as much as we would’ve liked to have them here, we try to focus on how blessed we are to have our health and being able to stay connected via technology.

With classes being reverted back to Zoom for online learning, my husband and I have been quite fortunate to be able to work from home and spend more time with our children. Luckily, as an ecommerce business, our operations were not impacted as much as other businesses as more people were opting to purchase online for safer, contact-less delivery. We actually were able to expand our team at the beginning of 2021 and now have our comfy office/retail space in Sheung Wan!

What’s next for The Wee Bean? Do you plan to expand further?

We’re constantly thinking of new ideas and there’s always an on-going to-do list for us! We felt very excited having launched our clothing collection last year as we had an overwhelming response from our community. We recently launched the Taste of Japan collection for fellow parents who aren’t able to travel freely during the current environment. Since Japan is one of our favourite destinations, we wanted to bring the experience to everyone at home.

We love to hear directly from our customers and learn about their pain points so we can provide practical solutions. From feedback, we rolled-out our baby onesies and more recently kid’s t-shirts, and we’re excited to say there’s more to come! We’ve also been getting requests from mommies for matching pieces, something I also find absolutely adorable! We’re excited to see what 2022 will bring.

Let’s talk about romance! How and where did you meet your husband? How does he play a role in your business?

It’s interesting how fate works because both my husband and I were born in Hong Kong and our families immigrated to Vancouver when we were both 3 years old alongside our two older siblings. We both somehow found our way back to this vibrant city, met and dated for nine months, got engaged, and the rest is history!

“It’s interesting that we lived within 20 minutes of each other in Vancouver but only found each other in Hong Kong!”

My husband plays such a pivotal role for the business because he is not only the co-founder and my partner, but he was the one who had initially encouraged me to leave the corporate world and pursue this passion. I’ve never looked back since! Currently, my husband helps to oversee the branding and marketing for the business on top of his own full-time job and somehow he still manages to squeeze in time to be an amazing dad for our kids. We’ll brainstorm at random points during the day whether it’s during lunchtime or before bedtime – basically The Wee Bean is our third child!

How do you and your husband divide parenting roles?

We’ve always strived to have an equal partnership but we understand that sometimes one person needs to do more than the other. We know that it is a team effort and we just both try to help each other wherever we can.

I had initially left my corporate job to give myself more time and flexibility so my priority has always been the children and managing their school schedules and activities. However, we play tag team whenever one has more on their plate so both of us are fully aware of what each child’s schedule is like and what needs to be done.

Our parenting styles may not be completely the same (I might be the more lenient one compared to him, though he would disagree!), but at the end of the day, we don’t want either of us to be too overwhelmed or stressed so that our children can thrive in a balanced and nurturing environment. One thing we agreed early on was to always communicate to make sure we are on the same page and to never point a finger and blame each other – so far, it’s worked out very nicely!

How have you changed since becoming a mama?

Before kids, I was purely into putting very long hours into my corporate job and my mindset was results-driven and revolved around myself. When I first found out I was pregnant with our first, it coincided with my dad having been diagnosed with cancer and I ended up doing a lot of introspection during that time. I also returned to Canada to spend time with my family and realised just how much I missed simply enjoying the present moment.

When my daughter was born, I was adamant to make a change and what was supposedly a short break in my career became a permanent career change in becoming an entrepreneur. I had a big mindset shift after becoming a mama. I suddenly felt very vulnerable in loving someone so much more than you could have imagined. Having that little person constantly in awe of everything you do just makes you want to be the best you can be.

“She made me appreciate the simple things seen from her lens and now I have a renewed appreciation for our environment and nature.”

It suddenly felt like my purpose as a parent is to lead by example and show her how our small actions can lead to big impactful changes in the world. We love to participate in family events like packing boxes of toys and gifts for the annual Box of Hope during Christmas as well as preparing Secret Santa gifts for our business’s charity partner Angels for Children. Since school has closed, we’ve been implementing recycling at home so that these little actions can become habits as she grows up.

“With the birth of our son and watching the two of them together, it gave us a sense of responsibility that we need to leave behind a better and greener world for them to enjoy.”

I remember growing up in Vancouver where the snow would go up to our chest as kids but with global warming around the world, things are not as they were before. Hence why we put so much pride into our products, ensuring we don’t create unnecessary waste and also making sure we are not only creating products that are kind to our babies but also to our Earth.

Which achievements are you most proud of in your life and why?

It might sound cliche, but our kids are my proudest achievement! Seeing them grow up into kind, compassionate and understanding little people gives us such a sense of accomplishment. Raising them to be happy, contributing members of their community and being open and accepting to different cultures and people is really our ultimate goal.

Another very big moment for me is certainly The Wee Bean. I’ve always been a planner and prefer stability over uncertainty and venturing out of my safe career path was one of the biggest challenges I’ve faced. Luckily my family was extremely supportive, especially during the beginning years when there were a lot of emotional uncertainties and ups and downs. It’s an achievement that came with a lot of sweat and tears but certainly has strengthened our family as we were able to overcome and support one another – no pain, no gain!

What do you most enjoy about living in Hong Kong? Do you like bringing up your little ones here?

Hong Kong is such a vibrant and exciting city, we love that we can be in the city one moment then to a fruit farm, or a hiking trail, or the peak just 30-45min drive away. We love how it’s such an international place, but still has so much local and traditional Chinese flair.

We also love all the amazing educational institutions here for our children. There are times we miss Canada with the open spaces and especially with the grandparents living there but we do appreciate how easily accessible places are here with so many convenient transportation options. For now, we are happy to call Hong Kong our home.

What are the most challenging aspects of being a mum?

There ain’t no hood like Motherhood! Aside from the emotional rollercoaster that comes almost immediately after being a mom, I feel the biggest challenge is figuring out how to parent your children and ensuring to combine both parents’ styles into a cohesive one. There are so many parenting books and advice everywhere that it almost feels like we’re sometimes on an information overload, but with time I’ve come to find my own style that works for me and our family and also appreciate how my husband’s style can be different but that different perspective makes complete sense.

Parenting to me is a holistic approach and not just what I do or react in a specific scenario. There’s also the part of self-development after becoming a mom as I had a strong urge to lead by example. This can sometimes put a lot of pressure on myself so I’m always grateful for my supportive family and my husband to be able to bounce off. Despite all the challenges that come with being a mom, the reward definitely outweighs it since I cannot think of anything more rewarding. Like they say, “The days are long, but the years are short.”.

After a long day, what’s your favourite way to unwind?

I love coming home and doing some baking or going for a stroll with the kids. Somehow making a cake is a very therapeutic activity for me, it’s almost like the mixing is my stress ball equivalent!

I used to work from our home office but we moved into our first office space in the beginning of 2021. and so after a long day at the office, I really love to find a way to spend time with the kids but also for myself, and our favourite activity is going to The Peak for a stroll on their trail or having a picnic at Mount Austin – it’s such a beautiful setting (and also where my husband and I did our engagement shoot!) and we have a lot of wonderful memories there. Also, a nice glass of wine with Netflix after the kids go to bed always hits the spot.

What are your top three top tips for mamas juggling family life and a business?

Carve out a schedule with time for your work, kids, and also for yourself! Working from home can get messy and overwhelming if there’s no structure or routine. Make sure you also set breaks for yourself, even if it’s just 5 minutes to recharge!

Incorporate activities with your kids. Being a mom means there are a thousand items on your to-do list and it can sometimes be hard to do everything, especially with the distraction of the kids at home. When I need to unwind, I’ll strap the kids to the stroller and head out; I can get my exercise in while letting the kids get some air too. Or I try to incorporate the kids to help by making their own pizzas or mixing the salad dressing, it helps me while doubling up as an activity for them!

Don’t be afraid to ask for help. It’s a difficult one but it is also a shift in mindset that has been very beneficial for me. There’s always this mom guilt with not spending enough time or doing enough for the kids. I find more than anything, moms are their own worst critic. So do ask friends, family or trusted neighbours to help when you really need to focus!

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