Half-Vietnamese and half-Comoran Anisha Thai has made a name for herself in the 852 as a proud ambassador for African culture, bridging cultural gaps in Asia. She’s been dancing up a storm, bringing Afro dance to the streets of Hong Kong and winning local dance competitions on television. On top of that, Anisha’s been killing it on social media with her creative videos, modelling under Harmony HK and working on-site as a civil engineer. Ahead, this multi-talented rising star shares what it’s like working in a male-dominated industry, how she handles discrimination and what it meant to win TVB Dance Champion.

Read more: That Girl: Aanchal Wadhwani, Actress & Photographer

Tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from and how long have you lived in Hong Kong?

I have been living in Hong Kong for almost four years. I was born and raised in Paris but also lived in London and South Africa for studies and work before moving to Hong Kong.

You moved to Hong Kong to pursue a career in Civil Engineering. Can you tell us more about that?

Hong Kong has always been on my dream city list. I guess because of the architecture in the city, and the energy. Working as an engineer in a city different from Paris was a goal for me, I wanted to really open my mind to something new.

Civil engineering is traditionally a male-dominated industry. What challenges, if any, have you faced being a female engineer?

The challenges I’ve faced were mostly related to the fact that I was young and looked like a foreigner. The most shocking thing that happened to me, while I was working as a site engineer, was that one of the top managers on-site kept calling me “Bob Marley” every time he saw me. I had braids at that time. I didn’t feel brave enough to talk to my managers about it, so I convinced myself it was nothing. That was definitely a racial discrimination attack. I think it is important to be aware when someone is mistreating you and to speak up, or at least talk to someone you trust about it because it can be damaging to our mental health to keep it in.

Read more: 6 Influencers Share What International Women’s Day Means To Them

Did you find it easy to settle in Hong Kong?

Hong Kong is very easy to navigate so I rarely felt lost in the city. There are a lot of different communities (the French community is so big here, it’s possible to get by just speaking French!). What was less easy was integrating myself into the local community as a foreigner. To me, I don’t see much point in staying amongst my French community if I decided to come live in Hong Kong. The TV dance show I went on really helped me to immerse myself in the local culture (the show was in Cantonese). I have made a number of local Hongkonger friends and I am now learning the language!

You’re also juggling work as a dancer, choreographer and model. Can you tell us more about that side of your life?

Dance has always been a big part of my life. I’ve been dancing since I was five and I haven’t stopped since. Whether I was working or studying, I made time for dance because dance gives me that extra boost of confidence, that extra joy of being alive. I can honestly say dance is like oxygen for me. It was also important for me to keep working as an engineer. I was not lucky enough to come from a wealthy family so I have to make sure I can sustain myself.

Why did you decide to model under Harmony HK?

Harmony HK has strong core values and aims to actively push diversity and inclusion in Hong Kong. Joining was natural to me, I saw the potential and future in that agency. And look now, it is doing amazing things and has made a big impact in the modelling sector.

Congratulations on your win on TVB Dance Champion! What does it mean to you to be able to share your African culture through dance?

Thank you! I am very proud to be able to bridge the gap between my African side and Asian side. I am convinced that the world has no borders and that we can all co-exist by accepting our differences, celebrating our cultures and respecting each other. My intention was to share my culture but to also push other people to embrace theirs. I also wanted to combat stereotypes associated with African people in general. I am so glad people were very receptive to it.

What about Afro dance do you love so much?

Its connection with music, the natural joy that comes out when you start dancing, the rawness, and the fact that this dance exudes so much positivity.

What is it like being an African-Asian influencer in Hong Kong?

It is exciting. I am convinced that bringing to the table a different model of representation will help the world be more open-minded.

Read more: We Chat To The Editor Of Spill Stories About “Black In Asia” Anthology

Have you faced any challenges in your career because of your mixed ethnicity?

I did, in the engineering side, there were some people who didn’t take me seriously because of my background or look (wearing braids). In dancing, being ethnically diverse has been a strength, to be honest, people seem to focus more on the work I put into my dances over my look. Whereas in the modelling industry, I got rejected a few times because they said I wasn’t “Asian enough”.

What advice do you have for anyone facing adversity or discrimination due to their race?

There are two ways to deal with it: you can stand up for yourself, respond and educate people but in some circumstances, it’s better to preserve energy and ignore them. You can approach the person who made you feel discriminated against and see if they’re open to discussion. Most of the time, I prefer to save my energy and use my platform to express myself instead. In general, I would advise people to stay close to communities that advocate for diversity and inclusion.

Read more: We Chat To The Founders Of HomeGrown Podcast About The Black Expat Experience In Hong Kong

You’ve done some incredible work as an ambassador for racial diversity and African culture in Asia. Can you share your most meaningful milestones?

Thank you! Firstly, managing to arrive here in Hong Kong as a female engineer is something that I can’t take for granted. This growing exposure and recognition for my work is something that I’m very proud of. When I first came here I dreamed of being able to change people’s perspective on African culture, and by extension, African people. Winning that dance competition on TV was definitely another big milestone for me as I was able to reach more of a local audience.

What does a typical week look like for you?

I am currently fully dedicated to my work as an Entrepreneur, Social Media Content Creator, Choreographer and Model. I’ve been splitting my time between creating content for my social media accounts, modelling, learning languages and singing too!

What do you do in your downtime?

I meet my friends and people I call my family. Socialising really energises me and the support I get from my friends and family always keeps me on track.

What are five personal goals you have for this year?

1. Meet my professional goals
2. Spend more time with my family
3. Improve my singing
4. Take better care of my hair
5. And learn how to cook

How would you like to see Hong Kong grow in terms of embracing cultural diversity in the coming years?

I want Hong Kong to keep welcoming more diverse faces on TV, modelling commercials, and I want to see more role models represent more ethnic minority communities. It would also be great to have more cultural events, like festivals and food markets, which we already have a lot of!

The post That Girl: Anisha Thai, Dancer, Model & Civil Engineer appeared first on Sassy Hong Kong.

Homegrown photographer, art director, entrepreneur and actress Aanchal Wadhwani is transforming the fashion landscape in Hong Kong with her inclusive model and talent agency, STAGE Management, which represents beauty in its many forms. With her endless creative talents (seriously, is there anything she can’t do?) and passion for art, she has become a force to be reckoned with in her field. Ahead, the versatile virtuoso shares her experiences growing up in Hong Kong as a minority, why she feels it is important to represent diversity in the city through her work and more…

Read more: 10 Questions With Laura Williamson, Founder Of Plantdays

Tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from and how long have you lived in Hong Kong?

My name is Aanchal Wadhwani, but many people know me as Matryoshka. It became a moniker after I set up my first business under that name. I’m an Indian photographer, art director, actress and entrepreneur, born and raised here in Hong Kong.

You’re the co-founder of STAGE Management. Can you tell us a little more about the model and talent agency? What encouraged you to start it?

STAGE Management is actually a branch under my production company STAGE Creatives where we have a team for all sorts of visual content including photography, videography, animation, illustration, graphic, web design and development, and even Instagram filters!

My partner Nikola and I started STAGE Management for different reasons, but we believe that’s what gives us our edge despite being relatively new in the industry.

For me, growing up in Hong Kong as a minority (a term I wish I won’t have to use for much longer) had its challenges, and more so when I joined the acting and modelling industry. I got my first break at 16 years old and the more I got involved in the field, the more I realised how narrow our local beauty standards are. I’ve been asked at castings to lie about my ethnicity, to speak in an accent other than my own, and if I was to embrace my ethnicity, it was to be in the most stereotypical way possible – neither of which I appreciated.

I opted out of the field at 18 after a terrible experience and chose to concentrate on my photography business, but serendipity drove me back after an opportunity I could not resist arose. I have been very careful ever since not to take up any roles or projects that would reflect my ethnicity negatively.

My partner wanted to start the agency for an entirely different, but equally important, reason. She, being a veteran model, had experienced hardships with other agencies, casting directors, clients and photographers related to payment, unfair terms, conditions and renegotiations, safety at the workplace and more. She wanted to create an honest agency where the talents have a say in whether they want to take on a project and where they know the clients are trustworthy and don’t need to worry about payments afterwards.

With the connections we’ve made through our careers on both ends of the camera, we knew this was the right time for us to slowly introduce change.

There’s so much that goes into starting an agency. Can you share your most meaningful milestone?

In all honesty, my partner and I were not expecting to have big companies book our talents in the first year, let alone the first few months of starting our agency. But we are so proud to have earned the trust of brands like McDonalds, Fila, New Balance, One Plus and more in the span of six months!

What about your biggest milestone outside of work?

I have to admit, I’m quite the workaholic, so I don’t get much time off work. However, I spend my time off encouraging young minds to break the boundaries they’ve grown up with and pursue what brings them closer to their dreams. I’ve done a number of talks and sharings through platforms such as TEDx and high schools, both local and international. I’ve collaborated with NGOs such as EmpowerU and KELY to offer workshops, short courses, skill sharings and provide portfolio building opportunities for young students. In fact, I’m currently in the process of filming a summer course on entrepreneurship with EmpowerU.

You’re also juggling work as an actor and photographer. Can you tell us more about that side of your life?

Sometimes I like to think I have two personalities! On one side, I’m Aanchal, the actress, and on the other, I’m Matryoshka, the photographer. As a photographer, I have to be very logical and technical. It requires me to be a team player, have clarity under pressure and manage a large production to ensure that everything runs smoothly. Whereas with acting, I have to be empathetic, have a strong memory and connect with my co-stars in a short period of time – which forces me to break out of my introverted shell.

They’re so different but somehow they each contribute to one another. Being an actor teaches me how to be a better director and how to light my subjects more naturally – which I apply to my photography. Being a photographer allows me to understand the production process and in turn makes me a more patient and understanding actor on a long shoot day.

What does a typical week look like for you?

One of my favourite things about my job is working on something different everyday. Every week brings new challenges. I could be location scouting one day, meeting clients another, working with my team to build a set for a production, shooting, memorising lines, retouching, the list goes on!

What do you do in your downtime?

When I get the chance, I like to make art for my friends. I enjoy painting – watercolour, Chinese calligraphy and acrylic. I also enjoy pyrography!

What are three things you do to maintain work-life balance in your day-to-day?

I spend eight hours working, eight hours living and eight hours sleeping.

What are five personal goals you have for this year?

1. Stay healthy! I’ve never been one to prioritise exercise, but I’ve started a regular yoga routine which I follow religiously.
2. Drink more water and cut sugar. I know it sounds so basic, but it’s something I’m trying very hard to work on.
3. Pick up a new skill. I’m learning augmented reality software and I hope to slowly learn 3D modelling!
4. Learn a new language. I speak a lot of languages but I can’t read or write most of them – I’m working on my Hindi at the moment.
5. Spend more time with my family.

What makes Hong Kong feel like home for you? What do you think makes someone a Hongkonger?

The language is something that ties me to the city, and so does the food. I cannot live without Hong Kong-style iced lemon tea!

Hongkongers live a very fast-paced life. A true Hongkonger would always be running, even if it’s their day off! It’s part of our DNA.

We are huge fans of STAGE and love that it aims to break boundaries and stereotypes through inclusivity. How do you want to see it grow?

We’d like more clients to know that our talents are not just pretty faces, but are unique personalities that have their own independent spark! We’d also like to discover more talented people and invite them to grow with us!

Why was it important for you to represent diversity in Hong Kong?

Diversity has always been important. In today’s Hong Kong, we still have a language barrier and some locals might only learn about different cultures through the local media. It is vital to have platforms that introduce different cultures and act as a bridge to make Hong Kong a truly international city.

I wished to create an agency that celebrated diversity and inclusivity in every sense of the word. I wanted to represent multi-talented individuals, talents of all ages, body types, hair textures, lengths and colours, body art, heights and more. Although the pandemic has been rough, it has given my partner and I the opportunity and time to work on building our own management in the hopes of improving the local model and acting industry.

Read more: We Chat To The Editor Of Spill Stories About “Black In Asia” Anthology

Can you tell us about your experience growing up in Hong Kong with regards to race and diversity? Did you face any instances of racism for instance?

Growing up in Hong Kong has had its fair share of challenges, as it would growing up as a minority anywhere else in the world.

I’ve had questions about my culture, religion, appearance or even something as simple as my lunch! I realised most of these remarks didn’t come from a place of malice, but instead curiosity based on what they had seen in the media, so I kindly replied with an explanation and comparison to something they relate to – that usually does the trick.

What are some of your favourite platforms to follow?

I follow a lot of visual based platforms. I’m an avid user of Pinterest! It gives me new ideas and inspiration for my work. I also spend a lot of time on Instagram. I recently came across a wonderful artist/photographer named Suzanne Saroff. I love shooting flowers and her work breathes life into every flower she photographs. I also follow Retouching Academy who reposts work from different photographers! It’s amazing to see how others use their creativity.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone struggling with self-confidence, what would it be?

Take a few minutes to look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself five things you appreciate about yourself. Confidence comes with loving, not judging.

The post That Girl: Aanchal Wadhwani, Actress & Photographer appeared first on Sassy Hong Kong.

Our That Girl this month is the multitalented and driven Cynthia Cheng, who co-founded social impact platform Hong Kong Shifts. The project aims to raise awareness of the unsung heroes who work tirelessly in the background to keep our city running, whilst building bridges in our community through visual storytelling.

Ahead, she shares what inspired her to start the storytelling project, how she hopes to see the platform grow, as well as her personal interests and more…

Read more: We Chat To The Editor Of Spill Stories About “Black In Asia” Anthology

Tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from and how long have you lived in Hong Kong?

I was born in Toronto and grew up in Hong Kong. I spent close to 10 years living and working in London and moved back to Hong Kong just three years ago.

You’re the co-founder of Hong Kong Shifts. Can you tell us a little more about the social impact platform? What encouraged you to start it?

I started the project with my co-founder Maxime in July 2019. We noticed that there were so many shift workers in our living and working environments, working so hard to keep our communities running like clockwork, and that they were often being overlooked and taken for granted in our busy lives. The idea behind Hong Kong Shifts is that everyone has a story to tell regardless of their ethnicity, gender, age or socio-economic background.

Maxime has always been a keen photographer and I have always loved to write, so we started what was initially a storytelling side-project. Our first interview was with Maxime’s security guard, Mei Fung. We met her for lunch at a cha chaan teng, chatted with her and shared her story on social media. From then on, we kept going and have since interviewed and shared the stories of over 60 individuals.

There’s so much that comes with starting a storytelling platform. Can you share your most meaningful milestone?

We’ve had a few small milestones since creating the project from scratch – some exciting ones include our first community event and exhibition titled “Hong Kong Included” and speaking on a couple of podcasts. But one that is dear to our hearts is our first storytelling campaign project with the Nesbitt Centre.

The Nesbitt Centre is a fantastic social enterprise that trains and employs individuals with learning disabilities at their network of cafes and bakeries. We were fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to interview and produce a series of stories featuring the wonderful Nesbitt employees. The process of collaboration was so enjoyable and it was really fulfilling to be able to create and share some inspiring stories for such a meaningful cause.

What about your biggest milestone outside of work?

Hopefully the biggest one is yet to come! Perhaps a personal milestone is getting into open water swimming last year. Even though I am not a super strong swimmer and am slower than my more athletic peers, there is something that is at once so meditative and liberating about swimming in the ocean which I really enjoy. The craziest swim that I have done (so far) is from Cape D’Aguilar straight across to Stanley.

You’re also juggling work as a freelance writer and graphic designer. Can you tell us a little bit about that side of your life?

I was a corporate lawyer for almost eight years in London and Hong Kong until I decided to take a leap of faith to pursue an alternative career path a couple of years ago. I now work for an NGO that champions workplace mental health, a cause that I am very passionate about. I also freelance as a writer and graphic designer and, of course, work on Hong Kong Shifts.

It is not easy to wear different hats on a daily basis, but through this journey of exploring career paths I have tried as much as possible to align my values with my work. I have also discovered that I am really passionate about amplifying and communicating meaningful messages in creative ways, through both words and visuals – and this, I realise with the benefit of hindsight, is a common strand that runs through everything that I now do.

It’s amazing that you’re merging different career paths and making it your own. What does a typical week look like for you?

Every day of every week is different and the flexibility is something that I really enjoy. One day I could be writing an article about mental health and mocking up designs. Another day I could be doing interviews, attending meetings and writing stories for Hong Kong Shifts. The next day I might be doing site visits at NGOs, collaborating with other creatives or going to a sustainability conference. It’s really a mixed bag and whilst the uncertainty has taken a bit of getting used to, it has really taught me to be open to and seize opportunities.

What do you do in your downtime?

I love to read, write, draw, go on hikes, practise yoga and go open water swimming. I also really enjoy a good meal and drink, especially when it’s with good company.

What are three things you do to maintain work-life balance in your day-to-day?

1. Practising a short morning ritual: this simply involves brewing some nice tea and sitting down for a quiet 10 minute meditation. It helps to set the tone for the day.
2. Staying active: I try to be out in nature as much as possible and do sports whenever I can – whether it be long hikes, a short yoga session or a boxing class.
3. Journaling: writing is therapeutic for me and I spend a few minutes at the end of each day jotting down what’s on my mind, what I had done that day and sometimes even random and fun things that I have learned.

What are five personal goals you have for this year?

1. Grow and build my work around social impact, in particular on social inclusion, sustainability and mental health.
2. Spend more time in nature, up in the trails and in the ocean.
3. Continue to grow Hong Kong Shifts as a social impact storytelling platform and work on more storytelling projects.
4. Pay more attention to self-care (sometimes it’s easy to de-prioritise this in light of other things).
5. Continue to nourish more meaningful and authentic relationships.

What makes Hong Kong feel like home for you? What do you think makes someone a Hongkonger?

What I love above Hong Kong is that the richness and contrast of this city is second to none – from the mountains and the sea to the stunning skyline, charming alleyways and local culture… there’s always so much more to discover in this little metropolis that I call home. I also find the Cantonese dialect so incredibly witty and dynamic, and I’m grateful to be able to communicate with it fluently.

The beauty of Hong Kong is that it is so wonderfully diverse and multi-layered that there is no single definition of being a Hongkonger. Anyone who identifies with, lives and loves the culture and eccentricities of Hong Kong (whichever facet of it that may be) is a Hongkonger.

We are huge fans of Hong Kong Shifts and love that it’s telling stories that feel so unique to our city. How do you want to see it grow?

We would love for Hong Kong Shifts to be Hong Kong’s leading social impact storytelling platform. Our goal is to build bridges and encourage our communities to interact with each other with more empathy and kindness through stories that move and connect. Storytelling is a powerful tool to convey meaningful messages, and we hope to be able to collaborate creatively on projects, initiatives and campaigns to create positive impact in fun, surprising and engaging ways.

What are some of your favourite platforms to follow?

Believe it or not, I actually don’t spend as much time on social media as you might think! There are some platforms that I love: The Depression Project shares some great mental health awareness facts using simple graphics. I’m also a fan of illustrators like Lisa Congdon, Charlie Macksey, Don Mak and Abstract Sunday, and Designers Humour is always a great one for laughs. I hear a project called Hong Kong Shifts has some cool stories too…

How do you envision Hong Kong Shifts (and your career) growing in the next one, five, 10 years?

One thing I have learnt in these past couple of years is that it is almost impossible to plan and have any fixed visions for the next year, let alone five or 10 years. On the one hand, there are uncertainties and external factors that can throw things out of order at any time. On the other, opportunities and ideas can really pop up out of nowhere. That is how we have so far grown Hong Kong Shifts – from the beginning, there was never a concrete plan, but it has somehow taken a creative life of its own.

What has made this project so exciting and meaningful to work on is that we have jumped on different opportunities that have arisen, continued to take chances of trial and error, followed leads that have resonated with our mission and passion, and have allowed our abstract ideas and creativity to merge and materialise. I hope that both my career and Hong Kong Shifts can continue to grow organically, creatively and with purpose in the coming years.

If you had one piece of advice to give people merging multiple career paths, what would it be?

It is scary to change careers and merge career paths, but one thing I would say is to keep learning about and doing what interests you and makes you feel alive, even if these things may at first seem incongruous or unrelated, or if you may not necessarily see a clear goal that you are working towards. I’m learning that with an openness to learn, often these paths will naturally merge as common themes and values begin to emerge. I definitely went through a long period where I felt lost, alone and afraid (and sometimes still do). It is not easy to navigate a path less well-trodden, but I am starting to genuinely believe that with passion, persistence and purpose, it will all work out. As they say, keep calm and carry on!

The post That Girl: Cynthia Cheng, Co-Founder Of Hong Kong Shifts appeared first on Sassy Hong Kong.

Our That Girl this month is Mui Thomas, an integral part of The Girl Behind The Face, a global initiative dedicated to creating awareness of cyberbullying, mental health and visible differences. Mui is strong, charismatic and capable. She is also one of 20 known people in the world with Harlequin Ichthyosis, a severe and often life-threatening skin condition caused by a change in the ABCA12 gene. Harlequin Ichthyosis results in skin growing 10 times faster than most skin. Mui has overcome insurmountable odds to be where she is today – and she does it with a smile, a laugh and a “give it a go” attitude.

The Girl Behind The Face is a platform for Mui and her parents to share their journey, with a mission to turn assumptions and prejudice into compassion and understanding. As the world’s first rugby referee and yoga instructor living with Harlequin ichthyosis, Mui has created a life she is proud of. I first met Mui when we were both at school, and every step of her journey proves what is possible when you refuse to let your circumstances define you. She speaks out for others and tackles cyberbullying headfirst. We chat to Mui about her upbringing, her goals, the hardest parts about living in Hong Kong with a visible difference and what she’s most looking forward to next year.

Read more: Hong Kong-Based Female Founders Share Their Life Lessons

Tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from and how long have you lived in Hong Kong?
I was born and raised in Hong Kong. So I’m one of those HK kids from an international school with an accent no-one can decipher! I grew up in the green hills of Sai Kung and now live just outside of Sai Kung.

You’re an integral part of The Girl Behind The Face – can you tell us a little more about it?
Our family initiative, The Girl Behind The Face, is about standing up for others. It was originally set up by my parents to help me. They are the ones who run it and I’m happy and excited to be a part of it. I see myself as the poster girl who just enjoys getting out there and doing things. To paraphrase our upcoming book: “Sharing our story is our response to the cyber bullies who taunted me to kill myself.”

We raise awareness of Visible Difference along with the surprising ways people respond to it, Cyberbullying and the Mental Health Issues faced by the children and parents.

What was it like growing up with Harlequin Ichthyosis in Hong Kong?
Growing up with a visible difference like Harlequin Ichthyosis was no easy task for me. And for my parents, raising an abandoned child like me was really hard. They faced huge challenges but have never really raised me as a child with a disability. They were focused on giving me the best life possible so this is their story as much as mine. Ordinary people and ordinary families are different – they don’t get it. Again, to paraphrase our upcoming book: “we want our story to start conversations”.

To raise awareness, we give Family Talks at schools, companies and NGOs. You can check out our website to book one of our talks. We all contributed to the “Talk narrative” and my dad wrote our story, Stand Up for Others, as a performance in which he, my mum and I alternate back and forth on stage as we share.

This year we were sponsored by Cathay Pacific and SINO Group to take our Family Talks to Australia, including to a Melbourne synagogue – my mum goes to church, but she is also the birth-granddaughter of a Jewish Holocaust survivor. For more, you’ll have to talk to my parents.

We’ve just completed our book about how and why my parents and I came to be a family – what happened to us then and what we have learnt. We want our book to challenge and maybe help change society. A Vice Principal’s comment in our upcoming book reads: “Your story is raw and real, challenging the listener to explore their own prejudices and inaction.” It’s been like a rollercoaster ride you wouldn’t believe, but hey it’s how I came to be Mui Thomas!

You’re also a professional Hong Kong rugby referee, and a yoga instructor – can you tell us a little bit about that side of your life?
My parents have always encouraged me to go out and try everything at least once. I wanted to play rugby when I was a teenager to, basically, get in with the cool crowd – but I was 18 and I had brittle bones, which meant tackling was really not the best of ideas. Nevertheless, I was told to make contact with DeA (now USRC) Tigers. I was in touch with the youth girls coach and soon I was helping her out, picking up water bottles, things like that. I was helping out with HKRU “Super Sundays” within weeks. While I loved being able to get involved in the game, I felt a little bit bored. Someone in passing suggested I try coaching or refereeing. I went for the latter and haven’t looked back. My main scope of refereeing is actually U12 mini rugby as that’s what works health-wise and speed-wise for me at the moment. However, I also help out at the senior end of the game with sideline and video work. I have been a part of the HK rugby community for about eight years now. I’m definitely no professional though! I would love to try and rise through the ranks of refereeing as long as my health and fitness allow.

There’s so much that comes with putting yourself out there – especially when it’s something so personal. Can you share your most meaningful milestone?

Being one of the oldest people in the world with Harlequin ichthyosis, I’d have to say that my most meaningful milestones are actually every year. Being able to see another year is sobering and meaningful to me. Knowing that when I was younger, I was often close to not making it, every year makes me feel incredibly lucky and while I shouldn’t say this, I often feel like I’m living on borrowed time. It shouldn’t be the case, but it often feels that way.

What are you most passionate about sharing about yourself or about people with visual differences?

I don’t see myself as a disability activist and I’m actually not a fan of the term “disability” myself. That being said, my parents have always encouraged me to go out and say hello to people. I am still a naturally shy person when I meet people for the first time and I do suss them out to check whether they’d be accepting of me or not. It’s not always easy but I am definitely a fan of the go out and make your mark approach!

It’s amazing that you’re merging different career paths and making it your own. What does a typical week look like for you?

Haha! There is no such thing as a typical week for me, which I love because it’s always changing. But I have two main jobs at the moment. I work as a yoga instructor both privately and at a gym in Sai Kung. I am also a carer/companion for a man with special needs. I’m fairly lucky in that I don’t often start work too early in the day, usually after midday. And hopefully, when Covid restrictions allow, there will also be some rugby work to be done. I love that most of my mornings are free for me to get on with things like medical appointments, sleep, the occasional quick catchup or helping out with The Girl Behind The Face. I worked in a “proper” office job until two years ago and while I miss the routine and knowing exactly what would happen day-to-day, I don’t miss the burnout. It took me a while to get used to the freelance life but I absolutely adore it!

What do you do in your downtime?
Downtime is a bit of a rarity for me because of my work patterns but I love nothing more than catching up with friends over drinks and good food. I’m also a big fan of a staycation, and with all the restrictions this year, a staycay hits the spot! If I’m not teaching or out in the evenings, I love to cook and put something on my projector screen. While I’m no chef, cooking and eating decent food just makes me happy! When I’m able to (schedule-wise), I also love nothing more than a yoga session from someone else or punching it out at Lights Out in Sheung Wan. I am also absolutely game for a cheeky junk in the summer or a hotpot in the cooler months!

What are three things you do to maintain work-life balance in your day-to-day?

1. Knowing that it’s okay to say no to things (within reason).
2. Enjoying what I do.
3. Listening to my body and not letting myself burn out.

We love that your work raises awareness about living with a visible difference in Hong Kong. How has your own experience and upbringing impacted you?

A lot of credit goes to my parents because without them, I would not be the person I am today. They focused on giving me the best life possible. This was, in part, because doctors truly thought I would not make it through infancy. Therefore even now, I’m all about trying to enjoy life as much as possible. Growing up in Hong Kong with a skin disorder or a visible difference was an experience. Because Hong Kong is such a melting pot of cultures, I’ve had everything from loud reactions to slight stares in my direction. It isn’t always easy to deal with people staring at me when I’m out and about. I have lost my way a few times in life, but my parents have always had my back whenever bad things happened and they continue to do so, even though I’m an adult.

If you don’t mind us asking, what’s been the hardest part about living with Harlequin Ichthyosis?
Definitely the stares and the reactions I get from certain people. A lot of people think I have this permanent smile and I’m always confident but that’s not always the case. I’m always insecure about people and their reactions toward me.

What makes Hong Kong feel like home for you? Being born and raised here, what do you think makes someone a Hongkonger?

I think living in Hong Kong makes one open to other cultures as well as respect each other. I think a Hongkonger is someone who is able to seamlessly blend East and West traditions as well as stand up for others – as we have seen recently.

What are 5 personal goals you have for yourself?
In my mind, 2020 is a write-off, so I’ll defer these goals to 2021:

1. Work with my parents to publish our book and further build our family initiative, The Girl Behind The Face.
2. Teach more yoga.
3. Work on my fitness.
4. Find peace in the little things (I’m an over-thinker and a worrier).
5. Smile!

How do you envision your work growing in the next one, five, 10 years?
For The Girl Behind The Face, we hope to be able to expand within Hong Kong and take our initiative around the world. We were fortunate to share our story in Melbourne back in February and when travel resumes, we will be able to share in more places and inspire decision-makers to take action on things like visible differences, cyberbullying and raising awareness of visible and non-visible differences. Publishing our book is our biggest goal to build a platform!

Yoga-wise, I hope to expand my teaching and work more within the accessible yoga fold, making yoga accessible to people who may not fit the normal yoga mould of being slim and flexible. But anything yoga related would be incredible.

Rugby is and will always be close to my heart. For as long as I can, and for as long as HK rugby will allow me, I’ll be a part of the community. I have had some truly incredible moments as a rugby referee and I hope there will be many more to come… all things permitting.

If you had one piece of advice to give to people out there working on their dreams, what would it be?
When I was unsure of doing something, my parents would always encourage me to “give it a go!” – best advice ever.

Follow The Girl Behind The Face on Facebook and Instagram. You’ll find more from Mui at @mui_thomas92.

Thanks to the talented Julia Broad for all of the beautiful images above! Follow her on Facebook.

The post That Girl: Mui Thomas From The Girl Behind The Face appeared first on Sassy Hong Kong.

Our next That Girl is Dimple Yuen, Co-Founder and Head Distiller of Two Moons Distillery, the first microdistillery crafting gin in Hong Kong. Dimple’s passion for nature, mixing flavours and trying new things pairs perfectly with her love of gin. It was this winning combination that lead her to distill her own bottle 2 years ago. We chat to Dimple about her personal and professional milestones, her hopes for the next few years and the inspiration behind her mission. She shares what a typical week looks like, what she gets up to in her downtime (dancing, fishing, steering yachts and more!), and offers simple tips for people out there working on their dreams.

Read more: That Girl: Charlotte Taquet, Hong Kong Trail Runner & Legal Counsellor

Tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from and how long have you lived in Hong Kong?
Hi, I’m Dimple, Co-Founder and Head Distiller of Two Moons Distillery. I was born and raised in Hong Kong – I’ve pretty much lived in this city my entire life (with the exception of a few years abroad in high school). It’s home.

You’re the co-founder of Two Moons Distillery, can you tell us a little more about the company? What inspired you to start it?
Two Moons is the first microdistillery crafting gin in Hong Kong with a mission to establish a strong gin-loving culture in the city.

My love for gin was what inspired me to become a distiller and establish Two Moons. A lot of people don’t know this, but as one of the broader categories of spirits, there are very few restrictions to what you can put in gin (the only key ingredient is juniper berries), so the sky is the limit when it comes to flavour possibilities. That’s precisely why I fell in love with the spirit.

As a distillery in Hong Kong, we really want to showcase a traditionally Western spirit through the eyes of a Hongkonger and share our story. We also want to create a community where people can gather and learn more about the incredible craft gin culture – which is why our distillery is open for tours. We’re excited to show people what Two Moons is about. Ultimately, we just want to share our passion and inspire people to love gin as much as we do! 

There’s so much that comes with starting your own business. Can you share your most meaningful milestone?
The most meaningful milestone for me was the moment I distilled my very first drop of gin. Although I was only using some novice equipment and I had no idea what I was doing, it was exhilarating to come up with a recipe and actually make my own bottle. This milestone became even more significant when I brought that bottle of gin back to Hong Kong and gave it to friends to try in a blind tasting session (against some large international players!). To my surprise, my bottle was always ranked within the top 3. That really gave me the confidence I needed to go after my dreams.

What makes Hong Kong feel like home for you? Being born and raised here, what do you think makes someone a Hongkonger?
Hong Kong is home because my entire life is here. From my family, to my friends and now my baby (the distillery!). It is home to everything I own and love. I still find myself learning something new about this place and the people all the time.

As such a multi-faceted city, there are so many ways for Hongkongers to feel a sense of belonging and it’s not really correlated to the amount of time spent here. Whether you’ve been here for half a year or half a century, if you’re able to feel a strong connection with Hong Kong, be it through the culture, the food or the people… who’s to say you’re not one? 

What about your biggest milestone outside of work?
I’m an ocean girl at heart so I’m always finding ways to connect with the sea. I’m incredibly proud to be a PADI certified rescue diver and I also have a Pleasure Vessel Operator License, which basically means I can operate any engine-operated yacht up to 15 meters in length and go wherever I want to – by sea!

What does a typical week look like for you?
My week usually starts with some planning and catch up meetings with the team. Some days are reserved for distilling, where it’s a chance for me to tune out from the outside world and focus on the process. On other days, I get to meet all sorts of people and it’s always nice when they start giving us ideas for future flavours, going into a creative brainstorm together.

What do you do in your downtime?
When I’m not at work, I love to connect with nature to refresh my body and soul. I’m usually relaxing on a boat or fishing. When it’s a stay-at-home kind of day, I love to cook a good meal and enjoy a fun board game session with friends.

What are three things you do to maintain work-life balance in your day-to-day?

1. I’ve recently started to workout at home just to keep my mind refreshed. I get bored easily, so dance workouts are a great way to spice things up. Plus, jamming to some good music is a really effective method to destress!
2. One of my favourite ways to end the day is either a good read or a true crime podcast. 
3. I also switch on my aroma lamp for a little wind-down aromatherapy before bed (I love the scent of lavender).

What are 5 personal goals you have for this year?

1. Improve my fishing skills
2. Create a new gin flavour
3. Check a destination off my travel bucket list (depending how travel looks later this year)
4. Learn the ukulele
5. Make our gin available in a new country!

What are your favourite drinks to mix at home or order when you’re out? What are your favourite bars?
My favourite cocktail changes based on my mood and the time of day. For a hot summer afternoon, I love something refreshing (sometimes I ask the bartender to create something off-menu). On a chill evening, I love a good Negroni! I don’t think I can list my favourite bars as there are just too many to choose from, but Doubleshot is a new gem in Central that I’m loving at the moment.

We love what Two Moons Distillery stands for. Do you have any ideas for growing the brand?
In the long run we hope to establish ourselves as a leading distillery not only in Hong Kong but in Asia (or even worldwide!). We’ve already started taking our first steps to being internationally recognised; we are the very first gin from Hong Kong to enter and win Silver in the World Gin Awards. It was super exciting for the team!

How do you envision Two Moons Distillery growing in the next 1, 5, 10 years?
I envision it to have established its place as a leading distillery in Hong Kong. I plan for it to be widely available around the world. We also hope to work with an array of bars or brands to grow the local craft gin culture and inspire more people to become a part of the distilling community!

If you had one piece of advice to give to people out there working on their dreams, what would it be?
Become your best advocate and own your story. 

Thanks to the talented Claudia Lee for all of the beautiful images above! Follow her on Instagram. 

The post That Girl: Dimple Yuen, Co-Founder Of Two Moons Distillery appeared first on Sassy Hong Kong.

Our That Girl this month is the talented and committed Charlotte Taquet. She shares her tips for balancing work as a legal counsellor and training as a trail runner, whilst making the most of this city we call home. We hear Charlotte’s thoughts on what it means to be a Hongkonger, what she gets up to in her downtime and what her biggest milestones are.

When she moved to Hong Kong 6 years ago, Charlotte couldn’t run the Peak loop without stopping. Now, she frequents 100k trail runs each weekend. In April 2020, she ran 600k (over 20,126m of elevation) along some of Hong Kong’s most challenging hiking trails. That’s equivalent to 20k for 30 days straight, or 50-100k runs each week with rest days – and a lot of uphill! Her story proves that anything is possible with hard work, determination and a good night out to celebrate.

Read more: That Girl: Devon Hou, Head Chef At Test Kitchen

Tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from and how long have you lived in Hong Kong?
I am from France and have been living in Hong Kong for more than 6 years. I’ll be proudly reaching the Permanent Resident status in August. I moved here with a work opportunity and was planning to stay here for 1-2 years maximum. It seems to be the story of the city, but it’s funny to see that I still enjoy living here just as much today.

We love that you make the most of HK hiking trails. Can you tell us a little more about what attracted you to trail running?
When I arrived in Hong Kong, a lot of my friends were into hiking and trail running. With what Hong Kong has to offer in terms of nature, I find that trail running is very popular here. So, I first started to hike with them, enjoying the outdoors. Then I started running because it’s a time- and cost-effective way to stay active (the Ladies’ Nights in Hong Kong don’t help you stay fit). I have always been quite sporty – I practiced Judo, skiing, snowboarding and salsa. I was a very casual runner in France but trail running was completely new.

I started to enjoy participating in race events. It was a great way to challenge myself and share the trails with awesome people. Not long after I started trail running, I registered and finished my first 100k – when it was deadly freezing in Hong Kong. I was not prepared or well-trained. I guess I was lucky as it didn’t take me too long to recover but that was a lesson learned, kind of a wake-up call.

I started to train smarter and better. As I wanted to improve my running technique and stay injury free, I contacted David at Joint Dynamics and had the amazing opportunity to join the team: Gone Running – Joint Dynamics. Today, I am also part of the Salomon team in Hong Kong. And I have a great coach, Andy Dubois. All of this definitely encourages me to train more and compete harder.

What keeps you going back for more?
I am very committed to my passions and love to challenge myself. The Hong Kong trail running community is amazing here. This atmosphere really helps you push yourself. For me, it has become more than just a hobby, it’s the best way to escape, disconnect and enjoy the moment. I also just love being outside and enjoy little things which can be found in Hong Kong’s nature.

We love that your running journey began here in Hong Kong. What’s your favourite part about this city?
The diversity and beauty of the terrain. There is so much to see here: remote villages, beaches, mountains. And also that people here love to challenge themselves. The people I’ve met in Hong Kong have inspired me to challenge myself even more.

You’re also a full-time legal counsellor – can you tell us a little more about your daytime job and how you balance a job and your training schedule?
I work as Brand Protection Manager (an Intellectual Property Legal Counsellor) at a sports company. My main role is to protect the company against counterfeit products in Asia. My daytime job has a lot of variety as I need to travel often. I could say that I am half lawyer, half investigator which makes my job super interesting.

I usually have normal working hours, so my training schedule is built around my work day – mainly very early in the morning and/or sometimes after work. I may be active out of office hours, but from Monday to Friday, you’ll often find me rushing through lunch at my desk in front of my computer.

There’s so much that comes with trail running. Can you share your most meaningful milestone?
The more recent milestone in terms of training is the 600k I completed in April. One of the yoga teachers I know was doing a 100k running challenge. When she mentioned this to me, I was already running around 130km after 7 days so she said – I guess as a joke – that I could reach 600km in one month. At the time I really didn’t think it was possible…

But as April went on, I realised how fortunate we were to not be in lockdown in HK. I felt lucky to have more time off due to the public holidays and some annual leave, and less of a commute because I was working from home. All of that, paired with the perfect HK weather – not yet too hot or humid, I found myself starting to run much more anyway.

Then, a week before April came to an end, I noticed that with a final push, I was able to achieve this 600k milestone. Coming from someone who couldn’t finish a Peak loop without stopping 6 years ago, this was very meaningful to me. It shows that people can accomplish a goal if they put the effort in (and enjoy the journey).

What does a typical week look like for you?
The beginning of my week is always quite calm, I try to rest more, as I am often tired from an active weekend. I wake up around 6am and go for my training and sometimes do a combination of morning and evening sessions. Every Wednesday night, I meet my team at Joint Dynamics for group strength training, some laughs and just a catch up, I love it! Then I usually start going out from Thursday night for dinner and drinks. Saturday is for long morning runs. To avoid the very humid and hot Hong Kong weather, I sometimes wake up very early (even earlier than during the week). When I know that I will go for a 20-50k+ run, I have to wake up around 3am to hit the trails, finishing before it gets too hot. If I wake up that early, I do try to nap during the afternoon to be ready for a Saturday night out with friends. Then, Sunday is usually reserved for mid-long easy recovery runs. As a lot of my friends are also trail runners, I have the chance to spend lots of time with them – sometimes more than 8 hours a day!

What do you do in your downtime?
My downtime is mainly for meeting my friends, going for coffee, drinks or meals at plant-based restaurants. I have been vegan for almost 2 years and really enjoy supporting local businesses and creating awareness around this. We are very lucky as there are so many amazing plant-based shops and restaurants in Hong Kong. Recently, I’ve enjoyed going to the beach – I also love finishing my runs there.

In terms of sports, I also go to the gym, yoga classes, organise HIIT workout classes for my colleagues during lunchtime and help running groups such as the Women’s Five.

There are so many things to do in Hong Kong that I find it really hard to stop, relax and do nothing.

What are three things you do to maintain work-life balance in your day-to-day?
1. Wake up early and set up a morning routine. I have not always been a morning person and trust me, I still struggle sometimes, but I really think that if you want to start the day in the best way possible and feel energised, nothing beats some morning exercise. I have learned to love my morning runs, I often run the Peak trail and enjoy catching the first light of the day. When you exercise in the morning, the job is done: you are ready for anything during the day. If a personal or professional matter comes up suddenly, you don’t feel frustrated. Being an early bird also means that I need to go to bed not too late and have enough sleep. Truth be told, there’s some room for improvement in that area…

2. Set up a training plan. I usually look in advance at my work obligations, social plans (drinks, dinners, coffee catch ups etc) and training schedule to have a clear view of each. Having a plan helps me to stick to it. If I cannot workout in the morning, I will try to plan differently. My view is that if you organise in advance, there is less room for demotivation… you just follow your plan. For example, if I know that I am going for a run the next morning, I will prepare my running clothes in advance and may also ask friends to join me for the run. This makes it easier for yourself! I don’t have to think about anything in the morning – I’m on autopilot and that makes it all less stressful.

3. Listen to my body. It is important to know that sometimes it’s just better to rest, or to skip a specific training session. At least I know that I will feel more energised the next day, professionally and personally. I love spending time on the trails but I also love spending time going out – maybe too much sometimes! I think it’s important to find your own balance so you don’t feel that “you have to” go for a run. At the end of the day, I am not a professional athlete, it’s just about having fun but also pushing my limits to become better.

Your training schedule sounds incredible (and intense!). We’re almost scared to ask… what are your workouts outside of running?
Right now, the main workouts I do outside of running are provided by the Joint Dynamics online training. It can be tailored to your needs, and for me, it’s a great addition to running, as I need strength and conditioning. I find it very useful and easy to do at home. Otherwise, I sometimes have PT sessions at the JD gym in Quarry Bay.

What makes Hong Kong feel like home for you? What do you think makes someone a Hongkonger?
Hong Kong feels like home because it is a very convenient place. It is indeed a busy metropolitan city with crazy nightlife and lots of great (plant-based) restaurants. And the trails, mountains and beaches are not far. From my flat, it takes me less than 15 minutes to reach a trail. Even though I’ve always been an active person, I feel that I have never been as active as I have been in Hong Kong. I also have a great job with flexibility which is key for me. People are very open-minded. There are also a lot of French people, so if I ever feel homesick, I have a strong community to lean on.

To be honest, I think what makes someone a Hongkonger is just to appreciate this place as “Home Kong” – if you feel at home here, you are at home!

This year has been a challenging one across the globe. What are 5 personal goals you’re working on to keep you going?
Agreed! This year has been a bit… hectic. I am working on:
1. Being more grateful for the simple things
2. Continuing to get stronger
3. Being more environmentally conscious
4. Developing myself personally and professionally
5. Continuing to be open to new challenges

How do you envision your journey evolving in the next year?
Strangely, I do not have a real plan for the next few years. The current situation has made things very uncertain. The main thing is, I don’t know when I will be able to travel again – for work or even to visit my family back in France. But one thing I do know is that I really enjoy living in Hong Kong. It is a great place to live – especially during the outbreak of the virus.

I have also learned to “never say never” and be open to any opportunity. So much can happen. If I look back to 6 years ago, arriving in this city, I was definitely not the person I am today. My friends back in France are still surprised that I run up and down mountains for fun! That’s one of the reasons I like being involved in helping running groups, sharing my experiences and letting new runners know that there is a beginning to everything. With motivation and determination, you’ll naturally improve.

If you had one piece of advice to give to aspiring runners in Hong Kong, what would it be?
Whatever you do, have fun! Challenge yourself and never give up. It’s sometimes a mental game and you are better than you think. 

Thanks to the incredible photographers and videographers who helped put this together. Videography by Robbin Lee (@robintlee). Photography by Annie Yuen (@annie_images) and Ester Geldenhuys (@ester_geldenhuys).

The post That Girl: Charlotte Taquet, Hong Kong Trail Runner & Legal Counsellor appeared first on Sassy Hong Kong.

Humble and honest, Devon Hou pairs her love of homely food with a desire to expand and explore Hong Kong’s unique culinary culture. Currently the Head Chef and Head of Business Development at Test Kitchen, her role involves bringing talented chefs from all over the globe and working together to apply their flavours to the Hong Kong market. With a knack for sourcing the freshest seasonal ingredients in local food markets, her dishes are timely and intentional. From dim sum lunches with her mum, to coffee and pudding with her partner and their two pups (aptly named Coffee and Pudding), we chat to Devon about a typical week and what she loves doing to unwind. She shares her inspirations, her alternative career aspirations and opens up about her personal goals for 2020.

Read more: That Girl: Lindsay Varty, Author Of Sunset Survivors & Hong Kong Rugby Player

Tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from and how long have you been living in Hong Kong?

I was born and raised in this city and am a local Hongkonger through and through. I’ve lived here for over 30 years of my life, only moving away from the age of 29 to 31 when I was working as a chef in Goring Hotel and at Camino in King’s Cross, London.

I started my culinary career at Amber in the Mandarin Oriental for just over three years. I’ve had a 15-year career as a chef and loved how much I’ve learnt and been challenged. It’s included plenty of different restaurants and developing plenty of different skills.

You’re the chef of Test Kitchen, can you tell us a little more about your work? What encouraged you to become a chef?

I’m head chef and head of business development at Test Kitchen. I’m in charge of all the private events and catering, and I also assist visiting chefs at our pop-ups. I love this part of the job as it means I work alongside some of the world’s most talented chefs. This past year I’ve cooked with the likes of Kwame Onuachi and Eelke Plasmeijer. I take real pleasure in helping them to convert their menus to use Hong Kong ingredients.

I didn’t enjoy cooking at all as a child, but when I was 14 or 15, my home economics teacher changed my life. I remember making a traditional Chinese dish – aubergine with minced pork. It was simple and made using local ingredients, so it felt just like home cooking. Her teaching methods and interest in her students was fantastic. Looking back, I never knew she’d be a person who’d play such a significant role in my career. Miss Chiu’s teaching style was inspiring and it made me fall in love with cooking. Her support is a huge part of what led me to become a chef.

There’s so much that comes with being a chef. Can you share your most meaningful milestone?

I found my time at the Mandarin as a commis chef to be very meaningful. Working for Richard Ekkebus was a real privilege. It was early in my career, but learning from a mentor like that is invaluable. Amber was my first full-time job and, by taking small steps over the last 15 years, it’s led me to develop new artistic instincts.

What about your biggest milestone outside the kitchen?

Definitely not related to being a chef, but another passion of mine is music. I’m grade seven in piano and love how it calms me. I’ve also been learning the drums for three years and think it’s time to get another certificate there.

What does a typical week look like for you?

I’m sure everyone says this, but no two weeks are the same for me. At Test Kitchen, I’m not just a head chef preparing a regular menu day to day. Our events are so different that I could be researching a chef, experimenting with a recipe adjustment to utilise Hong Kong ingredients, or brainstorming for my own cooking event. I visit Hong Kong’s local food markets regularly to see what is on offer. Every day is challenging but that’s part of what makes it so rewarding!

What would you do if you weren’t a chef?

I’ve been learning a musical instrument since I was in kindergarten. If I wasn’t a a chef, I would have been a musician. My taste in music is pretty diverse, including everything from rock and roll, to R&B and Canto pop…you name it and I’ll play it!

What do you do in your downtime?

Aside from playing music (it’s one of my favourite ways to relax after a long day), I also enjoy spending time with my partner and our two dogs. They’re six-month and five-year-old Yorkies. I like to escape the city and head to Sai Kung with them. I live near West Kowloon Cultural District which is great for exploring with pups. We like to sit outside on the grass with Pudding and Coffee, enjoying their namesake treats.

What are three things you do to maintain work-life balance in your day-to-day?

1. Eating something. Something good. It completely depends on what I feel like that day. I enjoy dinners with the whole family on Sundays and grabbing quick dim sum lunches with my mum.
2. Playing instruments – the piano, drums, guitar or anything else I can get my hands on.
3. Chilling with my doggies somewhere with green open space (we all need to escape the “city” vibe every once in a while).

We love what Test Kitchen stands for. Do you have any ideas for growing the brand?

Besides doing pop-ups with chefs from different countries, I would love to do more of my own private pop-up experiences. It would be awesome to do a pop-up the other way around, going to other countries to bring a taste of Hong Kong to them.

I’d also love to showcase more female chefs from Hong Kong. There are a lot of amazing women creating fantastic food right here in our city.

What makes Hong Kong feel like home for you? Being born and raised here, what do you think makes someone a Hongkonger?

The markets haven’t changed. Shopping in the wet market is still the same as when I was a kid. I just love the welcoming spirit of the city. It’s easy to meet new people. Hongkongers also have a real love of food, which obviously resonates with me.

What are 5 personal goals you have for this year?

1. Establishing Test Kitchen as a location for talented, home-grown, local chefs, not just international personalities.
2. Our pop-ups and collaborations with local chefs have been extremely popular so I’d like to build on that and showcase Hong Kong talent to the public more.
3. Setting myself a fitness goal. I’d like to take up boxing or find time to play more sports, like basketball.
4. Running my own pop-up outside of Hong Kong…something totally different to anything I’ve done before. Bringing my interpretation of Hong Kong cooking to another city would be really meaningful to me. Watch this space!
5. I’d like to travel to an entirely new destination this year, to see and experience things I’ve not seen before. I haven’t decided where yet!

What are your favourite dishes to eat at home or out? Any favourite restaurants?

In Hong Kong, I love Pica Pica – it’s great spot to watch the world go by, and the quality of Spanish food is the best I’ve experienced here.

On a global scale, my favourite restaurant is a Scandinavian restaurant in Stockholm, Ekstedt.

I would say carbonara is my all-time favourite dish. It’s the ultimate comfort food – I often cook it myself at home, but if it’s on a restaurant menu and I’m in need of a classic, it’s my go-to.

How do you envision your career growing in the next one, five, 10 years?

I would like to experience more of the dining scene outside Hong Kong in 2020 and I want to open my own cafe or restaurant eventually. For now, I’m happy to be learning, but it’s always good to have a five to 10 year vision!

If you had one piece of advice to give to people out there chasing their dreams, what would it be?

As a female chef, I would urge people to not let gender or dated social norms come in the way of chasing their dreams, regardless of other people’s opinion.

Thanks to the talented Veronica Sanchez for all of the beautiful images of Devon Hou above! Follow Veronica on Instagram.

The post That Girl: Devon Hou, Head Chef At Test Kitchen appeared first on Sassy Hong Kong.

As an author and professional rugby player, Lindsay Varty has struck her ideal career balance through two very different and distinct paths. Having spent the majority of her life in Hong Kong, it’s no surprise that this city has heavily influenced her interests and lifestyle.

With a British father and Macanese Mother, her family emphasised the importance in experiencing “the real Hong Kong”, with congee brunches in Sham Shui Po and wah mui as her favourite snack. She attended King George V School (a fellow ESF kid!) before heading to the UK for university, returning to Hong Kong right after graduating.

Today, Lindsay is the award-winning author of Sunset Survivors, a gorgeously put-together coffee table book documenting the dying trades of Hong Kong and the stories behind the people that run them. She now gives lectures and walking tours exploring the themes of her book, encouraging others to appreciate Hong Kong’s unique cultural identity. On top of that, Lindsay remains a professional rugby 7s player for Hong Kong. She’s competed in international tournaments all around the world (she was part of the first ever Hong Kong rugby team to attend a World Cup). We had a chance to hear about some of Lindsay’s biggest milestones, how she maintains work-life balance and her plans for the future…

Read more: Life Lessons & Advice From Hong Kong’s Female Entrepreneurs

Tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from and how long have you lived in Hong Kong?

I am very proud to say that I am from Hong Kong (but, when you get into it, it’s all a bit confusing). My mother is Macanese and her family has been in Hong Kong for four generations, and my father is British but came to Hong Kong when he was about 6 years old (on a boat!) and has lived here ever since. I was actually born in London but returned to Hong Kong after just 20 days and have lived here all my life, other than four years at university in the UK.

You’re the author of Sunset Survivors, can you tell us a little more about the book? What encouraged you to write it?

Sunset Survivors features photographs and interviews with 30 craftsmen and women who continue to work in some of the oldest and most traditional trades in Hong Kong. These disappearing or “sunset industries” include everything from shoe shiners and face threaders to paper effigy artists and dai pai dong workers. The photography by Gary Jones is stunning and the interviews and information about the survivors really bring it all to life and evoke a sense of nostalgia, pride and appreciation for Hong Kong people and our unique cultural identity.

Growing up in this city, my parents wanted me to get to know the true Hong Kong way of life and get to know the people. My mother would take my brother and I to eat congee with pei daan in local restaurants in Sham Shui Po and we would always shop in the wet markets where she would encourage us to speak Cantonese to the market workers and learn about the different types of vegetables and cuts of meat (“always mui tau for char siu!”). My dad would always buy flowers off street stalls rather than proper shops. As I got older and noticed this way of life being replaced by more modern and flashy alternatives, and some of these people disappearing altogether, I decided I wanted to document them and their stories before they were gone forever.

You’re also a professional Hong Kong rugby player, can you tell us a little bit about that side of your life?

I started playing rugby when I was 12 and fell in love with it straight away. I got my first call up to play for the Hong Kong national 7s team when I was 17 and played in the Hong Kong rugby 7s and had my first tour to Uzbekistan!  I captained my university team in England and then returned to the HK team when I came back home. I’ve been a full time professional 7s player at the HK Sports Institute for seven years now and have loved it – despite eight shoulder dislocations! I also still play for USRC Tigers – the same club I started with at age 12.

There’s so much that comes with writing your first book. Can you share your most meaningful milestone?

The launch party last year was really special for me – G.O.D hosted it and all my friends and family were there to support me as well as a lot of book lovers! To date though, I would say being part of this year’s Hong Kong International Literary Festival has been a real honour and made me feel very proud.

What about your biggest milestone on the rugby pitch?

I have played in two Asian Games competitions, an Olympic Qualifier and perhaps most notably, the 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup. But I would honestly say that I have enjoyed playing in front of a home crowd at the HK7s the most. 

It’s amazing that you’re merging two very distinct careers and making it your own. What does a typical week look like for you?

I’m not as full on with rugby as I used to be, but I’m still going to a few full days of rugby training (gym and field training) a week, plus two evening training sessions and club games at the weekends. Amongst that I attend lots of work meetings, give Sunset Survivor talks at schools and societies, run walking tours and try to maintain some kind of social life! It’s full on but I love it.

What do you do in your downtime?

Well at the moment I have been watching a lot of the Rugby World Cup, but I also like hanging with friends and family in the countryside or going paddle boarding, or trying totally new and different things (e.g. looking for treasure on the beach with my metal detector!).

What are three things you do to maintain work-life balance in your day-to-day?

1. Have a cut off point in the evening where I close my laptop and stop working. I work at home a lot so it’s hard to switch off sometimes – but I’ll move to my sofa and that signifies the end of the working day.
2. I like to get my exercise or training done early in the day, so I can focus on work in the afternoons and evenings.
3. I give myself Sundays off because it’s important to have a rest day. Also it’s the day after our club games so I’m usually pretty beaten up!

We love that Sunset Survivors is so Hong Kong-specific. Do you have any ideas for your next book?

I’m currently working on a children’s version of Sunset Survivors! I think it’s important that the younger generation know the history of their home and why this place is so special. A few other things are in the pipeline too, but all in the early stages!

What makes Hong Kong feel like home for you? What do you think makes someone a Hongkonger?

I think being a Hongkonger is about how connected you feel to the city, the people and the culture. Because once you have that sense of belonging to a place and you feel accepted by it and the people, you feel like part of the big Hong Kong Family. It’s so much more than what you look like. It’s everything from the humidity that smacks you in the face as soon as you leave your home, to the familiar sound of clattering mah jong tiles, to the nostalgic smell of roasted chestnuts in Hong Kong winter; all of these things make me feel at home. I think understanding Cantonese also reinforces my sense of belonging to Hong Kong and the people.

What are five personal goals you have for this year?

Every year I make a list of “32 before I turn 32” etc and this year, five of those goals are:

1. Finish my next book
2. Travel somewhere totally new
3. Learn a new skill (I’ve started the guitar but I’m terrible)
4. Plan my wedding (I’m getting married next year)
5. Reduce my use of plastic

What are your favourite (fiction/non-fiction) books to read?

I love books about life in Hong Kong in the past. Recently I read “Diamond Hill: Memories of growing up in a Chinese squatter village” by Feng Chi-Shun which was fascinating. I also love any book by Philip Roth. I’m currently reading “Little Fires Everywhere” by Celeste Ng.

How do you envision Sunset Survivors (and your career!) growing in the next 1, 5, 10 years?

I hope that Sunset Survivors can continue to educate and enlighten people about Hong Kong’s unique cultural identity and history, and bring back fond memories to those that remember the old trades in the book. I would love to continue giving talks to schools and societies, and taking people to visit the survivors at work on my walking tours too. Hopefully in the next 10 years I will have published many more books and have a podcast or TV show or something fun like that!

If you had one piece of advice to give to aspiring entrepreneurs out there, what would it be?

Talk to strangers. Every single person has their own unique story and pearls of wisdom, and you never know where your next inspiration will come from.

Thanks to the talented Annie Yuen for all of the beautiful images above! Follow her on Instagram for more.

The post That Girl: Lindsay Varty, Author Of Sunset Survivors & Hong Kong Rugby Player appeared first on Sassy Hong Kong.

This month’s That Girl is the energetic and ambitious Jenny Yang. She pairs her background in image consulting and marketing with her passion for design. Her brand, JENNYANG, features gorgeous heels with the promise of “elevating your journey”. She tells us about meaningful milestones for her company, shares her favourite ways to stay grounded and opens up about her personal goals for this year. With a focus on image consulting, Jenny uses style as a tool to support women in channelling extra confidence in their day to day, helping to add a little extra pep in their step.

Read more: Life Lessons & Advice From Hong Kong’s Female Entrepreneurs

Tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from and how long have you lived in Hong Kong?

I was born in a remote city in China’s Anhui province, well known for its “Yellow Mountains”, a popular tourist destination with scenic views. I grew up in an educated family, where both my parents were teachers. I remember when I was just a young girl how my mom told me: “you should embrace your dreams and fly as far as you can go. We will always support you.” These words and my fortunate upbringing encouraged me to move out of that village to see the world.

After graduating from college, I began my career in hospitality by working at the five-star Hilton hotel. Later, I served as a corporate brand ambassador for a UK company based in Shanghai, before I worked as a VP for a high-end jockey club, travelling between Shanghai and the UK. This is where I extensively built up my professional network.

In 2015, I was trained by one of the world’s leading image consultation companies, where I became the first Asian image consultant based in London. My passion for design grew so, whilst working, I was also taking courses in Central Saint Martins in fashion design and marketing.

In 2016 I moved to Hong Kong to continue to explore the Asian market, pursuing my ambitions and dreams.

You’re the co-founder of JENNYANG, can you tell us a little more about the company?

I established my company in 2015, whilst I was in London. The original focus was image consultancy, providing training to individuals and corporations. My clients came from all different backgrounds, including doctors, lawyers, university students and corporate managers. I also worked with famous brands such as Burberry where I offered fashion and image advice to their VIP customers. The feedback from a satisfied client left me very happy and proud of myself. I could see through their eyes that they had become more confident with their new image and they were looking forward to the future.

Since moving back to Hong Kong in 2016, I have focused on fashion consulting and have been invited to more than 15 cities, including London and China to present workshops. I was blown away to find thousands of people attending and leaving inspired. Many attendees later became brand followers. I decided to further develop my own brand, and established companies both in Hong Kong and Shanghai. Our Shanghai office opened most recently and we now have different design teams and business development teams, who are world class and come from Italy, China, USA and France. A big part of my job now, apart from focusing on JY heel design, involves looking for great talent to join us.

What encouraged you to start JENNYANG? What keeps you inspired?

I’m mostly inspired by friends, family and clients. Simply having people in your life who like and support your own personal style can encourage you to share that part of you with others. They have given me the confidence to grow the business, travelling extensively across Europe and Asia.

After having clients regularly ask me where to buy clothes like the ones I wear myself, I decided that it was time to bring out by own range under the JENNYANG brand, to fully represent my taste, style and aesthetics, while encompassing my knowledge of the relationship between image and colour.

In particular this is the case with shoes. I have travelled to many different countries, but I realised how difficult to is to find a pair of elegant, luxurious, comfortable (and also affordable) high heels.

The JENNYANG brand is focused on middle to upper class women, who are looking for a pair of simple, classic, elegant heels but which are also comfortable to wear. They can easily match any outfit and elevate any occasion, in any season.

There’s so much that comes with starting a new company. Can you share your most meaningful milestone?

Building a company from scratch is obviously an exciting challenge – a balance of quick decision making and long-term planning. But of course, you can’t win if you don’t try.

A key milestone for me was when my shoes were first displayed in the Four Seasons hotel in Beijing, aligning the JENNYANG brand with the luxury market. The launch of the “Nu Shu” was also a turning point, with lots of excitement from the market, especially on social media, all of which led to significant sales. This helped build confidence that I am on the right track and that there is a good chance that there is a long successful road ahead.

What does a typical week look like for you?

Much like other entrepreneurs, for me, there isn’t much difference between weekday and weekends. I’m often travelling, visiting hotel clients and high-end boutiques, or visiting designers in Italy. I tend to work pretty late into the evening – which is fine as I’m definitely not a morning person!

What are three things you do in your downtime?

1. It might sound strange, but I actually love tidying up – I pay as much attention to the image of my home as I do to my personal image.
2. I spend a lot of time reading, often business related, but recently I’ve been getting into philosophy and psychology.
3. I also try to keep fit and hit the gym a few times a week.

What are three things you do to maintain work-life balance in your day-to-day?

1. I try to get out of the city and go hiking in Hong Kong’s amazing countryside.
2. I also make sure I am regularly meeting friends to keep me grounded.
3. And to balance my hectic lifestyle I’ve started studying meditation and mindfulness.

We love that JENNYANG’s products are made by women for women. Can you tell us a little about your team?

One reason my shoes are becoming so popular is my background working in corporates, so as a woman I know better than many shoe business founders that it’s so important to have shoes that not only look good, but also that feel great. They really can change your life!

In the past 18 months, I have focused on my product with all my energy, working closely with my shoe masters, and all my shoes are hand made with premium leather selected globally. I have great team partners in both Italy and China, with over 100 years of shoe-making experience.

I am extremely picky with every tiny detail as I only want perfect products. I’m really happy with my management team too – my new COO has 20 years of experience in the luxury market, so we’ll be a great partnership, and I’m already looking forward to the future of JENNYANG’s development.

What are 5 personal goals you have for this year?

1. Eat a vegetarian diet at least 5 days per week
2. Run a 10k race
3. Read two books per month
4. Achieve JENNYANG’s 100th shoe colour
5. Visit New York

When you’re not wearing JENNYANG, what’s your favourite footwear?

Especially in summer in Hong Kong, I wear flipflops, haha!

How do you envision JENNYANG growing in the next 1, 5, 10 years?

I can see JY growing very fast, expanding into new geographies, with both an online and offline presence. I’m also on the lookout for investors to support the next exciting phase of growth.

If you had one piece of advice to give to aspiring entrepreneurs out there, what would it be?

Work with great people and experienced advisors (while also trusting your own instincts).

Thanks to Photographer Denise Pontak for all of the beautiful images above! Follow her on Instagram and Facebook for more.

The post That Girl: Jenny Yang, Founder Of JENNYANG appeared first on Sassy Hong Kong.

We had the chance to chat to Clare about how her life experiences and go-getter personality have shaped her journey and what it means to stay creative and centred in Hong Kong’s fast-paced environment. After struggling with depression and chronic fatigue in her teens, Clare worked to become Asia’s first Katonah Yoga teacher trainer and explored different wellness practices before launching SharedSpace Movement. Today, this boutique movement and lifestyle studio in Causeway Bay offers classes exploring multiple different health and fitness disciplines. She tells us about how working with her husband, Aaron Martin, has developed over the years, and how they share the same passion for their ever-evolving lifestyle, their movement practices and their growing team. From supporting other local businesses to taking time out for herself each day, here’s how this entrepreneur manages to stay true to her company whilst staying true to herself.

Read more: That Girl: Laura Offe, Co-Founder Of Meraki Hospitality

Tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from and how long have you lived in Hong Kong?

I was born and raised in Hong Kong. I grew up as a dancer, and competitive swimmer and runner. I was also a competitive Scrabble player! From day one, I had a real go-getter type personality. My parents and teachers didn’t need to push me – I pushed myself. I organised charity events and led dance crews in performances and competitions. I did not think of myself as an entrepreneur at the time… I likely didn’t even know of the word “entrepreneur”. I saw things needed to be done, in order for me to enjoy working with my peers. And so, I built things.

At age 14, I began to struggle with depression and chronic fatigue. I pretty much became an autodidact, studying from home in my last two years of secondary school. The school system, my teachers, my peers, all knew little about mental health and the concept of wellness. In my recovery process, I learned to be independent, emotionally resilient, and curious about the world of wellness, and possibilities for my health.

I began practising yoga when I was 15 and became a yoga teacher when I was 18. As I left dance school (Boston Conservatory), I spent the years that my peers were spending in university, travelling and immersing myself in an unconventional self-prescribed syllabus of homeopathy, nutrition, yoga therapy, pilates, strength training, face reading, astrology and finally, movement. I wanted to be more than a yoga teacher. So by the time I was 22, I had accumulated so many of what are now highly sought-after qualifications in wellness, that I began considering my personal possibilities in contributing to society.

You’re the co-founder of SharedSpace Movement, can you tell us a little more about the company?

I met my fiancé, Aaron Martin, at 22. Our values for growth and family were seamlessly aligned, and our skillsets were complementary. Aaron, a stunt performer and movement teacher, had previously built and run businesses around parkour performance, media and education. We shared the same want – to step away from performance, being the star, and immerse in education, sharing our knowledge in movement.

In 2017, we started SharedSpace Movement, as a boutique movement studio in Causeway Bay. We assumed that over time, we would grow at scale through the boutique studio business model – we were so wrong! Two years in, and the brand is anything but that – it is now multiple businesses under the SharedSpace umbrella brand.

We are:

• Movement Media (creating scalable video content for health and wellness companies, with a speciality in the vertical video)
• A training centre for yoga and fitness instructors who look to learn about movement (accredited with NASM/AFAA credits)
• And yes, until early 2020, we are still a boutique studio with drop-in classes and short courses teaching Parkour, Acrobatics, Handstands

What encouraged you to start SharedSpace Movement? What keeps you inspired?

My work is so much fun – and it’s fun for me because I love entrepreneurship. I don’t love that I get to say “I run my own business”, but I love having the opportunity to think creatively and solve problems every day. I love not running out of things to do… I’m not overwhelmed by being busy. I think that with technique, it is fun to be busy.

A variety of podcasts and books by Gary Vee, Simon Sinek, Seth Godin and Scot Belsky keep me focused and inspired.

There’s so much that comes with starting a new company. Can you share your most meaningful milestone?

I have three milestones to share if that’s okay!

1. Filling the room for our 20-hour Katonah Yoga teacher training this June
Beyond the bragging rights of filling a teacher training, I feel incredibly blessed to pass on my mentor Nevine’s teachings, her intelligent blend of yoga with Daoism, TCM and geometry.

2. Growing with our own community, watching others grow
Aaron and I ran a business accelerator-type course, for wellness professionals in 2018. Aaron now focuses on movement-based training, and I run this course on my own. It is called Iterate, and as its name suggests is a course that encourages the continual iteration, creation of product (in wellness, either a health product or an actual class or experience). I believe that it isn’t a single project, or class, or social media post that leads to success. Rather, success comes through the continual iteration of one’s work, with an overall level of innovation and quality going up over time. Two graduates, of course, have grown their personal brands, by continuing the journey, both with and without SharedSpace. They are Malbert Lee, sound healing extraordinaire, and Camilla Warburton, movement photographer (photographer of this article). Their successes are not mine to take credit for, but the joy that comes from watching them shine qualify as a milestone.

3. Videos that our true to who we are
Aaron and I wanted to create videos that were fun and inspiring, without being too sales-y. We bought an LED light, and a few paper canvases in our brand colours, filmed and edited our first videos with my sister, Audrey (an IG influencer herself). We’re quite literal with brand names, so we called these videos MovementLibrary and put them on IGTV just as it was developing (Instagram has been favouring IGTV in terms of natural distribution so far). We haven’t stopped making these videos since, and they’ve opened doors for us, enabled us to start a whole new business segment, making videos for other brands. Not only have we filled the room with our videos, they also enable us to be everywhere at once.

What does a typical week look like for you?

A typical week includes a mix of keeping operations smooth, lots of team building, teaching a mix of private and group classes, a few meetings with business owners and clients, creating content… And when I am good about it, lots of time alone to hear myself think.

Aaron and I used to rock up to meetings together, but we are really able to command the room solo too, so more and more now we will divide and conquer. Now, we spend our work-life together slightly differently – taking each other’s classes, taking our friends’ classes together, and connecting with our team.

A typical week is made perfect with seven cups of Hong Kong’s best cups of coffee – at Artista Perfetto, Fineprint and % Arabica.

What do you do in your downtime? What are your favourite ways to spend your time?

I’m not subscribed to the weekday-weekend organisation of time. I tried having weekends a few times over the past two years and they were a complete disaster!

I am naturally fulfilled doing my work, adding brick by brick on the daily. So, downtime is scheduled into my life, in the form of a 10 – 14 day trip to New York every year, where I spend time with my mentor Nevine Michaan, founder of Katonah Yoga. This trip has been my personal pilgrimage for the past five years, and now Aaron joins me as well. Reconnecting with the greater Katonah Yoga community in New York fills me up, it’s my creative, entrepreneurial supercharge. The founders of yoga brands such as Sky Ting Yoga, Love Yoga and Sacred Fig, are all part of the Katonah Yoga community, and regularly visit Nevine in NY as well.

What are three things you do to maintain a work-life balance in your day-to-day?

My work requires me to stay physically and mentally healthy. I prioritise internal wellness over external wellness… in other words health over beauty. Because I’m never completely off the clock, I block out a few two-hour chunks of the day, to enjoy a deep tissue massage (at Le Spa by Jan or Health Touch).

When my system needs to be soothed by the element of fire, I sweat it out at Skin Gym’s infrared sauna. When I need to soothe my waters (kidneys, adrenals in TCM), I block out all distractions in the float pod. Some weeks are more stressful than others, so I do this as needed!

Staying embodied is important in a data-heavy era. I try to maintain a physical practice, either by doing a Katonah Yoga practice on my own or taking a movement class.

As serious as I am about my work, I find humour to be incredibly medicinal. I watch sitcoms religiously…superhero movies are my only exception.

We love that SharedSpace Movement team is made up of such young, talented entrepreneurs. Can you tell us a little about your team?

I love our team – we are a mix of movement teachers and content creators. The three of us that have a full-time position are all college-dropouts millennials and take pride in that. We are almost a bit cautious about hiring anyone who is overly qualified in terms of education! It’s not that we are opposed to people who have degrees – but coming into the workplace earlier than our peers, we have simply endured more adversity, and appreciate prospects who are rich in life experience, understand the value of hourly pay, and understand the nature of the 40-hour work week. Our video editor, Pamela Gonzalez, was trained by me and Aaron from scratch. And here’s a secret…our first 300 videos were made on iMovie!

We are growing our team of content creators as our media business grows, and also have five to six fitness and yoga instructors mentoring under us to become movement teachers. As Aaron and I travel more next year, these will be the teachers substituting our classes and growing Fivelements’ movement programme, as well as our teacher trainings and retreats with us.

What are five personal goals you have for this year?

1. Bootstrapping a brand has not been easy. For a long time, I was my own operations team, marketing team, sales team, product design team…basically quite a few full-time positions. Two years in, I feel I have become very efficient, and becoming any more efficient will give me limited returns. My next step is to delegate parts of the business away, so I have more time to hear myself think and create. If I reach 20 solid hours of solo creation time weekly, by the end of the year, I’d be happy.

2. I love business strategy! I know it’s not a particularly sexy thing to love, but it brings me so much joy to see brands and projects come to life. As I free up my time, I’d love to consult and support health and wellness brands that I feel aligned with.

3. As a city girl, I fear nature – grass, moss, bugs are my biggest phobias…and I’m not happy with that. I hope to overcome that so I can explore more of the world, breathe cleaner air, connect to our planet.

4. Growing with and supporting the wellness community in Hong Kong, through my Katonah Yoga teacher trainings and my eight-week Wellness Business Course, Iterate.

5. Sweating daily.

How do you envision SharedSpace growing in the next one, five, ten years?

The movement industry is growing – the team and I see so many possibilities… growing a movement institute to verify movement teachers, movement festivals, movement retreats, introducing movement to schools, coworking spaces and large studios. Aaron and I are currently working closely with Lahra and Chicco Tatriele of Fivelements, to grow Katonah Yoga and movement training programmes. We’ll be rolling out more substantial offerings in 2020.

Scot Belsky is my hero – he and his team built Behance, sold it to Adobe, and took on a CPO role in Adobe. He’s done much more than that since, but what I mean to say is I see similar possibilities in my future. When it comes to the possibilities of growing SharedSpace at scale, I know what I would do with my first million dollars, and the team I would grow it with. And outside of SharedSpace, I am excited for strategic roles to help brands I believe in.

If you had one piece of advice to give to aspiring entrepreneurs out there, what would it be?

Water does not aspire to be water – it simply flows. In other words, do not aspire to be an entrepreneur, simply make things.

Thanks to Claudia Lee and Camilla Warburton for all of the beautiful images above! Follow them or reach out here: @claudsjournal, @camillawphotography and www.camillawphotography.net

The post That Girl: Clare Lim Martin, Co-Founder & CEO Of SharedSpace Movement appeared first on Sassy Hong Kong.