This entrepreneur’s business is more than skin deep. Hadara, Hebrew for glory, beauty and splendour, provides total wellness treatments from the inside and out.
What’s your story?
My background is in Health Psychology and I am one of the founders of Hadara Aesthetics Boutique. Currently I run the business and take care of all the different fronts. Before I became an entrepreneur, I was a full time mother of 2 children. Hadara is a Hebrew word, that means glory, beauty and splendor. I was overweight as a child and also had post-natal weight gain. Overcoming my weight issue has been a lifelong journey and now I would like to help those who have similar issues, and more.
More than aesthetics, I see my business is about making a difference in people’s lives. Our treatments are more than skin-deep. We provide treatments for the skin, body and psychological states of individuals. It is about total wellness from inside and out. In every person, there is an emptiness or void which is looking for happiness and satisfaction. This needs to be filled. Different people fill that void differently, and I hope to be part of that journey to help them move towards it.
What excites you most about your industry?
Seeing the treatments make a difference to individuals excites me the most. My greatest satisfaction comes from knowing the treatments are effective to treat the problem. Sometimes the benefits are not immediate, and it is a long journey when it comes to changing lifestyle. Nothing excites me more than seeing lives changed.
What’s your connection to Asia?
My parents are entrepreneurs. They publicly-listed their company and sold their shares before they retired. I grew up in a family environment of entrepreneurship. I remember the 1980s when Japanese businesses were the market leaders. I used to get boxes of free Nissin Noodles in my house because my parents had business relations with them. I also remember the time when China opened up and my parents had to battle with the different challenges as they expanded their business to China. Currently they are semi-retired but still have businesses in some Asian countries.
I hope to expand Hadara to Asia and beyond Singapore.
Favourite city in Asia for business and why?
Currently, I would have to say it is Singapore, despite the rental and manpower issues. Mainly because I have seen the positive attributes having witnessed how my parents dealt with businesses and investments in Japan, China, Hong Kong and Malaysia. I have to say that if you are an entrepreneur looking for a politically stable and administratively efficient place, I would say Singapore is not a bad place to be. However plans for expansion beyond Singapore should be in every business plan due to the market size.
What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?
Wisdom is the principal thing. When you embrace wisdom, you have riches, longevity and honour.
Who inspires you?
Many people in my life inspire me. Amongst them are Elim Chew of 77th Street, my partners Grace Ling and Lim Luping and Arthur Choo of Beatabox, just to name a few.
However I must say my greatest inspiration comes from a character in the Bible, Jesus. His story, the miracles he performed and how he managed his followers or disciples. I think there are so many principles I can learn from Jesus, from a business point of view and also in helping to make a difference in people’s lives.
What have you just learnt recently that blew you away?
Fear is the cause of ageing. When you are fear-less, you are age-less.
If you had your time again, what would you do differently?
I do not believe in looking back all the time. There will always be things I can change or improve on in hindsight. It is about learning, moving forward and improving constantly.
How do you unwind?
I usually unwind just by relaxing and simply doing nothing. I like to let my body and mind rest. It is a discipline not to worry about business or think about work related issues.
Favourite Asian destination for relaxation? Why?
I do not have a favourite Asian destination. However, my favourite time for relaxation is to spend time with my loved ones… so it does not matter where the place is.
Everyone in business should read this book:
The Bible. There is so much encouragement, wisdom and comfort in this book. When I am discouraged, this book gives comforts and encourages me to go on. When I lack wisdom in how I conduct my business, I will also look to it for certain principles that will help me. For example, I believe that I will be in the right place, at the right time, meeting the right people. It is not just about connections, it is about the right connections.
Shameless plug for your business:
We take care of you from the inside-out, tip-to-toe, and we focus on quality treatments and services with a difference.
How can people connect with you?
People can connect with me through events that I attend, my personal FaceBook and Instagram, and of course by coming to Hadara for any forms of treatment or therapy.
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This interview was part of the Callum Connect’s column found on The Asian Entrepreneur:
Callum Laing invests and buys small businesses in a range of industries around Asia. He has previously started, built and sold half a dozen businesses and is the founder & owner of Fitness-Buffet a company delivering employee wellness solutions in 12 countries. He is a Director of, amongst others, Key Person of Influence. A 40 week training program for business owners and executives.
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