Entrepreneurship really seems to be the buzzword these days.
From Singaporeans quitting high-flying corporate jobs to teenagers starting their own businesses, people of all walks of life are making the leap of faith.
More recently, even celebrities from their lives in showbiz have expanded to start their own entrepreneurial ventures.
From street vendors to skin care brands, here are six Singapore celebrities who have decided to run their own businesses.
1. Ben Yeo: Singapore Chee Cheong fun
Photo credit: Miss Tam Chiak
Mediacorp actor and host Ben Yeo is no stranger to the F&B scene.
The 42-year-old previously ran the fried chicken chain Tenderfresh and the Hawkerman restaurant, but has since sold his shares in both businesses.
In early August, he launched Singapore Chee Cheong Fun (SGCCF) online with the traditional brand Kwong Woh Hing, and his steamed rice rolls sold like hot cakes.
SGCCF only offers one product: a Chee Cheong Fun Set for S $ 28.
Each set consists of 10 handmade rice rolls and five specially selected spices from Kwong Woh Hing.
Photo credit: Miss Tam Chiak
Ben said in an 8-day interview that on the first day of launch, all 50 available sets of Chee Cheong Fun were snapped up within 15 minutes.
On the second day, they were sold out within eight minutes.
Ben recently partnered with Michelin-starred Labyrinth restaurant chef Han Li Guang to offer a limited edition festive creation.
The new Smoky Chee Cheong Fun Set costs S $ 35 and contains 10 rice rolls and five bottles of spices and toppings: char sauce, bacon oil, sambal chilli, roasted sesame seeds and tiao puffs.
According to Ben, over 1,000 kits were purchased in just one week.
2. Chew Chor Meng: 888 Mookata, the famous Zhou and the famous Pao fan
Photo credit: Miss Tam Chiak
Seasoned actor Chew Chor Meng is quite an entrepreneur with several F&B businesses.
The 52-year-old co-owns 888 Mookata and Porridge The Famous Zhou along with fellow actor and DJ Dennis Chew.
Unfortunately for the duo, the store was hit hard due to the Covid-19 pandemic and they had to close The Famous Zhou outlet in Bedok and the 888 Mookata-Bukit Batok outlet.
They now operate three 888 Mookata outlets and two porridge stalls.
Despite the challenges of Covid-19, Chor Meng recently opened a hawker concept called “Famous Pao Fan” with a long-time friend.
"Pao Fan", which directly means "submerged rice" in Mandarin, consists of steamed rice and toppings soaked in a broth.
The famous Pao fan is located in a street level Kopitiam on Sultan Plaza and features seven types of Pao fans.
Prices start at a wallet-friendly price of S $ 4.50 for the Lala Pao fan and go up to S $ 16 for the signature Hummer version.
3. Jeanette Aw: As for the fudge brownies
Image credit: jcode
Fans of Jeanette Aw would know that the actress is also an accomplished baker.
The 41-year-old completed pastry courses at Le Cordon Bleu international cooking school and spent 18 months in Bangkok and Tokyo to complete her studies.
In addition to sharing her recipes online, she recently took orders for her Instagram-famous What The Fudge Brownies.
The brownies were such a hit that it received over 1,000 orders in an hour.
However, she received some backlash from the public. Some home bakers were reportedly concerned that the actress was threatening her livelihood and being an unfair competitor.
Although she plans to set up her own dessert shop in the future, she has now put her bakery business on hold for the time being.
4. Chantalle Ng: Yuan collagen soup
Image credit: Vanizine
Actress Chantalle Ng started an online business selling collagen soup to celebrate her 25th birthday during this year's breaker.
She runs the business together with her friend Wong Min Ying, whose family runs the Asian Food Mall on Lucky Plaza.
Yuan Collagen sells premium collagen soup that has been double cooked over 10 hours in 500g or 1kg packs.
The Yuan collagen recipe is passed down from Min Ying's grandmother and the soup is made from high quality ingredients.
A 1kg package of fish collagen broth costs S $ 23.80 while a 1kg package of chicken collagen broth costs S $ 25.
5. Joshua Tan: Zyu Skin Care
Photo credit: Zyu Skincare
Actor Joshua Tan is probably best known for his role in the Jack Neo film Ah Boys to Men.
The 30-year-old recently founded the skin care brand Zyu with his fiancée Zoen Tay.
Inspired by the Chinese pearl symbol, Zyu aims to give its customers glowing skin with products that are formulated with natural and high-quality ingredients.
According to Her World magazine, the launch of their first product – the antioxidant Night Mask – went so well that they broke even in about a month.
Now the brand has three products, including the Complexion Perfector SPF 50 / PA ++++, a tinted sunscreen and moisturizer, and the Revitalizing Tonic.
6. Joanne Peh: The Dimple Loft
Photo credit: The Dimple Loft
In 2018, actress Joanne Peh launched The Dimple Loft, a story enrichment program for children.
According to its website, it is "designed to stimulate children's imaginations and encourage their love of storytelling through cinematographic art".
During their sessions, students learn to role-play, sing, dance, do arts, and study various topics such as math, science, geography, history, and more.
The Dimple Loft also offers workshops and film camps during the school holidays.
Pursue other passions
Despite successful careers in showbiz, these Singaporean celebrities have decided to make their foray into the business world.
More and more celebrities are breaking new ground, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic when filming had to be stopped.
These artists may also have used their fame in the entertainment industry as many of their products appear to be in high demand by Singaporeans.
Selected image source: Seth Lui / JCode / Miss Tam Chiak / girl style / fly entertainment
