The view from singapore with British High Commissioner to ... - NUSS
The view from singapore with British High Commissioner to ... - NUSS
The view from singapore with British High Commissioner to ... - NUSS
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“My family has been a constant<br />
for me, even amidst the ups<br />
and downs I went through...<br />
<strong>The</strong>y are happy that I<br />
have come nicely in<strong>to</strong><br />
my own.”<br />
lawyer had been. “I have always<br />
been interested in and curious<br />
about the entertainment industry.<br />
<strong>The</strong> experience of legal studies and<br />
practice has lent an enormous hand<br />
<strong>to</strong> managing the business,” she said.<br />
“As the law regulates all aspects of<br />
business and corporate governance,<br />
it is an extremely important<br />
knowledge set <strong>to</strong> possess when<br />
leading any business.”<br />
Eu-Yen perked up <strong>with</strong> enthusiasm<br />
when she offered a glimpse in<strong>to</strong><br />
her growing up years, “I have always<br />
been very close <strong>to</strong> my parents and<br />
sister. I am privileged that my wonderful<br />
parents always allowed<br />
me <strong>to</strong> make my own choices and<br />
encouraged me and that might have<br />
helped me cultivate the ability <strong>to</strong><br />
‘police’ myself. <strong>The</strong>y never questioned<br />
or doubted me, even when I<br />
watched television a day before my<br />
school exams.”<br />
Laughing at the memory, she<br />
quipped, “I remembered my mother<br />
even bringing cake <strong>to</strong> me as I<br />
watched television then!”<br />
Eu-Yen credits her success in<br />
business and life <strong>to</strong> the constant<br />
support she receives <strong>from</strong> her parents<br />
and family; it is no wonder that Eu-<br />
Yen is able <strong>to</strong> succeed so well in both<br />
business and personal life.<br />
“My husband supports me in all I<br />
do and still loves <strong>to</strong> party as much as<br />
I do. My family has been a constant<br />
for me, even amidst the ups and<br />
downs I went through,” she shared.<br />
“<strong>The</strong>y are happy that I have come<br />
nicely in<strong>to</strong> my own.”<br />
Eu-Yen insisted that she was not<br />
always such a ‘settled’ person. In<br />
fact, she was rather ‘fidgety’ in nature<br />
when she was younger. However,<br />
along the way, she has grown <strong>to</strong> be<br />
Tay eu-Yan<br />
Co-founder and Executive Chairman<br />
<strong>The</strong> Butter Fac<strong>to</strong>ry<br />
more “grounded and wiser”. Today,<br />
her friends and family members see<br />
that “difference” in her and often<br />
remark how she has changed [for the<br />
better] and have become more settled<br />
and less haphazard than she was<br />
in the past. She observed, “I am no<br />
longer in flux as compared <strong>to</strong> before<br />
and my lifestyle is not as impulsive as<br />
then. <strong>The</strong> word that really describes<br />
me <strong>to</strong>day would be ‘different’.”<br />
To manage the business well,<br />
sometimes a no-nonsense attitude<br />
is required, something that Eu-Yen<br />
had <strong>to</strong> tap in<strong>to</strong> her experience as a<br />
former legal practitioner. As <strong>with</strong><br />
most entrepreneurs, Eu-Yen had <strong>to</strong> go<br />
through a learning curve and endured<br />
hard knocks and long working hours<br />
Tay <strong>with</strong> her husband on a skiing holiday. She<br />
says her relationships <strong>with</strong> her family and<br />
spouse are her ultimate achievements.<br />
Profile<br />
that came her way. She credited these<br />
experiences in making her a better<br />
person and business owner. Being in<br />
the trenches <strong>with</strong> her staff and team<br />
at <strong>The</strong> Butter Fac<strong>to</strong>ry also contributed<br />
significantly <strong>to</strong> who she has evolved<br />
in<strong>to</strong> <strong>to</strong>day.<br />
“It has been lots of hard work<br />
for all of us – when everyone else<br />
is sleeping, we are working and<br />
partying hard at the same time<br />
<strong>with</strong> our cus<strong>to</strong>mers well in<strong>to</strong> the<br />
wee hours of the mornings,” she<br />
commented. “However, it has been<br />
worthwhile as we witnessed how<br />
the business has been built up <strong>from</strong><br />
scratch <strong>to</strong> become what it is <strong>to</strong>day.”<br />
Remaining humble on her success<br />
and achievements, Eu-Yen revealed<br />
her source of her inspiration and<br />
what drives her <strong>to</strong> get up every<br />
morning, which is loving what she<br />
does for work.<br />
“It is still work just like what<br />
others experience as well. However,<br />
in the entertainment business, you<br />
do see things through a different lens.<br />
We are producing a product that we<br />
love and have a passion for. I never<br />
had <strong>to</strong> drag my heels <strong>to</strong> work,” she<br />
remarked.<br />
Eu-Yen also related the lesserknown<br />
side of her, revealing that<br />
she is an easy-<strong>to</strong>-read person. “I am<br />
quite an open book so there are no<br />
real secrets about me. I am much<br />
more soft-hearted and kinder than I<br />
appear <strong>to</strong> most people who do not<br />
understand me,” she shared. “I am<br />
very direct and <strong>to</strong>-the-point, which for<br />
some, may seem rude.” Eu-Yen was<br />
also proud of the fact that she has<br />
authored Business Law For <strong>The</strong> Night<br />
Entertainment Entrepreneur which she<br />
says is a guidebook borne <strong>from</strong> the<br />
time she had <strong>to</strong> figure out issues <strong>with</strong><br />
the renting of the premises for the<br />
business, consolidating the licences<br />
required and understanding the role<br />
of the Copyright Tribunal in relation <strong>to</strong><br />
Collective Management Organisation.<br />
Wrapping up the chat, Eu-Yen<br />
spoke on the most important thing<br />
in her life <strong>to</strong> date. “Relationships are<br />
the hardest <strong>to</strong> grasp and for me, my<br />
relationships <strong>with</strong> my family and<br />
spouse are my ultimate achievements.<br />
I am enjoying life as a journey and<br />
thankful for all that I already have,”<br />
she concluded.<br />
Jan-Mar 2013 THE GRADUATE 15