The view from singapore with British High Commissioner to ... - NUSS

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