Author: Sally Ho
Company: Andaman Banquet, Ting Shan Cuisine, Lilin & Layer Sdn Bhd
Position: Director & Shareholder
《Becoming Myself, While Lighting The Way For Others》
I grew up in a single-parent family, where my mother raised five children on her own. As a child, I was quiet and introverted. Without my father’s companionship, I often longed for a father’s love, and from a very young age, I came to understand just how important love, security, and trust are in a person’s life.
When I was young, I had a big dream—to become a “superstar.” Back then, I thought success meant being seen and recognised by many people. It was only as I grew older that I realised what I truly desired was never fame itself. What I really wanted was to one day have the ability to influence and encourage others through my own strength.
Life did not become easier simply because I had dreams. I went through difficult periods and experienced moments when my trust in others was shaken. In the past, I believed that being strong meant enduring everything. I was used to putting other people’s feelings before my own and keeping my grievances to myself. Later, I learned that true strength is not about enduring endlessly. It is about knowing your own worth, protecting your inner peace, and having the courage to choose yourself when necessary.
After becoming a mother, I came to understand responsibility on a much deeper level. My three children are among the greatest sources of strength in my life. I hope that when they look back one day, they will remember not only a mother who worked hard, but a woman who, no matter what she went through, never easily gave up on her own life.
My career began with the connections between people. As I gradually entered the business world, one of my greatest lessons remained the same: trust. Entrepreneurship taught me that trust should never be given blindly, but neither should we reject every possibility simply because we have been hurt before. Truly lasting partnerships are built on sincerity, integrity, and promises that are honoured again and again.
That is why I eventually came to believe that being a good person is more important than simply being good at business. Along the way, my confidence was never something I was born with. It was built little by little through every fall, every choice, and every time I decided to stand up and begin again. Today, I also understand that true success is not measured only by career, wealth, or achievement. It is having peace within, love around you, and the freedom and ability to choose the life you truly want.
Looking ahead, I hope to remain someone who is capable yet kind, strong yet humble, independent yet still knows how to love. I also hope that my experiences can inspire more women. A woman can be gentle and still be ambitious. She can care for her family and still have a career of her own. She can love someone deeply without losing herself in the process.
When I was young, I dreamed of becoming a “superstar” who could influence many people. Today, I finally understand that **true influence is not about how many people know your name, but how many people begin to believe in themselves again because of your story.
If what I have been through can give a woman in her lowest moment a little more courage, or help someone who once doubted herself rediscover her own value, then I believe everything I have experienced has had meaning.
Become yourself, and in doing so, become a light for others.
— Sally Ho