Name :Chew Swee Ching
Company: SPIC INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE
Business Nature: Teaching, Services Line
Position: Tutor , Hairdresser, Makeup Artist
Ever since I was young, my mother has been working in the beauty industry. Growing up in that environment, I naturally developed a strong interest in beauty and hairstyling. At the age of 18, I officially stepped into this industry.
At the beginning, I started as an apprentice and went through many unforgettable and challenging experiences. Later, in order to improve myself professionally, I decided to further my studies at a hair academy. After graduating, I entered the workforce and accumulated around seven to eight years of experience in the industry. I also had the opportunity to work in Singapore for a period of time. That experience helped me grow tremendously and gave me a deeper understanding of the beauty industry.
Not long after returning home, I decided to start my own business and became a small beauty business owner. Over the past eight years, I slowly built up my own career step by step, including hairstyling, makeup, and other related beauty services. The journey was never easy, but I was grateful to achieve some meaningful accomplishments along the way.
However, after running the business for many years, I began to feel that life was lacking passion and new challenges. Doing the same work every day made me start questioning myself: Is life only about making money? Gradually, life seemed to lose its meaning.
At that time, my mother was also thinking about retirement. In what seemed like an impulsive decision, I chose to let go of the business that I had worked so hard to build over the years. Many friends thought I was crazy — with such a good income, why would I walk away from it? Honestly, even I felt like I was being a little foolish.
But deep inside, I always believed in one sentence: “You have to let go in order to gain something greater, and people should always look further ahead.”
So, I decided to travel abroad and explore a bigger world. I went to Australia alone to experience life there.
The two years I spent there were both fulfilling and difficult. I had to adapt to a completely new environment, meet new people, and learn how to live independently without relying on anyone. Thankfully, I met bosses, colleagues, and friends from different countries such as Korea, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and China. I was also exposed to different cultures and perspectives within the beauty industry, which greatly broadened my horizons.
Two years later, I returned home to spend time with my mother. Unexpectedly, not long after I came back, the MCO happened. During that difficult period, I continued working in the beauty industry while also trying online business to support myself financially.
It was during that time that my old friend, Rehneel, reached out to me. Through her sharing and encouragement, I began to rethink the meaning of “passing down knowledge and passion.” Later, through her invitation, I joined the SPIC family and met a group of passionate, caring, and lovable colleagues.
At this stage of my life, I’ve come to realize that beyond making money, what matters more is being able to contribute something meaningful to society and pass down my experience and passion to the next generation. I hope the beauty industry will continue to grow, and I truly wish to see it develop even better in the future.
Life will always come with doubts, challenges, and setbacks, but I still choose to believe in professionalism and stay passionate about what I love. Because to me, the beauty industry is a career worth dedicating my entire life to.
The journey in the beauty industry may be long, but I believe every step along the way will continue to shine.