Category: 101 Paths to Success

Doreen Tan is the Chief Executive of Textile and Fashion Industry Training Centre (TaF.tc), Asia’s leading training provider for the textile and fashion industry. Her career has spanned across the private sector, academia and training as well as involvement in government agencies, benefitting individuals and enterprises both at the national and regional levels. She has trained executives from companies such as Club21 (S) Pte Ltd, LVMH Asia Pacific Talent Development Centre and Chanel Asia Pacific Pte Limited, and as Merchandise Director at AMC (known as Target today) she managed a sales volume of US$87 million.

As an International Consultant with International Trade Centre (UNCTAD/WTO) of United Nations, Doreen has completed various projects in the Textiles and Clothing Industry in Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mauritius, Romania, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. Her husband works in the logistic industry and they have three children aged 16 to 21 years old.

This initiative is part of our 101 Paths to Success series of interviews to gain insight into how successful people came to do what they are doing, and enlighten parents that there is a vast array of occupations for our children to discover. Hopefully it might spark an interest in our children and youths to start their journey of discerning their life’s path.

Doreen Tan

Your qualifications
MBA (Macquarie Graduate School of Management – Sydney)

Describe your job
As the CE of TaF.tc, I am actively involved in initiatives that enhance the industry’s capabilities and capacity development. Since 2004, I have conducted training to executives of MNCs and local companies in the various segments of the fashion industry both locally and globally. Under my leadership, TaF.tc developed the Workforce Skills Qualification Textile and Fashion Industry Framework that covers over 70 competency standards and assessments for the textile and fashion industry. We provide relevant courses for people interested in fashion design, footwear construction and merchandising, from the basics of drafting and sewing to setting up their own store.

Tell us about your career path.
I started working in the textile and apparel industry doing global sourcing for US retailers for 10 years and was promoted to Merchandise Director at the age of 26. I went on to complete an MBA in Sydney and joined Temasek Polytechnic as one of the pioneers to establish the Apparel Design and Merchandising diploma programme. During my 7 years in TP, I was also teaching in TaF.tc and worked part time in Nike and Ghim Li as a trainer and consultant.

How did you find your passion?
When I first joined AMC, my boss was unwilling to teach me everything, especially on costing. There wasn’t the internet then, thus I learned from my suppliers who are owners of garment factories and fabric mills. I used to spend hours learning from these owners and took the initiative to organise visits to their factories, mills, YKK zipper plants and button manufacturers. The manufacturing world never fails to fascinate me. I traveled around the US to meet customers and also traveled widely regionally to source for more manufacturers as factory owners venture to different countries with lower costs.

It was an eye opener as I realized that decisions made by buyers and merchandisers often impact the product process and thus the cost and quality. The most unglamorous work is done in the factories where thousands of workers toil for hours so that beautiful clothes can be churned out. These workers will find work to earn a decent salary to bring home to their families. I was disturbed by the extremely low wage of USD58 per month until I visited the villages with some Korean missionaries where I discovered that the farmers earned much less! It changed my perspective, and whether wages are high or low is quite relative.

Which aspect of your job gives you the most satisfaction?
I get great satisfaction from seeing people picking up a new skill and finding a job.

What does success mean to you?
Doing something that you love and believe in.

Does this job enable good work life balance?
The fashion industry is notorious for long working hours. I remember when I first joined the industry, I used to work till 1 or 2 am doing filing. When I reached executive position, I used to stay up late to call my customers in US which is a different time zone. We only have one life and we do the best we can in this one life. If you are passionate about what you are doing it is hard to draw the line. What is personal and what is official? What is life?

You must be incredibly busy. How do you avoid being burnt out?
I take short vacations, rest and recharge by doing nothing on weekends. I spend time with my loved ones, eat, chill, laugh at mistakes, exercise (although I could do more!), read, attend seminars and workshops.

Are you involved in any voluntary work?
I am involved with Don Bosco Phnom Penh. TaF.tc orders cookies regularly from ASPN and collaborates with PLOVE to conduct classes for autistic adults.

One piece of advice to parents
It is important to teach them values and to allow them to learn as many things in life as possible, especially in music and sports. Make sure your children know that you love them, teach them to be independent, and ensure they don’t grow up with an “entitled” mentality. Inculcate a good reading habit and travel as a family to different countries.

One piece of advice to teens
Give yourself many options by studying hard and getting good academic results. Work part time during school holidays and pick up as many sports and musical instruments as possible. Travel to different countries to open your mind and do volunteer work in third world countries. Allocate time for your family and learn to speak some dialects.

To be a good merchandiser, you must have an eye for detail, very high level of commitment, be reasonably good in maths, management as well as coordination skills.

{Interviews} 101 Paths to Success

#1 – Dr Karen Crasta Scientist Associate Prof at the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine

Peter Zhuo, better known as Peter Draw, 31, is an artist who has 4 Guinness World Records under his belt. Largest Caricature, 2007, Largest Art Lesson, 2010, Longest Drawing, 2014 and Longest Drawing by Individual, 2014. He has also been awarded JCI’s Singapore Outstanding Young Persons of Singapore for contributions to Children, World Peace & Human Rights, 2008.

This initiative is part of our 101 Paths to Success series of interviews to gain insight into how successful people came to do what they are doing, and enlighten parents that there is a vast array of occupations for our children to discover. Hopefully it might spark an interest in our children and youths to start their journey of discerning their life’s path.

Peter Draw

Describe your typical work day

I am always figuring out how to showcase life’s most important values and lessons in the cutest, simplest way. I start each day with a sip of coffee.

Tell us about your career path

Growing up, drawing was the only thing I loved and helping people was the most meaningful thing I learnt. I believe everything changes but nothing really changes, unless we start doing what we do with love. My entire career path has been to use art to protect children, especially children who cannot protect themselves.

I was very shy, but after my grandfather passed away when I was 16, I found the courage to put my shyness aside and start taking little steps to pursue my dreams.

How did you find your passion?

I fell in love with drawing when I was 3. Even today, I feel a sense of happiness when I see children drawing, and happier when I am drawing.

Which aspect of your job gives you the most satisfaction?

When a child comes up to me and lets me know that what I have done has fulfilled their childhood – with happy hopes.

There have been many incidents which gave me immense satisfaction.

The time when a little boy in Sichuan broke his only sweet into 2 and gave me one before he returned home. He wrote me a letter and secretly put it into my bag. I only found out when I was on the plane home to Singapore.

The time when a girl showed me her jotter book filled with fashion design drawings, all in black and white. She told me she had never owned any colour pencils or crayons before. Knowing it was her birthday (she is the daughter of our local driver arranged by the local ministry of Foreign Affairs), and Yangon was the last city for our tour, I took out over 100 boxes of Faber Castell crayons and gave it to her and told her “Happy Birthday”, and she cried.

The next day, on our way to the airport, her father gave me a gift – a new jotter book filled with more fashion design drawings. This time, all filled with colours, including the words. On the last page, she wrote that she hoped that one day, I would wear one of her designs. I was half happy and half confused, because all her fashion designs are sexy dresses.

The time in South Africa when a group of children waited for me at the airport to thank me and see me off with their school Principal. My flight was at night, but they came in the morning. Luckily, a fellow Singaporean recognised the name on their signboard and took the pictures which they had drawn. I chatted with one of the kids on the phone and thanked them.

The time in Saitama, Japan, when a pair of playful twin girls sat down quietly with me and started folding paper cranes which we later brought to children in Fukushima.

What does success mean to you?

Sometimes, people ask me if it’s worthwhile dedicating my entire life to pursue an ambitious dream to benefit other people. The way I see it, if at the end of my life, I fail, the loss is personal. If I succeed, children for many generations will continue to benefit long after I’m gone. To me, it’s an obvious choice. Just having the chance to do what I love and serve more children along the way, I am already contented.

You must be incredibly busy. How do you avoid being burnt out?

Even though I work very hard, I don’t think I’m incredibly busy. I hope that young people don’t get the wrong idea and focus on keeping themselves busy to feel successful. Sometimes we can’t avoid getting burnt out, but after resting, just get back on your feet and keep going. If it is something you love, how hard can it be?

Are you involved in any voluntary work?

I try to help as much as I can. Next month, I am starting to teach art to a group of elderly, and will be working with them to draw portraits for the younger ones in their neighbourhood. I have children who call themselves “Little Draws” – little versions of Peter Draw, and now we will have our first “Senior Draws” 🙂

One piece of advice to parents

Whatever you do with and for your children, do it with love.

One piece of advice to teens

Sometimes, we don’t realise the true value of a moment until it becomes a memory. As a child, I promised my grandfather I would be a great artist and make beautiful works of art to show him. I can’t do that now as he has passed away. Thus, never take anything in life for granted, especially human relationships. Hesitate and you may lose the chance forever.

To be a good artist…

If you have created a work that you and others keep falling in love with, you have made a great work of art. Make something people love, and you can only do that with love.


{Interviews} 101 Paths to Success

#1 – Dr Karen Crasta Scientist Associate Prof at the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine

Dr. Phillip A. Towndrow, 59, is a Senior Research Scientist at the Centre for Research in Pedagogy and Practice, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. He is married to an administrative assistant in a foreign embassy in Singapore and they have two children aged 23 and 12.

This initiative is part of our 101 Paths to Success series of interviews to gain insight into how successful people came to do what they are doing, and enlighten parents that there is a vast array of occupations for our children to discover. Hopefully it might spark an interest in our children and youths to start their journey of discerning their life’s path.

Your qualifications

{Interviews} 101 Paths to Success

#1 – Dr Karen Crasta Scientist Associate Prof at the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine

Ebelle Chong, 39, is a Dance Practitioner and Educator. She was part of a wave of contemporary dance artists who shook up the local dance scene in the early 2000’s. Her latest work SSLD:7 premiered in R.e.P 2015 to great critical acclaim. Ebelle’s choreography for CHIJ Katong Primary School bagged the Certificate of Distinction at the Singapore Youth Festival 2014. Her husband is in Corporate Communications and they have 3 boys aged 8, 4 and 2.

Andrea Decruz, 41, is a Media Personality and owner of CINQ salon and Belmont Flora. She is married to Pierre Png, a leading Mediacorp Artiste.

This initiative is part of our 101 Paths to Success series of interviews to gain insight into how successful people came to do what they are doing, and enlighten parents that there is a vast array of occupations for our children to discover. Hopefully it might spark an interest in our children and youths to start their journey of discerning their life’s path.

Your qualifications
Bachelor Degree in Clinical Psychology, First Class Honours

Andrea Decruz @ CINQ

Describe your job
I run the behind the scenes work at both CINQ and Belmont, dealing with human resource as well as public relations matters.

Tell us about your career path
I returned to Singapore in 1998 after a year of working in the San Francisco County Jail to join a private practice as a psychologist in Mount Elizabeth Hospital. I was soon scouted by MediaCorp (TCS back then) to join them as a full time artiste. I left the industry after my health failed in 2002 and took a long sabbatical before joining forces with my two current partners at CINQ in 2006 till today.

How did you find your passion?
As a child, I had always loved to pretend-play by washing and styling my mum and sister’s hair! When I was asked to get involved in the beauty business, I jumped at the opportunity.

Ruth Wan is a Children’s Book Author and Managing Editor of Armour Publishing. She created the popular Timmy and Tammy series which was presented by President Tony Tan to Princess Charlotte as part of Singapore’s gift to the royal baby in 2015. Five Timmy and Tammy books were also selected for the SG50 Baby Jubilee Gift Pack which was given to all Singaporean babies born in 2015. She is in her late-30s and is married to a policeman. They have 3 children.

Ruth Wan