I didn't want a desk job
I didn't want a desk job
By Angeline Neo
PRETTY FIT: House owner Cynthia Chua says coming up with new treatments and products is the easy part of her job because that is what she enjoys doing. -- ST PHOTO: LIM WUI LIANG
YOUNG GUN #3
CYNTHIA CHUA, 35
Owner of wellness centre House
SEVERAL spa and lifestyle chains under your belt, with outlets in cities such as London and Kuala Lumpur forming a business empire with a turnover of $25 million a year. Oh, and mentioned by the world's top style guides as well.
Not bad for someone aged 35.
Such are the achievements of lifestyle queen Cynthia Chua.
And that's not mentioning her latest venture - a $5-million mega wellness centre she opened last month at the new hip hub of Dempsey Village.
The 35,000 sq ft two-storey centre goes by the modest name of House, but is anything but.
Located in renovated colonial barracks surrounded by greenery, you can enjoy not only spa treatments but also hold a party there, have mud massages with champagne, stretch in a yoga studio or simply enjoy spa cuisine.
With the emphasis on making a spa a place to socialise, it's set to up the stakes in the wellness business scene.
But coming from Ms Chua, that is no surprise. After all, she is the brains behind familiar names such as the Spa Esprit chain; the waxing joint called Strip that popularised the Brazilian and Boyzillian here; Browhaus, which caters to the quest for the perfect arch; and the Qi Mantra empire, known for its sports remedial therapies. Altogether, she has 18 outlets in Singapore.
English design magazine Wallpaper even named Browhaus one of the secret elite addresses of the world, and featured Strip (Kuala Lumpur) for its interior.
Says Ms Chua: 'My company is an example of organic growth. What you see today started from a small, humble place. We made the money from Spa Esprit, then reinvested that into Strip, and then Strip's profits seeded Browhaus and the subsequent ventures, local and overseas.'
She graduated with a degree in economics and statistics from the National University of Singapore and started with a marketing job at a local bank. But it lasted less than a year because 'I was bored. I hate desk-bound jobs and office politics'.
What she wanted to do was pursue her interests. 'I've always liked the idea of mixing potions and essential oils, even as a girl.'
In 1996, she and four friends started Spa Esprit in Holland Village, a bohemian retreat synonymous with hot stone massages. They pooled half a million dollars altogether, with Ms Chua holding the 51 per cent majority stake.
It led to the setting up of Spa Esprit Downtown in Paragon and Spa Esprit Fitness in Capitol Tower and, eventually, the others. While the partnership has now shrunk - Ms Chua currently has only one silent partner, which allows her a freer hand to pursue her ideas - each set-up has flourished.
She says that work such as coming up with new treatments and products, marketing campaigns and directions is the breezy part because it is what she likes to do. The challenging bit is people management especially as 'when I first started, I had eight staff. Now I've 300 people'.
'Having a vision is one thing, but the journey to realise it requires a good team to help you achieve that.'
One of the people in that team is her right-hand man, Mr Jerry De Souza, 35, her brand director. She also refers to her Dad, Mr Chua Ma Un, 63, as her inspiration.
She lives in a semi-detached house in Seletar Hills with her husband and parents.
Of her life, she says: 'I don't let people tell me my visions are a fantasy. I make them real because I believe in them.'
By Angeline Neo
PRETTY FIT: House owner Cynthia Chua says coming up with new treatments and products is the easy part of her job because that is what she enjoys doing. -- ST PHOTO: LIM WUI LIANG
YOUNG GUN #3
CYNTHIA CHUA, 35
Owner of wellness centre House
SEVERAL spa and lifestyle chains under your belt, with outlets in cities such as London and Kuala Lumpur forming a business empire with a turnover of $25 million a year. Oh, and mentioned by the world's top style guides as well.
Not bad for someone aged 35.
Such are the achievements of lifestyle queen Cynthia Chua.
And that's not mentioning her latest venture - a $5-million mega wellness centre she opened last month at the new hip hub of Dempsey Village.
The 35,000 sq ft two-storey centre goes by the modest name of House, but is anything but.
Located in renovated colonial barracks surrounded by greenery, you can enjoy not only spa treatments but also hold a party there, have mud massages with champagne, stretch in a yoga studio or simply enjoy spa cuisine.
With the emphasis on making a spa a place to socialise, it's set to up the stakes in the wellness business scene.
But coming from Ms Chua, that is no surprise. After all, she is the brains behind familiar names such as the Spa Esprit chain; the waxing joint called Strip that popularised the Brazilian and Boyzillian here; Browhaus, which caters to the quest for the perfect arch; and the Qi Mantra empire, known for its sports remedial therapies. Altogether, she has 18 outlets in Singapore.
English design magazine Wallpaper even named Browhaus one of the secret elite addresses of the world, and featured Strip (Kuala Lumpur) for its interior.
Says Ms Chua: 'My company is an example of organic growth. What you see today started from a small, humble place. We made the money from Spa Esprit, then reinvested that into Strip, and then Strip's profits seeded Browhaus and the subsequent ventures, local and overseas.'
She graduated with a degree in economics and statistics from the National University of Singapore and started with a marketing job at a local bank. But it lasted less than a year because 'I was bored. I hate desk-bound jobs and office politics'.
What she wanted to do was pursue her interests. 'I've always liked the idea of mixing potions and essential oils, even as a girl.'
In 1996, she and four friends started Spa Esprit in Holland Village, a bohemian retreat synonymous with hot stone massages. They pooled half a million dollars altogether, with Ms Chua holding the 51 per cent majority stake.
It led to the setting up of Spa Esprit Downtown in Paragon and Spa Esprit Fitness in Capitol Tower and, eventually, the others. While the partnership has now shrunk - Ms Chua currently has only one silent partner, which allows her a freer hand to pursue her ideas - each set-up has flourished.
She says that work such as coming up with new treatments and products, marketing campaigns and directions is the breezy part because it is what she likes to do. The challenging bit is people management especially as 'when I first started, I had eight staff. Now I've 300 people'.
'Having a vision is one thing, but the journey to realise it requires a good team to help you achieve that.'
One of the people in that team is her right-hand man, Mr Jerry De Souza, 35, her brand director. She also refers to her Dad, Mr Chua Ma Un, 63, as her inspiration.
She lives in a semi-detached house in Seletar Hills with her husband and parents.
Of her life, she says: 'I don't let people tell me my visions are a fantasy. I make them real because I believe in them.'
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