I was a cashier and waitress
I was a cashier and waitress
BAR TO BUSINESS: Novus director Ying Ong does not regret giving up her law training to pursue her dream of opening an F&B joint. -- ST PHOTO: LIM WUI LIANG
YOUNG GUN #1
YING ONG, 23
Director of Novus Restaurant & Bar
YOUNG, trendy and confident, Ms Ying Ong may seem like just another yuppie as she sips her glass of water in Novus Restaurant & Bar at the National Museum of Singapore. And she is. Apart from the fact that she owns and runs the place.
The 23-year-old is the director of Novus Bar, which she opened with her brother, 27-year-old Yung, last December, and Orchard Road entertainment hub Peranakan Place Complex - home to Rouge, alleybar, acid bar and outdoors - which was opened by her parents about 20 years ago.
Her parents also own Vanguard International, a furniture company, under which her brother recently opened Proof, a home-furnishings business in Vanguard Building along Stamford Road.
A law graduate from King's College in London, Ms Ong picked business over the Bar. And her parents did not waste any time roping her in when she got back from university.
'I was told to make myself useful,' she laughs, 'so I did and went straight to work.'
And work she did. 'I've been a cashier, bartender, biller and waitress. I think I've done everything but cook and handle the dishwasher,' she says. 'My parents didn't make it easy.'
She now handles marketing and operations for Novus and Peranakan Place.
Her age, she admits, has often worked against her. 'A lot of the people under me are older, so it can't be easy for them taking orders from me.
'I can't dictate what I think they should be doing, but I try to work with them. I've learnt a lot from them and they've been very supportive.'
She adds that she wasn't taken seriously at first: 'I had pretty flamboyant ideas which weren't always well received.'
Among them, a back-to-school themed party at Peranakan Place that her parents disapproved of initially. They came around, though, when the party turned out to be a big hit.
Her parents' support, she says, has been one of the biggest blessings in her life. They invested $3 million in Novus and the enormity of the amount has not been lost on her.
'I've been very lucky and grateful for all the support my parents have given me. I work very hard. Failure is not an option.'
She certainly puts in the hours. She is at Peranakan Place and Novus every day, starting work at 9 in the morning, and staying until closing time on Fridays and Saturdays.
She adds: 'Even if I hadn't had my parents' support, I would still want to run my own food and beverage joint. It would just have taken me longer and would probably be a lot harder.
'I learn new things every day and it's difficult. My life's changed a lot and I've had to make a lot of sacrifices. But it's worth it because this is what I want to do.'
BAR TO BUSINESS: Novus director Ying Ong does not regret giving up her law training to pursue her dream of opening an F&B joint. -- ST PHOTO: LIM WUI LIANG
YOUNG GUN #1
YING ONG, 23
Director of Novus Restaurant & Bar
YOUNG, trendy and confident, Ms Ying Ong may seem like just another yuppie as she sips her glass of water in Novus Restaurant & Bar at the National Museum of Singapore. And she is. Apart from the fact that she owns and runs the place.
The 23-year-old is the director of Novus Bar, which she opened with her brother, 27-year-old Yung, last December, and Orchard Road entertainment hub Peranakan Place Complex - home to Rouge, alleybar, acid bar and outdoors - which was opened by her parents about 20 years ago.
Her parents also own Vanguard International, a furniture company, under which her brother recently opened Proof, a home-furnishings business in Vanguard Building along Stamford Road.
A law graduate from King's College in London, Ms Ong picked business over the Bar. And her parents did not waste any time roping her in when she got back from university.
'I was told to make myself useful,' she laughs, 'so I did and went straight to work.'
And work she did. 'I've been a cashier, bartender, biller and waitress. I think I've done everything but cook and handle the dishwasher,' she says. 'My parents didn't make it easy.'
She now handles marketing and operations for Novus and Peranakan Place.
Her age, she admits, has often worked against her. 'A lot of the people under me are older, so it can't be easy for them taking orders from me.
'I can't dictate what I think they should be doing, but I try to work with them. I've learnt a lot from them and they've been very supportive.'
She adds that she wasn't taken seriously at first: 'I had pretty flamboyant ideas which weren't always well received.'
Among them, a back-to-school themed party at Peranakan Place that her parents disapproved of initially. They came around, though, when the party turned out to be a big hit.
Her parents' support, she says, has been one of the biggest blessings in her life. They invested $3 million in Novus and the enormity of the amount has not been lost on her.
'I've been very lucky and grateful for all the support my parents have given me. I work very hard. Failure is not an option.'
She certainly puts in the hours. She is at Peranakan Place and Novus every day, starting work at 9 in the morning, and staying until closing time on Fridays and Saturdays.
She adds: 'Even if I hadn't had my parents' support, I would still want to run my own food and beverage joint. It would just have taken me longer and would probably be a lot harder.
'I learn new things every day and it's difficult. My life's changed a lot and I've had to make a lot of sacrifices. But it's worth it because this is what I want to do.'
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