DOROTHY ON…
…the creation of a women-friendly business environment
In general, Singapore has been quite good for small business owners.
It’s fairly easy to start a business and information is readily available
with grants that can be taken advantage of. Women may also gravitate
towards doing a business because of the perceived increase in flexibility
to spend time with their children. However, they may be daunted due to
the lack of financial support for the initial years, and the lack of family
and/or childcare support. If family policies can be improved e.g. better
subsidies for childcare, that would give mums the freedom and peace of
mind to explore and act on various business ideas.
…advice for Singaporean women and mums who are interested in
business
Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that, “if you build it, they will come”.
Before you even start, do the proper research to make sure your
business idea is sound. Then, be prudent with how you spend your funds.
Although it is important to look professional and credible, don’t spend
your money on frills that add no or little value to your business. Always
chase after a good product or service and not just profits. Your desire to
deliver a product that adds value or solves your customers’ problems will
naturally bring customers to you.
CONTRAST SWING DRESS
A smart option for the office that
can transition to a fun dress for
those casual evening dinners
with friends and colleagues, the
Contrast Swing Dress is definitely
something we’ll be pulling out
of the wardrobe time and time
again. Nursing access is via the
concealed empire line in the
middle of the dress.
start-ups possibly enjoyed the
luxury of a financial war chest,
a dedicated working area, and a
team of people working towards the
same goal, Dorothy was just one
person juggling two fashion lines
and a newborn baby, working in a
living room that doubled up as her
office. While she had the relevant
contacts and a rough idea on the
costs involved in starting a fashion
line, she did not have any prior
experience in breaking into the
international and wholesale market
and struggled for a long time. “I
didn’t have anyone to ask, so I read
business guides and did research
on the Internet, which proved to be
a great resource and teacher. I put
together a simple sales pack and
started cold emailing prospects.
Many ignored me but thankfully,
we had a few retailers who saw the
potential and gave us a chance,”
remembers Dorothy.
What she didn’t have in resources
and experience, she made up with
spools of determination and a
supportive husband. The man in
her life stood by her side, helping
to solve any teething problems
that popped up, which ranged from
solving technical problems with her
work computer to babysitting the
children while she headed out to do
photo shoots. In fact, he was also
the one who came up with the brand
name, a combination of Dorothy’s
nickname– “Dot” – and E, the first
letter of their children’s names. “He
was, and still is, my greatest source
of support. He believed in my vision
and allowed me to take the risk of
starting a business,” says Dorothy.
…the characteristics of the modern and successful Singaporean mother
She is flexible, multi-tasks, and knows how to take care of herself. She
knows that for her family to be happy, she first has to be happy, so she
knows how to take time out to pamper herself in small ways or even just
spend some quality time on her own. She is able to balance con