Even at age 5, he wanted to be a boss and a businessman

Me&My Money

- Sue-Ann Tan

Mr Dayyan James is no stranger to the road less travelled.

The New Zealander left school at 15, after "collecting bad report cards from teachers".

The boy with a mission went about fulfilling his childhood dreams of being a businessman and a boss in the only way he knew how - via a long and winding road.

He first worked in hospitality, then got into technology and finance, which took him to Japan, followed by Singapore, where he has lived for the past 14 years and is now a permanent resident.

He also tried his hand at several ventures, including a yacht-servicing business, before he started a skincare and scent company, Cocos Botanica, in 2021.

Mr James, 44, attributes his varied path in life to thinking differently from others, which he says has always been his forte. He was diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as a child, and then re-diagnosed in his 40s.

He says: "I think we are all programmed to feel more comfortable with things we can understand, and it can be difficult to accept that a perfectly normal-looking individual thinks completely differently.

"If we can begin focusing on individuals' strengths, understanding that some people are a lot more productive outside of the normal path, and celebrating the differences people exhibit, it will make for a much more productive society in general."

He adds that having ADHD is the opposite of a limitation.

"However, becoming more aware of how my ADHD behaviours could impact those I cared about made me see things in a different light. Striking the right balance between being present and being able to unleash my creativity was the key to being able to be both a good father and husband while being able to explore the many interests I have," he says.

Q What do you invest in and why?