Following in her father's footsteps to become her own boss

Entrepreneurship is tough but rewarding, with valuable lessons: Beauty salon founder

- Sue-Ann Tan

If entrepreneurship is a trait that can be inherited, Ms Jasmin Tay would be living proof of it.

The love of entrepreneurship runs in her blood, as she takes after her father, who built his own textile firm to design and manufacture high-quality fabric.

Now Ms Tay, 39, is also her own boss, as the founder of beauty salon Perky Lash. It has four outlets in Singapore and one in Malaysia.

She said: "My parents have always believed that one can never be wealthy just by saving up. They advocated the importance of building your own ability to earn money, save, then invest when you are self-sufficient."

They also motivated her to pursue her passions and follow in their footsteps, she said.

Her father's business revolved around creating unique textiles that met market trends, then selling them to retailers who distributed them to consumers.

"From my father's entrepreneurial journey, I learnt the importance of building a solid foundation and understanding every aspect of the business," she said.

"I also gained an appreciation for resilience and learning to stay persistent despite obstacles. Entrepreneurship is tough, but it's a rewarding journey that teaches valuable lessons along the way."

But she also preferred to be less of a risk-taker than her father, dipping a toe in the beauty industry first before taking the plunge.

"I wanted to build my knowledge and skills in the beauty industry by working in different positions from the front line to the management roles before launching my own business," she said.

Her first job after graduating from polytechnic was a front-desk position in a beauty chain.

"I love meeting new people and interacting with them makes my day," she said.