FROM RETRENCHMENT TO REINVENTION

Melly Ling from Mole opens up about her entrepreneurial journey and creating meaningful connections

- STUART DANKER

STARTING A BUSINESS may be a passion project for some. Others may do it to solve a problem. A handful might even pursue entrepreneurship because they feel like it’s their calling.

For Melly Ling, however, it’s all of the above. And it came at a time when everything that could go wrong in her life did go wrong. Today, she’s the co-founder and COO of Mole, a tech company that started with its digital business card service, and is now moving on to a more comprehensive tech solution for professionals and business owners alike.

Here, she shares with Augustman Malaysia about her journey and where she’s headed in the near future.

You seemed like you enjoyed your job prior to starting this business. Is that true?

Yes. I loved working for the Korean tech company I was in. I’d been there for years, and was even thinking of relocating to Singapore as they were expanding their operations there.

Can you imagine, I’d already scouted out where I’d stay, laid out my daily routine, and even planned my jogging route! Then the pandemic happened, my company was affected, and I was subsequently retrenched. I was gutted, but what I didn’t know at the time was that this would be the beginning of my next venture.

So what drove you to start Mole?