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For the online version, click here.
It was a great privilege and a really pleasant welcome-home surprise after a grueling trip in China. For those who have read the article, you would've read about my inspiration for Anything But Salads (ABS) - How it came about; Why it exists and why I am so passionate and driven about ABS and all that it stands for.
And what does ABS stand for, you ask?
In essence, ABS is all about providing high quality health and super foods to you. We're all about accessible and affordable health. We're all about expanding your choices. We're firm believers in "You Are What You Eat"; as well as the age old adage, "Health is Wealth".
Our mission: To democratize health foods. (click here for the full excerpt).
Our values: Honesty. Integrity. Love. Care. Consideration. Equality. Justice.
I have always been into health and wellness. Truth be told, I was never a really skinny individual. I matured early - at age 11, I had the body of a woman. Since I come from an Indoneisan-Portugese-Chinese heritage, I had curves a normal Asian/Chinese teen would not.
In my family's terms (who are strictly Asian in thinking and traditions), I was "fat".
Perhaps many of you can identify with this Asian dilemma - if you're not skin & bones, you're "fat" and "need to lose weight".
How many of you have heard those god awful labels? How many of you have experienced the unfair judging of your physical self? How many of you feel insecure as a result?
I'll be the first to share, that I endured all of that. At some point in my life, I have been called "fat", "ugly", "fat bitch", "thunder thighs", "cholestrol bomb" etc etc. You name it, I've probably heard it.
In order to prevent such verbal abuse being flung my way, I became extremely conscious about my health and wellness. I watched how much I ate. I exercised. I lifted weights. I drank lots of water. I did everything everyone told me would work. I was disciplined. But where did that get me?
No where. If anything, it resulted in my having a tumour in my intestine at age 24.
Clearly, there was much more to health than just food quantity and exercise.
The year leading up to the discovery of the tumor was painful - in all senses. I sought conventional medicine for help. That was a HUGE mistake. Given standard medical protocol, which involves a symptomatic treatment elimination method, I was given a cocktail of medicines in various doses, throughout the one year. When things didn't get better, I was told by the doctors that I was "crazy" and that I was imagining symptoms and therefore, manifesting them in my physical self.
During that year, I couldn't eat without pain. I could not wear my clothes as I had a perpetual bloat in my tummy - I looked 3 months pregnant! Eventually, a scope revealed a tumor the size of a 2 inch sausage. It was positioned at the opening between my small and large intestine. It was removed and the doctor treating me had the gall to say "I suspected that from the get go". A test for cancerous cells revealed it was benign. I thanked God.
The years leading from that surgery involved an absolute new appreciation for foods. I could no longer stomach conventional, processed foods. I had to "eat clean". But I didn't know what "eat clean" meant. I was in UK at the time, and a visit from my childhood friend resulted in a trip to Saf, London's first raw food cafe at the time, and a gloriously painless meal. I was stoked. I finally found a cuisine I could eat.
Thus began my self-study into the world of nutrition, foods, food preparation methods, alternative medicine, detox, health and wellness. I juggled my final 2 years of law school with courses at Saf - it meant shuttling to and fro between Bristol and London on the weekends to get my culinary skills whilst memorizing or writing legal papers on the midnight train back.
At the time, I was in a 6-year relationship with my was-fiance. He was based in HK. I was to come back to HK post-graduation. I did. When I got back, I struggled with finding foods that I could digest. I struggled with eating healthy. There weren't many options except salads drenched in commercial dressings with canned foods.
Now you know why my business is called "Anything But Salads". I was so sick of unhealthy salads masquerading as health foods. There was much education needed. I knew all people needed was the OPTION to eat better. But firstly, they needed options.
I knew it was time to make a difference.
I gave up my career in law and threw myself wholly into entrepreneurship. Since then, there was no looking back.
ABS began as a snacks business. It was my primary vision. I knew I wanted portable health. I knew that lifestyle changes had to be simple and fitted easily into any lifestyle. Unfortunately, the market wasn't ready for healthy snacks. Instead, I received many requests for catering. So ABS took a detour and we went into catering.
I went in blind. I didn't know what catering or meal deliveries entailed. All I knew was that people wanted healthier foods and I was determined to give it to them. My life during the year of ABS catering was ridiculous. On hindsight, I don't know how I did it. I hardly slept (maybe 1-2 hours if I'm lucky); I was in the kitchen all day long. I ran deliveries myself. I came up with recipes myself. I managed inventory, PR, marketing and didn't have a life. I worked hard. The vision was greater than myself. I just wanted to do good.
As much as we were successful - I remember at one point, being booked out in full months solidly by customers who requested specifically tailored meals to suit and meet their personal health and wellness goals. I remember acting both as chef and nutritionist at some point. In other cases, I was part-therapist, part-friend, part-chef. My was-fiance warned me about burn out. I didn't care. I just wanted to do good.
As expected, I burnt out. The business as it stood, was unsustainable. I couldn't continue working myself to the bone. Something had to change. So we asked our customers what they would like to see. They said healthy snacks was something they wished was in the market - something they could grab and go in supermarkets anytime they wanted. They wanted foods they could trust in commercial stores. They wanted my original vision.
So my business partner and I closed ABS for 3 months. The business went into restructuring. In August 2013, ABS reopened as a snacks manufacturing company. We came back with a stronger vision and a bigger mission.
This time, I didn't just want to revolutionise the way some people ate. I wanted to revolutionise the way the world ate.
Today, ABS is all about democratizing health foods. We're all about social change and social advancement through foods. We believe that everything begins at its roots. For us, that means food. For you, that means options.
And so, dear readers, that is the real story behind Anything But Salads. It is the tale of a girl struggling to live in a world of commercially processed non-foods. It is a tale of a girl struggling to eat right. It is a tale of a girl wanting to do good by others and to make a difference in the world.
In spite of that, we must never forget that this same girl, would not be able to execute her vision but for the many people who has helped her along the way. Special Thanks to:
Spirit - for giving me life, protecting me, watching over me and giving me strength. For being the wind behind my sails; the sun in my darkest hours.
Noel Tuan - my business partner, occassional dishwasher, one-man cheerleading team, best friend for life and the strongest supporter of me, my goals and my abilities. Thank you for loving me.
Delon Tuan - my productions manager and professional chef, who has helped me make my snack business a dream come true
Mikko Revonniemi - for being my pillar and strength, for offering business advice and acting as a brainstorming soundboard; for making me laugh; for showing me the natural world in HK; for flowers and gifts and steaks and MCT oils and shrooms. For always loving and believing in me
Leonard Cheung - my whiskey buddy, culinary boy genius and clock tower/abandoned bus climbing companion; also the person who brainstormed the name "Anything But Salads" with me. Culinary inspiration.
Nathan Moy - a.k.a The Provoker; my soul sister
Sandra Comer - for listening & believing in me
My Clients - Eva, Maria, Ivy, Queenie, Audrey, Michele - they have stuck with me through thick and thin and still believe in me today. I offer you my deepest gratitude.
Ernesto Ortiz - Founder of Journey To The Heart; spiritual master; enlightened one. Thank you for being my guiding light
My spiritual family - for sharing yourselves with me and allowing me to share myself with you
Benjamin Lee - serial entrepreneur, business advisor and trusted friend of 22 years and counting
Laura Torrabadella - my soul sister & founder of Ekotrade International. Thank you for you.
Ifat Kafry - Owner and Founder of Choice Cooperative and strong supporter of ABS kombucha and snacks
The team at Something Fresh - for supporting our products and sticking with us in the initial start-up phase
Punam Chopra - Owner and founder of Spicebox Organics - thank you for believing in us and for your constant support and loveliness. I am blessed to know you.
Art & Shelley - for bringing me so much joy; and for giving me a chance to tell you all about ABS and my vision
John R - for giving me inspiration
Damon Seow - for feeding me
Chan Ti Eu - a.k.a DJ Funky T; for enriching my life with songs and crazy tunes
Joyce Marot - for sharing her clients with me and assisting in PR for my catering business; for teaching me life lessons
Gaia - my darling dog. For keeping me company through the long and boring days of me working solidly at home; and for cheering me up with licks whenever I am down
My biological family - for teaching me what kind of values I do not wish to have and for teaching me tenacity, courage, truth and honesty. For showing me how much more I can be and how much more I deserve. For showing me the kind of person I do not wish to be.
and to any of YOU, whom I've had the grace and pleasure to meet and know. Thank you for making me what I am today. Through assisting me with my growth and development, you too, have contributed to the burgeoning success that ABS is.
Together, we can make a difference.
Together, we can change the world.
All we need is hope and belief.
Because anything, and I mean anything, is possible as long as you believe in yourself and God.
Thank YOU for making ABS possible.
If you want to know more about who I am and what I've done, my Linkedin profile can be accessed by clicking here.
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