Today we had a very special guest join us in Zeemart HQ for the second instalment of the Zeemart Inspirational Champion Series. Elim Chew, the founder of legendary streetwear brand 77th Street, shared her inspiring life experiences and stories with us.
Despite being a rebellious teenager who did not excel in school, she had always dreamed of starting her own business. At just 21, she started her hair salon business. She then founded 77th Street after being enquired by her salon customers on her fashion sense. This very move quenched the thirst for fashionable streetwear in Singapore, which was lacking at that period of time in the 80s and the 90s. Her success began picking up soon after and she achieved her dream of becoming a millionaire just a few years later. After being in the retail industry for almost 20 years, she moved on to the F&B world, founding Korean BBQ (I'm Kim) and steamboat restaurants under the Kingdom Food Group.
All this would not have been possible without her secondary school teacher, who always believed in her and kept her going in the right direction. Elim spoke of the importance in being positive and never giving up. She also mentioned that with the rise of technology, there are many opportunities for businesses to venture into.
"The boundaries of what we can do are now unlimited. It's either to disrupt or be disrupted. The future of phones, future of the medical industry will all be affected," said Ms Elim Chew on the effects of technology in the present times.
Zeemart would like to thank Elim for taking time off her schedule to share with us on the topic of 'Rapid Growth'. It is clear that she has a burning passion for entrepreneurship and being a changemaker.
Check out the highlights of her sharing below!