
Yeo (right, with Lim): We’re now in a new world of retail where purpose matters Now into its third year of operations, the Singapore-based start-up has eight staff and is cash-flow-positive, with stockists in five countries: Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, the UK and the United Arab Emirates. The bulk of their sales comes from outside Singapore, with The Mindful Company shipping to 50 countries all over the world. From their signature cuffs, the product offering has expanded to about 110 different pieces in a variety of finishes. These include reminder braids, which are braided bracelets fashioned after the friendship wristlets favoured by teenagers, and key chains. Late last year, the company rolled out a premium fine jewellery line comprising chains with handwritten messages or charms as well as rings, all handcrafted in sterling silver and coated in rhodium to give it shine and durability. The fine jewellery line is also available in rose-gold vermeil and gold vermeil, which means the sterling silver is specially plated with a thick layer of 14-carat to 18-carat gold or rose gold, giving it a luxurious finish and added durability. The thickness of the gold vermeil, combined with the base of hypoallergenic silver, also makes it a good option for those with metal allergies. The rings are priced from $65 and the chains from $82. The Mindful Company has also gone beyond jewellery, producing tote bags made of cotton twill and reminder cards, which are framed prints with messages such as “Breathe In Courage. Exhale Fear.” However, the reminder cuffs and braids are overwhelmingly the most popular items to date, with the top three bestselling messages being “Breathe”, “Gratitude” and “It’s a Journey”.

A premium fine jewellery line with vermeil overlay was added last year
It certainly has been a journey for Yeo and Lim, who have crafted new lives as entrepreneurs after several years on the corporate treadmill. Growing up in Australia after her family migrated from Malaysia, Yeo was always interested in creative pursuits, but decided to study law and commerce at the University of Sydney, as she found law intellectually interesting. Graduating with first class honours, she opted to start out in litigation. That saw her taking on family and criminal cases as well as legal aid work. She enjoyed it, but at the same time found it emotionally exhausting. In 2010, she moved from Australia to Singapore, where she worked as a management consultant with Oliver Wyman for a year before moving into investment banking at Morgan Stanley, also for a year. She then went on to work at White & Case for three years. Like Yeo, Lim was born in Malaysia, but grew up in Australia. When it came to tertiary education, she elected to pursue a degree in commerce because her two older siblings had gone down that route. It also offered the prospect of a safe, stable career. After graduating, she spent five years at professional services multinational Deloitte in Perth, then relocated to Singapore in 2010, where she spent six years with Ernst & Young. The two met in Singapore through a mutual friend, who felt they had a lot in common. Both were born in Malaysia. Both grew up in Australia. Both are married to Singaporeans. Both are soft-spoken and even-tempered. They even enjoy the same type of exercise — running. “Running is my meditation,” says Yeo, who runs almost daily, often covering 7km to 10km. Lim, who has a two-year-old daughter and is expecting her second child, has had to take a hiatus. However, beyond their similar backgrounds, they discovered they shared the same aesthetics. More importantly, they had identical values — kindness, hope and mental well-being, for example. Mental well-being is an issue that resonates with them, as does giving back to society. Last year, The Mindful Company partnered with the Singapore Association of Mental Health to create a What’s Important series. The nonprofit collaboration resulted in five specially designed bracelets, inspired by the personal stories of youths aged nine to 21 diagnosed with mental disorders under SAMH’s YouthReach programme. The Leaf reminder bracelet, for example, underscores that you can choose how you wish to grow from your experiences. It mirrors the story of 16-year-old Katie, who aspires to be a visual artist. “My struggles have taught me not to get stressed trying to speed things up. Everyone’s got their own timing,” she is quoted as saying on the website. Over 100,000 bracelets were made and for each that is sold, $10 goes to SAMH. The bracelets are priced from $39. Aside from this, The Mindful Company also works with the Stroke Support Station, a volunteer-led initiative that helps stroke survivors and their caregivers through programmes such as mental resilience training. Yeo and Lim have donated products to help with the group’s fundraising efforts and also volunteer their time.

As Yeo and Lim see it, The Mindful Company is essentially an extension of themselves and they are gratified to see that what resonates with them appears to resonate with buyers. A significant proportion of their accessories are purchased as gifts, with the Warrior cuff often given to people going through challenges such as cancer. Just under a third of the products are bought by men or for them, judging by the requests for male names to be engraved on cuffs or braids. A matte range, which is marginally chunkier and more masculine in look, has been released to cater to men.
Sunita Sue Leng, formerly an associate editor at The Edge Singapore, is trying harder to live in the moment This article appeared in Issue 814 (Jan 22) of The Edge Singapore. Subscribe to The Edge at https://www.theedgesingapore.com/subscribe