In Bed With: Local Go-Getters Recap

In Bed With: Local Go-Getters Recap

Have you ever attended an event that left you completely and immensely happy? Well yeah, that was our event last week held at lyf@SMU. Even as we are writing this recap post, the discussion that happened still replays fondly in our minds. Chey, we sound so dramatic right? But wait ’til you read about the highlights – you’ll definitely understand!

We were treated to an amazing array of cookies from Kim Choo Kueh Chang before the start of the panel discussion. Seriously, they made us love those green pea cookies – and we don’t even like peas! The night ended with some of our friends even taking leftovers home, that’s how good the cookies were.

Pastries and goodies from Kim Choo Kueh Chang 

We also gave out goodie bags, courtesy of the National Youth Council (NYC), and had it filled with goodies from Shokubutsu, a ton of snacks, and of course, premium mineral bottled water from Melia House. Our guests streamed in at 7pm and enjoyed both the snacks and cookies as they waited (very patiently) for the panel to start.

It wasn’t a long wait, though – because before we knew it, the panel was already in full force! Hosted by the multi-talented Audrey Lim (who is hilarious and super engaging!), the discussion stayed on a high throughout the entire night.

Our wonderful panelists for the evening were ATTAGIRL‘s Amanda Keisha Ang, Robin Oh from OneMaker Group, Marie Choo from The Dog Alchemist, as well as Elim Chew from elimchewtv! No matter their age or level of experience, one thing they had in common was their kindness and generosity in sharing their insights and knowledge about their lives and their different industries.

Our lovely host and moderator for the night, the multi-hyphenate Audrey Lim

Now let’s get on to the highlights of the panel discussion:

It’s all about the experience

Application is wisdom. It’s like learning how to ride a bike – you won’t know until you go out to experience and learn from your mistakes.

Go for that internship or workshop, meet new people, try something that completely puts you out of your comfort zone. The experience of doing something different from what you’re used to will push you to your limits, and there’s so much to learn, good or bad. At the same time, you should also be aware of your sensitivity quotient – or, how you use your heart to experience moments. You might even be able to find the unconventional career path you’ve always wanted, through doing so.

From left: Marie Choo, Amanda Ang, Robin Oh, Elim Chew

Get connected and collaborate
In recent years, there has been a surge in the number of entrepreneurs in Singapore. Many young people are eager to start their own businesses, and for that to happen – connections are the best way to start. TBH, even if you don’t have the intention to start a business, connections will also be helpful for you in the long run. Don’t be shy to start a conversation – you could potentially meet key opinion leaders that could take you on to bigger and better possibilities in your career!

Pro-tip from our panelists: Collaborate as much as you can and don’t be afraid to approach new connections for it! There’s no harm in taking the first step to ask. 

Move on from failures

Don’t bring your failures with you. Let go of them and look forward to being a better person.

Everyone has gone through failures in life, including the panelists. Elim Chew shared her story about losing $300 million in a business deal, and the steps she had to take to rebuild herself up after it fell through. No matter the mistake – big, small, costly or not, it is important for one to be able to move on from it. Talk about it, cry about it, have bad days that revolve around it – but always remember that life still moves forward, and you should too.

Mental health is important

Mental health and issues of depression were some of the key pointers that were highlighted during the evening’s conversation. There have been many cases of suicide and depression in Singapore recently – often attributed to heightened stress from family, teachers, or even peers on social media. Our panelists shared their personal battles with mental health and the steps that they took to overcome it.

It is crucial to communicate one’s feelings, and to ensure that your personal mental state is healthy. Seek help if things get too overwhelming for you. Here are some portals that could help:

Samaritans of Singapore
The Institute of Mental Health
Singapore Association for Mental Health

Be kind at heart 

When you find something you love to do, do it with your heart.

Although our panelists had diversely different career paths, one thing they had in common was that they did everything with kindness. They reminded us of how important it is for everyone to strive for their passion with kindness in their hearts and by being genuine with relationships that they have. Also, a timely reminder to not harbour negative feelings towards anyone in life and to always be the best version of themselves.

This kindness was also apparent through their willingness to take time off their busy schedules to be at our event without expecting anything in return (we are eternally grateful!), their eagerness to share their knowledge and experience with us young adults, and of course – the fact that they stayed back well after the event ended to talk to our guests too.

A wefie to end of the beautiful evening

Once again, a huge thank you to our amazing host and panelists for gracing us with an unforgettable evening of lessons learnt and passions inspired.

This event would not be possible without the support of the following sponsors.