Leaders

Ability, intellect, and potential are not uniformly distributed throughout the population. However, sometimes individuals just don't realize it. As a result, people who work with Image Consultants are often able to uncover previously unrealized strengths and use them to achieve greater success in their lives. It follows that working with an image consultant like Elaine Kwan helps you improve your overall appearance and confidence. Elaine Kwan is currently pursuing her Masters in Business Administration after getting a degree in Financial Accounting. She has worked as a credit controller for White Horse Ceramic Industries SdnBhd's worldwide market and as an audit and tax person for Tan HoonSiong's audit and tax business. She began taking piano lessons at age four and has attended many concerts since then, reaching the eighth-grade level. Yet she eventually discovered that her true calling was in the realm of makeup, hair, and clothing design. She enrolled at Makeup forever Academy, Paris Professional, in Singapore to pursue her passion and learn from some of the best in the industry. Therefore, in 2014, she launched Elegance Image and Etiquette Sdn Bhd. Elaine talked with Women Entrepreneur magazine in an exclusive interview about her entrepreneurial journey and the elements that motivated her to choose this path.

What are some important features of your expertise as a makeover and styling expert?

We tailor our services to each individual's religious views, financial circumstances, needs, time, location, role, purpose, message, health, and other characteristics. Unless specifically requested to fit their profession or lifestyle, we place less importance on branded, costly, and dramatic products.

What motivated you to shift gears from being in the finance industry to becoming a stylist?

As a parent, I often felt isolated while I was working full-time for a company and worried that I wouldn't be able to spend enough time with my children. I didn't want to come home every day to find them soundly sleeping in their cradle; I wanted to be there to nurture and teach them while they explored their world. Moreover, from a professional standpoint, I've seen that individuals could stand to look more put together and make a better impression at work. Therefore, sometime later, I took a huge risk and made a sudden career switch, going from the finance sector to the fashion and beauty industries. Time is money. I dove myself into getting the education I needed to succeed in my new field so that I could start my career off on the right foot.

What led to you establishing Elegance Image and Etiquette Consultancy? Tell us about the the underlying idea behind the company and some of its most unique features.

Motherhood is a path I've chosen. I have a duty to care for my children. I've always wanted the best for them, and I pray that I'm competent enough to raise them myself. Parents who provide their children with both emotional and physical support are essential in helping them succeed in life. The education and knowledge gained through books and classrooms are essential for a better tomorrow. Education is the transition from darkness to light, and investments in education often provide the highest returns. Yet one's inner image — manners, etiquette, attitudes, and character—are the most important factors in determining success and social acceptance in any given setting. Thereafter, I vowed to myself that I would do all in my power to provide a better future for my children and my loved ones. In my mind, I have mapped out a plan and a great ambition.

Despite knowing that I must first overcome a severe obstacle in order to reach the pinnacle, my excitement propels me forward without any fear. I'd get out of bed every day with a strong sense of purpose and motivation. In an effort to better myself, I've been setting aside 20 minutes a day to learn. After that, I'll be able to drift off to dreamland with a modicum of daily accomplishment. If we know that our lives have meaning, that there is a cause worth fighting for, that there is someone we can love, and that we have a specific goal we want to reach, then we will be better able to persevere through trying times. The sake of being true to myself as I am and as I want to be, was my primary motivation. If we don't work to improve ourselves first, we'll never be able to make a difference in the world. Thus, I established Elegance Image and Etiquette Consultancy with a firm commitment to the goals, ideals, and values I had established for myself.

In your opinion what are some of the most significant milestones that you have achieved throughout your professional journey? What has been the driving force behind your success as a professional?

My greatest satisfaction comes from being able to impart my knowledge and skills to others. It makes me happy and proud to see one of your students become a successful business owner, community leader, or beauty queen in a country like Singapore or Malaysia. Children who took part in image and etiquette classes are likely to be more sociable, cultured, polite, and reserved than adults. They develop their social abilities and become more confident in public settings. To me, success is seeing every student or participant find what they've been searching for, regaining their self-confidence, and pushing themselves to improve rather than giving up. Money comes from hustling, knowledge comes from experience, and tenacity pays off in the end. That which you do not change is that which you have chosen, and the degree of hardship you encounter in life is inversely proportionate to the strength of your will, in my opinion.

“To me, success is seeing every student or participant find what they've been searching for, regaining their selfconfidence, and pushing themselves to improve rather than giving up”

Drawing from your experience as a business leader, what would your advice be to young women and girls who also aspire to become business leaders and entrepreneurs in the future?

One choice may lead to a radically altered life, and we're always only a phone call away if you need help making that choice. Don't be afraid to go for what you want and stand up for what you believe in; regrets over missed opportunities are the misery of most people's existences. If it doesn't rain, then nothing will grow. You must train yourself to welcome the storms that inevitably will come your way. Be a woman who takes care of business and avoids drama; a queen never loses; she either triumphs or gains wisdom.

Elaine Kwan, Founder & Director, Elegance Image & Etiquette Sdnbhd

Elaine Kwan attended Makeup Forever School in Singapore and is now a certificated makeup artist, hairdresser, body artist, and the tattoo artist. She also attended classes at the Find Happiness Modeling Association in Taiwan, where she learned highly specialized professional Styling techniques. Elaine has also been trained as a professional photographer by Heng Chin Chuan, a photographer who has won several awards from the Royal British Columbia Institute of Arts.