Kindling

How did you meet your wife and how long have you been married?
My wife and I are both hairstylists and we met at work. Now we run a hair salon together—we’ve been together for 30 years and married for 22 years! It’s important that we share the same interests and we inspire each other; many couples become strangers with time simply because they don’t have anything in common.

What are some things you enjoy doing together as a couple?
On our day off each week, we usually go out for a meal, go for a walk, and sometimes exercise. We’re really into fashion so we like to go shopping too.

It’s sad that many people are not willing to change their styles when they reach a certain age so they become stuck in the past. Just like how some people think that old songs are better, they’re not accepting to new things and refuse to keep up with the changing times.

How would you describe your style?
My dressing has changed a lot over the years, but I wouldn’t say that I have a specific style. For example, I’m in full black today but I actually like wearing different colours.

I don’t like repeating my looks, but I try not to spend too much on clothes too, so I tend to modify my old clothes to fit the current trends. If I do shop, I’ll got for secondhand clothes or off-season pieces that are on sale. For discounted items, I really like going to places like Club 21.

Tell us why you decided to become a hairstylist.
For survival (laughs).

Since my passion is in fashion, I thought about becoming a fashion designer, but you need a lot of money to pursue it in Singapore. I chose hairstyling instead as there was a higher chance for me to become my own boss.

What are some challenges you’ve faced owning your own business?
A lot of betrayal and hurt, even from my closest kin. That’s just the truth of life—you’ll experience many unfavourable challenges and meet a lot of different people, both good and bad, so you must depend on yourself.

But as a boss, I’ve very easy-going. I have to set guidelines, of course, but I’m not strict about enforcing the rules. Besides, my wife and I are approaching our 60s so we’ve had to slow down a little.

What kind of food do you enjoy?
At my age, I have to eat lots of whole foods, good proteins, and good oils to keep fit. I’ve had to cut down on sugar too because it’s the worst for your health. I mostly cook simple dishes at home—the best ones can be cooked in under 10 minutes.