National Young Leaders’ Day Women’s Edition 2013: Stunning, confident and articulate, a panel of successful women took the stage to share their hopes and dreams to a crowd of enthusiastic young future leaders

Held at Kallang Theatre on 9 March 2013, National Young Leaders’ Day Women’s Edition (NYLDWE) is an annual event which aims to provide a platform for leaders to share life experiences and leadership lessons to young women participants. This year’s NYLD Women’s Edition saw a strong turnout of more than 500 students from 29 schools and organisations, and our speakers uncorked a geyser of inspiration upon the start of their sharing.

Graced by Senior Minister of State for the Ministry of Law and Ministry of Education, Ms Indranee Rajah, the theme for this year’s NYLDWE was “Free to be”. “Freedom carries responsibility”, she reminded. She also challenged the crowd “How will we guard this freedom and not take it for granted? How can we use this freedom to dream, create and grow?”.

To set the stage, our invited speakers shed light on how they had and would continue to use their freedom to create value in their daily lives.

Rather than being subjugated in a male-dominated industry, Janice Wong, Founder of 2am:dessertbar, pursued her dreams and opened 2am:dessertbar in 2007 when she was 24. It was a risky investment for her to make, with an industry so saturated. Despite warnings from her father regarding the escalating costs involved, Janice continued to stick by her vision and was, against all odds crowned “Asia’s Best Pastry Chef” this year. “Success comes with failures, perseverance, leadership, teamwork and determination. Do not let factors like long hours and low pay hinder you from pursuing your dream”, she shared.

“Success comes with failures, perseverance, leadership, teamwork and determination. Do not let factors like long hours and low pay hinder you from pursuing your dream.” –Janice Wong, Founder of 2am:dessertbar

However, what if you were to have a compromised vision, like Cassandra Chiu? At the age of seven, Cassandra was diagnosed with a degenerative eye condition called Stagardt’s. Despite her disability, she shared her determination to live a full life, disallowing her impairment to be a barrier to fulfilling her dreams. Not only did she obtain her Master of Social Science in Professional Counselling which would enable her to help others, she also founded The Safe Harbour, a counselling center that helps to empower more individuals and families to tap into their potential. On stage with her guide dog, Esme, she urged the audience, “When there is a will, there is a way”.  Cassandra received the Singapore Woman Award in 2012.

Just like the two inspiring speakers mentioned above, Gina Romero, Managing Director of The Athena Network, also did not just believe in that adage, she lived it. Gina knew failure at its worst — homelessness, tragic car accidents, a failed relationship and failed businesses. Refusing to be victimised by failure, she reasoned, “Failing does not mean that you are a failure”. Her experience with failure shaped her to be the person she is today, and she encouraged us with the following message — “Failure is part of life. Do not be afraid of it”.

Author and travel writer, Pamela Ho, also shared that “there is nothing more important than being true to yourself in what you are passionate about”. While most people would be happy to stay in their comfort zone, Pamela has, on the other hand, embarked on an arduous journey round the globe for nine months after her life hit rock bottom. Her journey, borne out of the hunger to rebuild her life, was encapsulated in a memoir entitled “Adventures of 2 Girls”, which is a true testament of one who turned her dreams into reality.

The amalgam of determination and vision was thick in the air. Among this audience of young future leaders, who would travel, enter politics, heal or invent? I believe many who sat in Kallang Theatre left in a reflective mood on what they could do with the freedom bestowed upon them.