At that point, because of her weight struggles, Wee was told that it would be hard to conceive. But to her surprise, she fell pregnant quite quickly.  

As her body changed, so did her relationship with it and food. “The miraculous thing was, my sugar addiction from my twenties disappeared. I no longer craved desserts,” Wee says. “I realised how much sugar caused those cravings and addiction. I also needed to eat promptly and the same amount. I no longer dealt with the overeating and undereating of my eating disorder, because my body would tell me when and how much to eat. If I didn’t, I’d feel nauseous. My nutrition just fell into place.“

She adds, “That was the heaviest I’d ever been—about 60 kilograms when I gave birth. That’s when I learned something so important about weight management. I never went on a crash diet, even at my heaviest. I successfully lost and maintained my weight after giving birth. No crash diets, no pills, no extreme measures, and I was mentally healthy. I could eat everything.

“It taught me so much about nutrition. After I gave birth in 2018, I was convinced that this is my mission: to let people know that we all have different body types and that the science of losing or maintaining weight is simple. We don’t have to overcomplicate it or torture ourselves.”

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Armed with these experiences, she slowly started realising that many people had an unhealthy relationship with food and their bodies, and a lot of education and awareness was needed in this space. 

“I found my purpose in my early thirties, after everything I went through in my twenties,” muses Wee. “I truly believe it is to inspire others to find the best version of themselves when it comes to health, wellness, personal image and weight management. That’s where I’m strongest. I also want to inspire my working partners, family and friends because I believe we are not meant to fit in one box. It’s about embracing who we are.”

Read more: From profit to purpose: How to build an impact-driven business

To this end, Wee rebranded her weight management brand Cheryl W to Company of Wellness (CW), a decision that reflects a complete ethos shift for the company. “Since 2016, my focus has been on well-being and wellness. It’s not about judging bodies; it’s about being healthy. I always wanted to create products, but my mom, who comes from a service background, wanted me to learn about running a brick-and-mortar business. So we combined both. We have services like wellness detoxes and fat freezing, and I have the creative space to develop products.”

The genesis for CW came in 2019. “I wanted another challenge. After four years of running Cheryl W, with five salons and hands-on customer service, I wanted to diversify and expand the business.”

She adds, “Expanding with more shops could have been one way, but I felt my calling was elsewhere. I wanted to expand the product line. I spoke to my directors and investors, saying, ‘I want to invest even more in this company, especially the product line because I see a future and have a vision for it.’ I wanted to feel the full impact of entrepreneurship—the pain, the losses, the gains—and create that learning curve for myself again.”

However, the rebrand was delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic as well as her third pregnancy. But this turned out to be a blessing in disguise, says Wee. 

“I wanted to create an ecosystem, but it was a huge project. Selling meal plans, exercise plans and supplements seemed complicated. How could I put it all together in a simplified form for consumers? That was the challenge. I’m glad I had that time because if I launched in 2021 or 2022, I wouldn’t have been able to think and distil it into what it is today. It gave me time to say, ‘Look, CW is not just a brand, I want it to be a movement.’”

CW offers a plethora of solutions for the time- and resource-strapped woman, from consumables to a #30DaysBetterSelf programme that includes guides, one-on-one nutritionist sessions and online workout sets.

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Throughout her journey, her husband Roy has been instrumental in helping her shape the essence of CW. Her parents, too, have profoundly influenced her.

Initially intimidated by her mother’s success, Wee doubted her own entrepreneurial spirit. “When I first began, I couldn’t see myself as an entrepreneur. My mom is such a gold standard—she started from scratch, from rags to riches. I felt too lucky to have that support and didn’t feel like a real entrepreneur.”

When she shared her insecurities with her father Mervin Wee, he advised her to be more open-minded. She still remembers his words: “Entrepreneurship isn’t just a job or a title; it’s a mindset and an attitude. It’s about not giving up. Whether you’re a team member or working in a company, you can be an entrepreneur. Your mum has gone through so many challenges—economic crises, problems at work and home—but she never gives up.”

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Now a mother of three, Wee is carving her own path, recognising the duality of her role: a second-generation business leader and an entrepreneur in her own right. “I work in a family business, which is a lot like working in a corporation. You still answer to directors, bosses and stakeholders, and manage different departments. I have one foot in that world, and I think people don’t realise that. It’s a part of who I am.”

And what does she say to naysayers who think that life is cushy for a second-generation business owner? “I used to feel the need to prove I was working hard. I don’t think I need to anymore. The proof is in the pudding. I’ve learned that if I put in the hard work, even if people don’t see it, the skills, relationships and networks I’ve built are things that no one can take away from me.”

She adds, “What I say to those people is, ‘I can’t control what you think.’ Most importantly, I know who I am, what I do and what’s important to me. I know my priorities.”

Here, we ask the entrepreneur a few quick-fire questions to learn more about what makes her tick. 

What would you say is your biggest weakness? 

CW: My weakness is that I sometimes take on too much. I run around like a headless chicken because I see opportunities everywhere—something to do for Jean Yip Beauty here, something for the shops there, an event, packaging... everything seems important, so I hold on to them all.

On good days, I can manage, but some days I just can’t. There have been times when I’ve snapped or lost it because I was too busy. I’ve worked myself to the point of going weeks sleeping only from midnight to 3am. I stress myself out, maybe unnecessarily. And because I don’t get proper sleep, I can’t function the next day.

I keep working like that, but it’s not sustainable. I keep saying I need to pace myself, but I take on so many things and they’re all important to me.

What is your favourite beauty treatment?

CW: My favourite beauty treatment is the CW Wellness Detox. It uses a magnetic fork that provides a deep massage and makes me sweat. It’s very effective.

What makes you happy?

CW: Food! All kinds of food. I love to eat and try different things. That’s what truly makes me happy.

Founder Stories is Tatler’s content series dedicated to discovering the untold stories and challenges of today’s entrepreneurs on their climb to the top.

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