Fion and Kennedy, both 28, have known each other since they were teenagers and got married in June 2021. In October 2021, Fii Beauty was incorporated and the first product they sold was the body scrub balls, a two-in-one product that was inspired by the same reasons as the cloud curler scrunchie. When the cloud curler was launched, it sold out within three days. And the company hit six-figures in sales within the first month of that product’s launch.

“Looking back, we’re really grateful to see how far we have come – we have 5.8 million video views to date and that has given us great motivation to do better with our product and content for our consumers,” says Kennedy.

Fion shares that the business was actually her husband’s idea and he came up with the name too. And while there was some trepidation at the beginning for them to work together, it turned out to be a smooth transition.

Fion thinks it was a smooth transition because they have known each other for such a long time, trusted and had a lot of faith in each other. So, in terms of their roles and responsibilities in the business, everything fell into place naturally.

“In the beginning, it was just the both of us and there were many things I had to learn from Kennedy,” Fion shares. “I think he had to be extra patient with me which I am quite thankful for. There were times I felt quite handicapped but I realised that it is a journey and I will naturally get there. As the saying goes, Rome wasn’t built in a day.”

“It was a great feeling, knowing that we will be speaking the same language and moving towards the same goal,” Kennedy recalls. “Of course, we were also scared because it’s not easy for married couples to work together. But we were sure the pros far outweighed the cons, and we were determined to work things out if anything did happen.”

The couple had to make major financial decisions too. Investing in the company meant putting on hold plans for a honeymoon or any other holidays, and having a baby too. But they were willing to risk it all to give this venture a try.

Kennedy was okay with taking this risk to chase their dreams. He had started and failed in e-commerce businesses before and even had to borrow money from his sister, which he has since returned. He eventually got recognised by one of his mentors, who brought him into his e-commerce business as a partner. This gave him his big break but he’s now fully devoted to this business with his wife. He just wanted to try his best with Fii Beauty and knew he would be able to pick himself up if he had to. So he had no hesitation, even though there was fear.

“It was a no-brainer for me to choose beauty as a business because my wife has an acumen for beauty products,” says Kennedy. “She is passionate about beauty and helping people and has very clear thought processes about what makes a product great. The first key component of a successful business is having a great product that solves real problems.”

He handed over all his life savings while Fion contributed half of what she had left after paying off the last of her university school fees. She admits that even though the financial commitment was scary for her, “I don’t think it was as scary as Kennedy because he really threw in all that he had”.

“I didn’t want to have any regrets, money can be earned back again,” says Fion. “What ran through my mind was more that I wanted to build something that was ours, something I can proudly show and tell my parents that this is your daughter’s and make them proud.”

The couple spends most of their time at home, working on the business. They wake up early and work out. Once they’re back home, they take their dog for a short walk, then have some ‘alone time’ before starting work, which usually involves a few rounds of chess and reading. Their team goes to the couple’s home to work three days a week and, once the workday is over, they all have dinner together. Then it’s winding down with some chess (Kennedy) and reading (Fion) before bed.

Kennedy feels it’s “unrealistic” to separate their personal and professional lives as the business is such a huge part of their lives and “is literally what will allow us to live our dream life in the future”. When they do find the time to put work aside, they watch a movie or go on a date. Fion thinks it also helps their relationship that they have ‘time alone’ when they work out as they go to separate gyms.

Even though they’ve known each other a long time, working together has brought out sides of their partner they’ve never seen. Kennedy admits that, having known each other since they were 14, they have, predictably, formed biases of each other. So, even though he knew that Fion was hardworking and studious, he thought it would take her a longer time to get used to her new role. “She accepted responsibilities and overcame challenges much better than I thought she would. I’m extremely proud of her for that,” he says.

Fion says Kennedy was typically “quite a clown in the relationship” but being business partners has been inspiring and she looks up to him as a mentor as she only had corporate experience before but he had dabbled in the business world. In fact, she says she feels “like I fell in love again”.

“I’ve also been very touched because he never once doubted my capabilities even though there were a lot of things I had to learn from him,” she adds. “He always empowered me and pushed me to do better, to step out of my comfort zone, so I am very thankful for that.”

For any couples thinking of working together, Kennedy advises to only do so if you’re willing to see it through till the end, and only if you truly trust each other. Also, make sure that your roles are clearly defined in the business, so each person has their own responsibility.

Fion thinks it’s crucial to acknowledge that it’s not going to be easy and you have to ask each other if you are okay to accept the drop in lifestyle because you’re not getting a stable monthly income. And if yes, for how long?

“Most importantly, even though nobody likes or wants it, both of you have to be ready for failure, and if that happens, nobody can blame the other, because it is a conscious joint decision,” she adds.

The couple plans to go for their honeymoon this year, perhaps to New Zealand. They also plan to have a baby in the future but aren’t sure yet when this will happen. As for the business, they officially launched in Malaysia on 23 March and they have plans to be in as many countries as they can.

For now, the couple is enjoying the success of their business, which includes Fion being recognised in public.

“Seeing people recognise Fion when we are out and thank her really makes me glad that I was able to help her leave her job,” Kennedy beams. “It makes me very proud because she is really living to her full potential now and I can’t wait to see what becomes of that .”

“I told Kennedy when our videos first went viral that if I meet anyone wearing the cloud curler in public, I will go up and thank them personally for supporting us, supporting our dream,” Fion adds. “And I did! At the boutique fair last year, it was a really memorable moment for me.”

This article was originally published in Singapore Women’s Weekly.

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