She left her fashion career to pursue palmistry – and now has a two-month wait list

Afraid to switch careers? These women took the leap – overcoming doubt and fear to find fulfilment in doing what they love. In this three part series, we speak to a race car driver, a palmist and a ceramicist.

With around 60 clients a month from across the globe, a two-month wait list, and features in local magazines, Linglin Chang’s palmistry business is thriving. A fashion merchandiser for 10 years, she left her job at the end of 2021 to look for a new role.

When she couldn’t land her ideal role, she turned her 13-year side hustle in palm reading into a full-time career. At first, it started with 15 minutes of fun readings for friends at university for a token rate, before she moved into more formal consultations.

Her fascination with palmistry and spirituality began at a young age. She recalls asking her father, a devout Buddhist, why he was staring so intently at his palms, only to have him reply that he was reading his future. He had a vast collection of books on palmistry, tarot and spirituality, which Linglin began to read. As she grew older, she bought more books to further her knowledge.

“I was obsessed with reading, collecting information and understanding about spirituality, palmistry, and different types of physiognomy (face reading),” she says.

Still, palm reading always remained a sideline as it was not a conventional career path. “However, I just felt more passion and depth in my [palmistry] gig compared to pursuing my full-time career then,” Linglin says.

She gave herself a year to see if palmistry could sustain her before returning to corporate life. When she first struck out on her own, she feared being labelled “weird” or “crazy” for choosing a path outside society’s definition of normal. But by trusting herself, she gradually let go of that fear and embraced the idea that what others saw as strange was, for her, simply normal.

“It was honestly a little scary, yet liberating. When I realised that I am fully responsible for my entire career trajectory, it really shifted my mindset. I needed to start working hard and be disciplined,” she says.

Another concern was the lack of financial stability, but she had enough savings to last her for more than a year.“I felt more passion doing my side hustle, hence I did not give in to my fear too much and decided to turn it into a full-time career,” she says.

It helped that her family could read palms. Her decision to start her own business strengthened her bond with her parents, who are also entrepreneurs. Though in a different field – running a ship management and consultancy firm – her family often discuss business, while her parents share advice on life and money management.

“They always remind me to stay disciplined, curious, open and kind – and, in the face of adversity, to trust myself, take things steadily, and never give up,” she shares.

Running her own business has also sharpened her financial habits: She now spends well below her means, and sets aside more for long-term investments.

“The more I acted on my passion with discipline and dedication, and ignored my inner critic, the more it manifested into financial stability for me,” shares Linglin.

Today, she charges between $208 and $497 per session for palm, face or tarot card reading, infusing psychology, logic and self-love into her readings.

Beyond building her business, she also finds fulfilment in being able to help her clients. She recalls a client from four years ago, critical and resentful amid relationship and career struggles, with whom she gradually built a connection. Earlier this year, that same client returned to share how much her guidance had helped – an encounter Linglin remains deeply grateful for.

She hasn’t looked back since. Her advice to those striking out on their own: “Allow yourself to be uniquely, authentically you. You deserve to be whoever you want to be – as long as you give yourself a real chance.”

PHOTOGRAPHY: Angela Guo
ART DIRECTION: Adeline Eng
COORDINATION: Chelsia Tan
HAIR & MAKEUP: Benedict Choo, using NARS