From Catwalk to Bubbles: CEO of SodaStream Singapore Has Tips to Share

CEO of SodaStream Singapore shares her experience, with Tan Jia Hao, as businesses get hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nanz Chong-Komo in her office of her current business, SodaStream. PHOTO CREDIT | Nanz Chong-Komo

Famously known for her high-profile fall from the One.99 store, Nanz Chong-Komo is back with a new business venture as the exclusive distributor for SodaStream, an Israeli drinks company.

“I want to focus on what I am good at, which is branding and marketing, everything else, we outsource. We don’t have our own stores; we use partner stores to get our products out to retail,” said Nanz when asked why she puts her products in partner stores. The sparkling water is available in over 30 stores in Singapore, including NTUC FairPrice, Self-Fix, ToTT & Courts.

The founder of SodaStream Singapore who is now giving advice to entrepreneurs like herself says: “You are who you are, you are not identified by your success or your money.”

First official photoshoot for Nanz’ current business, SodaStream. PHOTO CREDIT | Nanz Chong-Komo

The famous model turned entrepreneur started many businesses. Today, we know her as the CEO of SodaStream Singapore but the business that brought her into the spotlight was the first One.99 Shop at The Heeren in Orchard Road in 1997. It was known for selling a range of merchandise at the price of $1.99.

“I used to see her face in the one.99 stores when I visited, ” said Chew Li Lin, Nanz Chong’s personal assistant. She expanded at a rapid pace and as sales figures doubled, she opened 13 more stores in the next six years.

She was lauded with accolades and honours, including The Woman Entrepreneur of The Year award in 2000. At the height of her success in 2001, her company had an annual turnover of 14 million. Before embarking on her business ventures, Nanz Chong-Komo was one of Singapore’s top models, who left polytechnic after 10 months of study to pursue her career in modelling.

While all these may seem like high profile successes, her fall took it to a new level. When SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) struck in 2003, she was among the many who went bankrupt. Her fall was not only covered locally but also in the international media.

Nanz Chong-Komo book signing. PHOTO CREDIT | Nanz Chong-Komo

This is not the end for Nanz Chong-Komo. Instead of resting on her laurels, she started writing her book, one business 99 lessons, which would end up being the best seller in Singapore with over 17,000 copies sold. “I recall deeply reading her book then, it was very straight to the point and helped me a lot when starting my business.” Said Katherine Sng, a business owner who consults Nanz for business advice.

After the book’s success, she continued to give motivational talks and speeches to entrepreneurs alike. In those years, she received several offers to start businesses, from cafes to childcare centres but none captured her interest the way SodaStream did.

SodaStream, part of PepsiCo is an Israeli drinks company, who was then looking for a new distributor for Singapore and wanted someone who was strong in marketing and branding. Nanz however did not say yes immediately; she spent over a year researching the company which has products sold in over 80,000 stores in 46 countries.

SodaStream liked her so much that they didn’t charge her for the distributorship.

“You know, there would be people emailing me, telling me they now know how I felt back then when SARS broke out,” said Nanz.

Nanz urges entrepreneurs and struggling businesses to start writing down what issues they are facing and be realistic with themselves on how they are doing.

“I was talking to entrepreneurs, and they were avoiding the reality and the sad news that they are not doing well and they did not want to face the fact, and it will manifest as stress or illness,” she said. “Sometimes it takes a big shaking to revaluate a (failing) business model,” she added.

“If it works, great, if it does not, it’s okay. It is never the end – look at me, 20 years later. This a good reminder to us to come back to the basics on what matters and why you are working so hard.”