I’ve never been one to take the easy path. Ever since I can remember, I’ve wanted to push myself; I’ve wanted to see how far down the path towards self-actualisation I can actually travel.
That said, the early part of my story is not an unusual one for many Hong Kong Chinese kids. I was born and spent the early part of my life in one of Asia’s most vibrant cities before moving to a boarding school in northern England to continue my education. That was where I learned to be independent, and where my ambition was ignited.
After completing my degree, my first job was as an interior designer helping to create design style research & development. The role allowed me to explore my creative side as well as seeing the world from a different point of view. Those experiences were invaluable when I moved to work at an electronics manufacturing business just over the border with mainland China.
I started on the shop floor working on the CNC milling machines as well as other parts of the production process getting a feel for the core of the business. That experience, along with my Western sensibilities, enabled me to engage our customers’ senior staff knowledgeably and soon my role had expanded to include the design of R&D packaging, marketing and strategy. I was even able to bring out my inner geek learning about industrial 4.0 software, and the decision-making it enables.
Despite playing a substantial part in the growth of the business, and even expanding into new business areas, I always knew I wanted to set up my own business from scratch. I felt that all of my experiences had prepared me for the complexity of looking after the operational, marketing and productions aspects of a business – and I was eager to get going.
The idea for Cary Regimen hit me, almost literally, between the eyes when I looked in the bathroom mirror one morning in 2021: why is skincare so complex and time-consuming? The men’s skincare sector is still nascent and I felt there was a real opportunity to create something new and different.
Cary Regimen is the result of that lightbulb moment. It’s a range of skincare solutions designed specifically for men to help them look their best every day without the hassle of spending hours in the bathroom and without breaking the bank.
It’s been hard work to get to this point but when it’s your passion, no-one minds spending 12 or 14 hours a day to get things ‘just so.’ That hard work means we’re on track for launching at the end of Q1 2023 and I can’t wait to start revealing the details in the weeks to come.
