2007

TheSun Tuesday 30 October 2007 Courage To Follow A Dream
What does fearless mean to you?

Starmetro Friday 20 July 2007 Caring Concept In Product
Enjoy topnotch quality and help the needy

TheStar Thursday 10 May 2007 Partners For A Noble Cause
TLC chief executive officer Julia Chong, who contributed RM1mil seed money to the trust, said HSBC Trustee held 999,990 irredeemable non-convertible preference shares.

New Sunday Time Sunday 18 March 2007 Charity Is Her Business
TLC’s first director and chief executive officer, says the company was set up to be a socially responsible one and will use a corporate profit.

30 OCT 2007, Tuesday

COURAGE TO FOLLOW A DREAM

For Julia Chong, it was the courage to leave a five-figure salary job to start her own company, what more, a business from which the dividends went not to her but to charity.

By ANGELA SARGUNAN

What does fearless mean to you? For Julia Chong, it was the courage to leave a five-figure salary job to start her own company, what more, a business from which the dividends went not to her but to charity.

Thus, with a confidence matching her benevolence, she started the Truly Loving Company (TLC), which donates all its dividends to charity. Without a doubt, Chong epitomises the idea that fearlessness is about facing challenges and achieving your dream. She worked in the corporate sector for more than 20 years before setting up TLC, of which she is now CEO. After she made her first million, however, she decided to give it away.

"I had a dream which I believed was different. After thinking it through and overcoming the fear, the next step was to implement it," said Chong, who will be a speaker at the 2007 Kancil Awards Speaker Series on Thursday.The series themed "Fearless" targets local advertising practitioners and is aimed at gaining insights and knowledge from experts in the industry.

Chong said she was confident of making her grand scheme work with her years of experience in marketing and running companies. TLC, which was incorporated in July last year, is a company producing more than 32 personal care and household products like shower cream, hand wash, body lotion and dishwashing detergent, which are competitively priced.

Like any business venture, it is also a profit-making company but is run on a unique concept as its preference shares are held by HSBC (Malaysia) Trustee Bhd.One hundred percent of TLC’s dividends are also channelled to registered charities, who receive the dividends twice a year. Currently, four registered charities – Shelter Homes for Children, Hospis Malaysia, Rumah Aman and the Handicapped and Mentally Disabled Children’s Association of Johor Baru – are the beneficiaries. The council of the TLC charitable trust ensures that all decisions pertaining to the choice of TLC’s charity partners and division of dividends are undertaken objectively and transparently.

Chong said having had a blessed life had inspired her to give back to society."We are not asking people for donations Ôø‡Ôø‡Ôø‡ it’s about integrating TLC products into your daily lives, hence helping the needy," she said. Like advertising, Chong said, "you must have an inspiration, which will then spur you on to be fearless and see it through. That is what creative excellence and making a difference is about".

"Without embracing our fear of failure there can be no big rewards."Chong said she had first given her dream some thought more than 10 years ago, but after several setbacks, had to put it on hold."I know it is difficult to leave a well-paid and secure job, but when you believe in your passion, you are committed to doing it well and making it a success."At the end of the day, you will feel satisfied especially when it’s for a good cause."