Channel NewsAsia Online
At 34, Ms Sheryl Avery Tham faced a different kind of challenge. After nearly five years of managing communications for a crypto solutions company, she was retrenched in October last year.
After the layoff, she began applying for roles in high-tech and crypto industries, aiming for lateral moves that aligned with her decade of experience in communications.
However, despite her strong credentials, she often found herself ghosted, automatically rejected or told that she was “too expensive”.
“It’s this weird paradox where your experience becomes a liability,” she said.
“Employers want someone who can hit the ground running, yet they don’t want to pay for the expertise that enables that.”
Eventually, Ms Tham decided to pursue an idea that she had long contemplated – she is now an entrepreneur and will launch her wellness studio in September.
REINVENTION AFTER RETRENCHMENT
Ms Tham, who was laid off from a crypto firm, said that the retrenchment came at a time when she was already grappling with burnout and she began exploring the wellness sector through small experiments.
“I started working the front desk at a yoga studio in March and it was eye-opening. People crave calm, intentional spaces to reconnect with themselves.”
The experience led her to take the leap into entrepreneurship, co-founding The Palm – a pilates, yoga and wellness studio – with several partners and investors.
Ms Tham acknowledged that the privilege she had – a healthy severance package, stock options from her previous employer and no dependents – provided her with a safety net, so that she could experiment.
“If not now, then when? I didn't want to look back with regret about not taking this leap of faith while I was … not shackled to a corporate job.”
