Women We Know 37 - Chloe Baum

Hailing from a sunny seaside town in the UK, Chloe Baum moved to Singapore 6 years ago to take a leap of faith in her career. During her time here she's taken full advantage of the worlds best airport on her doorstep and has spent as much time as possible travelling the region. When in Singapore. Chloe loves to cook for her friends, often with some of the dishes she's learnt on her travels. 


Chloe is wearing Curve Collection 2-piece Geometric Tankini Tube set

Hi Chloe! Thanks for making time to be a part of our K.BLU Women We Know series. You worked in amazing companies in Singapore, Diageo and Linkedin. Tell us how different it is working in Singapore and UK?  

The main difference is working regionally across time zones and understanding the different cultural norms. In London, you have to be mindful of UK and rest of Europe time, whereas in Singapore the remit spans from Australia to India. There are also so many cultural nuances which were new, like giving and receiving business cards which isn’t common in the UK and being aware of hierarchy in some organisations. I also think there’s more career development opportunity in Singapore, quite often it’s the regional hub/HQ for multi national organisations so if you want to move up the ladder then it’s a great place to do it, providing you’re good at what you do of course!

Who is your favourite actress?

Juliette Lewis and Patricia Arquette – I love their quirky styles and crazy characters that they both play

You are a frequent traveller, where is your favourite place to go for a long weekend in Singapore?

There are so many!  Bali is always a great choice, but also city breaks like Hong Kong and especially Tokyo for a slightly longer, long weekend!

What advice would you give to a young single expat coming to Singapore?

Embrace it and say yes to everything! Singapore is nothing like home so expect to be challenged and uncomfortable at the beginning. Say yes to everything for at least your first 6 months and see what happens. It will certainly be exhausting but well worth it, you’ll meet some incredible people who’ll become lifelong friends, some crazy people who push you to you limits and you’ll probably explore some beautiful places in the region.

 

Chloe is wearing Curve Collection One-piece Ruched Suit

We have heard you are re-locating, what would you miss most from Singapore?

The culture and my friends. Everywhere in Singapore has a rich heritage when you keep your eyes open and although the theatre scene may not quite be like other places, walking around some of the local neighbourhoods you’ll always discover something creative. Whether that’s artworks from Yip Yew Chong, or generations of family owning their hawker stands and doing things the same way for years. I’ve also been lucky enough to meet the most incredible, diverse and loving people which was totally unexpected. Friends who have made me a better person and with whom I’ll always stay in touch.

 What or who are your style influences?

So many icons! Vivienne Westwood, Juliette Lewis, Drew Barrymore, Debbie Harry, Iris Apfel, my sister AKA my stylist and my mum. I also love chunky and eye-catching necklaces and am rarely seen without one.

What is the hardest life hurdle you’ve gone through and what did you take away from it?

In 2015 I was made redundant from my job and on the verge of leaving Singapore. I gave up my apartment, moved all my things into storage and planned an epic Asia tour. Unfortunately, the trip was cut short after less than a month when I broke my leg. I then spent two months living on friends’ sofa whilst searching for a job and interviewing on crutches. More on that here

Lessons I learned were that perseverance is key and it ain’t over, til it’s over!

Chloe is wearing Curve Collection Red Tankini Geometric Set

What is the one life lesson you learned that can’t be taught in school?

Life is what you make it, it’s never going to be as straight forward as you think and there will always be change when you least expect it. The important thing is how you deal it and make sure you always look after yourself.

What is your definition of success?

Loving what you do and doing what you love. That’s not just for work but for everything in life

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Hahaha, I can’t even plan 5 months ahead let alone 5 years. So long as I’m happy, healthy and have access to a nice travel destination that’s all that matters

Is there a song lyric or a quote you live by?

There’s two – ‘Shoot for the moon, even if you miss you’ll land among the stars’ and ‘there’s no place like home’. Living far away is difficult but home is a state of mind. At first my family got upset when I would call Singapore home, but it’s important to be happy where you live and we soon realised that I’m lucky enough to have 2 homes, one with them and one with my Singapore family.