Her first job in Singapore saw her earning S$1,500 monthly on a work pass. Today, this Permanent Resident is building her own ecosystem venture
What does it take to start over in a new country and turn uncertainty into opportunity? For Taiwanese entrepreneur Chia Wen Hsu, the road to Singapore Permanent Residency was anything but smooth. Here is how she created her own seat at the table within the Lion City's fast-moving startup ecosystem.
“When people hear my story, they tell me that they find it ‘unreal’. But I know it to be real, because I have lived through it. Nothing can break me.”
For many global citizens, the trajectory of life is rarely a straight line. Chia, a Taiwanese native who has carved out a vibrant life and entrepreneurial career in Singapore, is no different. Over the last eight years, she has navigated migration-related uncertainties, heartbreak, and high-stakes career pivots; marked by moments of profound doubt and upheaval. Having forged a path from an entry-level retail role to an ecosystem-building founder, her resilience is immovable.
Crossing oceans without a concrete plan
Chia in the US
“I’ve always had an adventurous streak.”
Taiwanese born-and-raised, Chia moved to the United States right after completing her undergraduate degree, during the heyday of the Obama presidency. Then, in 2018, she found herself in a precarious position.
With stricter H-1B visa restrictions introduced under the new administration and no corporate sponsorship for fresh graduates barring industries like finance or medicine, she faced a looming deadline, following which her one-year post-graduation grace period would expire. “My then-boyfriend and I were 25 and 26, respectively. At the time, our choices were a shotgun wedding, so I could acquire a green card to continue staying in the US, or starting over in a new place,” she recalls.
Her former partner then opened a world map, and pointed at Singapore.
“Getting married at 25 would have been crazy, so I packed up my entire life into five big suitcases, and crossed oceans to move to Singapore by myself,” she says.
When Chia had begun looking for jobs in Singapore, she faced several hurdles. Despite holding a Master’s degree, her lack of corporate internships or office experience in Asia meant her options were limited.
Eager to get her foot in the door, Chia persisted relentlessly, finally striking gold with a sales role at Ferragamo’s Marina Bay Sands outlet. While her starting salary would only amount to SGD 1,500 monthly, she had no objections.
“I remember crying with joy when I received an offer, because it felt like I hit the jackpot,” she says.
Re-starting from scratch amidst the retail grind
The first three months of Chia’s new life in Singapore were gruelling.
Working long shifts that ended past midnight, followed by an exhausting commute back home, where she often arrived home around 1:00 AM or 2:00 AM, left her with virtually no time or energy for a social life. Fatigue, distance, and drastic time differences strained her long-distance relationship with her boyfriend. Eventually, the couple parted ways.
“When you are in a new place by yourself, things seem larger-than-life and more out-of-control,” she reflects. “Neither of us were adequately able to adjust to all the changes in our circumstances, and when things began to snowball, we just couldn’t take it anymore.”
Three months into her job at Ferragamo, Chia realised that meeting new people and building her own network would be unfeasible, as long as she continued to work unforgiving hours. And while she was grateful to the Ferragamo team for taking a chance on her, she needed to explore other options.
While out at a bar one night, she struck up a conversation with a stranger who happened to be hiring. When she expressed her desire to leave her current retail position, he mentioned he was hiring for a role in FMCG recruitment, for talent acquisition firm PeopleSearch.
“He asked if I was a ‘people person’, and I responded in the affirmative, because my sales job at Ferragamo required me to deal with people on a daily basis,” she recalls. Once she and the man exchanged LinkedIn details, an interview was set up.
The rest is history.
Breaking into the tech recruitment scene
Chia at Randstad
For the next 10 months, Chia dove headfirst into FMCG recruitment, handling consumer goods, alcohol, pharmaceuticals, and fashion brands. “With regular working hours, I finally had the time to explore Singapore, and socialise with friends over dinner and drinks,” she shares.
Recognising that she wanted to get her foot into the world of FMCG recruitment, another chance encounter at a social outing introduced her to her next mentor — a half-German, half-American tech leader at recruitment agency Randstad, who would become a pivotal figure in her career. During their initial coffee chat, he recognised the immense potential of her fiery spirit.
“Despite being a man, he taught me how to be a ‘girl-boss,” she laughs.
From their preliminary conversations, Chia learned that while Randstad did not hire inexperienced staff, and preferred to train fresh graduates right out of university, her mentor was willing to open to the door for her.
She started off as an Associate, working her way up to a managerial position within five years, and gaining deep access to deep exposure to founders, C-level executives, and venture capitalists across the tech ecosystem.
Climbing Singapore's 'pass ladder'
Chia at a corporate gathering
Chia was never one to remain stationary. Her career evolved yet again when she transitioned to tech consulting firm headquartered in Australia, Think & Grow.
Serving under the company’s Southeast Asia contingent, she was tasked to set up the Singapore wing of the business. She had the freedom to organise community events including founders’ roundtables, CTO breakfasts, and C-suite gatherings, resulting in a momentum that coincided with a broader surge in Singapore’s vibrant events landscape.
And while she thrived during her two years with Think & Grow, working on an Employment Pass (EP) came with some restrictions: she was legally tethered to a single employer and had to turn away exciting client requests, simply because they didn’t align with corporate headquarters.
“Being on an EP builds momentum, but it also begs the question: what if I had the freedom to build my own business and say yes to the projects I actually believe in?” she reflects.
For over eight years, Chia had worked her way through nearly every stage of the pass system: starting on a baseline Work Pass as a luxury retail sales associate at Ferragamo, transitioning to an S Pass at PeopleSearch and Randstad, and eventually securing an Employment Pass as she rose to managerial level in tech recruitment at Think & Grow.
“You take what you have, play the hand you’re dealt, and keep moving forward.”
In March 2025, after a previous rejection in 2020, she received the life-changing message from ICA while on a trip in Melbourne: her Permanent Residency application had been approved in-principle. “I remember screaming my lungs out with joy,” she reveals.
Events unfolded in rapid succession. Having already mapped out her vision, Chia incorporated her business entity, finalised her PR formalities, and was ready to take the entrepreneurial plunge full-time – all within two weeks time.
Focusing on building her own dream
Chia at a corporate dinner
Confronting the financial shift of being a founder hit hard.
“Once I left my corporate job, I experienced a real identity crisis,” Chia admits candidly. “I made drastic lifestyle changes, and focused all my energy on building this business.”
She even interviewed with a few of corporate firms for safety, but quickly realised that she’d have to sprint ahead with no safety net.
By June 2026, traction began to build. In July, an inbound inquiry on LinkedIn turned into her first paying client for a curated private executive dinner.
Today, her venture operates under a clear thesis: “Right people, same room, best time.”
“Throughout my career, I had attended countless massive conferences where people stood around eating canapés with no real takeaway,” she explains. “It was on me to identify which connections and conversations would lead to something meaningful.”
Then, she started thinking: what if she could curate a list of people most likely to become her customers or investors? “My job is to take the heavy lifting of guest curation, targeting, and hospitality entirely off my clients’ shoulders,” she explains.
Chia’s business, CHI (氣) Production, reflects her heritage and philosophy. Drawing from her name, Chia incorporated the character chi(氣), which embodies vital energy and elegance. “The energy of the room makes or breaks an event,” she says. “I personally host every gathering because holding the right space and fostering authentic connection is everything.”
One notable collaborator of Chia’s brand has been Singapore Global Network (SGN).”SGN has built massive global reach, but its real power of community is best built and displayed in intimate rooms,” she notes, speaking of a recent curated dinner her company hosted in collaboration with SGN, for women leaders in AI and tech.
“By bringing together Singaporeans, PRs, and international founders around the same table, we aren't just hosting dinners—we’re helping people find a true home in Singapore’s ecosystem."
Focusing on building her own dream
Chia at Tech Week Singapore 2025
Sustaining a high-octane career centred on human connection requires intentional boundary-setting and physical recharge. For Chia, daily movement is non-negotiable: whether it is a studio workout, a gym session, or playing padel outdoors. “This is my ‘me-time’, where I get to recharge,” she shares.
While bringing people together comes naturally to her, she’s learned to carefully guard her emotional bandwidth. Alongside a solid local support system, daily check-ins with family, health supplements, and workouts, she emphasizes the necessity of protecting her energy boundaries. “Choose wisely who you give access to, and who you let have access to you,” she advises.
From her vantage point as an entrepreneur connecting founders, investors, and executives across region-spanning networks, Chia views Singapore as a matchless global launchpad.
“Newcomers to Singapore will always feel welcome because they are bound to find people of their own,” she observes. “You can find niche cuisines, interesting people, and incredible business opportunities – all in a beautiful and safe setting.”
Unlike other major hubs where foreign talent faces steep systemic hurdles, Singapore offers a tangible path toward long-term belonging, which Chia greatly appreciates. “In other countries, I faced many limitations because I was not a citizen,” she reveals. “I feel confident calling Singapore home, as I have the opportunity to put down roots and own assets, even as a non-citizen.”
Positioned strategically close to other key global and strategic hubs, Singapore delivers international reach, safety, and stability without losing its forward momentum.
“People often ask me if I ever get bored after living in Singapore for so many years,” she says. “I tell them no, because Singapore is only just getting started. It’s one of the few places in the world that strives for harmony for all – people and businesses alike.”
About Chia
Taiwanese born and raised, Chia Wen Hsu is the founder of CHI (氣) Production, a collective that brings together founders, venture capitalists, and private equity ecosystem enablers to unlock growth, and build lasting relationships.
Connect with her here.