Angela Sim (AS): Although we were not afraid to leave our jobs to start Cloversoft, there was slight regret and hesitance to leave what we have worked so hard for, and built up over the decade, as investment bankers in HSBC.

The fear surfaced only when business operations started. In hindsight, we were completely ignorant to the problems and risks that come with starting a business from scratch. We did not understand the importance of stock planning and two months in, we ran out of stock. We did not take into consideration the time gap between shipments. 

There was also an incident where the driver who we had engaged, got into two major car accidents within two weeks, and disappeared thereafter. We had to reject some deliveries and lost business for weeks. We had to compensate for the two accidents, which turned out to be very hefty. Both of us took on the roles as delivery personnel so that we could retain as many orders as possible!

Ultimately, the fear builds along the way as we face these difficulties. But it pushed us to learn quickly and they became the most valuable lessons for us as we navigated our way through to grow Cloversoft.

However, being able to be part of saving the polar bears through our partnership with Polar Bears International in Canada really motivated us and pushed us to continue, and convinced us that this was the right move in starting Cloversoft.

Lynn Yeo (LY): Definitely, we learnt that running a business will lead to facing the ups and downs daily. On those days when the ‘downs’ were aplenty, we started to miss the support from working in a company, as compared to when you have your own company. We became the administrators, salespeople, accountants, delivery personnel, and more.

We struggled alone for a while, and wondered if we had indeed made the right choice to start Cloversoft. That was when we decided to start hiring and building a team. When we started Cloversoft initially, hiring was actually not in our business plan. On the flip side, a single ‘up’ was sufficient to get us back on track and push Cloversoft forward, such as a simple “Thank You” message from our customers.

AS: Our first two products were unbleached bamboo toilet tissues and facial tissues. I was introduced to a scientist who took a decade to commercialise the invention, on one of my business trips to China as an investment banker. When I first felt the brown tissues, although they were slightly tougher than conventional white tissues made from wood pulp, they felt durable and sturdy. No chemicals or bleaching agents were also used to treat these tissues.

At that time, more than half of the tree population had been lost to deforestation, which had devastating effects on the environment. Trees take around 30 to 40 years to grow. In comparison, bamboo takes only 1 to 2 years to grow. We made sure that the bamboo species we use are not food sources for pandas, or animal habitats. As an animal lover, and Lynn being an environmentalist, this really resonated with us and we were firm on taking this step to bring about a positive change. 

However, during the initial stage of our launch, many aunties and uncles working at the supermarkets questioned why we chose to sell such dirty tissues (as they are brown)! We also observed customers commenting that the tissues have been recycled. Whenever possible, we will jump in to explain that they are not recycled tissues, but made from chemical-free, unbleached bamboo pulp.

LY: We did not expect that! We created these products for anyone who wanted high quality, eco-friendly, and safe products that are also affordable. Initially, we wanted the tissues to be bleached white, to give it a ‘cleaner’ appearance. However, our Chinese business partner had mentioned that bleaching the tissues would be harmful for human skin in the long run, and we came to the realisation that our products should only contain necessary ingredients.

We also realised with time, it is in everyone’s interest to want to choose products which are gentle on the skin, environment, and pocket. You will feel good about treating your skin and health well and at the same time, many of our customers have shared that they want to bring a positive change to the environment with less reliance on Earth’s finite resources, such as trees. We were really excited to create products that were both environmentally sustainable and useful for consumers. Flushing forests down the toilet is a thing of the past.    

AS: The pandemic actually resulted in a rise in revenue for all our sales channels. Cloversoft products are products that people need in their homes, such as tissues, antibacterial wipes, and laundry detergent pods, and we have performed tests to ensure the efficacies are met for each purpose. Especially at the height of the pandemic, our products such as hand sanitiser and antibacterial wipes were extremely popular and frequently sold out.

We faced some challenges in the supply chain for a short while, due to having prepared additional stocks during the Chinese New Year period, which were sold out at the height of the pandemic. We tackled this by finding alternate routes to have our products shipped in and decided to produce some of our products in other countries. 

LY: Cloversoft tries our best to keep our products sustainable and environmentally friendly. For example, our facial tissues are produced near the bamboo plantations and shipping ports. This reduces the carbon footprint of transportation as the delivery distance of the raw materials and finished products are kept to a minimum. We also ensure that all shipping containers are filled to maximum capacity, which further reduces the carbon footprint. We’re also able to pass on subsequent savings to our customers. At the same time, we frequently run bundle sales and promotions for our customers to keep our products affordable.

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Angela: We are planning to expand into Indonesia, Vietnam, and the U.S. by 2023. There is also a new product line currently in the works, such as floor cleaning sheets, which can simply be dissolved in a pail of water before mopping. This will be a unique and interesting product which is convenient for everyone, as people will not need to lug heavy and bulky floor cleaners home.

Another product in the pipeline includes our dish washing liquid that triples up as a surface cleaner and fruits and vegetable wash. Our formula is made from plant-based and natural ingredients that are tested safe for use. 

Cloversoft’s plan is to also raise awareness of the importance of mental health and we are also looking at supporting causes to save animals that are voiceless and are in need of help. We are keen to give back to our community.