160 318
LIFE&FAMILY
160
May15
#3
PREVIOUS CAREER:
General Manager, American Association
of Singapore. Prior to that: Materials and
Logistics Manager, Sequent Computer
Systems, Portland, Oregon, US.
Best part of the job:
Meeting so many
interesting people.
Biggest challenges:
Coordinating a diverse
number of events throughout the year.
Inspiration for career change:
We decided
to open a Subway restaurant, and ended
up opening three outlets in less than a year.
So I quit the American Association to focus
full-time on the Subway business.
NEW CAREER:
Subway franchisee and co-owner of new
Mexican restaurant, Burrito Boys.
Reason for choice:
We saw how popular
Subway was with the younger crowd and
decided to try the food and beverage
business. With our partner, we presented
a formal business plan to the Subway
Singapore Development Agent. Once we’d
gained approval, we started looking for
locations. Eight years later we have opened
12 Subway outlets, and three months ago
we opened the new Mexican restaurant.
Best part of the job:
Our chips and
guacamole!
Bigget challenge:
Figuring out how to handle
all the accounting, tax and manpower
issues with IRAS and the Ministry of
Manpower.
Most satisfying achievement:
When
construction is completed on a new outlet
and we open it.
Old job versus new job
:
I do miss the social
aspect of the American Association, but
the flexibility of owning my own business
is certainly a benefit.
Jill Danielson, American
USEFUL ADVICE
Use the resources available from the
Singapore Government. They are incredibly
supportive of new small to medium enterprises
(SMEs) and have organisations set up to help you
navigate through all the various schemes available
to help SMEs grow and be successful.