How many times can one reinvent oneself in a lifetime? For Michelle Yong, the answer to this question would be four. So far. “I am an academic turned management consultant turned family business leader and now, serial entrepreneur,” she says.
Today, it’s the last two roles that keep her occupied. In her family’s business, she holds the role of CEO at Aurum Land, a property developer, and is director of Aurum Investments, the family office. Her entrepreneurial ventures include Found8, a co-working space which was previously known as Collision8 and Core Collective, which is best described as a co-working space exclusively for fitness and wellness professionals. Both come under the Aurum Group, but were conceptualised by Yong from the ground up.
She describes her journey: “When I first started out in property development, it was a real contrast to management consulting, in that I was creating something tangible – physical buildings, developments and homes. That was definitely one of its greatest appeals to me. It hasn’t changed, but beyond just building beautiful spaces, I now want to create opportunities and build communities to make more impact.”
This explains her interest in co-working spaces in recent years. “The group has transformed from a property developer into a space and business innovator with a focus on the future of people. Our purpose has been broadened to include building supportive environments that create change, advance communities and accelerate growth.”
“The co-sharing economy is not just for millennials,” Yong asserts. “Aurum’s vision is to become a global brand that rebuilds the way communities share life, with our offerings in co-working, co-wellness, co-fitness, co-living, co-learning, and hopefully soon, even co-retirement.”
