Why I Chose To Be A Hawker After University

Why would a university graduate choose to be a hawker? We hear from Faye, the third-gen owner of Coffee Break, and learn about her struggles and joys in pursuing a less-chosen career path.
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[@OGS.Official]

What's your go-to kopitiam drink order? ☕ We'll go first... Milo Peng!!

[@MISSpiggiie]

Teh-O-Kosong Peng 😁

[@tanyangyi466]

Kopi o kosong! But at Coffee Break, it’s gonna be teh peng!

[@thewebmanager]

Teh C kosong, Milo Kosong 😊

[@DogeMultiverse]

Nice sponsor from subway

[@Isalwaysshort]

kopi-o-kosong hot/cold

[@etfavs9375]

It’s an honest living, it’s a shame that society in general matches job’s against one’s educational qualifications. Ignore the detractors and stick to your passion Faye!

[@KoolRanqe]

What's worse is there passion the certain people have for this industry while having to traverse the multi faceted corruptions involved, speaking from experience.

[@1882osr]

To be fair... she's a business owner, not someone just working in the service industry. Would anyone question a shop or restaurant owner for not aiming higher?

[@BikerDaDInt650]

Can I understand why she made undergraduate if she needs to be hawker she would have saved money and invested the undergraduate course money and double it that is my opinion

[@richardhanson4600]

Faye should be invited to NUS Business School as a guest lecturer. How many Singaporeans have her skill set? A successful businesswoman, coffee specialist and national beach volleyball. Impressive curriculum vitae.

[@NazriB]

Lies again? Handsome America White King

[@kakeru123]

Didn’t she get the business from her daddy? How’s that successful?

[@LittleMissRollerCoaster]

Faye is not just a hawker, but a true leader! Just continue to do what you love yeah! Hopefully your business will grow even bigger with many branches!

[@tanyangyi466]

They also have a second branch at Hong lim food centre!

[@misterbig9025]

But she needs a man to help her.

[@anselc366]

@@misterbig9025 maybe quit being a sexist first

[@BrittenelleandOrionKMG]

@@misterbig9025 lmao what is this thinking, it's already 2022

[@yoshuareece8785]

If she owns her own business, then she's way ahead of other college grads who need their company to give them a paycheck. Waaay ahead. And that's not mentioning the fact she knows to do what she wants, which again that puts her ahead of the game.

[@toastnjam4595]

Absolutely. And damn, being able to control both of her employees and her customer in a same time and under ton of pressure, THAT is a rare mad skills

[@mrobles1983]

Exactly, Shes the Master of her own destiny.

[@tan.tan1234]

Owning a business will always be a power move

[@squiggs1002]

+Looks like she took over the family business? Not everybody gets a business handed to them when they graduate from college. Would have been very different story if she had to take out loans for everything to start her business and didn't have her dad advising her.

[@westerling8436]

@@tan.tan1234 even as a freelancer sir?

[@edwardv7991]

Having a degree in marketing and running a business (regardless hawker or not) is a huge advantage! Only narrow minded people would think hawker is not a good occupation. I've been to Singapore and there was this guy selling Chao Koay Teow. He literally got a long queue of orders. And even when u cancel order, he doesn't give 2 sheet, because his business was too successful. He knows he's good

[@kchanjh]

Nothing is wrong with being a hawker who has a uni degree. Faye stands on her feet & she's a lady boss. ❤️

[@pootispencer9765]

This lady has a backstory that sounds like it's straight out of a novel, what a character. I love fascinating little pieces like this, it's an interesting lens into an unusual experience

[@c4un544n5]

I used to travel around for my job and have patronize this stall once. Didn't know there is such a inspiring story behind every drink made.

[@shobnavijay4561]

Today's Economy is not about Degrees and Certificates any more.Its about your skills and ability to ADD VALUE.We Singaporeans need to change our mindsets in order to adapt to today's Era. COFFEE BREAK n it's Team is True inspiration for this!👏👏👏Kudos to the Team!

[@krisnanstravelvlogscomings3893]

Hawker is still a profession nothing wrong with that

[@OGS.Official]

What is Singapore without our beloved hawkers?!

[@henrysiahaan9604]

True ! 😊👌

[@TehxHope]

Literally

[@fuldachan8877]

Definition of Profession : a paid occupation, especially one that involves prolonged training and a formal qualification. Thus, Hawker is NOT a profession.

[@dac8939]

@@fuldachan8877 i am looking at investment analyst. Needs a masters. Is that a profession?

[@squashdevicer]

She’s an entrepreneur and CEO. Nothing wrong with that at all.

[@HandyKoesnadie]

Don't ever be ashame in what you do. You give jobs to other people. That in itself is a noble cause.

[@teoevelyn7744]

Mad respect to this lady!

[@IrfaanThian]

Thank you for featuring her story. Mad respect for gg against the grain especially in our Asian society. Jia you Faye! Hope you be a giant Huat Kuih bigger than Starbucks!!! ❤😊

[@charismachua4979]

Nothing about this is about Asian society except that the person being featured is Asian. Do you think every westerner out there is an entrepreneur? Pretty sure 99% of them still work for corporations. It's okay to cheer for this woman but you don't have to make everything about race.

[@wongkengmun1103]

I admire her courage for following what she wants to do without being pressure by society expectations

[@platypusputin8067]

This stall offers probably one of the most consistently good coffee, in spite of the crowd. I'm always impressed by their speed.

[@shawnhow4163]

Yay coffee break! They started from Amoy and they are quite famous in the area! Keep up the good work and it’s awesome to see the young generation in the hawker scene! Love their drinks! :)

[@choonhockong8215]

From this video I give her a thumb up for her good customer service, quality of beverage like various types of coffee tea, toasted bread etc. Her degree in Business (mktg) helps her to modernise methods of running a stall. Also, team works from her staff. I am looking forward to patronise her drink stall with my retiree friends. Kopi O kosong ha ha 😂. I have tried many coffee shops, Chinatown hawker ctr, mostly the preparation of Kopi o etc quality inconsistent, sometimes ok and sometimes Kopi sour taste. Some of the drinks sellers mood swing unfriendly towards customers. The only good coffee with much consistency in coffee preparation is toast box, maybe better in-house training. I am looking forward to the day operators and staff of coffee shop, stalls must have certification in beverage preparation. Hygiene, customer service also important.

[@tanyangyi466]

They actually come up w their own coffee powder blend! So def high quality control!

[@paramjothysabaretnam9045]

Hi.....I am/was watching from Malaysia....it takes guts to do what you do.....considering the culture we live in these parts of the world......hang those critics who have nothing else to do because they are dumb......the moment you have regulars coming back....you are already a success......good job!!!

[@sapphoophoon2141]

难得看见新加坡年轻人愿意承接小贩生意，新加坡小贩行业是有前途的！祝你生意兴隆，越做越大，记得开分店，加油咯！💪😃

[@OGS.Official]

芳林巴刹与熟食中心有他们的分店！

[@stevens1041]

My friend from our university accounting program, within ten years of our graduation, quit financial accounting position and opened a series of restaurants. She is the most successful of any of us, from our graduating class.

[@harshithsadhana7475]

It's nice to be a person who thinks about caring about others.

[@qqyytlga9649]

How I wish I have the same amount of passion and the courage as Faye has to pursue what she wants! Truly admirable ❤️👍🏻

[@romiarkan450]

Honestly, the best advice I can give to high schoolers who are about to graduate is to go to trade school first. They might look at baristas, cooks, mechanics, technicians, programmers, graphic designers, etc and think they want to be like them and that's totally fine, and also not dependent on the possession of college degrees. When they decide they want to learn more, and advance their knowledge in the trade, learn how everything works under the surface, only then they should totally go to college.

[@anglo-saxonconnor817]

In Singapore you allow towkays without completing secondary school education to manage business and companies while congratulating uni grads to be doing work that doesn't doesn't need university skills. Such a messed up country this country is.

[@dac8939]

Exactly. My dad left school at 15 no education and set up electrician business. Makes over £200k a year now. I am a Cambridge grad and 8 years out and still do not make 6 figures.

[@lumbungnatural2226]

Love this! I was a network & security engineer in US, then became a chai walla making & selling masala chai blends in Indonesia. Now I'm back in US selling commercial & residential solar and chai on the side. Not the normal path but I run my own businesses and sell what I'm passionate about & couldn't be happier. So thankful to God for this crazy life.

[@DES-ok3um]

Hahahaha I totally feel you! I’m studying for my Bachelor’s in accounting now but have always enjoyed working in the F&B industry as I get to enjoy the rush, talk to customers which brings great joy to me :)) P.s I played Volleyball for approx 7 years

[@andrewie4]

She is power !! To be a full time sportswoman-- omg. She is solid

[@rgseven6557]

Speaking from experience, it’s much better to be a hawker than slaving away for corporates who treat employees like commodities. I am a graduate too and wish I had run a business instead of being a corporate slave…

[@Apainiituapa]

She owns her own business and I personally think that’s the best way to make money 👏🏻👏🏻

[@bierdlll]

Hawkers are the very soul of this country.

[@OGS.Official]

We agree!

[@dintamio4535]

She is GREAT.. Having degree in marketing and can apply what she got from college to her OWN Business. That is what called succeed... Most of people even had the degree.. And do not know what they will do with theirs... SOOO I ADMIRE HER... Her Resumee is soooo fantastic also.

[@wondersoulz]

Love another hawker story. Work near amoy and coffee break is ALWAYS crowded. Glad to see things gg well for them. Keep it up

[@jingmok]

Career choices should be made this way. From the heart and soul.

[@yyysboy1]

she is cool. i like how ppl choose their own fave things to do no matter what profession, big or small, more money or less money. life is for exploring what you desire and love based on how much u know urself. i would love to buy from her during my upcoming sg holiday in Jan! is it close to outram mrt? thats where my accomodation will be.

[@elizabethysm86ysm2]

Love her enthusiasm, her passion and determination… How I wish I could say it to her in person…. Faye, You can do it ! I wish to go an have a ‘ Kopi ‘ at your hawker shop soon , because I’m a Kopi Lover too ☕️♥️😊

[@lollipolli73]

Of coz the temperature degree a must otherwise the coffee will not be hot and you cant make a hot cuppa

[@yanfw8]

What's wrong with being a hawker. I honestly aspire to be a kopi kia as well in the near future!

[@princeamori]

Independent entrepreneur she is doing well for herself, better than the “salaried employee”. Maybe one day she will own a franchise.

[@bigpapa1472]

Many more young people should follow your footsteps, as I don't wish to see good traditional food and beverage discontinued after old uncle aunty hawkers retire.

[@woodkey1]

How naïve can people be dont you see what these people are doing is creating their own business empire through their own hard work. I would rather pour all the effort into my own business than to work for someone else if given the choice. Oops i am a business owner myself. Nothing more satisfying than to slave for your own business and creating a sustainable future for your own family

[@glenn.c]

their stall's always crowded during rush hours, and the coffee is pretty good to boot!

[@shezasaleem8438]

I had the chance to meet Faye and hear her talk about her experience as a young hawker, and she is truly are very admirable woman!

[@ivanpro123]

forget what your friends say. most people can only wish to find their sense of belonging! go faye

[@tanyongrui88]

Very profitable for doing coffee actually, it’s all about teamwork coordination in the making afterall

[@woodkey1]

Thats what the young generation fail to see. If done and executed properly you can actually live a comfortable life at your own terms not your boss's. I feel singaporeans are robotic in the sense that after graduating they need to get a well paid job. While in other parts of the world, ppl tend to do what they love and pursue their dreams. I have a friend who flunked all his subjects and quit school at secondary 3. Now he is a boss of 3 tyre shops in malaysia and have 30 people working under him. Life has been very good and enjoyable for him. I myself started my own business very late in life and never look back since after i left corporate world. Sometimes is about bravery. Dare to fail in order to succeed

[@ShirleyLyMusic]

Very inspirational. I wish there were more people like her, including myself ❤

[@sc8706]

As long as it’s an honest living, there’s nothing to be ashamed of it. Way to go Faye! Would love to try your drinks once I visit Singapore again.

[@ArdikaPercha]

Same with my country, degree in agriculture but work in bank. Entrepreneurship is different league with his Uni degree she can be successful food chain or something like that. Business about profitable & scalability, I still learn this many years, but she so knowledgeable ya.

[@BibleNerd22]

I like that that guy came along and told her her coffee sucked in the beginning 'cause some people won't keep it real with you. Would like more people like him around me.

[@cwaddle]

Lol she has such a strong malaysian english accent

[@GKP999]

You do what you like and love! While you might not make millions, as long as you have a decent living, what is more important is you follow your heart!

[@setionos]

There is completely nothing wrong with working as a hawker. Society has conditioned us into thinking that money is everything.

[@lionelchua6040]

So many order permutations and yet she got it down pat. Respect!

[@chungheonable]

people dont realise, running a hawker stall is equal to running a BUSINESS

[@SNOWOO]

At least, she used her major for her career. It’s an absolute win for her. If you like what you do, just do it!

[@MisterJayTee]

This brought a smile to my face. LOVE Singapore. Will definitely check out your place Faye. Keep it up!

[@user-jk2zm7uq5s]

I miss Singapore. I miss Hawker Center. I miss this accent. I miss Kopi-O. (watching from Germany)

[@LL-ys8uy]

Don’t care the whole SG la. So many people doing the same thing and whats the result???? You can see for yourself. Work monday to Friday even saturdays then come and rush your life on Saturday night to Sunday evening. To me it’s a joke la. But I mean if you enjoy those long hours at work and rush with a crowd on Saturday and Sunday then good for you. But Lucky I didn’t follow the usual path. Now I have financial freedom in my early 30s .

[@ravelzxcvb]

ppl who actually ask her " huh ur income enuff meh? ", it's like to me, "huh ur brain enuff meh?"

[@beetledune9264]

Stereotypes,people generally assume hawker only for those 'less educated',because back then,that what happen.but today,i saw many younger generations with high education choose this part.n nothing wrong with that.hawker is culture!

[@noodlelicious.]

what's wrong with doing things you love? it doesn't matter whether you have a degree from top University. I know people have PhD doing something hey enjoy in their later life...

[@khairurejal]

I have had your coffee, and it is legitly legendary!

[@chitchat3838]

No one says there's anything wrong with being a hawker....but they commenters here just "correcting" their own imagination

[@yieldm232]

She articulates her words really well!

[@marcang4403]

Dunno why… feel like crying towards the end too..

[@anirudhhirani3031]

Her dad is so cool. Nothing like having a supportive parent

[@tommyliangwei3724]

This posted and interviewed on 13th July 2022

[@chetkhatu4281]

This is my favourite channel about Singapore on KZbin after coming to live here. Nice videos, looking forward to what is next.

[@paulspalette]

Good for her! Glad to see the family supportive of her

[@HandyKoesnadie]

You’re a business owner sis, not many people can say that.

[@HotRod16]

End of the day or month, what you bring home that matters. Some bring big buck but also bring back all the work and emotional tension home. Some just earning sufficiently but everyday brings back smile and sense of satisfaction.

[@Marcus-qw9sx]

Honestly, her coffee is really good. If I'm ever at Amoy food centre, I always go to her stall and it sticks out a lot la, you really can't miss it.

[@TemplarLove]

Her coffee and the peng are really good! The taste is very consistent

[@Tantantantan369]

I love her being so passionate about her work ❤🎉

[@iSugarHeart]

The ones who look down on any job are the ones who older generations taught to work hard get to the good college than get a good paying job and drive expensive car be what i couldnt be xD or they have similar understanding themselves. But job is not something you just do to earn money its something you spend most of your day doing .... shouldnt it be something you enjoy ?

[@purpleladyfye203]

Girl u inspire me to become a hawker too!!!❤❤❤ i love nescafe tarik or kopi ais so much i learn to make it better everyday😊😊

[@anders8461]

Tbh business majors should be an entrepreneurs. I love the freedom of being an entrepreneur and you can set your own goals

[@Funhappyfree]

I would love to go to her stall and have coffee very inspiring and courageous of her taking a different route keep it up..!

[@ray.gene.bowner]

Don’t give a fawk. Go full hawk. Got it 👍

[@qua9]

Other countries/societies respect skilled craftsmen as such. You ARE special, Faye.

[@Busha69]

I was a waitress and housekeeper with Masters degree....

[@yokomega]

Mad respect. Used to buy coffee from them every day ❤

[@TB-zt6hs]

We could do with more friendly and jovial 'hawkers' like Faye instead of the many grouchy and black face ones these days.

[@juwaidijumanto1885]

Always enjoy their coffee! & Faye is super kind too with her customers 😁

[@Maya-sv1pz]

she's living her life. if most people want to be executive with 5-10 people reporting and doing all their work and thinking with 1/20th their pay, so be it. those that are aware and know what they want, go for it. Everyone can be boss, and not everyone has to be the office boss. Hopefully more young people realize and chase their dreams instead of slaving away for other people

[@P53eud0nym05]

The obsession of working in the CBD. Nothing wrong with being a hawker!

[@TDK2K]

Good for her, well done!

[@novikurniawan4561]

I know how most asians think, so I think I know what her friends and other asians think about her. But, I love about her spirits. Hope your business going so well.

[@ciggytwiggy]

Im pretty sure she's earning a lot!

[@Fankeybottle123]

The fact that she can confidently says 'I do can this for the rest of my life' is truly awesome and such an amazing spirit!

[@teanchu]

Her coffee is good ! I am one of the regular

[@MDroid-bn6eb]

Many degree holders also do grab delivery, drive taxi etc. So what? All to sustain a livelihood to put bread on the table.

[@FazliRahmat]

My go-to cup of kopi C every morning. What lean me to it wasn't just the authentic local kopi, but it was the passion and drive to serve the best coffee.

[@interlude33]

this is so inspiring go Fayeeeee

[@Jestersage]

From an North American perspective, a good business is a good business; that alone is worthy of praise. But based on our assumptions/what we know of Singapore society, this is especially courageous. Who knows - if you find Singapore to be restrictive, expand or even go to other places. Everyone can use some Singaporean food.

[@aero.l]

What do you mean by restrictive? Singapore is ranked 1st in the world for economic freedom and ahead of North American and most Western countries for ease in starting a business. Women in Singapore is ranked as enjoying access to economic opportunities ahead of most European countries and are better represented in the workplace, in entrepreneurship, and C-suite level than in the US or Canada. Even self-employed women are entitled to govt-sponsored maternity leave. Can you say the same for America? Your view of Singapore society is outdated and condescending. Quite typical of a western chauvinist.

[@Jestersage]

​@@aero.l Nice of you to assume I am white. Maybe some of us are poisoned by the freedom we enjoy in the States. In that case, ask yourself: why do some of us go outside of Singapore to study university? Ain't there oppurtunities to go to university, just like there are claimed economic oppurtunities? Freedom is not about conforming to a so-call workplace, going to C-suite. It's about doing what they want. It can be C-suite, but also from opening this stall (which is not seen as high level), to even being in adult entertainment if they choose to. In addition, a woman - or a man, for that matter, to have that coroporate economic oppurtunity (btw, corporate is a dirty word), they need to do well right in the beginning of primary school. Huh - the price of Freedom, amirite? An oppurtunity that is restrict to one field, requiring following a so-called social norm, is not freedom at all. I am not even starting on other personal freedom and social freedom. Feel free to call it chaos and anarchy if you want, but we call it true freedom. Heck, even throwing gum on to the road is a freedom.

[@hahaharithz]

Proud of her!

[@Killerpants1125channel]

Owning, managing and running a hawker business is no easy feat, the amount of skills neededed to coordinate your team, planning and the work that is needed is truly admirable and love seeing youngsters like her running them!

[@pishedbloke]

She is a business owner, in charge of her own fate and growth of her company. How many office workers can say the same?

[@hazeroth]

Kudos, Faye and crew (and no pressure from dad of course)!