Better Questions with Yvon Bock of Hegen

Ms. Yvon Bock is the founder and CEO of Hegen, a successful mother and baby care brand that seeks to empower mothers in their breastfeeding and motherhood journey. Through her personal experience, she recognizes the challenges that mothers face when nursing their children and was motivated to empower women with better experiences. This led her to the path of entrepreneurship. Today, Hegen is a global brand in 24 markets worldwide, making an impact not just in helping mothers in their breastfeeding journeys but also innovating to support them through their children’s growing ages. Hegen’s vision is to modernize a feeding system that advocates breastfeeding, protects the integrity of breast milk and simplifies the way mothers express, store and feed.​

Yvon has been named EY EOY 2023 Singapore and she represented Singapore at the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year™ in 2024. ​

Currently I am reading:​

James Dyson’s autobiography – Invention: A life of learning through failure. We share many identities, that of an entrepreneur, innovator and designer. It is fascinating to read about him and the values he followed to get to where he is today. My aspiration is for Hegen to be the Dyson of the motherhood and baby care industry. ​

In your fridge we'll always find:​

Magnum ice cream! To be more exact, double gold caramel flavor.​

When I need to feel inspired, I will:​

Head for the beach to spend some time with nature. The tranquillity of nature has always been able to help clear my headspace and allow me to start fresh in ideating. This reminds me fondly of the time I spent in the Maldives with my family. Being in nature is always such a healing time for me!​

What is one thing that few people know about you?

I was in the national softball team back in my secondary school days! My passion for softball – in fact, sports in general – has continued till this day. Although, I now prefer to take on the role of a spectator to cheer my kids on!​

What does winning the EY EOY 2023 Singapore mean for you? ​

Motherhood has always pushed me to become a greater person. Now, it has guided me to learn The Art of Entrepreneurship, where I have become the driving force of inspiration and innovation for solutions to issues that weigh heavily on my mind. ​
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To be named the overall EY EOY 2023 Singapore award winner and represent Singapore to compete for the EY World EOY 2024 award is a profound honor. Winning the EY EOY 2023 Singapore award is more than a culmination; it dares me to dream, manifest and to become the narrative that I repeat to myself all the time. I’m excited to make the most of this opportunity to showcase the Singapore brand globally and share the transformative impact Hegen aims to have on 100 million mothers around the world.​

What does entrepreneurial spirit mean for you?​

From my perspective, an endeavor called “crisis investment” holds merit in bolstering entrepreneurship. It enables us to convert moments of hardship into stepping stones for greater achievements. ​

Entrepreneurial pursuits inherently encompass experiences of adversity - evading them is impossible. Yet, it is these challenges that are potential catalysts for innovation and growth, where adversity translates into opportunity. ​

Amid the turbulence of the COVID-19 pandemic, my team and I embraced crisis investment, a strategy that led to the expansion of Hegen Experiential Centre, establishment of a new production facility as well as an automated factory. We had invested more than we had in the last six years combined. Remarkably, and in return, this unprecedented move doubled our revenue in 2022.​

Welcoming uncertainty and adversity have become pivotal to our growth journey. They bring forth opportunities that incubate the seed of transformation and progress, eventually directing us onto a path to unparalleled heights.​

How did you prepare for the world title at the EY World EOY 2024?​

The EY EOY Singapore team consisting of past winners and judges have generously shared their personal journeys and insights, addressing my questions to enable me to feel more confident and grounded for the upcoming event. It was such an incredible time connecting with them at the sendoff luncheon they had kindly organized for me. The session fostered a sense of camaraderie that is rooted in our shared experiences, making me feel supported for what is to come and their advice has been invaluable as I prepare for the 2024 World EOY in Monaco.​

This was also a season of reflection for me as I look back at the journey that began in 2015 and the impact we left on the motherhood community. The unprecedented and volatile period of the COVID-19 pandemic has served us a valuable lesson and molded us to become more agile and receptive to changes, helping us recognize the need for flexibility, informed risk-taking and being ever-ready in our business operations and strategies. Through these ups and downs, it allowed me to gain a clearer focus and set better directions for Hegen moving forward. The leap in my entrepreneurial journey draws my perspective closer to the four values championed by EY EOY award, as I garnered more insights into The Art of Entrepreneurship. 

Who is a business hero of yours? Why are they your hero?​

My father is my business hero. From a young age, he has always been my role model, encouraging my spontaneity and creativity. While working alongside him in his company, I've seen how he builds relationships based on sincerity and trust, fostering loyalty from employees and customers alike. His approach inspires the way I approach being an entrepreneur, emphasizing that success isn't just about financial gains but about fulfilling our business's purpose and leaving a positive impact on our community. His steadfast belief and support serve as one of the key pillars inspiring drive and motivation in me to pursue the cause that I have been passionate about since Day 1, which is to serve and empower mothers worldwide.  ​

Describe your entrepreneurial leadership style.​

As Hegen has grown, my role has evolved from that of a hands-on operations honcho to that of a strategic leader. With our continued expansion into 24 markets, I now focus on guiding my team as a visionary leader, setting the course for our collective vision.​

What was your greatest moment in business? ​

In 2017, Hegen was the first Singapore brand invited to take part in Tmall’s 疯狂 (Crazy) BOSS, a key highlight of the 11.11 Single’s Day event, increasing sales revenue by more than 100 times the daily average. I subsequently led the team to fulfil over 150,000 orders, achieving a remarkable revenue of over RMB 26,000,000 in gross merchandise value within a 24-hour period on Alibaba’s Tmall 11.11 shopping festival in 2020. With this sales record, Hegen set a new record in Tmall’s Baby Feeding Category with over 35,500 sets of the sensational Hegen PCTO™ Basic Starter Kit sold, eventually leading the brand to win "No. 1 Overall Brand in the Baby Feeding Category" for 11.11.2020, two years in a row.​

What was your worst moment in business, and how did you tackle it?​

After experiencing a design leak and having to go back to the drawing board again, we experienced over 200 design failures while designing and prototyping the world’s first patented Press-to-close, Twist-to-Open™ (PCTO™) innovation. Despite countless setbacks, I was determined to turn my vision into a reality. I still believed in my idea and took risks, overcame industry skepticism, and broke away from conventional designs to create a quality product that would truly make a difference in the lives of parents and children alike. ​

This unwavering perseverance and dedication to my vision eventually paid off. After five years of hard work, we successfully commercialized our feeding bottle with the PCTO™ innovation, starting from a small counter at a local departmental store in Singapore to now being sold in 24 international markets, with more than 10,000 retail points of sale and over 20 million bottles sold since 2015. 

What made you want to start your own family business?​

There was no one defining factor that made me want to start my own family business. At the very start of my journey, I started working at my father's business at Fitson, now a sister company of Hegen, after I left my corporate job at the bank to take care of my first born. It was initially a part-time arrangement for me to balance my familial duties and individual aspirations that unexpectedly led to a decision to help and expand Fitson. ​

Through this arrangement coupled with the traumatic birth of my daughter, it led me to this path of entrepreneurship to continue the legacy that my father built to support new parents and families.​

What do you think are the biggest differences between working with family to working with colleagues?​

I think the biggest difference lies in communication. With colleagues, we seek to provide constructive feedback in a professional manner, objective to the task at hand. Afterall, the intention is to improve the workflow in the most efficient way. Most times, both parties do not take it personally.​

Working with family on the other hand is a fine line to tread. There is a Chinese saying that goes, the people who love you the most often make the harshest comments out of love and concern. Family members often make more emotionally charged or “unfiltered” comments. While it most certainly leaves a deeper, harsher impact on the listener, I believe it stems from our intention to want to go the extra mile and help each other grow, not just in our work but as human beings. At the end of the day, our relationship is more important to me than the business, be it with my husband who is the COO of Hegen or my father. ​

Do you hope your children would take over the family business after you? How are you preparing them for the business world?​

While we certainly hope that my children can carry on my legacy of supporting 100 million mothers in the parenthood journey, deep down, I do not wish for my children to feel an obligation to do so. If they do express that they wish to take over the business, one thing that I require of them is to start from the ground up just like I did when I joined my father’s business. To me, this is a necessary journey to immerse them in every facet of our business, nurturing a deep understanding of our mission, vision and values. Simultaneously, they can seamlessly integrate into established teams, fostering trust among their peers by their own merit and gaining relevant experience to equip them for management positions in the future.

What is the legacy that you wish to leave behind for the business and across generations to come?​

The legacy that I would wish to leave behind is the lasting impact that we create in supporting mothers and new parents in their journey of parenthood. ​

I hope that in the future, we are still able to carry on this commitment of supporting new parents, be it through breastfeeding or any other way they find meaning to carry on the Hegen legacy.​

What advice would you provide to someone who wants to start a family business? (in three words)​

Respect, trust, communication. ​

Note:

“Better Questions with an entrepreneur” is a “Questions and Answers” column produced by EY Asia-Pacific Family Enterprise team, designed to ignite a spark in readers of the innovative spirit and perseverance of successful family entrepreneurs, aiming to share their personal and professional stories, highlighting the milestones, setbacks and lessons learned along their journeys. ​

If you’re ready to start your own family business or you need assistance with your current family-run organization, we’re here to help. Get in touch with your EY contact directly or you are welcome to email us to share your thoughts.​