Like many young couples, Ms Desiree Chang (Arts & Social Sciences ’25) and Mr Matthew Tan (Year 3, Arts & Social Sciences) met in junior college. Six years later, they have journeyed through A-levels, National Service, and time at the University — and unlike many couples, the unusual experience of running a business together.
What began as a shared interest in thrifting gradually evolved into Woofie’s — an online venture that later expanded into a brick-and-mortar store selling second-hand clothes. The experience was a crash course, not only in running a business, but also succeeding in a relationship. “We learnt each other’s triggers and strengths, just in a different way,” says Ms Chang, 25.
GROWING TOGETHER
The early days of Woofie’s were marked by adjustment. During Mr Tan’s stint in National Service, Ms Chang managed pop-up events largely on her own. “We were doing a lot of pop-ups when Matt was in NS. So I had to go to the events and set up everything on my own,” she recalls.
When Mr Tan completed NS and joined her more actively in running the venture, they had to learn how to work together as partners. “There were bound to be arguments along the way. We also had, and maybe still have, different opinions about running a store,” Ms Chang says.
But these disagreements were never allowed to linger. “We eventually always talk it out and that helped,” Mr Tan adds. It also helped that they were clear about one thing: the relationship comes first. “We were clear that the relationship was more important than the business,” Mr Tan says. “Things can sour very quickly and couples may lose that bond. We were determined not to allow that to happen.”
They were intentional about it. Even when the business demanded most of their time and headspace, they made it a point to return to each other. They heard from other couples in similar situations that boundaries mattered — one pair even suggested keeping separate chats for work and for the relationship. “We knew that was the ideal,” Mr Tan says, though they admit they never went so far. Instead, they relied on conversation. At the end of the day, they reminded themselves that “we were in this together.”
Running something together meant they saw each other under pressure but it also deepened trust. As Ms Chang puts it, “We learnt a lot about the other’s strengths. I’m very good at execution… For Matt, it’s more ideation. So we trust each other in those domains. I think that trust carried over to other aspects of our life as well.”
A NEW PHASE
Last year marked a turning point. With the realities of scaling a small business setting in, Ms Chang decided to enter the workforce full-time. “Up till graduation, I still thought I might do this full-time,” she says. She has since begun work as a management associate at Enterprise Singapore. Mr Tan, currently studying history at NUS and on an internship at GovTech Singapore, continues to oversee the venture.
The shift has changed their daily rhythm.
For years, much of their time together revolved around the business. Now, their days unfold separately. They have met this newfound distance head-on. “After every work day, we meet up for dinner and share about our day,” Mr Tan says. “It’s quite interesting to have completely different days because we used to spend all our days together.”
Physical closeness has also helped ease the journey. “Our houses are just ten minutes apart by foot,” he says, describing it as “an underrated aspect” that has supported them “throughout all the years of our relationship.” Even as roles evolve, the business remains a shared chapter. “It’s still our shared experience,” Mr Tan says, adding that Ms Chang’s input remains valuable. “You don’t just switch that off.”
LESSONS LEARNT
What have they learnt from the experience? For one, they’re both even more committed to thrifting. “You realise just how much goes to waste and how your actions make a difference,” says Mr Tan. And on their relationship, they’re unanimous that the journey has made them a stronger couple. They’ve learnt how the other thinks under pressure and how to disagree without losing trust. “We’ve seen each other at our most stressed,” sums up Ms Chang. “And we’re still here.”
FINDING A BALANCE
Running a business while managing a hectic university schedule can be tough—here’s how the couple did it:
- Plan with purpose: Mr Tan intentionally structured his class schedule so he did not have to be on campus every day. That freed up time to focus on the business instead of squeezing it into leftover hours.
- Make it a routine: For Ms Chang, sticking to a fixed schedule was key. She set aside regular after-school hours for the business until it became second nature. Because she genuinely enjoyed running it, the time commitment felt purposeful rather than like a sacrifice.
- Find meaning: Ms Chang adds that finding impact made the work more meaningful. “One of the most impactful moments for me was being invited to take part in Project Hak, which raised funds for social projects in Laos. We sold some of our clothes there to raise funds for the project, and it felt really special to see something we built contribute to a bigger cause within the NUS community.”
