Joanna Wong
When we talk about career reinvention, the stories often sound extreme: A banker who becomes a yoga teacher, an engineer who becomes an artist. But reinvention doesn’t always mean abandoning your past. Sometimes the most powerful pivots come from repurposing the skills, relationships, and insights you’ve already built.
That’s what Joanna Wong has done.
For over two decades, Wong was a brand builder. She started in agencies, then spent 16 years at Eu Yan Sang, where she rose to become Head of Corporate Communications and Brand Management. It was there that she shaped campaigns across Asia, built partnerships with world-class chefs, and repositioned traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) from a “grandmother’s remedy” into a lifestyle product.
But after years in the corporate world, Wong chose a second act. Not one defined by climbing titles, but by creating experiences – blending heritage, food therapy, and modern dining into a unique niche she calls Chinese herbal cuisine.
Her story isn’t just about food. It’s a case study in reinvention – and one with lessons every founder can apply.
Lesson one: Leverage your past, don’t abandon it
Wong didn’t reinvent herself by starting from zero. She carried forward her greatest strengths: Understanding audiences, telling stories that stick, and building credibility through partnerships.
At Eu Yan Sang, she proposed collaborations with the World Gourmet Summit, partnering with chefs like Sam Leong, Susur Lee, Emmanuel Stroobant, and Justin Quek. The result? Multi-course dining experiences where herbs weren’t just medicinal, but culinary.
That experience is now the backbone of her venture, Herbalicious. When she designs a workshop or dining event, she’s not just a cook – she’s a communicator. The way she frames each herb, tells its story, and links it to both flavour and wellness, reflects decades of branding expertise.
Takeaway for founders: Don’t erase your past to build your future. Reinvention works best when it’s additive – when you combine what you already know with where you want to go.
Lesson two: Turn passion into a methodology
Her journey into herbal cuisine began with personal curiosity. She would experiment at home, infusing herbs into everyday dishes. Family and friends noticed – and loved it.
But passion alone doesn’t scale. Over time, Wong refined her approach into something repeatable: A methodology. She frames dishes around the concept of “Herbs in Every Bite” – showing how GanCao, DangGui, YuZhu and other ingredients can elevate familiar favourites like chocolates, salads, or fried chicken wings.
By turning passion into a structured method, she gave herself a platform she could teach, replicate, and monetise.
Takeaway for founders: Whether you’re building software, launching a consultancy, or creating content, passion is only the spark. What makes it scalable is turning that spark into a framework others can follow.
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Lesson three: Adapt tradition for today’s audience
If Wong had only doubled down on traditional herbal soups, she might have remained a niche curiosity. Instead, she asked: What do people already love – and how can herbs make it better?
That’s how she ended up with creations like herb-marinated chicken wings, herbal chocolates, and modernised desserts. She’s not substituting herbs for flavour; she’s enhancing flavour while adding depth and nutritional value.
This is more than cooking. It’s market positioning. Younger consumers aren’t rejecting tradition outright; they’re rejecting irrelevance. By reframing heritage through a contemporary lens, Wong makes something timeless feel fresh.
Takeaway for founders: Whatever your industry, think about heritage as innovation fuel. The strongest brands are often those that balance tradition with trend, credibility with novelty.
Lesson four: Speaking multiplies your business
One of the most interesting parts of Wong’s pivot is that she hasn’t leaned only on products. Instead, she’s leaned on speaking.
Her talks on “Herbs in Every Bite” do more than educate – they build trust. A keynote can spark curiosity. A workshop can deepen engagement. A dining event can turn that engagement into a memorable, high-value experience.
It’s also why she became a founding member of the Speakers Society, a community built to help professionals use their voice as a business multiplier. For her, speaking isn’t a side activity – it’s the platform that unlocks everything else.
Speaking is the bridge that connects expertise to monetisation. And it’s a strategy more founders should consider. In a world flooded with ads and algorithms, your voice can cut through. It’s not just content – it’s credibility.
Takeaway for founders: Don’t underestimate the power of speaking. It can multiply your reach, create demand for your services, and position you as the authority in your niche.
Lesson five: Build experiences, not just products
When Wong hosts an herbal dining event, it’s not simply a meal. It’s an experience. Guests taste modernised heritage dishes, hear stories about each herb, and leave with both full stomachs and new knowledge.
Recently, she collaborated with an executive Chinese chef on a herbal high tea at a five-star hotel – the kind of immersive format that combines food, storytelling, and education. It’s a glimpse of what she aims to deliver: Experiences that go beyond information to transformation.
Also Read: AI and the art of team building: Lessons for startup leaders
Takeaway for founders: In today’s market, products are easy to copy, and information is everywhere. What sets you apart is the experience you create. When your audience feels your message, they don’t just remember it – they act on it.
Reinvention as a founder strategy
Wong’s second act is more than a personal story. It’s a reflection of the founder landscape today.
The pandemic accelerated digital transformation. AI and automation are reshaping industries. The corporate world is moving faster, younger, and more competitive. For many professionals, the choice is clear: Cling to the old playbook, or reinvent.
But reinvention doesn’t have to mean burning everything down. Wong didn’t throw away her years in branding. She leveraged them. She didn’t see age as a disadvantage; she saw it as depth. She didn’t wait for permission; she created a new stage.
That’s the real lesson here.
Whether you’re contemplating a second act or simply looking to make your current chapter more fulfilling, remember this: It’s never too late to pivot. Your past isn’t baggage; it’s capital. And your voice – used with clarity and courage – can take you further than you think.
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