This startup wants to help overworked Singaporeans find rest and relaxation services

Singaporeans are among the hardest workers in the world. It is estimated that the average Singaporean spends approximately 48 hours at his or her workplace, with many feeling obliged to stay at the office till late in order to drum up a good impression with the boss. However, this doesn’t always translate into productive output. In fact, estimates suggest disengaged workers cost the nation US$6 billion per year whilst also taking a toll on their mental and physical health. Finding an appropriate work-life balance is tough.

Yang Cheng, co-founder of beauty marketplace Sure, believes one way employees can feel rejuvenated is to invest in themselves by getting a haircut, manicure, or spa services. His startup wants to cater to Singaporean women by creating a one-stop marketplace for customers to connect with beauty service professionals. Sure’s primary target market is working professionals in the 24-40 age bracket, a demographic which is likely to work harder and longer than other age groups.

Cheng, who started the venture with two of his college mates, explains he discovered the need for the Sure marketplace after listening to his female friends. “They would always complain that it is hard for them to find good beauty salons with available slots at their convenience, especially on weekends,” he tells Tech in Asia.

Determining potential

After some market research, Cheng and team understood that female working professionals in Singapore spend large amounts of money and time to look sharp and well-groomed. However, their biggest pain point was to find and book appointments at salons closest to them. “We don’t want them to randomly search online for salons anymore or spend hours queuing up. Our app makes the process effortless,” he adds.

The interesting feature of the marketplace is that it has individual profiles for beauty professionals, and not just salon listings. Customers can search for specific services, such as nail artists and hairstylists, and check the appointment schedules of each professional. Cheng believes this is a far more efficient way for businesses to manage footfall, as salon appointments do not normally revolve around the specific schedule of their workers. Appointments for popular services tend to fill up faster, so customers can check beforehand whether there is availability or not. Otherwise, they can search for another professional nearby.

Cheng says there are approximately 800,000 women in the city-state who are potential Sure clients. However, he doesn’t only want to help women search for beauty appointments. Professionals are overwhelmingly dependent on their physical location to source customers, and would also benefit from a heightened online presence and increased visibility.

Currently, it is free for professionals to list services on the Sure marketplace. The startup wants to increase the number of people using its app before it ventures into sponsored listings and promotional offers. Funding for the venture has come through the founders’ own savings, but the team has applied for acceleration at the Singapore JFDI program, which has guaranteed investment.

See: Banker quit her job to try building a beauty ecommerce empire in Pakistan