THE LEADERSHIP PLAYBOOK

‘Be confident’: Yum Cha second-gen owner’s advice on taking over the family business

Building authority is not about inheriting a title, it is about earning trust through actions and results

Lionel Lim
Published Fri, Aug 21, 2026 · 11:00 AM
    • Melody Tan thinks second-gen family business owners need to have confidence in themselves when taking over the business.
    • Melody Tan thinks second-gen family business owners need to have confidence in themselves when taking over the business. PHOTO: YEN MENG JIIN, BT

    The strategies and stories that shape today’s leaders.

    [SINGAPORE] Melody Tan had two things going against her when she took over the reins of her family’s F&B business. She was entering a male-dominated industry and she was a second generation upstart.

    For other women in her shoes, Tan has one piece of advice: “Be more confident.”