Here is what nobody tells you about being authentic - you will lose friends. When I stopped pretending to be normal, half my circle disappeared.
However, the ones who stayed are my real family now because sometimes you have to lose the wrong people to find your people.
Living authentically in Singapore has never been simple because this is a society built on structure and quiet conformity. I have walked down Orchard Road in a skirt and caught the stares, the whispers, the disapproval.
It used to sting, but now it reminds me that I exist because visibility is survival. My chosen family and friends are the ones who see me, not the performance. They remind me that authenticity is not rebellion; it is remembering who you were before the world told you who to be.
When I came out as pansexual and gender-fluid, my wife didn’t flinch and instead, she asked questions and listened. She does my makeup, borrows my skincare, and still reaches for my hand in public.
Our love did not weaken with truth; it deepened. She taught me that love is not agreement, it is acceptance, and because of that love, I can show up for my daughter the way I do.
Becoming a parent changed everything because my daughter is neurodiverse and possibly autistic. She doesn’t speak yet, so I read her world in gestures, not words. I want her to know that her difference is not a defect, but a design and that her neurodiversity is her superpower.
So I teach her through presence and the quiet confidence of a parent who no longer hides because children do not just hear what you say, they mirror who you are.
I quit smoking at 16, alcohol four years ago, and started tracking my sleep with a WHOOP because I wanted to meet myself without distortion to become clearer, because I used to think control meant safety.
Then I lost my voice at work after coming out, and I learned that silence kills faster than rejection. So I built Human Algorithm, a one-person business rooted in truth, a space where my voice could not be taken away again.
Some days, authenticity feels like walking a tightrope over judgment because of bathrooms without gender-neutral options. Strangers telling me where I should belong.
However, I also meet people —especially women —who smile, who see me, who say thank you. Those moments are fuel and proof that visibility saves lives.
When I coach creators, founders, and leaders now, I teach them to tell the truth because storytelling is permission. It is how we build bridges in a world obsessed with boxes. Your brand is not your logo, but your lived experience, shaped into meaning.
I tell every client this: You can build a business from your scars because I went from being a queer kid who got arrested at 15 to a parent running a company built on honesty and empathy.
The path was a fight for clarity, and in that fight, I learned that authenticity is about being remembered for something real.
I would tell my younger self, you will lose people, but you will also find your people. You will shed roles and identities, and what will be left will be you, unapologetic, imperfect, free.
Early bird prices now available for Cohort 3 of the H.A.L.O. Masterclass
A virtual 6-week cohort designed to help you write with authenticity, own your story, and build a personal brand that people trust, not just follow.
No templates, no performative vulnerability, no copy-paste formulas.
This is the system used with founders, executives, and creators across tech, media, and social impact. You do not need a niche; you need a signal that makes people say,
This person knows who they are. I trust them.
Every session is recorded, and you can catch up before the next class.
Program schedule (January 2026)
Week 1: January 12, 2026
Week 2: January 19, 2026
Week 3: January 26, 2026
Week 4: February 2, 2026
Week 5: February 9, 2026
Week 6: February 23, 2026
All sessions: Mondays, 7.30pm - 9.30pm SGT on Google Meet, recordings included.
Only 12 seats are available.
Investment
Early bird: $497 (save $200) - ends December 15
Standard: $697
Payment plan: 3 payments of $179
Why grab early bird pricing?
Save $200 immediately
FREE Story Pillar Template (worth $97)
Bonus content system templates (worth $297)
One 60-minute 1:1 coaching session after the masterclass
Sign up here.