My name’s Cheryl Tan. I have a contagious laugh which makes most people laugh.

I was born and raised in Singapore, a small city-state in South East Asia. After 20 years of rigorous education, I packed my bags to pursue a B.A. Communications at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, British Columbia. Four years later, I’m settled in the cosmopolitan and the financial capital of Canada — Toronto, Ontario.

For the longest time, I kept separate blogs to celebrate my different passions. They range from marketing to entrepreneurship; yoga to baking; adventure seeking to traveling. These passions speak volumes of my personal brand. Hence, I decided to marry them together in one place at www.misscheryltan.com.

I am an Engager and Inspirer

I am a constant pursuer of creative solutions to engage and inspire. The digital world provides endless opportunities for interaction with the global audience which makes it an excellent platform for initiating a positive shift in social culture and norms. It provides the core foundation that I build my professional career on — in marketing, brand and community management.

I am a Yogini

A yogini is a female yoga practitioner. I was a wakeboarder in Singapore, a sport I picked up during my college diploma days. During one of my many vigorous and intensive practices, I injured my lower back which put me out of the sport for three months. I experienced occasional pains even after my recuperation period. After moving to Canada, I decided to try yoga in hopes to alleviate the occasional pains. After the first class, I was overwhelmed with gratitude. It wasn’t only for the physical benefits of yoga, but for having found a practice that allowed me to speak to my inner soul. From that day on, I knew. I’m a yogini.

I am a Baker and a Cook

My mom loves to keep the home neat and tidy. The kitchen was off limits to me since I was a kid. Ever since I came to Canada, learning to cook was essential for self-survival. My first few attempts in the kitchen were disastrous. My rice became porridge; salmon was grilled to a black and burnt perfection; raw vegetables remained raw and tasteless; cookies became hard rocks that would make good weapons should I ever be attacked. But, I never gave up. Practice makes perfect, and it’s true. The kitchen is probably one of my favourite places in the world. The ability to experiment with food makes me a really happy girl.

Oh, and check out cheryltanbakes.com, my online bakery for folks in Toronto.

I am an Adventure Seeker, Risk Taker, and Traveller

I love experiencing different cultures and meeting people from all over the world. Who knows, I might hop on a plane and fly somewhere unexpected to blog about it. Oh, did I mention that I was a Cupcake Supervisor on board a cruise ship? Yes, I prepared sugary treats while travelling around Asia for a couple of months.

I am an Aspiring Social Entrepreneur

The Girl Guiding movement introduced me to the world of volunteerism at a young age. However, it didn’t hit me then that I would find joy in being of service to others who are less fortunate than I am. During my Europe 2008 backpacking trip, I had a lightbulb moment — I wanted to immerse myself into volunteerism, specifically with children organizations — and that was the beginning of my social entrepreneurship journey. Upon returning back to Canada, I joined UNICEF SFU and started fundraising for the World Water Day and Spread the Net campaigns, and joined the Girl Guides of BC as a Brownie Leader. As the years progressed on, I have a focussed goal — to raise awareness of the need for female empowerment in a local and global context.


Thank you for visiting my space. Drop me a line on my blog, Twitter, LinkedIn or Email, and I would love to connect with you!

Love,
Cheryl