Had a few too many drinks and now you’re paying the price with a brutal hangover? Here’s a remedy for ya…
Bounceback has your back when it comes to the morning after a wild night of partying. It is a 100% natural and organic supplement filled with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals; aiding you in protecting your liver and preventing post-alcohol symptoms. Think of it as a parachute – you needn’t worry about jumping into a night filled with booze, because you know you’ll land safely on a clean, sober mind the next day.
But who is the mind behind this wondrous antidote? Why haven’t we heard of hangover pills in Singapore till now?
Roy Ang began growing his own health and wellness company Evo, with its main product, Bounceback, which has shown 30% month-over-month growth since its global introduction in 2021. Today, the brand serves up to 10,000 customers across the world!
After years of seeing his father struggle mightily to put food on the table, Roy decided to launch his own company to give his family a better life. Along with his co-founder Ming Hao, his long-time friend and colleague, Roy created Bounceback – a pill not just for hangovers, but also for relieving headaches and nausea. It is a direct-to-consumer brand with one of the lowest prices per pill on the market.
We had the pleasure of speaking with Roy to find out more about the trials and tribulations he faced leading up to his success with Bounceback.
How did the idea of Bounceback come about and how does it resonate with you personally?
Previously, I worked for Grab for 4 years (2016-2020). My job required me to network with clients weekly, which also meant drinking up to 3-4 times a week. We were running a high-growth tech start-up, so we always had to be ready to function at 8AM the next day. It was a daily struggle till one day, my Japanese friend shared a hangover supplement which worked wonders for me. Hangover supplements were huge in Japan and Korea, but almost non-existent in countries like Singapore. These products were costly and its description was only written in the countries’ native language, which made it hard for foreign consumers to understand the ingredients and benefits. I saw this as an opportunity to make hangover supplements more accessible.
Two years ago, we worked with a lab in Singapore to test out 50 different products before deriving our own formula. Bounceback has about 22 active ingredients that include vitamins, minerals and botanical herbs. When we tested our first 200-300 samples amongst drinkers, we found out that it has 89% efficacy rate – this was our jackpot/eureka moment.
Did experiences throughout your childhood shape this idea in any way?
My childhood experiences definitely motivated me to run a start-up from zero to one. My dad is a rag-and-bone man who worked as a Karang Guni for the past 40 years before he retired. While most kids were going to bed, I followed my father around the neighbourhood to collect scraps and recyclables. Through the years, it taught me survivability, perseverance and hard work.
Startups are not easy – most don’t make it in within the first few years. Watching my dad hustle and persevere inspired me to have a solid work ethic and achieve what I have today.
What are some major challenges you’ve faced during your entrepreneurial journey, especially when starting a business with a friend?
My partner and I have known each other for 10 years. At the beginning, he was running Tech in Asia while I was running e27 – there was definitely some rivalry. Still, I respected him for running a zero-to-one. I called him up when we were launching a new division at Grab. I called him up and said, “Hey, despite whatever differences that we had, my business and is in need of a hard grinder like yourself.” He then replied saying that he was up for the challenge.
Eventually, when it was time to leave Grab, I also invited him along to embark on business ventures. Fortunately enough, he took the leap of faith with me. It is definitely tough working a zero-to-one with a friend, but we grew to understand each other’s strengths. Despite whatever problems we faced, we stuck around to try and make things work – crack open a beer and try again the next day. I’m fortunate enough to have a friend and partner that shares the same values as me.
How do you keep up with spending time with your family amidst the chaos?
There is work-life balance, but there is also work-life integration. These days, it’s mostly itegration for me. I have a newborn, so making time for my family is a non-negotiable. I want to be with my kids as they grow up. I would bring my family along to work committments that I’m unable to avoid, such as meetings and market research. Thankfully, both my partner and family are understanding.
What is the focus for Bounceback now?
We want to double down on the markets that we are already in, which means understanding different lingos and behaviours. They differ depending on regions, hence we have to follow suit when we run our campaigns in different parts of the world.
We have been predominantly online, but woud like to have an offline presence as well. Having our product in stores such as Watsons and 7-11 would definitely boost our credibility as an online brand. We are excited to embark on this journey of working with potential partners in the retail chain.
What are some tips you may have for those who are planning to start their own business?
Speaking from experience, start small – make it your side project/hustle first. Test it out with a couple of partners and customers to see if there is a market for your business. Be careful – do not recklessly take the plunge and invest a lot of money only to regret it later.
Get your Bounceback here!
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