In this episode, we talked about:
- Joy Wang’s journey from tech startups to creative entrepreneurship
- Moving from Vancouver to Singapore and building a career across industries
- Working in media agencies, startups, and growth product management
- Why Joy left tech to start a modern, minimalist bridal brand
- Taking a gap year, acting, and appearing on The Apprentice Asia (Netflix)
- How discouragement and comparison show up in entrepreneurship
- The financial realities of starting a business and the need for a runway
- Bootstrapping vs going all-in and making realistic business decisions
- Balancing creativity, data, and operations as a founder
- Managing mental health, uncertainty, and sustainability as an entrepreneur
- Bone and Grey’s mission, vision, and future growth plans
Listen to the full episode now:
“Starting a business is not going to be all rainbow and sunshine. Most of the time it’s like 80% rain, 20% sunshine.”
Timestamp:
- 0:00 sneak peek from tech career to creative entrepreneurship
- 0:26 meet Joy Wang founder of Bone and Grey Bridal Singapore
- 2:02 moving from Vancouver to Singapore starting a career in media
- 5:42 jumping into the startup world working in tech
- 8:02 leaving tech to start a modern bridal business
- 13:07 Joy’s gap year acting on Netflix and life outside the 9 to 5
- 15:12 behind the scenes filming The Apprentice Asia on Netflix
- 17:22 how a gap year fueled the birth of Bone and Grey
- 18:08 how to overcome fear and start your business journey
- 20:38 entrepreneur comparison traps and feeling discouraged
- 22:06 shifting from 9 to 5 to entrepreneurship what changes
- 24:44 Joy’s advice for aspiring entrepreneurs and business starters
- 25:12 why you need a financial cushion before starting a brand
- 28:51 balancing mental health while building a business
- 32:15 manifestation and vision growing Bone and Grey with intention
- 33:46 Bone and Grey’s mission and future business goals
- 36:01 slowing down Joy’s personal goals as a creative founder
- 37:01 the story behind Bone and Grey
- 38:12 reflections on creative entrepreneurship and growth
- 40:44 outro connect with Joy and follow Bone and Grey
📖 Books We Mentioned:
- Profit First: Transform Your Business from a Cash-Eating Monster to a Money-Making Machine by Mike Michalowicz
Connect With Joy:
- Bone and Grey Website: https://www.boneandgrey.com/
- Joy’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theshbang/
Detailed Summary:
Introduction
In this episode of Small Girl Big Talk, Wendy sits down with Joy Q. Wang, founder of Bone and Grey Bridal, to talk about what it really looks like to leave a stable tech career and build a creative, purpose-driven business from scratch.
What starts as a conversation about creativity quickly becomes a grounded, honest discussion about realism, finances, fear, and sustainability in entrepreneurship.
From Vancouver to Singapore
Joy shares how moving across countries early in life made her comfortable with starting over. After graduating and paying off her student loans, she made the bold decision to move from Vancouver to Singapore — prioritizing growth, exposure, and opportunity over comfort.
Media, Startups, and Tech
Joy’s career path spans media agencies and tech startups, where she worked in growth product management — blending marketing, data, and engineering. This left-brain foundation later became a crucial advantage in running her own business.
Leaving Tech and Taking a Gap Year
After years in startups, Joy took a gap year to explore creativity and fulfill a childhood dream of acting. During this period, she appeared on The Apprentice Asia on Netflix — an intense experience that challenged her emotionally but ultimately fueled her drive to build something of her own.
The Birth of Bone and Grey
Bone and Grey was born from Joy’s own frustration while searching for a minimalist, affordable wedding gown. By leveraging her background, supplier connections, and branding instincts, she created a direct-to-consumer bridal brand that now serves brides globally — especially in North America.
Entrepreneurship Reality Check
Joy speaks candidly about the less glamorous side of entrepreneurship: financial stress, slow growth, self-doubt, and comparison. She emphasizes the importance of savings, alignment with partners, and doing something — even small — every day to move the business forward.
Mental Health and Sustainability
Building a business comes with long hours and emotional strain. Joy shares how she stays grounded through small moments of rest, movement, and connection — acknowledging that balance isn’t perfect, but awareness matters.
Vision and Growth
Looking ahead, Joy hopes to grow Bone and Grey into an internationally recognized brand known for minimalist, versatile, and accessible bridal designs — while staying intentional about customer experience and brand perception.
Conclusion
Joy’s journey is a powerful reminder that entrepreneurship isn’t about dramatic leaps alone — it’s about preparation, realism, and resilience. By combining creativity with logic, patience with ambition, and passion with sustainability, she’s building a business that reflects both who she is and what she believes in.
If you’re dreaming of starting something of your own, this episode offers a grounded look at what it actually takes — and why staying intentional matters just as much as starting.
