Michelle Chong, founder of the Honey Bun Foundation and chief executive officer of Honey Bun Limited, gave a masterclass on courage to women gathered for the pre-International Women’s Day Conference by the Women’s Leadership Initiative (WLI), dubbed ‘Doing it Her Way’ held last Sunday.
Chong, who established Honey Bun Limited with her husband 40 years ago and founded its philanthropic arm, The Honey Bun Foundation, in 2019, said that the challenges she has faced in her journey have provided her with some of her greatest lessons. Over time, she said, she has learnt to embrace challenges.
“The challenges we face are exactly the ones we have to go through to build our character,” she said at the conference held at the AC Hotel Kingston.
“As we age, we experience different changes in our looks. Many of these are signs of the character we have built over time; the wisdom that we have earned. It is often through challenges faced in our business and life that we build our strength. It is through challenges that we find our opportunities. Thank God for them.”
Chong revealed that it was during a period of tremendous financial upheaval in the 1990s that some of the most fruitful ideas for Honey Bun Limited were forged.
“Do not be afraid of the challenges. When they come, say, ‘I am going to take you on, challenge. What is it that you want me to learn from you? Where does God want me to grow? Think, ‘how do I convert this mishap into something greater than if it never happened?’ So, engage the challenges that you have. They often make you better in the long run,” said Chong.
