Helpwise Founder Melanie Leung-Shea is all about empathy and that shines through in her values and how she runs her business.
An accidental entrepreneur, she is dedicated to supporting employers of domestic helpers to be better managers and communicators to make their homes an environment where everyone’s – employers as well as helpers – needs are being seen, heard and understood. We sat down with Melanie to find out why it is so important to listen to people that don’t agree with you and why saying “yes” was the craziest thing she did so far to market her business.
Helpwise founder Melanie runs impactful helper management workshops in Hong Kong.
If I ever publish an autobiography, this would be its tagline:
Empathy is Everything.
Whether it’s friendships or professional relationships or speaking or writing, the more I live, the more I realize the value of appreciating different opinions and perspectives. Empathy opens up so many opportunities for more genuine communication and understanding.
You are based in Hong Kong, what do you love about the social impact community there?
People are very well-connected in Hong Kong and are quite generous with referrals and introductions. If the social impact community here believes you have a good idea, they are often eager to help you spread the word, so we’ve been grateful to have a lot of support and enthusiasm for our ideas.
Tell us more about your vision for Helpwise and why you started this new venture?
After trying to hire a helper ourselves, we realized how little information was available to employers (at the time anyways; fortunately, there’s more out there now than there was 5-10 years ago).
Sometimes employers can be viewed as “the bad guys” but many of them, just like us, are people who are seeking for answers and often receiving unhealthy advice from bad agencies or friends and neighbours who have been misinformed. Once I realized this, I started getting really passionate about providing resources for employers of domestic workers and presenting them in a non-judgmental way.
Was there a certain moment when you decided that you wanted to build something from scratch?
I didn’t really set out to start my own business, actually. I had hoped to team with someone who might be doing a similar thing; but, after searching online and meeting with people in the industry, I realized there wasn’t quite anything out there yet that offered what I had envisioned. I wanted to be a neutral voice and sounding board for employers and others in the domestic worker circle who wanted authentic answers and healthy discussions on the topic, and so Helpwise was born out of that unmet need and my desire to create something practical and relevant.
Who inspires you personally?
I was very blessed to grow up knowing my grandfather and father, who were both business owners. Their professionalism and creativity were only outmatched by their kindness for others. They each had a healthy way of balancing fun and business and making sure those around them – from employees to partners, to customers – knew that they were valued. They have both passed away, but I’m grateful for the example they set for me and the lessons I learned from them.
Do you measure your impact?
It’s actually hard to measure the impact of Helpwise with stats since most of what I do is writing, speaking, and advising; so, sometimes the “impact” doesn’t come until some months later once the employer starts trying out new methods of managing their helper or home.
That said, it’s been very encouraging to receive so much positive feedback along the way and many “Thank you, this really helped us get through this” or “I only wish I would’ve known about you earlier” or “I’ve been telling all my friends about how helpful your workshop was.” When I set out to create Helpwise, I didn’t want to just offer people pat answers they could find elsewhere, so it’s rewarding when they appreciate the personal and practical advice that we offer.
What do you wish you would have known before starting out?
That people wouldn’t understand the value of our service until after they have experienced it. It’s been a hard thing to market and explain what Helpwise does since we are the first service of it’s kind to offer consultation and advice in this arena.
What is the craziest thing you did so far to market your organisation?
I just said “yes” to almost any invitation: agencies that want me to help train their staff, a school who wanted me to speak to their teens at their end-of-year assembly, companies who want to provide helper hiring & managing workshops for their employees, a Filipino church who wanted me to speak to their Filipino congregation, being the MC at a Helper Day event.
And through that, I met of a lot of amazing people and heard such a wide range of perspectives on the topic. Each experience helped to deepen and enrich my materials and advice.
Saying “YES” helped Mel to learn and gain new experiences.
How will you sustain your organisation?
We hope to continue partnering with more organizations in this space, providing support and resources for their clients’ and/or employee’s needs. We’re also working on some projects of our own in hopes of spreading the word more broadly.
What gives you the worst sleepless nights right now?
Despite the fact that I’ve done quite a bit of public speaking in my lifetime, I still toss and turn on the nights before a speaking engagement. I don’t really get stage fright though, so it’s mostly just the adrenaline that keeps me awake at night. Whether it’s an audience of 500 or a private workshop for 2, I want it to go well, so I’ll double and triple check that I’ve packed everything I need and keep my fingers crossed that there are no technical difficulties (or unexpected traffic!) the next morning.
What was the most memorable moment working on Helpwise?
One time I received an email from a couple who had taken a 4-part helper management course of mine a year earlier. They wanted to invite me to their home for dinner to thank me for how the advice I had given them the year before had re-shaped the way that they interacted with their helper. I was so honoured to have dinner in their home, and as their helper was serving the food, they said to her, “This is the lady who we told you about who taught us how to manage better!”
If you could give one piece of advice to aspiring change-makers, what would that be?
Empathize with someone who feels very differently from you on the topic that you are passionate about. Listen and learn until you can find yourself thinking, “I can see why they feel that way.” You can gain so much from understanding the other sides of your industry, even the ones you may think you disagree with.
What could everyone do RIGHT NOW to make the world a better place?
Show people that they are seen. Smile at a stranger who seems to be having a bad day. Take a moment to say thank you to someone who has impacted your life. Send a text or email to a friend you haven’t seen in a while. Invite a colleague to join you for lunch instead of eating alone. Little reminders that someone cares can go a long way.
Show people that they are seen, says Helpwise Founder Melanie Leung-Shea Share on X
Where can we follow you?
Website: www.helpwise.com.hk
Facebook: www.facebook.com/helpwisehk
