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When Vincent, the CEO of APT Salon, took over his mother’s hair salon business, he never imagined he would one day lead one of Malaysia’s largest hair salon chains.
He also expanded it to 45 outlets nationwide, broke a Guinness World Record, and employed over 250 people across the country.
But the journey wasn’t easy. There were moments when everything came crashing down, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic when APT had to close down over 20 outlets and had zero income.
Today, Vincent opens up about how he went from being a university student working part-time in his mom’s salon to becoming the man behind a large-scale, successful business.
From doctor to CEO
Vincent’s story began when he was studying A-Levels and initially planned to become a doctor like his sister as he admired her and thought medicine would be his future career.
But things took a turn when he started working part-time at one of his mother’s salons.
I actually fell in love with the business world while working there. I was supposed to pursue a medical career, but I realised I wanted to dive deeper into my family business.
“So when I went to Melbourne, I switched my major to accounting and finance instead,” he said.
Even as a student, Vincent managed the salons remotely, where he juggled classes by day and business operations by night. By the time he returned to Malaysia, he was already running the company full-time.
The reality of a family business
Taking over a family business might seem like a smooth path, but Vincent quickly learned it was anything but easy.
“People think it’s simple because the foundation is already there. But family businesses are messy. There are emotions, arguments, and blurred boundaries” he admitted.
To make it work, Vincent made a fateful decision and began treating his mother as his boss, with every proposal, plan, or financial report being presented to her like he would with any superior.
This mindset shift not only brought structure but also paved the way for APT Salon’s next stage of growth, creating a clearer line between family and business.
Today, APT Salon isn’t just another hair salon chain. It has served over 2 million active customers and continues to expand across Malaysia.
Vincent credits this success to what he calls the 3P Philosophy: Purpose, People, and Process.
“At first, I struggled with finding purpose. But one day, my mentor asked me what the greatest industry in the world was. I said doctors because they save lives.
“He said it’s the hair industry because we give people confidence. That changed my perspective completely.”
With that belief, Vincent built not just salons but an ecosystem that included a hair college, product lines, aesthetic clinics, F&Bs and more.
The pandemic that changed everything
But just as APT was expanding rapidly, the Covid-19 pandemic hit.
The Movement Control Order (MCO) was a dark time for us. Hair salons weren’t considered essential, so we had zero income. At one point, we had to shut down more than 20 outlets.
“However, what kept APT Salon alive was the employees’ loyalty. My staff actually volunteered to take pay cuts so the business could survive.
“It was very touching. Usually, companies cut salaries, but in our case, it was the workers themselves who suggested it,” recounted Vincent.
As such, APT Salon managed to sustain operations with only a 20% drop in sales at a time where many businesses faced a decrease of over 70%.
Breaking a Guinness world record
In the aftermath of the pandemic, APT Salon came back stronger than ever. “We broke the Guinness World Record for the most haircuts within one hour. It was a way to show the world that the Malaysian hair industry is world-class,” Vincent said with pride.
Today, APT Salon has over 45 outlets nationwide and a hair college that continues to produce the next generation of hairstylists.
But Vincent recognises that the landscape is changing. “Last time, if you didn’t go to university, you’d take up a skill like hairstyling because it paid well. Now, the younger generation wants to be influencers or content creators. That’s the challenge we face.”
When asked what keeps him motivated to lead over 250 employees across Malaysia, Vincent had one piece of advice:
“Find the right community and find purpose before profit. If you only chase money, you’ll lose patience. But when you have purpose, you’ll keep going no matter what happens.”
Vincent’s goal now is to bring APT Salon beyond Malaysian borders and make it a brand the whole country can be proud of.
“I want APT to expand overseas so that one day, when people think of world-class hair salons, they think of Malaysia.”
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