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For many people, leaving a stable corporate career is something they would rarely consider.
But for Rekha Kelayan, now in her 40s, walking away from that life eventually led her to something she values far more today—time, family and a sense of fulfilment.
Today, Rekha Kelayan runs her own tailoring business, but not many would guess that in the past, she had spent years working in a demanding corporate marketing career.
Life as a marketing professional
Rekha Kelayan grew up in Penang and decided to further her studies after completing Form 5. Initially, she planned to pursue hospitality management as she was interested in working in the hotel industry.
However, her father encouraged her to consider a field that would allow her to explore broader career opportunities.
“My dad advised me to choose something that would allow me to work in many different industries,” she shared.
Taking his advice, Rekha Kelayan pursued a degree in marketing before completing a postgraduate qualification with the Chartered Institute of Marketing.
After graduating, she entered the corporate world and eventually held a marketing leadership role where she was involved in launching and expanding a new food brand in Malaysia.
At the time, introducing a new brand to Malaysian consumers came with its own challenges.
“Malaysian taste buds are very different, so it was not easy to introduce something new,” she explained.
Part of her responsibilities included supporting the expansion of the brand across the country. At one point, she was tasked with helping to open multiple outlets within a single year while coordinating closely with operations teams.
Looking back, Rekha Kelayan described that period as intense but also rewarding.
“It was tough work, but it was also a big achievement for our team.”
All work but no life
Despite the professional milestones, Rekha Kelayan said the demands of corporate life quickly took over almost every part of her daily routine.
As the head of marketing, she was constantly connected to work, even outside office hours.
It was work, work, work all the time. There was barely any personal time.
“Even when she was resting, messages and emails would continue coming in. You could be asleep and suddenly your phone would start buzzing. When others replied, you felt like you had to wake up and respond too,” she recounted.
Over time, the constant pressure made it difficult for Rekha Kelayan to maintain a balance between work and her personal life.
Change in perspective brought by loss
While Rekha Kelayan was building her career in Kuala Lumpur, her parents remained in Penang. Due to her hectic schedule, she rarely had the chance to visit them.
“I would usually just call them once a week to say hello. But one day, I received a call saying that my father was unwell and wanted to see me.”
Rekha Kelayan returned to Penang and spent the night with him before heading back to work the next day.
That decision later proved to be one of the most painful memories she carried. That same night, her father collapsed and passed away on Deepavali.
The loss left Rekha Kelayan heartbroken. But what she discovered afterwards affected her even more.
“While going through my father’s belongings, I found a collection of newspaper clippings and discovered he had quietly been saving articles that mentioned my name or featured my work.
He was following my achievements through the newspapers because I was too busy to be there in person.
“That moment forced me to reflect on what I had sacrificed while chasing after success. I also realised I had lost someone very precious in my life while I was busy working,” she said somberly.
Walking away from the corporate world
After her father’s passing, Rekha Kelayan began questioning whether the life she was living was truly what she wanted and decided to spend more time with her mother and be present for her family.
Eventually, she made the difficult decision to leave her corporate career without a clear backup plan.
“I just felt that I needed to take a break and think about what I really wanted to do. It wasn’t easy at all.
“Without a fixed income, financial commitments quickly became a source of stress. But I trusted that I would eventually find a new direction.”
After leaving her job, Rekha Kelayan began taking on freelance work to support herself by helping companies with branding and marketing strategies, organising corporate events and assisting with product launches.
These various projects helped her manage her expenses while she slowly figured out her next step.
Returning to the skill she grew up watching
During this period, a conversation with her mother sparked an idea that would eventually shape her future.
“Growing up, I had often watched my mother sewing clothes, where she would start small by stitching garments for neighbours before eventually opening a shop and teaching sewing skills to other women in the community.
She always believed that sewing was a skill that could help someone become independent.”
Inspired by those memories, Rekha Kelayan decided to try opening a tailoring shop, which she named Sparsha Designs.
At the beginning, her mother became her first tailor and helped handle orders that came from friends, relatives and nearby shops.
But as expected, Rekha Kelayan faced difficulties almost right away.
“At the start, the business generated only a small income that was barely enough to cover daily expenses.
“But I continued pushing forward and each new client became motivation for me to keep improving and growing the business,” she said.
Another challenge came in the form of the Covid-19 pandemic, which struck just months into the shop’s opening, which saw it stopping operations for nearly a year due to restrictions.
While it was a difficult period that wiped out much of her savings, Rekha Kelayan refused to give up and soldiered on with encouragement from her family.
An unforgettable milestone
Over time, Rekha Kelayan’s dedication and attention to detail helped her attract more customers as she guided clients on how different clothing designs and cuts could suit their body shapes better.
One particularly meaningful milestone came when her team was given the opportunity to design a national costume for a Malaysian contestant competing at the Miss Universe pageant.
The design, which incorporated elements inspired by different cultural outfits to represent Malaysia’s diversity, was featured on the prestigious stage and it brought much pride for Rekha Kelayan and her team.
It felt surreal to see something we designed being showcased in front of the world,” she added.
A life she feels happier living
Today, Rekha Kelayan says she feels more fulfilled than she ever did during her corporate career.
Her tailoring journey has allowed her to spend more time with loved ones while building something meaningful with her own hands.
“I believe many people stay in careers that make them unhappy simply because they are afraid of the unknown. But sometimes, taking a risk can reveal strengths they never knew they had.
Life is short. We may not be here tomorrow. So live your life in a way that you will not regret.”
For Rekha Kelayan, leaving the corporate world was not about giving up success, but about finally choosing the life that mattered most.
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