Elevator Pitch: Amy Tsien, Founder Functional Wellness Brand ‘Eve Bliss’

With the passing of COVID-19-induced lockdowns, health and wellness has become an enduring priority amongst the current population. From following at-home work outs, learning how to keep tabs on nutrition, and dealing with a barrage of new mental challenges – the pandemic has taught us to understand health in all of its many shapes and forms.

According to an expert insight by McKinsey & Company, predictions for the future of the fast-growing wellness industry are unmistakably positive. In 2021 alone, the wellness industry was a USD $1.5 trillion market globally, growing at a clip of 5-10% with each year that passes.

This opportunity was not lost on Amy Tsien, founder and CEO of ‘Eve Bliss’. Eve Bliss is a functional wellness brand that carries wellness products such as recovery sodas, hangover defence solutions, and now an alcoholic canned cocktail which promises booze with benefits.

On top of Eve Bliss’s ‘Functional Recovery Soda’, ‘EVE SPRITZ’, and ‘Functional Prevention Packs’ – the brand also works to offer events and community-based wellness experiences to raise curiosity and awareness to spotlight the multi-faceted idea of what it means to be ‘healthy’ by building healthy interests and habits. The Beat Asia spoke to Amy about her venture, how she was inspired to start her brand, and what lessons she’s learned along the way.

What’s your story? What led you to this particular career path?

Since a very young age, I have always believed that well-being is composed of three essential pillars: physical, mental, and communal health. After moving back from New York to Hong Kong in 2015, I realized how foreign the concept of wellness is here in Asia. Any awareness of it is often understood as luxurious or unnecessary experience.

My background has always been in marketing, merchandising, and planning in retail businesses across fashion, beauty, and health food sectors. Whilst seeing the “power” these brands and products have on people, I had always wished that they would leverage that to bring about more positive impact in the society we live in today.

Eve Bliss is a brand which strives to provide fun and healthy consumable products, whilst raising awareness for mental health causes and organizations; and hosts regular community events. It is a long journey, but I hope that through Eve Bliss, we can also inspire others to take this walk with us and join the movement to bring different wellness experiences to the people.  

What pain point is Eve Bliss out to solve in the wellness/ fitness industry?

As mentioned earlier, wellness is often seen as a distant concept to many, exclusive only to “wellness people”. At Eve Bliss, we make sure that we bring our products and messages to all communities, events, and spaces to where people hang out. You will see our offerings in different formats: Panels, cocktail-making workshops, office happy hours, or working out on a rooftop etc.
Our mission is to make wellbeing solutions more approachable, culturally relevant, and enticing so that something so essential in our lives will not be considered distant.

Can you share a story about a mistake you made starting this venture? What lessons did you take away from this?

One of the mistakes I had made starting this venture was allowing other people’s criticisms and opinions to overwhelm me. Shortly after I first launched my business, there were many different comments and doubts over my products, mission, and campaigns. Being the “mother” of the brand, sarcastic comments and harsh words were definitely hard to digest. I was definitely overloaded with self-blame each time they came my way and I was constantly trying to fix whatever I could so I could grow Eve Bliss “perfectly”.  

What I’ve learned is that whilst it is important to listen and learn from others’ thoughts and ideas, it is also essential to remember why I do things the way I do and to believe in myself.

Who have been some of your biggest inspirations or mentors? Can you share a time when they made an impact or helped you with the direction of your products?

When I was a kid, my parents got me a bookmark which said, “Winners never quit; quitters never win.” I think this phrase has always stuck with me. Very different from many “tiger parents”, my parents actually never really focused on the “winning” part. Instead, they had raised me to persist and not give up when things get tough. They demonstrated this to me with how they lived their lives, and it is what motivates me every day to keep going no matter what challenges I face, not just during my entrepreneurship but also in life. I will forever have my parents to be grateful for all that I am today and the person I have grown to become.  

Can you share three best pieces of advice that you’ve collected throughout your time in the industry or career, and why they matter to you?

1. Do not let the distance to your destination scare you. Enjoy the journey, stay healthy, and build things step by step.
2. Don’t be afraid to give, and don’t be afraid to ask.
3. Surround yourself with a community that celebrates with you and for you.

Entrepreneurship can be a very lonely experience which is why staying healthy physically, mentally, and socially is extremely crucial. When we are healthy in all three aspects, we will encounter the kind-hearted and the right opportunities.

How is Eve Bliss going to shake things up?

In our society, people are labelled under different categories: “Yogis”, “party animals”, “workaholics”, “moms”, etc. More often than not, we forget that people all wear different hats. Eve Bliss is not here to exclude - Whether it be our functional product offerings, mental health campaigns, and community events, we will try our best to bring them to where people and their passions are, so that wellness can become more accessible, approachable, and enticing. It is through collaborations and partnerships, we can build a stronger impact together. Our products speak for themselves, after the successful launch of our Recovery Soda last year, we were so excited to bring to our alcoholic canned cocktail, Eve Spritz and our Prevention Packs to the market this summer offering round-the-clock wellness for individuals and different urban lifestyles.

Keep up with Eve Bliss on their Instagram, or visit their website.

Enjoyed this article? Check out our previous Elevator Pitch profiles here.