I Was Bullied for Being “Fat”… Now I’m Building a Supplement Company

Growing up in Asia, I was often labelled as “fat”. It wasn’t always said unkindly, sometimes it was casual, sometimes framed as concern, but it reflected a very narrow idea of what an “acceptable” body looked like. I didn’t fit that mould.

At the time, I couldn’t articulate why it bothered me so deeply, but those experiences stayed with me. They quietly shaped how I thought about bodies, worth, and the unrealistic standards people are expected to conform to - and, later on, the kind of norms I wanted to question.

When I moved to the UK, my relationship with fitness began to change. I discovered the gym, training, and weightlifting - not as a way to shrink myself, but as a way to build strength. Fitness became about discipline, structure, and confidence rather than punishment. For the first time, my body felt like something I was working with, not against.

As my training became more consistent, nutrition mattered more. Protein wasn’t optional if I wanted to recover properly and progress - but relying solely on whole-food protein wasn’t realistic. Eating four chicken breasts a day was expensive, overly filling, impractical, and, frankly, boring. It wasn’t sustainable, and sustainability is what actually delivers long-term results.

Taking supplements made sense in theory. In practice, they didn’t.

Most of what was available felt disconnected from how I actually lived. Western flavours - vanilla, chocolate, salted caramel - dominated the protein powder and wider supplement market. They were heavy, repetitive, and felt more like something you had to chug than something you looked forward to drinking and savouring. I didn’t crave or enjoy them, which meant I didn’t stick to them and they just ended up collecting dust in the cupboard.

That stood in stark contrast to what I was used to in Hong Kong. Innovative drinks, lighter flavours, and enjoyable yet beneficial were part of normal life. You didn’t need excess sweetness or overpowering flavours to enjoy something regularly. Consistency came from familiarity and enjoyment - not forced willpower.

I realised the issue wasn’t consuming enough protein. It was the lack of flavour, culture, and innovation in the supplement industry.

I didn’t set out to start a business. I wasn’t trying to disrupt an industry or chase entrepreneurship. I mean I studied and worked in law! We’re not known to be the biggest risk takers, but I just truly wanted a supplement I’d actually drink consistently - something delicious, affordable, culturally inspired, and aligned with how I lived day to day. Something that supported fitness without turning it into a chore.

As I spoke to more people about this frustration, it became clear I wasn’t alone. Friends who grew up in Asia immediately understood what I meant. Others who had travelled across Asia recognised the flavours and rituals. Even people who didn’t come from ethnic backgrounds were simply bored of the same options they’d been stuck with for years.

At the same time, there’s been a visible global shift in how fitness is perceived. Across both the East and the West, movement, training, and nutrition are no longer niche hobbies - they’re becoming fundamental parts of everyday life and identity. Fitness is mainstream now.

Yet the supplement industry hasn’t evolved at the same pace. While people’s lifestyles have become more holistic, culturally curious, and long-term focused, supplements have largely remained static - relying on the same flavour profiles, formats, and assumptions about what people are willing to consume daily.

What I initially thought was a personal inconvenience turned out to be a wider gap: an industry that hadn’t yet caught up with the people it was meant to serve.

That perspective was later echoed in a conversation I had with award-winning entrepreneur, narrative strategist, and Forbes 30 Under 30 honouree Anoopreet Rehncy. She shared an insight that stayed with me: instead of westernising a brand in an attempt to appeal to a wider audience, dial in on the cultural element of your brand - because that’s where your uniqueness truly lies.

It reframed how I thought about what I was building. What initially felt like a massive risk - being culturally specific - was actually the strongest part of the brand. Culture wasn’t something to dilute; it was something to lead with.

A massively undervalued element is the people you choose to surround yourself with. Build a network of mentors who you can approach when stumped. Make an effort to meet and speak to as many different people as possible -  through everyday conversations, chance encounters, and purpose-built communities like She Connects. I’ve met some of the most aspirational individuals through platforms like this, and those conversations have led to opportunities and shaped my journey in ways I never anticipated.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: start building before you feel ready. Don’t wait for complete confidence or certainty before you begin - it comes over time, through action, not before it. Growth only happens during discomfort.

And if I could give one piece of advice to anyone carving their own path - whether as an entrepreneur or simply pursuing a direction they once thought wasn’t available to them - it would be this: have audacity.

Have the audacity to take up space.Have the audacity to try something new.Have the audacity to break free from what you thought was possible.And most of all, have the audacity to believe in yourself - wholly and completely.

I didn’t plan to build a company. I just refused to accept what existed. And sometimes, that audacity - to question, to try, and to believe - is where the most meaningful journeys begin.

If you’re carving your own path, whether in business, fitness, or life, and this story resonated, I’d love to connect! Conversations like these are where confidence grows, ideas sharpen, and new possibilities begin.

Maymaysinsta

https://www.instagram.com/proteanldn/