Lee Shao Rong has always carried a quiet conviction: the belief that if you work hard enough, the world will meet you halfway. As a child, he sold stickers and Hello Kitty plush toys, arranging his wares with the precision of someone who understood, even then, that presentation mattered. At the end of the day, he would count his earnings, like coins clinking together in his pocket, and dream of bigger things. But adulthood, he learnt, plays by different rules.

In 2018, Mr Lee left the stability of his army career, driven by the promise of entrepreneurship: freedom, control, the chance to build something lasting. He poured his savings into a coffee chain franchise, eager to prove himself. At first, the business was a thrill. He learned to manage operations, dealt with suppliers, and tasted the first sweet signs of success. But cracks appeared quickly. The franchisor offered little guidance, leaving him to navigate staff shortages and operational missteps alone. Slowly, then all at once, the venture collapsed.

In 2020, he gave entrepreneurship another shot, taking over a college campus salad business from a friend. Then it was called Mixed Greens (which rebranded to Supergreen in 2022), and put his heart to the venture. This time, he felt prepared. But just as momentum began to build, the pandemic struck. Lockdowns brought operations to a halt, and the business, still fragile, couldn’t weather the storm. Mr Lee took a job at a Covid-19 management facility to make ends meet, shelving his dream once more. The weight of it all, from the financial strain to the uncertainty, felt unbearable.

“Entrepreneurship can be incredibly isolating,” he says. “You’re the only one who knows every detail, the only one who can make the tough calls. And when things go wrong, it’s all on you.”

It was during this time that a fellow entrepreneur introduced him to the co-operative Singapore Tenants United for Fairness (SGTUFF). At first, he was hesitant. He joined the co-operative’s group chats but stayed silent, unsure if this was the right space for him. But then, during a particularly difficult negotiation with a landlord, a member of the co-operative reached out with advice. “It wasn’t just a lobang (Singlish for the tearm connection) group,” Mr Lee recalls. “It was a community. A real one, too.”

SGTUFF, formed in 2020, began as a collective voice for tenants during the pandemic, advocating for fair tenancy practices and bridging gaps between landlords and tenants. But over time, it became more than that. It evolved into a lifeline for business owners, offering not just resources but a sense of solidarity. For Mr Lee, it was transformative. “These were lessons you couldn’t learn from a textbook,” he says. “They came from people who had been through it all before.”

Through the co-op, he learned how to negotiate leases, manage footfall expectations, and streamline hiring. A fellow member referred him an experienced staff to kick off work at his first central business district outlet. Workshops by SGTUFF covered everything from digital marketing to HR strategies, equipping him with tools he hadn’t even known he needed.

But what mattered most was the camaraderie, the quiet reassurance that he wasn’t navigating this alone anymore.  “For the first time, I didn’t feel alone,” Mr Lee says. “I knew there were people I could turn to, no matter the challenge.”

Today, Supergreen has grown into a thriving business with outlets in the central business district and Buona Vista, with plans to expand further into Southeast Asia. He has also began looking for franchisees for his business too. “I remember Lik Wong, one of the founder members of SGTUFF, visiting my stall in 2020,” he recalls. “He really wanted to help.”

As a franchisor, Mr Lee is determined to offer his franchisees the support he once lacked, guiding them through the challenges of building a business. “I know what it’s like to feel lost,” he says. “If I can help someone else avoid those mistakes, I will.”

Mr Lee also serves on SGTUFF’s management committee, giving back to the community that once lifted him up. He shares his experiences with new entrepreneurs, helping them navigate the same uncertainties he once faced. The co-operative, he says, has changed not just his business, but his perspective. “Being part of SGTUFF reminded me that entrepreneurship doesn’t have to be a lonely road,” he says. “Find your community. The journey is tough, but it’s always easier when you’re not walking it alone.”

Progress, Mr Lee has come to understand, is rarely linear. It is a series of moments—some triumphant, others wrenching—that accumulate over time. It is the courage to try again and again, and the quiet strength of knowing you are not alone in the trying.

Faces of Co-operator is a seasonal column featuring the stories behind co-operative employees and members. Here, we featured Mr Lee Shao Rong, a COM member at SGTUFF Co-operative.

Words by Sng Ler Jun

Photos by Sng Ler Jun and Lee Shao Rong