GLOOMY times may be here but that doesn't necessarily mean gloomy business for some.
Especially when your face is plastered on newspapers and you're seen regularly on primetime telly, the odds could be on your side.
Some local celebrities have launched new sidelines for themselves in the recession.
Actor Zhang Yaodong started Restoran Selayang with colleague Terence Cao and another partner, MediaCorp stunt coordinator Kong Xiang De, when the recession was in full force.
The roast meats food chain opened two outlets almost simultaneously at the foodcourts in Plaza Singapura and Tampines 1 at the end of March.
He thought he would have to dig deep into his own pockets to pay off the monthly expenses but was delighted to find the tills ringing.
A third stall at Jurong Point is now in the works, though Yaodong admitted they are still paying off the set-up costs for the first two outlets.
He declined to reveal the amount they invested in the business but said it cost $50,000 to set up each stall. They have 13 staff on their payroll.
He added that they can still afford to support another three more stalls based on their current revenue. The two stalls are bringing in an average of $2,000 to $3,000 a day.
Their business strategy seems to be recession-proof: target the mass market, open stalls in foodcourts.
Yaodong added: 'We already had the intention to start the business in foodcourts before the recession started. Human traffic is heavy there and it's affordable to the general public.'
He believes that people will have to eat, financial crisis or not. Better still that people are cutting costs and heading to foodcourts.
He said: 'Being celebrities help the business because it creates awareness and first impressions are very important. But in the long run, the quality of the food comes into consideration. If it isn't good, customers won't return.'
Another artiste was inspired to venture into a new business precisely because of the recession.
Apple Hong began side-lining as a financial planner a month ago. The Malaysian actress took an exam in financial planning when she was 18 years old but never activated the licence.
She did it only recently after friends were left scarred by the financial crisis. She has also been learning from her seniors to re-familiarise herself with the trade and the latest policies.
She said: 'I have friends who were wealthy but now owe banks money. I also have friends who do not have any savings. Even though I save, I never saw the need to see people do the same until recently.'
Apple, who is with the Great Eastern Life Assurance office in Malaysia, is now juggling selling investment and insurance policies and filming a new Channel 8 drama Baby Bonus and the variety show On The Beat.
She said she doesn't like to hard sell and has approached only family and friends, servicing five customers so far.
Through this, Apple hopes to plump up her bank account too.
She's aware that artistes have a short shelf life and even admitted that her salary from MediaCorp has been gradually reduced these two years.
Her commitments now include a family townhouse in Kuala Lumpur, her two-bedroom condominium unit in Singapore and her Mercedes car.
'Some people may find me more trustworthy because I'm in the public eye. If I run away with their money, I won't be able to make a living in Singapore,' she said.
'But some may wonder if I can concentrate on this new job and if I'll quit and leave their policies unattended.'
Celebrities who began their businesses before the recession report to The New Paper that their accounts have not dipped into the red yet.
ALAN TERN: Downturn can become upturn in business
Alan Tern said he's seen business in his five-year-old company Acespex falling. The 33-year-old, a wholesaler in optical frames, said local business has dropped by 10 per cent since the downturn.
He, however, remains optimistic. 'When people need a pair of spectacles, they need a pair, though they are probably more quality- and price-conscious now. My stock belongs to that category.'
Alan said being a celebrity benefited his business initially but the leg-up didn't last long.
'It helped when I was cold-calling the optical shops but it ultimately boils down to the quality and design of our frames. They are, after all, businessmen.'
While demand in the local market has shrunk, he claims his export volume has increased by five per cent. He currently exports to regional countries like Malaysia and hopes to break into the European market.
Alan is expecting a drop again from August to September during the seventh month of the Chinese lunar calendar, when spirits are believed to be released from hell for a 'break'.
Alan explained: 'People believe that if you buy a new pair of spectacles during the Ghost Month, you'll see 'more' things.'
LYNN POH: Helps that public already recognises me
Freelance actress Lynn Poh branched out into selling property two years back and believes her celebrity status has helped maintain her business.
The 32-year-old said: 'People know who I am. A lot of property agents need to build up their reputation but the public already recognises me.'
The beauty most famed for her bust-enhancement ads said the property market isn't doing worse because of the recession and that there would still be transactions in good or bad times.
She said the property market is 'moving' this month because of the stronger stock performance, on which it is dependent, and she now has to 'act fast'.
BEN YEO: Branding and unique goods help sales
Actor and TV host Ben Yeo, who co-owns the streetwear shop Leftfoot Entrepot at The Cathay with two other partners, said he has been unscathed by the downturn.
The 31-year-old said dips in sales are all part of the retailer's deal, but the one-year-old store reported good sales this month because of the school holidays and the on-going Great Singapore Sale.
Sales increased by about 20 per cent this month.
Ben, who said he hasn't recouped the six-figure sum he invested in the store, is relieved that the shop did all right even in the recession.
He said: 'We had good months in December and January because of Christmas and Chinese New Year, though the subsequent month after the festive season is generally a slow month for retailers.
'Still, the store is doing well because clothes and shoes are basic necessities so people will still buy our products.'
He, however, attributes the sales not to his celebrity status but to the shop's branding and unique products.
