This entrepreneur is the brains behind a stylish multi-concept lifestyle destination

She also developed a site for the modern mother.

Dolores Au is the CEO of VLV, a homegrown company with a mission to create multi-concept destinations centred on quality food, beverage and entertainment offerings. VLV Singapore opened in September 2016. In 2017, the brand will be expanding regionally with multiple new offerings in Kuala Lumpur.

"VLV Pte Ltd was founded in late 2014 with a vision to create iconic destination concepts," says 42-year-old Au. For VLV, the company started out with a core team of 10 senior department heads working on conceptualising and designing the offering, she says. With the outlet in Clarke Quay running at full capacity, the company currently has 100 team members and the team is growing as the business expands.

VLV presents a multi-concept venue under one roof. Au was inspired by the vibe created by multi-concept venues in major cities like London, Las Vegas and Shanghai. With VLV, she aims to put Singapore on the map with a truly homegrown destination brand offering a quality experience.

According to its website, VLV Singapore is an effortless blend of stylish modernity and tradition. Within its historic walls is a world class culinary and entertainment oasis; stylish Chinese dining and glamorous club lounge take centre stage, while a charming alfresco bar and a festive seafood enclave by the river completes the sensuous experience.

"In a highly competitive industry, we are fortunate to have a very experienced core team who are able to successfully execute the vision for my business,” shares Au.

VLV has been many years in the making and in the course of setting up and launching the business, Dolores was expecting her third and fourth daughters. During this time, she touched base with many like-minded moms who did not let pregnancy or motherhood stand in the way of life and work. However, time was always short and she realised that there was no curated platform catered to this specific demographic: mothers. Hence, Mummyfique was born.

Au is also the Chief Executive Mummy of Mummyfique.com, a fast expanding digital content destination for modern mothers. Mummyfique has also grown rapidly since its launch in 2015. The site has gained a steady readership and more notably has built a community of like-minded moms. "This demographic of working mothers are increasingly influential in the marketplace and in 2017, the Mummyfique business model will evolve to connect vendors directly with our pool of mothers," she says.

"It has been a challenging few years for businesses and the main challenge would be hiring and finding the right fit for the long-term growth of the business," says Au. She believes in investing in continuous training for all team members to ensure that all hires are equipped to best represent the business and continue to grow in their role.