Singaporean couple — Kenneth Kuan and Chia Pei Qi — turned their passion into a multi-million-dollar e-commerce business with Delugs, specializing in high-quality straps and accessories for luxury watches.
What began as a small side hustle soon evolved into a thriving business, now generating over $5 million in revenue. But the success was far from easy. Leaving behind secure careers, they took a leap of faith into the unknown, driven solely by their belief in their vision.
Their journey is a testament to the power of passion, perseverance, and the willingness to embrace uncertainty—proving that when you refuse to set limits, the sky is truly the limit.
Couple To Founders
The Singaporean couple — Kenneth Kuan and Chia Pei Qi — are driven by their shared love for crafting leather and collecting mechanical watches.
Chia and her husband, Kenneth, were civil servants before transitioning into entrepreneurship. In 2016, this couple’s journey as founders began with a shared passion for craftsmanship. Driven by curiosity and creativity, they started making leather goods—cardholders, keychains, and watch straps—learning the craft through online tutorials and YouTube videos.
Their love for craftsmanship led them to discover a significant gap in the market. The gap put them at a crossroads—on one side was the safe and secure path, staying within their comfort zone, and on the other was the riskier path of stepping out to solve a real problem. However, despite knowing the challenges ahead, they took a leap of faith and started their entrepreneurial journey.
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Why Delugs?
Chia and Kenneth began making leather goods as a hobby, and soon, orders started coming in. As demand for their work grew, they recognized the market’s potential.
While honing their craft, they noticed a gap—customers seeking high-quality straps had to rely on skilled leather makers like them, leading to high costs and long wait times. At the same time, ready-made straps didn’t offer many choices in size, design, or quality; there were only a few options for those who wanted well-made, readily available straps in various styles. This market gap became a wake-up call for the couple.
This experience made them realize the demand for high-quality leather straps for the watch enthusiast market. This sparked a business idea in their minds, and turning the gap into an opportunity, both embarked on their entrepreneurial journey by launching the market gap solution, Delugs.
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Concept To Creation-
Now, the concept was ready, but turning the idea into reality was not a cup of it. Working around the clock, brainstorming day and night, Initial challenges and a little fear about the decision.
However, taking a leap of faith, they aligned their passion with purpose and aimed at building community and changing lifestyles through their high-quality straps and accessories for luxury watches.
Finally, in 2018, a solution was launched named Delugs, an e-commerce business platform, positioning it as a credible brand within the watch industry.
Singapore-based Delugs began as an online retailer offering a wide selection of watch straps in various materials, colors, and sizes for instant purchase. After years of operating from Kuan’s bedroom, the company expanded in 2022, opening a showroom and office in Ubi— an area in Singapore— providing customers with both an online and in-person shopping experience.
Reaching new heights
What started as a couple operation has grown into a thriving company with 19 staff in Singapore and seven in the Philippines. Delugs also collaborates closely with a dedicated team of leather crafters in Vietnam, which produces exclusively for the brand. This partnership has grown significantly, expanding from just four artisans in 2019 to around 40 today.
Beyond offering nearly 20 types of leather in various colors, styles, and customization options, Delugs has also expanded into crafting straps from other materials, including fabric and rubber.
The company’s global reach continues to grow, with the US being its largest market, making up 40% of its customer base. Singapore is the second-largest at 15%, while the rest of its customers come from countries such as the UK, UAE, Hong Kong, Australia, and Germany.
Also Read- Startup Ecosystem of Singapore.
The couple’s journey reflects the power of vision, resilience, and strategic thinking, showcasing how stepping out of one’s comfort zone can lead to remarkable success.
