Julie Woon is driven to succeed in work and life

Julie Woon remains passionate about her work, while also maintaining a balance between her passion projects and family.

Close friends for several years now, Julie Woon and Carey Ng are no strangers to the KL social scene, and over the years we’ve watched both ladies’ careers closely as they evolved from bright-eyed newcomers to A-list celebrities with several businesses to their names and a couple of adorable children each.

Life Inspired gets a deeper insight into the careers and personal lives of these two women, as well as their thoughts on Merdeka Day.

Also read: Former beauty queen Carey Ng on her passions, pursuits, and parenthood

Blessed with the ability to fully immerse herself in any subject, be it parenting, politics, cars or sports, Julie Woon strikes you as being the epitome of cool chic.

Having worked as an emcee across various industries (fashion, beauty, cars, wellness and more) for 15 years, she is one of the most recognisable faces in the local social scene.

Woon, who just turned 36, began her hosting career while she was still in college, graduating in economics and marketing.

“I was asked to go for an interview for a football show on Astro Supersports and by a stroke of luck, I got the job!” says Woon.

Growing up with an independent streak as she needed to fend for herself due to her parents’ busy schedules, Woon has made many of her bigger choices in life all on her own, from deciding on which secondary school to go to, to what course to enrol for in college.

Discovering that hosting was something she could do really well, she never looked back.

“I’ve never had a 9-5 job before, I’ve never worked for a corporation. I’ve been freelancing all this time but on a full-time basis. People think freelancing is only once in a while, but it’s actually very frequent. Prior to the MCO, every other day there would be an event.”

Learning to slow down

Married to Darren Lee, the executive creative director of M&C Saatchi Malaysia, they have two kids, Trevor Han Lee, six, and Aleia Kai Lee, who is two-and-a-half.

The MCO period gave her the opportunity to slow down, something which Woon isn’t accustomed to as she finds she can’t sit still and is always on the go.

“On top of hosting virtual and live events currently, MCO gave me the opportunity to reflect back and find new passions, ” recalls Woon, who already has one business to her name – Plush Porter, a dress and gown rental service which has been around for five years.

Also read: Former beauty queen Carey Ng on her passions, pursuits, and parenthood

A regular emcee for automotive events, Woon possesses a genuine passion and interest for cars, so much so that she has become much sought after by brands and clients who need to engage a host who knows the technical aspects.

“Having been able to host for many automotive brands over the years until now, I’ve finally decided to start my own YouTube page that is catered towards a female’s perspective of cars, ” she relates. “I woke up in the middle of the night with the name HeelsOnWheels in my head and immediately registered the page before going back to sleep.”

“I’m not an automotive journalist, but I’m someone who is passionate about the industry. The videos will be made from a female perspective, something lighthearted and interesting, not too technical. An old friend has a production company and said let’s do it... I feel like it’s a calling.”

This doesn’t mean she will be taking a backseat from hosting events – for Woon hosting and emceeing still takes precedence.

Jump for joy

Her other passion project, conceptualised during the MCO, came about thanks to her love for jumpsuits.

Julie Woon with her husband Darren Lee (left) and children Trevor and Aleia. Photo courtesy of Julie Woon

A quick scroll through her Instagram page shows that Woon, in her own words, could wear jumpsuits all day, every day.

“The Letter J is set to launch soon, and it will be a capsule collection of specially curated jumpsuits and will be available via Instagram, ” explains Woon. “So far I have received pre-launch orders through word of mouth and am motivated by the response and feedback that I’ve been getting.”

Describing herself as a person who acts almost instantly when she gets an idea, Woon is optimistic about where these two new endeavours are headed.

“I suppose you could say that these two projects – HeelsOnWheels and The Letter J are considered my MCO babies, conceived and birthed during these times, ” she says, laughing.

Ambitious and driven, Woon counts herself fortunate to have a job she is passionate about, even after all these years.

“I’m lucky to be absolutely passionate about my job. It’s easy to keep myself motivated by trying to constantly improve and think of ways to improve my craft, ” she shares.

“I’m aware of how fortunate I am to have a career that I love and that in itself keeps me from being complacent and it makes me want to work hard to maintain it.”

Work-life balance

As any parent knows, juggling a career or in Woon’s case, a career plus passion projects, and raising children, is no easy task.

Julie Woon (left) and Carey Ng.

“Striking a work-life balance is a continuous effort so it boils down to proper time management. Being able to juggle between family, work, friends and a little me-time each day would be the most challenging, ” she says in respect to working life.

“At the end of the day, coming home to my two very eager children who run and jump on me to give me a big hug and kiss, makes all the hard work and struggle worthwhile.”

Self-care is very important to Woon, who craves exercise and works out almost daily, even while she’s on holiday.

She also keeps her mental health in check by having constant and open communication with her family (no devices at the dinner table!), and daily chats with friends and family.

Where is she at her happiest?

“Wherever I can be 100% myself, I’m at my happiest. A place with no judgement, expectations or pretense.”

As for Merdeka, Woon believes in living on her own terms.

"Freedom is the power to live on your own terms, without inflicting harm on others. It is a right that should be enjoyed by all, equally and unequivocally."