Sharon Au’s Paris Shuffle: From Couch‑Surfing to Investment Director
We’ve all heard the phrase “you can’t get there from here,” and when life throws a curveball, it’s the friends we’re lucky to have who help us keep moving forward. In fact, for Singapore’s own Sharon Au, the support of a good friend was the bridge that kept her afloat while she recalibrated her career in the City of Lights.
From Rainy Job Hunt to Couch‑Surfing
- After stepping down from Mediacorp in 2018, Sharon found herself job‑hungry and, quite frankly, low on cash.
- “I didn’t even want to spend on rent,” she told AsiaOne on Nov 22 (for her upcoming meWATCH series Money Money Home). “So, I slept on my friend’s couch for six months.”
- Her takeaway? “Make great friends in university—we’ll see why later.”
Paris – Not All Baguettes and Brillantes
When people picture Paris, they think Michelin‑star restaurants and swanky cafes. Sharon wasn’t buying into that dream.
- She kept her meals simple: “I eat very normal food so that I can stretch my cash as long as possible.”
- She even toyed with the idea of becoming a waitress at an Italian joint—until a former Mediacorp chairman walked in and opened a door for her.
From Waitress Kind‑Ideas to Private Equity
Today, Sharon is rocking an investment director role at a private equity firm in Paris.
“Life is all about connections,” she muses. “You must grab on to the connections you make and it helps to have a benefactor.”
Catch the Cash‑Talk
“Money Money Home” aired its first episode on Nov 18 and drops new chapters every Thursday. Tune in for free on meWATCH.
