Valentine’s Day often celebrates grand gestures. But for founders who build together, love shows up differently — in long days, hard conversations, shared risks, and quiet routines that keep everything standing.
For Ann Sze and Jin Xue, married co-founders of Neo Livin, building a business together wasn’t about becoming a “power couple.” It was about responsibility — to an industry they knew deeply, to the people behind Malaysian furniture manufacturing, and to each other.
Neo Livin is a direct-to-consumer furniture platform challenging how Malaysians buy furniture. Instead of relying on traditional retail showrooms, Ann and Jin built a model rooted in trust — working closely with export-standard local manufacturers and reimagining showrooms as lived-in spaces: cafés, co-working spaces, homes.
This Valentine’s special isn’t about romance in the conventional sense. It’s about partnership — what it takes to build something lasting with the person who sees both your ambition and your doubt.
🌻 How do you set your vibe for the day?
Ann Sze:
I like to start my day with some me time. I wake up slowly, drink some water to stay hydrated , wash my face, and put on sunscreen. Nothing fancy, just small things that make me feel taken care of.
I also make an effort to wear something that makes me feel good. (Feeling pretty is always a plus! Teehee.)
Mornings are when I focus on myself. I feed Jumbo, my 7-year-old French Bulldog, and if I can, I go for Pilates. It helps me reset both mentally and physically. After that, I have breakfast with Jin, grab a coffee, bring Jumbo out for his walk, and then head to work.
Starting the day this way helps me feel grounded before everything else begins.
Jin Xue:
Waking up, scrolling my phone to see notifications, see any big news from X. Wash up, drink a few mouthfuls of water. Then, carry my French Bulldog down for his breakfast. Drive myself to the kopitiam nearby, always the same few kopitiam rotating every day for breakfast.
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day which I rarely skip.
🛋️ How do you relax?
Ann Sze:
I relax in very simple ways. I like playing R&B at home, singing along loudly, and dancing around while doing chores. I also love cuddle time and playing with Jumbo.
I enjoy watching a movie or an episode with Jin orI just spend time with my family in the living room, talking or sitting together.
My mum will usually prep fruits or juice for me, which still makes me feel very taken care of. Those quiet, everyday moments make me feel relax.
Jin Xue:
Relax through playing video games, sometimes just scrolling the phones, going through all the tech news happening around. Vibe coding is also become one of my hobbies. Basically every screen time is my time to relax.
💼 How would you describe your work to someone outside of your field?
We work in furniture, which is actually a very traditional industry in Malaysia. Most people still believe furniture must be seen, touched, and tried in a physical store before buying.
What we do is quite different. We run a furniture platform that curates products from Malaysian export-standard manufacturers. We handle everything beyond production from uploading and marketing to operations and customer service. So factories can focus on what they do best, which is producing quality furniture.
We started fully online, and later introduced the idea of community showrooms, where our furniture is displayed in real spaces like cafes, co-working spaces, or homes, instead of traditional retail stores. It’s a new way of letting people experience furniture more naturally.
In many ways, we are doing things against the current. It was tough at the beginning, but we believe that if we build it properly and stay true to our values, it will last. That’s how we stand out.
🛠️ How did you two end up building together?
Ann Sze:
I’ve always worked in the marketing field. Jin first invited me to join his family’s furniture manufacturing and export business, and that was when I really started learning how the industry worked from the ground up.
Being in the factory gave me a very different perspective. We had so many questions, and we felt that Malaysian furniture deserved to be doing much better than it was.
We could see the quality, the craftsmanship, and the potential, and we wanted to prove that Malaysian furniture could be brought to a higher place. We started working together on B2B projects, handling bulk and project-based orders, before deciding to build a brand of our own.
Having the same vision made the decision feel natural. We wanted to create something that represents the Malaysian furniture industry properly and shows the world how good our furniture really is. That’s how we ended up building Neo Livin.
Jin:
Started by similar interest in wanting to create our own brand. Seeing Ann Sze’s potential in marketing fields and think that we both excel in our own specialty, one with marketing, one with products and tech.
At first, we did not start building naturally, Ann Sze later found interest after a few business proposals from me. I had to do some commitment, research and work upfront to get her to feel interested when she sees potential in it.
💕 What do you love most about your partner at work?
Ann Sze:
Jin is very good with numbers and naturally logical, which balances me out really well. What I appreciate most is how supportive he is. He’s always open to trying new ideas with me.
Even when I’m being stubborn, he’s willing to listen and give things a chance. If he disagrees, he’ll tell me honestly, but he also gives me the space to explore my ideas. That trust and balance make working together possible.
Jin:
Ann Sze is the persistent and dedicated person I see. Once she believes in something, there is no going back.
☔️ How do you keep business stress from affecting your relationship while protecting quality time for each other?
Ann Sze:
Honestly, it’s not possible to completely separate work stress from a relationship, and I’ve learned to accept that.
There’s no shortcut — it’s something you work on over time. Jin and I have spent a long time learning to communicate, understand each other, and align both on our company vision and our personal relationship.
Understanding each other’s love language and acting on it is also really important. We try to really know each other’s needs, adapt when necessary, and do little things to keep each other happy. Practically, we stick to the basics — keeping a work schedule, spending time on things that help us grow personally like working out together, and also giving each other space for “me time.”
One of our simple rituals that keeps us connected is walking our dog together in the evening. Those small, everyday routines make a big difference in keeping our relationship strong despite the stress of building a business.
Jin:
In a relationship, Ann is always right. Of course, listening to her regarding anything is a must. We do have lots of common interests in which we spend time doing things together.
💐 After everything, is it worth it? Why?
Ann Sze:
I don’t feel like we’ve reached the finish line yet, the best is still ahead. But I truly believe what we’re doing is worth it.
Seeing Neo Livin finding its product-market fit, and watching our growth, is living proof that we’re on the right path.
When I look back, I can see how much I’ve grown. Scrolling through old photos, I sometimes feel like my 23-year-old self is looking back at me, and I think, “Wow, I’m proud of how far I’ve come.“
At the moment, I might not always feel it, but looking back makes me realize the journey has been incredible.
Building this startup with Jin has taught me how far I can push myself, the potential we both have, and how strong our relationship can be. I’ve also learned that people really do change over time, and life is unpredictable. Planning ahead helps me feel grounded, but the challenges along the way have shaped who I am today.
Overall, going through the highs and lows of building a startup has been a privilege. It has prepared me for anything life might throw at me. I feel lucky to have faced this journey, because now I know that no matter what challenges come next, I can survive and grow from them.
Jin:
Yes, it is definitely worth it. We learnt a lot on our journey. Although there are always good and bad times, every breakthrough makes us stronger together.
💡What advice would you give to couples thinking of starting a business together?
Ann Sze:
To be completely honest? Think twice! Haha. Speaking from experience, it’s not easy. Running a business together means facing real-life challenges, and there are a lot of questions you need to ask yourself first:
- Years from now, you’ll be seeing each other almost 24/7 because you’re working together.
- Your work life and love life will be completely intertwined. When things get tough, can you stick together through the ups and downs?
- If your business fails, there might be no income at all. Can you handle the pressure — emotionally and financially?
- With all of this happening, can you still find the strength to maintain your love for each other? Will there still be love left at the end of the day?
It’s tough for sure. But if you can answer these honestly and prepare yourselves, it can also be incredibly rewarding. Just know it’s not for the faint of heart. I do joke with my friends saying. “Don’t do it, don’t put your eggs in one basket.”
Jin:
Not easy, if you are not as committed as us! I think we are quite unique in a way no other couple is the same as us.
🤝 Do you enjoy networking?
Ann Sze:
Yes, I do enjoy networking, but it really depends on the crowd. I prefer smaller events where there’s enough time and space for one-on-one conversations. Of course, meeting people with a similar vibe also makes it much more enjoyable.
Jin:
Yes, only if we have shared interest. Otherwise no.
🌐 Best encounter at a networking event?
Ann Sze:
The best part of it for me is meeting new people I really click with, and also seeing familiar faces and catching up with them. It’s a mix of discovering fresh connections and reconnecting with people you already enjoy spending time with.
Jin:
When you find someone who thinks very similar to you or on a similar path.
💖 What's your favourite thing about Mole?
Ann Sze:
I love how Mole started from Melly’s own struggle and grew into a solution that helps others. I also really enjoy how Mole organizes interesting events. It's becoming a hub where startups can network in a fun, relaxed way. Basically, it’s making networking enjoyable, which is not easy to do!
Jin:
Doing things out of the box, did not constrain themselves into just connect people digitally but also helping people connect in real life.
🎧 What are you listening to now?
Ann Sze:
Made for Me by Muni Long
Jin:
Nothing…seriously.
🍧 Favourite snack or dessert?
Ann Sze:
French Fries and Dark chocolate are my all time favourite.
Jin:
Kopi and Teh Tarik only, everything else is unnecessary.
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Ann Sze and Jin Xue represent a version of entrepreneurship that often goes unseen — one where the business is inseparable from the people building it.
They don’t romanticise working with your life partner. Instead, they speak openly about communication, commitment, and the small rituals that keep both the relationship and the business steady.
Their journey with Neo Livin reminds us that building together isn’t about having the same strengths — it’s about trusting each other’s differences.
Who should network with Ann Sze & Jin Xue:
- Founder couples building a business together
- Operators in DTC, retail, or manufacturing-led businesses
- Builders navigating long-term partnerships where work and life overlap
Their story isn’t just about a product or an industry. It’s about choosing partnership — and choosing to build together, every single day.
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