When Lim Cheng Cheng (Cheng) decided to trade her high-profile career as a lawyer for baking, it wasn’t a single life-changing moment that sparked the transition. Rather, it was a combination of factors.
Cheng, a former litigator, commercial director, and regional counsel with Fortune 500 companies, founded Swich in 2011, after over two decades of a high-paying but demanding job that left little room for the people who mattered most.
Located in Petaling Jaya, Swich is now a beloved dessert brand that stands as a testament to her belief in quality, creativity, and the power of a simple, delicious treat to bring joy to people’s lives.
Her journey, however, wasn’t just about baking cakes. It was about rediscovering herself, nurturing her family, and embracing the joy of pursuing what you truly love.
Choosing family over the paycheck
“I think there was not one defining moment, but several factors that contributed to my increased unhappiness about being in a highly-paid and demanding job,” Cheng recalled.
Her children, aged three and seven at the time, were growing up fast, and she felt increasingly disconnected from them. It wasn’t until her younger son developed bronchopneumonia that Cheng realised she needed to make a change.
“I thought I was paying enough attention to them until a little cough turned into full-blown pneumonia. I struggled with working mum guilt, just like many other women who have to juggle a career and family,” she told Vulcan Post.
Her older son was also facing challenges in school due to autism. Fourteen years ago, resources and support for children on the autism spectrum were scarce in Malaysia.
After much searching, she found a doctor who helped guide them through the complex and often frustrating journey of early intervention. This focus and commitment to her family made all the difference.
The leap into the unknown
Quitting a secure job wasn’t an easy decision. “My biggest fear was not having a stable paycheck, especially since we were quite poor growing up. Financial security was ingrained in us as being of cardinal importance,” she said.
The thought of disappointing her parents, who had worked so hard to provide a better life for their children, weighed heavily on her.
Her siblings, all professionals—a lawyer, doctor, accountant, and engineer—supported her, despite their concerns.
“They knew once I set my mind to it, I would make it work. They never personally told me I was crazy, although they might have thought it,” she said with a chuckle.
And then there was her husband, whom she calls her rock and her cheerleader. “He’s been my World Bank, funding most of our capital needs. He never doubted I could make it work, even when I doubted myself,” Cheng said.
Learning the ropes
Starting a business in the F&B industry is no cakewalk. Cheng was fortunate to have friends in the industry who helped connect her with suppliers. But even with help, the learning curve was steep.
“Of course, sometimes listening to people whom we thought were experts was also very costly.”
“We were selling pasta and sandwiches initially and were convinced to purchase an RM35,000 Rational combi oven. It was like buying a Rolls Royce when a Perodua would do,” she joked.
Despite the misstep, the oven proved to be a versatile tool for baking cakes.
The early days were exhausting, with Cheng juggling everything from sourcing ingredients and baking to serving customers and managing payroll.
“You know the meme where they say, ‘I didn’t want to work a nine-to-five job, so I started my own business and now work 24/7?’ Well, it’s true,” she said.
But she doesn’t regret it. “I had a lot more flexibility, and I could spend more time with my kids and family once the operations stabilised.”
Creating joy, one dessert at a time
Cheng’s approach to baking is simple: use the best ingredients, and the results will speak for themselves.
“What sets us apart is that right from the beginning, our emphasis [has been] on the best quality local and imported ingredients and being creative in our product offerings,” she said.
They meticulously develop their recipes in-house, using the finest ingredients and thoughtfully fusing flavours.
“The first lesson in baking is that if you use the best quality ingredients, half your job is already done,” she said. Whether it’s Valrhona chocolate, imported European cream, or cempedak madu, Cheng refuses to cut corners.
Her dedication to quality has paid off. Swich’s signature Valrhona Salted Caramel cake, which started as a simple chocolate cake to convince her husband to let her start her own F&B business, is now her customers’ favourites.
For Cheng, the joy of baking goes beyond just creating delicious desserts. It’s about celebrating Malaysia’s rich culinary heritage.
“In Malaysia, we have cempedak, nangka, durian, mangosteen, coconut, gula melaka, pandan and, mango—such gorgeous, beautiful flavours,” she added.
Swich’s menu reflects this cultural blend, with thoughtful fusions that combine traditional flavours with modern baking techniques.
Some of her bestselling local cakes are Cempedak Mango, Durian Bomb, Gula Melaka Mascarpone, Mangosteen Lychee, and Ondeh-Ondeh, while their classics and Western favourites include Valrhona Blackforest, Brandy Blast, Rum and Raisin Valrhona, Berries Blast, and Valrhona Salted Caramel.
She also offers freshly churned gelatos in her shop. Some of the flavours include Roasted Sicilian Pistachio, Pengat Pisang, Matcha Lychee, and Gula Melaka Peanut Praline.
They offer cakes priced between RM13.50 and RM18.90 per slice, while their gelato costs RM9.50 for normal flavours, RM10.50 for premium flavours, and RM12.50 for luxury flavours.
“My challenge is to offer desserts that make you happy and make your day better without being too expensive. There is a cost to the high-quality ingredients we use, but we don’t charge Michelin star prices for it,” she noted.
From the heart
Despite the challenges, her passion for baking remains undiminished. She loves interacting with customers, often asking them, “How can I give you joy today?”
It’s a simple question, but for Cheng, it encapsulates everything she wants Swich to be—a place that spreads happiness, one dessert at a time.
Looking back, she has no regrets about leaving the corporate world. “Things weigh us down, and looking back, it’s easy to get lost in the allure of recognition and having more stuff. Life is better when it is simpler when we laugh more, love more, and stop worrying about having more things,” she said.
Swich is more than just a business to her—it’s a celebration of life’s sweetest moments and encapsulates Cheng’s unwavering belief that the best things in life really are simple.
- You can learn more about Swich here.
- Read other articles we’ve written about Malaysian startups here.
Featured Image Credit: Swich