And here’s why – they cover an amazing variety of topics from health and relationships to fashion and more.

The all-women team behind the portal is led by former journalist turned primary school teacher Koh Lay Chin, or Laych Koh, as she is better known.

FMT Lifestyle caught up with London-based Koh recently, who is in town for “Spill The Tea”, a networking and sharing session organised by makchic and Bisou Bake Shop held today for aspiring mum-preneurs and women in business.

About makchic, she said: “My team and I try to always think of how we can serve our readership and community of parents better, whether it is through helpful and useful information and providing a safe space for sharing their experiences.”

The 44-year-old, who is the owner and publisher of makchic, has three children aged eight, six and one.

Her journey with makchic started in 2017, when it was still under Popfolio Network. Koh, who is married to a British-Vietnamese, had moved to the United Kingdom by then.

However, she recognised makchic’s potential and together with her colleague, Hardesh Singh, worked to revive it.

“I felt strongly about sharing all that’s good, bad, ugly and ultimately very beautiful about motherhood and parenting,” she said, adding that it was also a way for her to stay connected to Malaysia, as she was in the UK without a “village” of her own.

In 2021, she wholly took over makchic and is proud of her all-women team today.

“We have taken a long time to really chew over our ethos and values so that it permeates through our company culture – we do due diligence, we are open and empathetic, and we take the trust we have with our readers very seriously,” she shared, adding that “they like evidence-based facts research when it comes to parenting”.

Many passions, many hats

Koh also serves as the journalistic head and mentor of makchic. “I like to tell my team that we need to be curious about everything and see the bigger picture.”

Such emphasis on due diligence and accuracy is unsurprising given Koh’s background as a journalist in a career that spanned over a decade at the New Straits Times and the now-defunct news portal The Nut Graph.

Her passion for the field is still evident, and she admitted to missing the day-to-day of journalism. Yet, at the same time, there are other things that she loves too.

“I’ve always wanted to be a mother. I love children and I love spending time with my kids when they are young. I also love teaching,” she shared, adding that she obtained a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) in 2015.

Asked if she has ever struggled between her different passions and being a mother and wife, she shared: “Believe me, I struggled with these competing desires, especially in the first few years of motherhood. You wonder if you’ve lost yourself or if you’ll ever get it back. After three kids and what I’ve been through, I have come to view this with more peace of mind.

She advised those struggling with self-identity or career angst to think of it as “seasonal”. “If you have very young children, then this is the season for embracing its sweetness and darkness. It may feel like winter at times, harsh and isolating, but spring will come.”

Koh experienced her “winter” in 2021 when several personal challenges including a miscarriage caused a mental health crisis. She eventually took a break from work and went for therapy.

The pause proved helpful – as was the support of her husband, Anh Nguyen. “He’s a hands-on and fully committed father and husband. I could not do it all without him. Everything that I do in the house, he can do – except breastfeeding!”

To other women out there, she said: “I feel that no matter the challenges we go through, it is helpful for us mothers and women to think of things as a continuous learning journey. We try to love people and use things, not love things and use people, we stay curious and humble, and we think of mistakes as opportunities to do better.”

In the coming days, she is looking forward to embracing all that life has in store – with her team of makchics, in tow, of course!

Read makchic’s articles on FMT by clicking here, or head over to their website. Also follow them on Facebook and Instagram.