Single mum and ex-SIA stewardess turns son's monster doodles into brand that celebrates kindness and uniqueness
When seven-year-old Jacus ran excitedly into a booth at a pop-up in Plaza Singapura and saw his colourful monster characters brought to life, he turned to his mum and exclaimed: "My brand, Mummy! Thank you so much!"
That heartfelt moment was one of the most rewarding for his mother Stell Lim, 44, who had transformed his son's childhood doodles into a brand called MonstroJ, a vibrant universe of monsters that promotes love, empathy and acceptance.
Jacus's artwork came to life through a collaboration with Uniplay, launching limited-edition pop art figures at CO PLAY, making Jacus the youngest pop artist in Singapore.
Each character has its own strengths and quirks. Bugaboo, for instance, has broken arms but dances joyfully. Dragopoo, the leader, looks fierce but is kind-hearted. Bluco speaks in gibberish but makes others laugh.
"They all reflect people in real life," Stell told Stomp in an interview.
"It's about embracing differences."
"The toys are also made from sustainable materials. One Dragopoo pop art figure, for example, is crafted from 32 recycled Yeo's PET bottles and comes in a beautifully designed wooden box."
Before becoming a mother, Stell was a stewardess with Singapore Airlines.
She eventually moved into marketing and now works full-time in a multinational corporation in business process outsourcing.
Despite her demanding job, she single-handedly manages much of MonstroJ's branding and creative direction.
"I sleep three to four hours a night," she said. "But it's worth it."
This Mother's Day, Stell is not just celebrating motherhood: she's honouring courage, resilience, and the beautiful bond between a mother and child.
Stell had Jacus at 38, choosing to raise him on her own after a painful breakup.
Though Jacus's father has never been involved in his life, Stell remains civil and keeps communication open.
"If one day Jacus wants to find him, I want to make sure that path isn't completely closed."
Stell shared how she identified her son's talent in art.
"He can't sit still in class, but he can sit for hours drawing monsters," she said. "That's his special power."
Starting at the tender age of three, Jacus has already illustrated more than 1,000 original monster characters.
As a mother, she's intentional about raising Jacus with emotional awareness and empathy.
She shows him news articles before bed, discusses real-life situations, and teaches him how to recognise opinions versus facts, especially when it comes to criticism.
Her advice for other mums?
"Pick your battles," she shared. "Don't sweat the small stuff.
"If your parents give your kid too much sugar when you're not around, just let it go.
"Focus on what really matters: giving your child love, support and space to grow."
She added: "There's no one-size-fits-all in parenting. You don't have to follow what society expects.
"If your child is different, that's not a flaw, that's a strength."
MonstroJ's tagline? Embrace your uniqueness.
Stomp wishes all mums a Happy Mother's Day! ❤️
View more photos in the gallery.
