A Content Creator’s Journey from Student Life to Education Entrepreneur
Nineteen-year-old Brooke Lim, widely recognized by her online handle @Sugaresque, has navigated her fair share of controversies as both a content creator and a tuition teacher. Through her vlogs, Brooke shares snippets of her life and study tips for students gearing up for the ‘A’ Levels. While her followers are inspired by her productivity hacks, not everyone views her journey positively.
Brooke has faced a barrage of body-shaming comments, critical Reddit threads, and drama-fueled TikTok videos that aim to exploit algorithms and amplify negativity. With a combined follower count of over 200,000 on TikTok and Instagram, her high visibility inevitably invites mixed reactions, ranging from supportive to malicious.
In addition to her content creation, Brooke founded her own tuition agency, Classicle, which focuses on helping ‘A’ Level students excel in the General Paper, particularly in the challenging writing component. However, shortly after launching, Classicle found itself at the center of a controversy when another tuition agency was accused of mimicking Brooke’s content ideas and branding. The rival agency later clarified that while some of their concepts were inspired by Classicle, there was no intent to plagiarize.
Despite the challenges, Brooke joined me for a video call on a Friday morning to discuss how her online persona and the surrounding drama have impacted her credibility as an educator, as well as any concerns regarding her tuition center’s legitimacy.
The Not-So-Secret Life of Sugaresque
Balancing her dual roles as a content creator and tuition teacher, Brooke strives to keep her lives separate. “I want to ensure that students don’t confuse my classes with meet-and-greets as Sugaresque. That’s not the point. I set boundaries and expectations with every student,” she explains.
Her friend Lia, a model and specialist in English and Humanities, shares this sentiment, noting that students usually stay focused on their subjects but occasionally ask about her life as an influencer during breaks. Despite her efforts to separate her roles, Brooke acknowledges the inevitable overlap. “Content creation is like a job with the added benefit of meeting new people and attending events. It has given me fresh insights to share with my students,” she reflects. “On a more superficial level, I get cool stuff, so I enjoy giving freebies to my students.”
Can Tuition Ever Be More Than Just Tuition?
This perspective likely influences the unique way Classicle conducts its lessons, shaped by the “influencer lifestyle.” In September, Brooke hosted a special class in a hotel ballroom at Mandarin Oriental, where students worked on laptops surrounded by chandeliers.
Critics might view such extravagance as unnecessary, but Brooke is aware of the potential backlash. “I anticipated this kind of response. I’m no stranger to online criticism,” she replies candidly. “We subsidized the cost of the class to match a typical virtual class, $30, so students wouldn’t be at a disadvantage. We wanted to create a memorable experience since they missed out on prom due to the pandemic.”
From Content Creation to the Classroom
Brooke’s tuition agency began modestly with one student in December 2021 but quickly expanded to a hundred students within six months. What started as a side hustle for a junior college graduate evolved into a full-fledged tuition agency specializing in the General Paper, aptly named Classicle.
Brooke is so committed to this endeavor that she opted for a gap year instead of heading to university. “My parents supported my decision. It took only one or two dinner conversations to convince them. My ability to support myself financially also played a role.”
Classicle operates on a subscription model, with lessons priced between $85 to $95 per week. Students gain unlimited access to a curated online learning library and can submit an unlimited number of essays for grading, with responses provided within 24 hours. Brooke’s rapid success is no surprise, considering her impressive social media growth; she built a TikTok following of 185,000 in just two years, sharing lifestyle vlogs and insights into her life as a student at Raffles Junior College.
Yet, leading a tuition agency comes with challenges. Brooke, despite her age, carries a maturity that belies her years. “I was hesitant and lost when I first started the agency. I didn’t know how to handle taxes or bookkeeping. I outsourced tasks like marketing and accounting to avoid making poor financial decisions.”
The Tuition Singularity
While Brooke launched her TikTok account before she began teaching, it’s clear her tuition agency will continue to grow alongside her online influence. As she awaits the results of her inaugural graduating batch’s ‘A’ Levels, she contemplates her own future in university. “I want to study business, but I doubt I’ll go overseas due to financial constraints. Classicle is something I don’t want to leave behind,” she says wistfully.
Despite the online negativity directed at her, Brooke remains undeterred. Many online commentators fail to grasp the complexities of her life, rushing to superficial conclusions based on short clips. For Brooke, managing an online persona and running a tuition agency are interconnected endeavors, bound by a shared commitment to positively impact others.
Her journey from a traditional homemaker to a successful entrepreneur serves as a powerful reminder that women of all ages can pursue independence and challenge societal expectations. As Brooke illustrates, encouraging women to earn their keep can contribute to a more equitable society where everyone has the opportunity to thrive—one 7-11 store at a time.
