Gabriel Chen

Hello,
I’m Gabriel and I'm passionate about building things. I used to create dance choreographies professionally. Now, I build and design products for a living. Here’s my story.

Creating since day one
As a kid, my world was filled with colour pencils, puzzles and, my favourite—Legos! These were the building blocks and tools that allowed me to bring my imaginations to life.

Hello, digital design
When I was 4, my parents had an old Windows 98 computer. We didn’t have easy access to internet but we had Microsoft Paint. That was my first introduction to digital creation. I was exposed to new tools like shapes, airbrushes and paint buckets. Clouds were created with airbrush and the ocean could become blue in just one click.

My first Macbook
My first laptop was a Macbook, was gifted by my father for school (I believe it’s the best gift from him). It opened my world to new tools such as iMovie and Pixelmator. I started making video montages, designing class t-shirts, and creating posters. Little did I know these skills would lead to my first freelance gigs in videography and graphic design.

Dance as a career and mastery
At 13, I found dance fell in love with it. It will always be my primary medium for expression. Every spare moment between and after school went into training, taking dance classes, and immersing myself in the dance community. I knew early on I didn’t just want to dance, I wanted to master it and be the best dancer I could be. Over time, I turned my passion into a career, teaching and performing in Singapore and over eight countries worldwide.

Then came the pandemic. Everything stopped, and I had to rethink my path.

Hello, Product Design
With dance on pause, I took it as an opportunity to explore new things. While studying at university, I discovered modules such as human-computer interaction, mobile design, and did a minor in computer science. I dove deep into the new world of UX/product design and it became my obsession. My spare time was filled with design UX courses, side projects and consistent practices. The same discipline I applied to mastering dance expedited my growth.

Where I'm at
Today, I lead Product & Design at Nas.io. I was clear I wanted to work in a startup because they offer a vast canvas to build as I learn. Over the past three years, I worked alongside the founder to bring his vision to life. Our team has built a platform that helps creators turn their audiences into sustainable digital businesses. We’re now preparing for our next funding round in 2025! 🎉

At the side
Though I no longer teach dance professionally, I still train and jam with friends. My love for building has also led me to develop my first app as a personal project.

Outside of work, I’ve recently picked up tennis and am always on the hunt for good food and coffee. 🎾☕️