“Life takes us by surprise and orders us to move toward the unknown, even when we don’t want to and when we think we don’t need to” ~ Paulo Coelho
15 years back, on a day that seemed just like any normal work day, something happened to me which changed my life completely.
That morning, I received a phone call; on the other line was the police who called to inform me that my dad was found dead after an accident.
I rushed down to the accident scene to find my family in a state of shock and distraught. In our minds we were thinking: How could this be? Why did this happen? Everything happened so suddenly.. What do we do now?
Other than our emotional turmoil and grief, we also had a nagging worry at the back of our minds. We knew that my dad had incurred a pile of debts which he was working two jobs to pay off when he was alive. Now that he’s gone, who’s going to pay these debts? My sis had just started work not long ago and my brother was still schooling. I asked myself – will I be able to handle the debts? Will my mum be forced to sell off our flat?
A Lifesaver and a Helping Hand
Thankfully it turned out that my dad had a couple of insurance which he bought many years back, including the Dependent Protection Scheme bought with his CPF and the SAF term insurance. We were so so relieved when we found out about these lifesaver sums of money.
That was a difficult period of our lives, and I always remember an aunt of ours who stepped in to help my family when we were lost and didn’t know what to do. She used to be an insurance agent and she was the one who helped us to call the different insurance companies to check if my dad had any insurance coverage with them.
My auntie even took time off her work to bring us down Shenton way from insurer to insurer, to claim for my dad’s insurance. With the insurance proceeds, we were able to pay up the debts and even left with a sum of money for my mum. We were really grateful for her help, because without her we would be lost on where and how to go about the claims. Having someone there to support us and help us through the process when we were emotionally distraught really made a big difference.
This personal incident made me realise the value of insurance and the difference it can make to a family’s lifestyle. Without it, I can’t imagine how my life would be now; would I still be servicing the debts? Will my mum still be staying where she is? I really don’t know..
I was also inspired by my auntie and I recall thinking to myself how meaningful it will be if I can be that someone to lend a helping hand and support a family in times of need.
For the People I Can Help and the Person I Can Become
It was at this point that I made the decision to enter the insurance industry and make a difference to the lives of the people around me.
The decision to leave my stable corporate managerial job then came as a surprise to many, especially when it looked I was set for life as a scholar with good career prospects in a large corporation.
Indeed this was a never a path I imagined myself to embarked on, and neither one that my friends or family expect of me.
I came from a typical Singaporean family where I was taught to study hard, get good grades, get a decent stable job, start a family and basically that was it. And that was what I did – I studied real hard, topped my secondary school, went to a good JC, got a scholarship and went on to NUS. After another 4 years of hard work in university, I finally graduated with first class honors and did my family proud. I still recall a university school mate of mine once commented that I was the model of the Singapore educational system!
The Journey
To be honest it wasn’t easy at the beginning, especially for me who was reserved, shy and have never experienced a sales job before. Every day presented new challenges, where I had to learn new skills, do the things I was uncomfortable and fearful of like meeting new people and face inevitable rejections.
There were times when I felt discouraged and down, days when I doubted if I would be able to make it in this industry. But whenever I think of why I decided to do this work in the first place, somehow I found the courage and power to preserve. Having a supportive mentor and an understanding husband who was always there to cheer me on also motivated me to continue this journey.
Looking back, I am grateful I embarked on this journey back then. If I had not taken that daring leap back then I would probably never experience the sense of fulfilment and joy in what I do today.
Fulfilling Work
Over the years I have seen my clients and friends through the different phases of lives, from fresh graduates and single to getting married, starting a family and becoming parents. It feels wonderful to be able to share their joy at each stage of their lives and be there to support them in their family financial needs.
This work started out with serving my friends who gave me the opportunity to learn; now I get to make new friends with the people I serve.
It gives me a great sense of fulfilment knowing I am making a difference to every person that I touch and helping to protect what matters to them. So that their families will be able to live their lives the way they used to even if something bad were to happen. So that their loved ones will be able to focus on the recovery and move on with their lives, just like how it was for me.
Being a parent myself, I believe strongly in taking care of our own finances so we would not become a burden to our children in future. I am working so hard to give them a bright future and a good life; the last thing I want is for me to tie them down when they are about to spread their wings because I am sick or have no money to take care of myself.
It’s this belief and passion that drives me to reach out to families and individuals through my talks and one to one sharing sessions on planning for our future and securing our wealth. This is also why I started this blog to share financial insights, ideas and resources on growing and staying rich with more people.
Empowering Women Financially
As a woman, I feel particularly about the need for us women to be financially savvy so we can enjoy the lifestyle we desire and be able to retire in style. I come across so many women who take a backseat in investing because of fear, nonchalance or lack of knowledge. I think that’s a pity because women have the potential to be great investors – why should we sell ourselves short? I want to master my investments so I can be a role model and inspire and empower other women to do the same.
I look forward to many more years of meaningful work ahead as I continue to serve with passion and integrity. By listening with my ears and heart, to understand your concerns, needs and worries. To help you find solutions for your financial needs so you have the peace of mind to enjoy your life fully with your loved ones.
Here’s wishing you success, peace and happiness,
Yong Hui
