Interview with Kenny Yap

Kenny Yap

Executive Chairman & Managing Director, Qian Hu Corporation

1)      How did you manage to achieve so much success in your life, and especially in your business? [Question from reader Perry Lai]

Success is a very relative thing and if I were to compare myself to many other businessmen such as Li Ka Shing, I am a failure. Moreover, nobody can say they are successful until they can pass on the business, have a succession team which is better than the current management team, until then they can somewhat conclude they are relatively successful.

I love fish and I am passionate about our industry, thus with that, many interesting things just happened along the journey. Plus I am very blessed and lucky, and for that I truly appreciate my life every day.

2)      What are the difficulties you faced in running a family business? How did you overcome these challenges? [Question from reader Koh Shi Nuan]

Despite many advantages of running a family business, one shortcoming is the emotional ties and relationships. You cannot fire one person without knowing you might be firing a nucleus family. Bearing everyone’s interest in mind and putting their interest before yours, having a very transparent process, and frequent communication are some of the key ingredients to overcome those challenges. Of course, you must be very patient to change things.

3)      Being an entrepreneur requires a lot of energy and persistence. What drives you? [Question from reader Aaron Tan]

I always think it is my responsibility to take care of my family members. To see all of them financially independent is such a rewarding thing that you cannot be tired of doing that.

4)      What are your plans for the future, now that you are so successful? [Question from reader Derek Gue]

I am not successful yet. We want to build Qian Hu to be world No 1 ornamental fish exporter and be a truly Asiatic company that lasts beyond my generation. We are not there yet but before I retire, I want to pass on this kind of company to our succession team.

5)      Why do you call yourself ‘Kenny the fish’? If you could be a fish, what kind of fish would you be? [Question from Grace!]

I find that most people cannot be happy and be themselves because of the ego. And if I can learn to laugh at myself and lower my status to a fish, I can do away with my ego and always be Kenny the Fish. Plus I am in the ornamental fish business and I love fish, so calling myself The Fish is the most interesting and appropriate title.

If I could be a fish, I would love to be like a dragon fish. This fish is prehistoric and outlasted many other species, plus it is such an elegant fish and yet it is at the top of the food chain. Its life span is more than 100 years. I want to be like that. Ha! Ha!

Grace says: A BIG “THANK YOU!” to my readers/pals for contributing the questions! I just HAD to ask the 5th question! Haha! I was amused at how Kenny signs off as ‘Kenny the fish’ and sorely tempted to sign off as ‘Grace the tigress’ (I’m born in the year of the tiger). I suppose going ahead with that would mean I wouldn’t get a response, so I refrained!

But it’s superb branding on Kenny’s part. And one can’t help but feel he REALLY loves fish. A former interviewee (from this blog), Francyn, told me about the amazing fish/foot spa that is available at Qian Hu for $10/half hour. Let’s all go try it out! If you spot me there, say hi!

Join The Panel: If you’ve been following this blog and/or want to ask the interviewees some questions, join the panel. Updates are posted on Facebook regularly, so add me on Facebook - gracemg@gmail.com. I’ll see you there!

p/s: Kenny will be cooking fried oyster omelette this evening (7pm-9pm) at The Great CEO Charity Cookout at Food Republic Beer Garden (where St James Power Station is). Go support if you can, as all proceeds go to charity!

Update! - I got to meet Kenny in person on 6th June 2012 and found him to be a really humble and approachable CEO!

Interview with Genny Chia

Genny Chia

Image Stylist, Life Coach (Style Infinity)

1) Why did you choose to become an image stylist/life coach and what do you love most about the work you do?

 
It’s a long story & the question ‘why’ brings us back to my childhood. When I was young, the Barbie doll was a huge fad. Coming from a less privileged family, I had begged my parents for the longest time before they granted me one. It was a huge bonus and that kept me happy for a while but not for long. All my peers had extravagant beautiful clothing and accessories for their dolls except for mine and she was dressed in that one and only outfit which comes with her when I first bought it. I then decided to make clothes for my Barbie doll using clothing that my sister and I had outgrown and could no longer wear. This gave me the idea of becoming a Fashion Designer when I was young. However, along the way I had developed interests in other subjects such as human behavior which explains my degree majoring in Psychology. Even though my childhood ambition did not come true, what I am doing now brings me very close to it as I help individuals dress and style themselves, and make them feel good about themselves.

Everyone can live life to their fullest and maximize their potential if they choose to. All women can be beautiful if they want to. As a coach, I love working with individuals and helping them achieve their goals. Stretching boundaries and challenging limits are part of the process. In every situation, there are always ‘take-aways’ and things we can pick up as long as we choose to be open.

2) What is your mission in Life?

 
Mission statement of Style Infinity… Giving people the empowerment that brings out the best in them.

3) What is one memorable experience you’ve had with helping a client with image styling?

Oh yes… One of my clients came to see me with the objective of wanting to learn how to manage her image and wardrobe. She had left the work force for more than 5 years after becoming a mother and has never updated her wardrobe ever since. She no longer dresses up as she finds it unnecessary. On one occasion she had entered a shop wanting to try an outfit, instead of serving her the sales girl had claimed that there is nothing in the shop that she could wear. My client was devastated that the sales girl had refused to serve her as she assumed that my client was not a sincere buyer based on her out-dated appearance. At that point my client had a job offer that requires her to play a management role in an F&B company & she was worrying about not being able to earn respect & manage subordinates.

While working on her image, we discovered her limitations and worked based on her beliefs & value system. At one point she even broke down & teared. All we had was 2 full days of consultation & coaching, not only did she experience a break-through in terms of how she looks & feels, she also identified her direction & now has a clearer understanding on her purpose.

At the the end of the session, my client told me the best thing I had imparted to her was to ‘love life… and life will love you back.’ She said she had forgotten what it’s like to look good. And indeed it made her feel so good about herself. I am delighted that our session had left her with a heightened sense of self-esteem, confidence & empowerment.

4) What can Singaporeans (esp. the ladies) do better in order to look their best everyday?

Good hairdo.
Have regular haircuts and make sure your hair is constantly in good shape. This instantly gives you a trendy & polished image. It will take you minimum effort to style yourself in the morning everyday if your haircut is a good one.

Invest in good wardrobe staples.
Wardrobe staples are everyday essentials and it differs based on individual’s lifestyle requirement. In order to establish a functional wardrobe, you need to build your foundation right by investing in the right wardrobe staples and basics that support your career & lifestyle needs. Getting to know how to mix & match these pieces will enable you to create different looks & be versatile without breaking your bank account. Our wardrobe staples are usually pieces that are timeless classics in which we would wear again and again . For this reason, it’s never too expensive to invest in good wardrobe staples that will enable us to look classically chic at all times.

Have a good understand of their body type, style and colour.
Looking stylish does not mean going for all the expensive luxurious goods nor do we have to empty our bank accounts. By knowing our essence colours, styles that suit our personality and types of clothes which best complement our body figure, we can avoid trial and error purchases that may end up as expensive fashion faux pas.

Practise good hygiene & grooming routines.
This is a given & I do not think there is any need for me to go into details.

5) How would you define ‘Beauty’?

Being beautiful is more than what you wear on the outside. It is your state of mind & your beliefs system at work. It is all about your self expression. This simply means that beauty is a combination of your outer appearance together with your inner beauty. Hence in my opinion, ‘beauty’ is about being kind & gracious, feeling confident in your own skin combined with knowing how to be fabulous at every age.

Grace says: I’ve always wanted to say this – being a woman is not easy! Heck! It can be lots of fun, for sure. But it sure takes a lot of work to look good. From ensuring your hair is healthy and shiny, your eyebrows are nicely plucked, your skin is moisturized, various parts waxed, nails perfectly manicured, weight kept in check, body toned, clothes fashionable, and the list goes on…

It is easy to tell why women need image stylists and life coaches.

I’d love to know how we can update our image without breaking the bank, as Genny mentioned. Let you know when I find out!

Look Out For: The Interview with Kenny Yap, boss of Qian Hu. Same time next week.

A Can Of Abalone & $25 Shopping Vouchers From A Bank FINALLY Working With Grace

Got my can of abalone today! After a super long wait of I-don’t- know-how-many-months. From a bank which said it’ll give a can of abalone to all who sign up for their credit cards. Then didn’t.

I signed up previously and began using the card. The redemption letter never came.

I called and the friendly customer service staff told me the letter will be resent and will arrive in the mail shortly. The letter never came.

I soon forgot about the dear can of abalone.

Until a recent incident last month.

I bought a camera from Best Denki in Sengkang, Compasspoint. $349 for a chio pink piece of metal. Paid with a UOB card. And then realised, after leaving the store, that payment with a card from another bank would give me a 10% rebate. Well, a sizeable sum of $34 is not to be scoffed at.

So I was back to the store to cancel the previous transaction and use the other card instead.

A couple of days later, to my horror, I realised there’s SO much fine print in the newspaper advertisements for that card. And which were NOT stated in the banners hanging around the mall in Sengkang. Cardholders are to use the card only on Fri/Sat/Sun, and collect the rebate vouchers (not cash) from the mall’s customer service counter on the day of purchase, vouchers will not exceed $25, and you have to be the first 100 cardholders to redeem vouchers that day. Gee. How many hoops must people jump through before you give them the rebate? Please be like POSB, DBS, UOB, or other friendly banks.

Well, I wrote an email to the bank, expressing my utmost dissatisfaction, disappointment and disgust at what had transpired. And lo and behold, the very next day, the redemption letter for the abalone came in the mail. And I received an email stating that I could collect $25 in vouchers. Yes, $25 isn’t the same as $34 but the consolation is that it’s “better than nothing lah”.

Collected the abalone and used the vouchers already. Not too bad for just one email.

I do wish the bank didn’t need me to send the email before being reasonable and keeping their promises though.

Interview with Lin @ LINS Smoodees Bar & Showroom

Lin (pictured with her mother)

Owner of LINS Smoodees Bar & Showroom

[China Square Central, #B1-02]

Last month, I had a yummy treat going to interview Lin at her Smoodee Bar. I wish the place is near where I stay so I can visit it everyday for the “Natural Way to Obtain: Beautiful Body, Youthful Skin, Healthy Mind, Wealthy Soul, Energised Spirit”. People working at or near China Square are lucky folks!

It turned out that one reason Lin started her smoodee bar is because she was introduced to ‘Green Smoothies’ by her dad. Lin’s dad actually ran a full marathon at age 65! And Lin is concerned about aging gracefully and feeling good even without makeup. (That is my dream actually – to look amazing without makeup!)

Lin’s green smoothies are made from fresh organic fruits and vegetables. From something like this:

To this:

Lin told me green smoothies are delicious, easy to make and nutritious. I had to believe her after trying this ‘green’ drink called ‘Greenhorn’, made from pineapple, white dragon fruit and some vegetables. It was yummy, refreshing and not unnaturally sweet like our usual soft drinks and *ahem* bubble teas.

Green drinks are also gentle on our digestive system and the fibre is great for exfoliating our ‘insides’, “like a classic manicure/pedicure on your inside”, according to Lin.

Lin uses blenders for the smoodees.

I asked her what the differences are between blending and juicing. Lin shared that with blending, the fibre in fruits and vegetables gets retained. With juicing, however, the fibre is extracted and you drink just the pure liquid. The precious fibre, together with some enzymes which aid in digestion is (horror of horrors) thrown away!

Note too that when a blender gets hot (about 45-75 deg Cel), some enzymes die.

Diabetics cannot take juicing as well. Because it results in a sugar rush or sugar ‘high’. Fibre acts as a natural time-releasing agent so there’s no sugar shock to the body.

I agree with Lin’s sharing that no matter what we do, we should find out what makes us happy and have fun. It could be the drinking of these green smoothies or making them for our loved ones and friends. If you’d like to incororate raw foods into your diet, for example, you can simply start with just 10% raw food first, or any amount you are comfortable with.

Not being a fan of salads, as I’m no model, I asked Lin “Isn’t it true that people eat salads but the salad dressings they use are high in fat and salt content anyway?” while secretly thinking about eating my favourite Portobello Mushroom burger from Carl’s Jr.

Lin burst my bubble saying that people can use a variety of healthy dressings for their salads: balsamic vinegar, Himalayan rock salt (ooo… sounds cool), lemon juice, black pepper, apple cider vinegar, etc.

Ok, so I have no more excuses for not eating salads.

It’s the same for organic food or ”healthy” food. Not every item will appeal to your palate. I loved the greenhorn drink but I didn’t quite fancy the avocado & cocoa one (which is quite an acquired taste but which Lin enjoyed with relish). So finding what you like and enjoy, and which is good for your body, is crucial.

I then asked Lin for tips she has for aspiring entrepreneurs, as she had started her first business at the age of 18. It’s been many years since, but you really can’t tell her age now just by looking at her!

Lin said that aspiring entrepreneurs shouldn’t strive to make sense of the sums first. That apart from all that theory, self reflection is key. Ask yourself whether 5 years down the road, you would still be happy, or would you regret doing what you’re doing now.

Also, is there value creation?

Fear will always be there but you need to be courageous and sometimes just bite the bullet. Figure out a way to get energy, motivation and drive to press on.

Have an intimate knowledge of your comfort levels, philosophies and values. Your anchors in life could be from meditation, mentorship, religion or family. When things go downhill or when days get dark, you have to know how to get up or out of that dark state.

Here’s a treat for you:

Enjoy Happy Hour in the morning with 1-for-1 smoodees!~

You’re Not Paying Me Enough To Be Miserable!

Three days ago, I got a call telling me I’ve been selected for a position with our national carrier. I should have been jumping up and down in glee – what with the 1 free ticket per year (to ANYWHERE I’d like), discounted travel all year round, 20 days of annual leave, etc etc.  I had gotten through 2 gruelling rounds of interviews which included essay tests, GMAT tests (tore my hair out doing the Math questions WITHOUT the help of calculators) and interviews with a total of 4 people.

I declined the offer as the salary wasn’t attractive enough. Yes, I know what you’re thinking. After the 114K, what kind of salary (except for a CEO’s pay) would be enough?

The truth of the matter is, the job entails 8.30am-5.30pm working hours, and having to deal with not-too-pleased customers. Sounds set to make me seriously miserable. Hence, the pay didn’t quite make up for it.

Someone close said “If you’re going to be miserable, you might as well be paid more for it.”

Met up with a friend a day after that and he shared some nuggets of wisdom with me with regard to Money.

He could empathise with what I felt about the salary offered. He said that he wouldn’t settle for a “meagre salary” too because he feels he is cut out for greater stuff. Often, employees fulfill their responsibilities to their boss and company and make the boss happy. But how many times do we make OURSELVES happy?

The key is to find a fulfilling purpose and get paid to do it.

I was curious when he mentioned being happy with less money. He shared that we have to know why we are on this earth. We are all here for a reason. Do you know what yours is?

Do you merely exist or do you LIVE your life?

How does one live with PURPOSE? Something I’ve been thinking about. Share with me your thoughts by commenting below or emailing gracewwg@gmail.com.

Interview with Nishant Kasibhatla

Nishant Kasibhatla

Grand Master of Memory & World Record Holder. Trainer, Speaker, Author.

1) Why did you choose your current profession and what do you love most about the work you do?

I became a professional speaker and trainer by a series of ‘happy’ accidents! When I was a teenager in 1996, I read a lot about memory improvement techniques and practiced almost all of these techniques. Very soon I could perform ‘memory feats’ such as memorising a 100 digit number, memorising the sequence of a shuffled deck of cards etc. Later I went ahead and did all these:
(1) Memorised a 1944 digit number.
(2) Memorised a 1200 digit binary number.
(3) Memorised the sequence of 7 decks [364 cards] of shuffled playing cards.
(4) Memorised the sequence of a deck of playing cards in 1 min 50 seconds.
(5) Became the best Asian memoriser at the World Memory Championship 2003.

Everyone was impressed and asked me if I can teach them these techniques. That’s how it started.  Soon, I was conducting memory improvement courses (while still in college) to people from all walks of life. People achieved tremendously positive results and recommended my program to others and it became ‘viral’! This was in my hometown in India (Hyderabad). I moved to New Delhi in 1999 and started doing corporate training. I moved to Singapore in 2006 to set up my training company and have been staying here ever since.

I read somewhere that the best thing that can happen to a person is when his hobby or passion becomes his profession. That’s what happened to me! I was passionate about memory techniques, and today, sharing these techniques to others is my profession. The feeling that I can make a difference in people about the way they use their memory and brain power is really great! I love it when people send me emails after my workshops about the success they had with their ‘new found’ memory skills.

2) Were you born a memory genius or was that trained? Can someone who forgets even 8-digit handphone numbers be trained to memorize 1000-digit numbers like you do?

When people look at the achievements I have in memory, the first thing they ask me is ‘was I a born memory genius?’! The answer is NO. In my workshops, I tell my participants of a story which happened when I was 15 years old when I forgot my bicycle at a shop. After I came back home, I realized what a stupid thing I did and ran back to the shop and the expected thing happened. Someone had stolen my bicycle. That’s how bad my memory was! So, it’s now clear that I was not a born memory genius.

From having a lousy memory to become a world record holder and a Grand Master of memory is purely a result of training. Just like you can learn swimming, cycling or Tennis, you can also learn to improve your memory. It’s like any other skill. Using the right memory techniques and the right amount of practice, any one can remember anything – ANYTHING!

3) Have you ever forgotten anything? 

Oh yes! However, the instances of forgetting things are rare for me. Also, I have NEVER forgotten any important information. The objective of having a good memory is not becoming immune from forgetting. The objective is to ‘remember more and forget less’.

4) You’re someone who’s “passionate… (about) making & breaking memory records”. Which records are you aiming to break or create?

In the last decade, I have created/broken many records. I am planning to break a world record in 2011 and I can’t tell anyone what it is until I do thorough research and practise a lot. You (and everyone) will know about it soon

5) What tips do you have for people like me who sometimes have trouble remembering people’s names?

First, the good news! It’s not just you who has a problem with remembering names. This is a universal problem. Here’s a simple 3 step solution to instantly see results:

A. Change your mindset: Think that you can remember the person’s name. Actually believe it. It takes the same amount of mental energy to think “I can’t remember” or to think “I can remember”, so why not spend this energy in a positive way. Just tell this to yourself whenever you meet anyone: “I want to remember this person’s name”

B. Say the name: Start the conversation using the name. If I met you, I would say “Hi Grace” and not just “Hi”. This helps you to pay attention to the name. Most people don’t pay attention on the name and expect to remember the name. That’s just not possible.
Here’s a quick video link: http://www.RememberNishant.com/names.htm

C. Use the name: Use the name once or twice in the conversation. Everyone likes the sound of their own name. Don’t you agree, Grace?

By the way, this is just a simple solution. If you want a more ‘advanced’ technique, I explain that in my books ‘Instant Memory Improvement’ and ‘Maximise Your Memory Power’. More info about these books at: http://www.RememberNishant.com/store.htm

If you or anyone want more tips on memory and other brain related info, I publish a free monthly online newsletter called “Train Your Brain”. You can sign up for the newsletter here: http://www.RememberNishant.com/ezine/

Grace says: I have no doubts Nishant has formidable memory power. When I sent him a message asking him whether I can interview him for this blog, I was quite sure he didn’t know who I am. However, he replied saying he remembers that my sister and I had attended a Toastmasters meeting at his club, and that she had won an award then. Which totally blew me away. I sometimes have difficulty recalling what I had for breakfast a day ago, and Nishant can remember people he saw at meetings many months ago. One skill I definitely need to learn. If I remember to, that is.

If you’re wondering, question 5 is one question I’ve always wanted to ask a memory ‘genius’. I seem to forget names instantly. I’ll be checking out those links Nishant has provided, and you musn’t forget to as well!

Look out for: Another interesting interview coming your way very soon. There’s a yummy treat in store for you!

Interview with Kymberley Teo

Kymberley Teo

Children & Family Photographer, Blue Bambino Children Photography

1) Why did you choose to become a children & family photographer and what do you love most about the work you do?

I had been a marketing and advertising person most of my career life. The term DSLR was foreign to me up until I had my first child. Having a new family addition and a new love is what transformed me. The most part is because I love children and because they are so real and truthful. I don’t think there will ever be another subject that is like that for me. I love being inspired and pictures I see of young children with the most whimsical colours and dreamy eyes always inspire me. On top of that, every day of my work is a new surprise- when do you get opportunities when babies pee on your blankets and you could still laugh about it? I have had sessions when it was sunny one minute and raining cats and dogs the next, then we’d all have a good laugh kicking muddy water- mummy, daddy and baby. I also had sessions where all we do is just eat, and I get to photograph what we ate- isn’t that just heaven? I started out wanting to achieve great pictures of my daughter but I found that I was also enjoying the process of it all. Every child is different, sometimes they can be funny, and sometimes they can be very poignant.  That is when I knew I had found what I had been looking for!

2) What are the challenges of being a working mother and how do you overcome these challenges?

The biggest challenge of working and raising children at the same time is definitely dividing and finding adequate time for all the things you wish to conquer. It is never easy to be able to have to focus on two or even three tasks at the same time. I have had episodes where I focused entirely on work for a couple of days on end, then I find myself feeling extremely guilty for not paying attention to the children after those episodes. I concede that children are not like work- you can’t just scuttle to complete a piece of project – and it really took me a lot of courage and self-talk to put down work and give them undivided attention for a couple of hours everyday. I also constantly read and make up routines in my head to make sure things click and work together. Parenting is wisdom in itself and it takes a lot of practice and balancing to become adequate parents.

3) What are some of Life’s lessons you’d want to share with your children as they are growing up?

I hope as I continue to photograph and take pictures of beautiful children and families, my own children will also learn to appreciate beautiful things and create beautiful things for themselves. I wish for them to learn that it takes a lot to make something good and beautiful. Learning to look at things in different perspectives is paramount to the thought process. I want for my children to never see something in just the way it is – there is always a new diamond to harvest and a new tree that can be grown.

4) What qualities or characteristics should a children photographer possess?

Have an eye for the good things. Children just want to have fun but it is not all glamorous and easy to capture them having fun! It is not like sports photography, landscape photography or product photography. You need to get down to the children’s level, play their toys like they play it, get into the water with them and wipe their tears or clean their sweat when they throw tantrums. You need to see beyond all these to be able to see things they do. Only then will your pictures portray all the good things! Of course, you also need to be able to manage parents’ expectations, have digital editing skills, marketing skills, an organized workflow on how to process your images and a good relationship with your suppliers.

5) What do you strive to convey through the photographs you take?

More sunny happiness and less seriousness! I love to capture children in their natural habitat- under the sun, in the water, on the grass, within their homes. It is only when children are in their most natural state of being that they are most happy. Children are the world’s happiest and most beautiful things no matter how you see them. The smiles they give you when you hand them a candy, the pondering face on whether to hold my hand, and of course nothing beats the amusement peek-a-boos with a one year old brings. That is the kind of happiness I wish to convey through my images. 

Grace says: I remember meeting Kymberley at a Toastmasters meeting and how amusing the entire situation went. She had been invited by a mutual friend (a guy who’s single) and everyone got quite excited that he had brought Kymberley, who’s very pretty. We were all so happy for him , up to the point when she revealed that she’s already married! I guess we shouldn’t have been surprised.

I met her for lunch one day, and was once again struck by how she ‘glowed’. Literally. I guess she is only one of two women I know who ‘glow’, the other being Merry Riana. They both look as if they have just returned from a spa holiday. On good days, I believe I glow too, however faintly. What I REALLY want to know is how they keep glowing like that! I suppose key ingredients for their beauty concoction are: fulfilling work they enjoy, a pleasant disposition, a supportive and encouraging family, and a love for people. Correct me if I’m wrong!

By the way, Kymberley takes the most awesome children photos. I find myself drawn to the facebook albums ‘cos they are oh-so-cute and the photos are so well taken. They definitely don’t come easy. I know a thing or two about how necessary it is to manage parents’ expectations, and the unpredictability of the weather (my moods are like that!). Haha!

Come back again for: The interview with Memory Champion, Nishant Kasibhatla, on 15th April 2011.

Enter your email address in the subscription field on your right to receive instant updates on new posts!~

Threatened By The Chinese?

Singaporean Chinese, PRC Chinese… We’re all the same, we’re all Chinese, aren’t we? During a chat with a friend from China, I got to hear some ‘hard truths’ about the ‘Chinese’ education and immigration issues in Singapore.

I have often wondered why the PRC students do so well in school here. Could it be that they receive even more tuition in China, than the Singaporean students do here in Singapore?

My friend, let’s call her G, said that only the highly educated in China would fork out money for tuition classes for their kids. They consider this an investment and not a need.

And the children do so well in schools here because the curriculum back home is way tougher. Mathematics, for example, is especially difficult. Drawing a comparison, she said that a P5 kid there would be learning the equivalent of what a JC1 student does here.

I’m unsure whether that’s exaggerating things a little. But if it’s true, I can now understand why Secondary School Math made me break out in a cold sweat while my PRC classmate read comic books during lessons, and still scored full marks for all Math tests and exams.

G also revealed that if you were to answer Math questions in China, the teacher will reward you with more marks if you can provide multiple solutions to the same question! Such ‘creativity’ was hardly tolerated, much less rewarded, when I was still studying!

G’s brother, studying in a school here, doesn’t ‘mix’ very much with the Singaporean students as some ostracize him, based on the notion that he is ‘hao lian’ (arrogant) for being too vocal in class, often volunteering his answers to the teachers’ questions. When he does make mistakes, though, he is ridiculed.

G told me that Singaporeans may view the PRC Chinese here as threats, in terms of employment. But she doesn’t think adult Singaporeans ostracize the PRC Chinese. She revealed though, that among the PRCs themselves, there are those who do look down on their fellowmen who are lowly educated or are prostitutes.

For students who feel threatened by these ‘foreign’ students who do so much better, I have only this piece of advice – copy their work ethic and devote yourself to your studies. For employees, very much the same, and also to work on our strengths (such as our proficiency in the English Language).

I guess no one should feel threatened by healthy competition. At the end of the day, we’re all Chinese.

Being My Boss Doesn’t Mean You Can Boss Me Around!

Frankly, I’m being FORCED into entrepreneurship. No thanks to nasty bosses. Just this evening, I got a call from the CEO of my now-former company, threatening me with a legal suit. Gee! Thanks, (ex-)boss!

He never once called to congratulate me on a job well done, a sales target impressively achieved, or just to find out how I’m doing. And I’ve worked there for more than 2 years!

I remember the last call we had, some 8 months or so ago. He called just to scream down the phone at me. Without getting his facts right. Without understanding that I HAD put the company’s interests first and did what was best!

In tears, I called my ‘superior’ to say I wanted to quit, those 8 months back. As the Chinese saying goes ‘You can kill me, but you cannot humiliate me’. The ultimate humiliation then was having your CEO call you on your ‘off’ day, ruin your day by hollering down the phone at you for something that’s not your fault, that he had heard from someone else without verifying facts, and then still have to go back to the office to close deals for the company on the same ‘off’ day!  

[I didn't leave that time because my 'superior' told me not to. And I was honoring a promise to him made at the start of the year that I'd stick with this position for a minimum of 12 months.]

This time, it was no different. He called to accuse. Insinuating that I had evil intentions for uploading that post explaining why I quit my job. He demanded that I remove the post. He threatened me with legal action. I said fine, I didn’t name your company. He asked what I wanted him to do, I said ‘nothing’. He said he will be discussing with so-and-so about the next course of action. Alright. At some point, I got pissed (*pardon me. No other word describes my emotions then) at him and told him, in no uncertain terms, “You have no right to call me as I’ve already left (your company)!”

I hope he gets the point. I hope he sees why employees are leaving. I hope he understands that without talent retention, the company can’t do better.

I wish he’ll put that ego aside. I wish he’ll just show his ’human’ side for once and treat employees as living, breathing fellow humans. I wish that he’ll start treating his employees with care, concern and a certain level of pride, just as he is a loving father to his children.

Starting this blog has been so inspiring for me and many others. I’ve interviewed many bosses, who are such outstanding individuals in the care they have for their employees. Names like David Yim (of Udders Ice Cream) and Irene Ang (of FLY Entertainment) come to mind. Would I want to tarnish this by slandering an ex-company? I’d think not. Hence I didn’t name any names.

The CEO asked why the post was published. The plain, honest and simple answer is that I’m telling my readers and friends what I’m giving up and walking away from, because I believe there is a higher purpose in Life than being overworked and losing sight of what you’re working for. Sure, we can’t do without money, but are we trading our health, relationships and most importantly, self-esteem for it?

Dear Boss, you may be the boss. But that doesn’t mean you can boss me around. Sometimes, polite requests work far better than callous, reproachful demands. We are not in primary school anymore.

Someone once wrote that how you treat your employees will determine how they treat your customers. Go figure.

I quit my SGD$114,000 job. Here’s why.

It was just yesterday that I bade farewell to my SGD$114,000.00 job. While my friends are still dead-intent on climbing that glittering corporate ladder, I’d much prefer to take the path less travelled.

Why, you ask?

I believe Life should be more than just that mindless pursuit for more money, more pompous titles, and more symbols of “success” (car, condo, cards, you-name-it).

I have friends at various ends of the spectrum. Some with an average salary, maybe 2.5-3K per month, who are just slaving at the office every single day. Mind you, their bosses are not about to double or triple their paycheque any time soon! But it’s still their ’comfort zone’ and they console themselves with the fact that “I can expect that fixed sum being credited into my account end of the month”, despite having lost all sight of what they are working for. If it’s just for Money, you get its companion named Emptiness. Beyond the bragging rights, earning up to 3 times more than my peers has not pushed me up the Happiness Index scale very much.

I have other friends, earning 7, 8K per month. And they work weekdays, weekends, overtime. They have become modern-day slaves to their jobs. They look so tired and overworked that it’s painful to watch.

Now, is there a happy ‘in-between’? I’d think not. I think most people are highly uncomfortable with the fact that there are people beside them who seemingly work less hard, but are paid more money. Don’t we all know people like that?

People can’t help comparing themselves and their incomes with other people. I know, ‘cos friends like to ask how much I’ve been earning, and I ask them too.

I’d like to think that last year was a lucky bumper year for me, what with the $114K income. It was simply the result of being in the right place, at the right time. The sales line has always been something I excelled in, besides studying (as those who know me, know). Last year’s freakishly high income was due to my exceeding the company sales target by over 50%. They didn’t expect it, and I didn’t see it coming too.

This year, the company retracted many of the resources once given to me, wanting me to (in my opinion) work harder for my money. Targets were raised by 30% and commissions cut by 50%. Double whammy.

I’m proud to say that before I left, I managed 98% of the target for Quarter 1. Sure, it’s shy of the 100% mark, but an achievement nonetheless. My ‘superior’ was evidently stunned when I told him I was just 2% short of hitting that ridiculous target. That shocked look on his face, as Mastercard ads would say, was PRICELESS!

You’ll probably be thinking now that I left because there’s less money this year. ‘Yes’, and ‘no’.

Yes, it’s less money this year for the same amount of sales done. More work this time, because some resources that used to be at my disposal have been taken away.

No, it’s more than just the money. The sense of purpose was gone. The sense of being in a company with a noble purpose was gone. The sense of being in a solely profit-driven company was raising alarm bells every single day. I worked, and dreamt only of the holiday I would soon be taking. No nobler purposes, no sense that my actions are making positive impacts on other people’s lives.

Come to think of it, I don’t need so many holidays. Often, people come back more tired after holidays than before they went. Haven’t you experienced that yourself? An ex-colleague once commented that she needed a holiday after a holiday, because the first was just so tiring.

What if every day can be a relaxing holiday? What if Life need not be so exhausting? What if every day could be FUN?

I don’t need the packed train rides every morning and evening anymore. Neither do I want to be forced to have to show up at the office every day just so the bosses know I AM still working, when the tasks can be more efficiently executed when I work at home. I don’t want my energy zapped away by being in low-energy offices anymore.

Have a look for yourself. Be in a train station during the morning or evening peak hours. People are just rushing to or from their office. Rushing for what? Most of the time, they and I know not. There is an air of urgency, like everyone is just on the cusp of finding the all-important cure for cancer, and therefore there is that overwhelmingly urgent need to rush to some place or other. These scenes never fail to get my adrenalin level up, my heart pumping faster, and my legs taking longer strides. Though I absolutely am not in a rush!

Now, I just want to slow things down a bit. To take the time to smell the flowers, and say ‘hi’ to the little kids I meet. No one can say with certainty that he/she will definitely be alive tomorrow. So do you want to live today being oblivious to the brilliant sunrise and sunset, the splendor of nature, the innocence of children, and all the other good and worthwhile things in life, only because you are in a rush to go somewhere, to do something, to meet someone?

I’ve lived almost a quarter of a century. But I can’t say that I’ve left anything worthwhile behind that would last more than a day should I kick the bucket anytime soon. And that is just too sad for me to contemplate living with. Perhaps, we should ask ourselves what we are living for. What are we earning all that money for? What are we always being in a rush for? What are we doing all that firefighting everyday in the office for?

Ultimately, whose life is it anyway?

Dear readers, can we possibly live more happily, with greater joy and fulfilment, with perhaps less money and less stress and anxiety? I’d like to test that out, and I’d like to take you with me on that journey. So stay tuned for more awesome interviews and more updates.

If you’ve liked the posts so far, enter your email address in the Subscription box on your right and you get updates sent to your email account. No need to rush over to this blog. ;D