Millionaires & How they did it (Part I)
“How did you get to where you are?” — I asked.
Success is interpreted differently to everyone, typically the attainment of wealth, prosperity or fame. In my terms, I refer to success as people who have had made at least a million dollars in their lifetime.
I decided to speak with successful people I know, and be inspired by them. This is a snippet of a compilation of their life stories, how they turned their life around and other wise words from them.
The following are actual people in my network that I have spoken with, I’ll be writing their profiles (Age, Background, Occupation and Estimated Net Worth) and the conversation we had.
*names are changed for privacy.
1. Julie, 39 years old, Insurance Agent (MDRT, MDRT Top of Table, Life Member Court of the Table), SGD $3 Million
Me: Can you share with me your family background?
J: My parents were a food stall owners in a neighbourhood coffee shop, and they worked every day of the year till very late hours just to make ends meet. Since young, I helped out at their fruit stall daily to reduce their workload. During examination times, I would be so stressed out and cry, because I do not have enough time to study.
Me: What is your working experiences like?
J: At the age of 19 years old, I first started out as an admin assistant in one of the agencies with a huge insurance company. It was a real opportunity for me, coming from a backrgound with minimal schooling and zero computer skills. Couple of months in, I had to go back to my parents stall to help out, because they were short-staffed. Then, I thought to myself “Is this the life I want, the same old lifestyle at the food stall?”, so I quit and went to work 2 years as a corporate secretary.
Me: What got you started on your Insurance Agent Career?
J: I bumped into my previous boss of the agency of my first job, he heard what I was doing — corporate secretary, and posed me this question: “Julie, do you want to continue working for someone for the rest of your life or do you want to change it?” That struck me hard, I was struggling for a change, and so, I grabbed this opportunity, sat for the examinations and registered with a big insurance company as a financial services consultant.
Me: How is it for you starting out?
J: I started out with SGD$20,000 of savings in my bank, which I had scrimped and saved over my 21 years of my life, working at my parents' food stall, as a corporate secretary and other gigs that turned up along the way. Insurance is a business, which you do need to have some capital to kick start your way. The first obstacle I met with: was being young, at the age of 21 years old, few people would take you seriously, let alone professional financial advisory.
Me: How did you overcome this?
J: I invested in myself, bought formal suits and dresses to look older than I am, learned from my mentor, put in a lot of hardwork and long hours 7 days a week, 8am to sometimes midnight.
(PART II) TBC…
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