My Story (Part I)

Extracted from Success in Real Estate Volume II 2006

The Innovative Marketer
Stand Out Above The Ordinary

Favourite Quote:
    "People of mediocre ability sometimes achieve outstanding success because they don't know when to quit. Most men succeed because they are determined to." 

George E. Allen
1832-1907, 
Publisher and Author

Introduction
Alvin Yeo, the agent with the Santa Claus knack of dishing out goodie bags to sleepy residents in the morning stumbled into the real estate industry by accident. Initial fears of falling victim to post-Asian Financial Crisis job cuts has turned wage slave Alvin Yeo into a masterful realtor in full control of his life. These days, the marketer with the innovative tricks up his sleeves is looking for the right people to franchise his creative ideas.

Alvin Yeo Builds Strength From Fear
Before joining the real estate industry, I was working for a local Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) company dealing in beverages. As an assistant brand manager in Marketing, my typical working hours were long, starting from eight in the morning and ending at ten at night. But time flew by fast and I was there for three years, learning and experiencing new things constantly.

Back then, Singapore was reeling from the effects of the Asian Financial Crisis. Everyone was worried about job security. Retrenchment was common and people seemed to be living in a climate of fear. Employees who had dedicated twenty to thirty years of their life in loyal service to their companies were mercilessly axed. That left a deep impression on me. I felt for those helpless people. But in contrast, I knew I didn't want to live life in fear.

Contemplation in the Dark
When I was honeymooning in New Zealand, I had a vision of what I wanted in my life. New Zealand is a scenic place but there is absolutely nothing to do when dusk sets in. I even found the television programmes boring. Amidst the quietude, and all that free time, I started thinking.

I thought a lot during the nights about my aspirations, my life and what I wanted to achieve. Inevitably, I began realising that I was wasting energy keeping myself too busy, running around in the same spot and not getting very far.

I thought about my immediate boss, who worked just as late as me. Could I end up like her one day? I shuddered. I wasn't sure what her source of motivation in working so hard was, but I could tell that many of my colleagues, especially the older ones, were working out of fear of losing their jobs rather than passion for their work.

Job security was an illusion and bosses were more concerned about their shareholder's opinion than the welfare of their employees. I thought back about the time I purchased my matrimonial home and recalled how easily my real estate agent had earned his commission. It fuelled a desire in me. I wanted to give real estate a shot.

After our honeymoon, I told my wife I wanted to quit my job upon returning home to Singapore. She thought I was having post-wedding blues. I brushed aside my honeymooning 'vision' and got back to the daily grind of work, pretending it was just wishful thinking.

Agent of Change
It was my mother who first initiated in me the idea of joining the real estate industry. One day, she asked me to accompany her to a career talk on real estate. I went with an open mind and there and then, I signed up for the basic course. Ironically, till now, my mother has not even dipped her toe into the industry.

When I completed the course, my mother became my first client. At that time, she was trying to downgrade from her executive maisonette to a four-room flat in Clementi. She had already contacted real estate agents experienced in the field and told me simply to be there. That day, I had just graduated from the course.

But blood runs thicker in the family so I ended up representing her. I was so wet behind the ears I took out a photocopied, rather than original, HDB Sales & Purchase document for the sellers to sign. Their agent gave me an incredulous look but saved me 'face' by offering to do all the paperwork. It was awkward and I felt small that day.

Go For It
When I started doing real estate in December 1999, it was on a part-time basis. Giving up my day job was a difficult choice.

A colleague of mine said, play safe, don't let go of the full-time job. Another said, go for it all the way. I kept thinking, even if I work very hard in my present job, the company isn't going to give me a medal. Finally, I decided to follow my instincts. I told myself, I'm going to give myself one year to try this out before my wife and I started having children. I quit my day job, feeling sad that I had to start from scratch, even having to give up my car, which was purchased using my company's interest free loan. But I knew I was more than ready to ride a new path. 

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