Priscilla Tay is a political science graduate from the National University of Singapore ("NUS") with a back story that most people can relate to - crippling educational debts, building up a career after graduation and, basically, woes of #adulting. Joining the industry only 1.5 years ago, she has already built up a strong base of clients, as well as figuring out what drives her passion.
Upon graduation, she served in a non-profit organisation - specialising in Public Relations and Communications for 3 years. This profession made her realise that she enjoyed meeting new people and understanding their stories, rather than just sitting in the office and facing the computer screen all-day long.
“When I foresaw my first debt amounting to about S$20,000, I took up numerous part-time jobs after my A-Levels, hoping to save up money to pay off some debts and be financially independent,” says Priscilla.
“At that time, I was introduced to the importance of basic financial planning from my friend. However, I brushed the idea aside because I wasn’t financially stable and I was unfamiliar with these concepts.”
Her journey as a financial planner began when she subsequently underwent a Neuro Linguistic Programme (NLP) in March 2017, where she met her present mentor and leader, Mr Jaden Wang.
He shared with her his exciting journey in the industry and the unique culture that he fosters in his team. This sharing session proved to be a turning point as it inspired her to eventually pursue financial planning as a career and to join Jaden Wang Group (JWG).
As a financial consultant, Priscilla always ensures that she puts her clients’ best interest as her top priority. She shares with them the importance of sound long-term financial planning, discuss various aspects of financial instruments, and the best approaches that they should undertake based on their financial capacity.
She strives to assist her clients to achieve their financial vision, be it insurance to protect themselves and their family from financial liabilities, accumulating wealth for sustainable retirement needs, or even legacy planning for the generations to come.
“I enjoy engaging in conversations with my clients. Not only am I able to address any of their concerns and advise them on the best financial instruments for them, this allows me to know them on a more personal level. In fact, many of my clients and I have now become good friends!” says Priscilla.
When asked what she enjoys the most about being a financial consultant, Priscilla mentions that it’s the sense of fulfilment, purpose, and freedom that the career provides. Not only is she able to help her clients financially, she is also able to reap the full rewards of her hard work and have the flexibility to arrange her time to make full use of her day.
In her opinion, a good financial consultant should always have the following qualities - dedication, discipline, and drive - values which she personally practises.
Elaborating further, she shares, “as a financial consultant, my role is to help my clients achieve their financial goals. Therefore, taking the effort to learn and understand their personalised needs is essential as this enables me to come out with a sound financial plan based on their needs. This sometimes means that I need to break out of my comfort zone, but I take this all into stride and continue to stay focused towards the finish line.”
A good financial consultant should always have the following qualities – dedication, discipline, and drive. – Priscilla
Despite her packed schedule, Priscilla makes it a point to read up regularly on current financial trends and she actively participates in seminars organised by Prudential and Assets Prestige Alliance (APA). This practise keeps her constantly updated with the latest developments in the insurance and financial sector, which in turn, helps her to better advise her clients.
Regarding her experience with JWG thus far, she shares that it is more of a family than just a group of individuals. Jaden, the founder, mentor, and leader of the group has managed to create a community that comes together to grow, learn, play and work hard together. The strong support team means that she and the other financial consultants can spend more time and effort on their clients.
When asked if she has any advice for aspiring financial consultants, Priscilla sums it up with one phrase - begin with the end in mind. As she puts it, “have an end goal that is so strong, all the struggles and challenges you may face along the way will be worth it.”
Assets Prestige Alliance (APA) is a group of agency units of Prudential Assurance Company Singapore. It has moved from a 400 square feet office to a 4,000 square feet office in 2 years. APA Co-Founder Jaden Wang shares the keys to its phenomenal growth here.