Even though he studied Aeronautics, Aviation, Aerospace Science and Technology at Republic Polytechnic, Zhi Wei was clear about his career path. He gravitated toward being a financial consultant as he believes in the idea of being rewarded based on the amount of effort put in. It is clear he has no regrets in choosing his career as a financial consultant as he is about to celebrate his 5th year in the industry!
“What I like most about this career is giving my clients peace of mind with sound financial planning. It’s a great feeling to be appreciated by clients when their finances are planned out properly,” Zhi Wei shares.
Zhi Wei, who is from Assets Prestige Alliance – Jaden Wang Group, believes that sincerity and persistence go a long way as a financial consultant. “A financial consultant should be sincere in helping clients to grow their wealth and manage their finances. I always place my clients’ needs above my own to ensure that I provide the best service and guidance I can.”
In terms of persistence, he shares that the path of a financial consultant is often filled with scepticism, rejection, and disappointments, which is why it’s important for a financial consultant to be driven and self-motivated despite the challenges faced.
For Zhi Wei, having no fixed working hours is a boon which has enabled him to instil self-growth and strong discipline in himself. The time and flexibility that this career offers means that he is able to schedule his appointments and follow up with his leads, ensuring that he does not miss anyone out, yet continue to be able to spend time with his loved ones and passions.
A life-changing journey
The journey has been a life-changing experience for Zhi Wei so far. “I would never have thought that this career would change me this much as a person. It is not easy because it takes a lot of discipline, effort and time to succeed. However, the potential in this career is endless. As long as you persevere and put in your best efforts, you'll be surprised to know what you can actually achieve. But fundamentally, the most important thing is to practice, practice and more practice,” he muses.
Photo: Zhi Wei with mentor Jaden Wang
He believes that the core ingredients needed to be an excellent financial consultant are discipline in work, commitment to clients, and the desire to do better every day. He takes the effort to attend seminars and workshops organised by Prudential and APA as well as participating actively in discussions with his peers. This enables him to constantly improve himself so that he can continue providing the best for his clients
When asked about some of the challenging aspects of being a financial consultant, he shares, “Ironically, it’s having no official working hours! It requires you to manage your time more effectively, and it can cause you to be complacent and procrastinate. You’ll need to be driven and disciplined to make this work.”
That is just part of the story, though. “Also, you’ll have to face getting rejected, ignored, and scolded from strangers, and even people whom you consider friends.”
After almost 3 years in this industry, Zhi Wei eventually achieved his first major milestone. Now, he leads his own team of financial consultants, and he plans to lead by example. “I always tell my team members to challenge themselves. You’ll never know how far you can go unless you put in 101% effort! Even if things don’t turn out well, you can still be proud that you have done your utmost best.”
Zhi Wei is also very proud and appreciative of being a part of the JWG team. The support system that the team has and the strong bond between the members to motivate one another is one reason why he has never looked back since joining the industry.
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