Like any Gen Z, Natalie connects and communicates with others through the usage of social media. She is on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram, but among all three platforms, she invests the most time and energy on Instagram.
“Instagram’s more real-time and updated. It feels more real and authentic, which is why I hang out more on Instagram,” she said.
At first glance, her Instagram handle appears glamourous and carefree. It exudes an “Influencer” vibe that most would not expect from a financial consultant.
But like almost every new generation that comes along, she is often misunderstood by her predecessors.
Behind the fun café hopping photos, the travel logs and Instagram stories, is a Gen Z put together with steely determination and a goal to accomplish - to prevent others from making the same mistake as her mother.
Spurred into the Career
It was 2008 when the collapse of Lehman Brothers shook the world economy.
Back then, the 14-year-old Natalie saw her mother receive a letter from one of the big insurers pertaining to the global financial meltdown. As her mother wasn’t financially literate, all she knew was reading the red and black figures in the letter. And seeing a huge red figure, her mother surrendered the plan out of fear in the hope of cutting her losses , but ended up losing a chunk of savings.
Seeing her mother in an emotional turmoil, Natalie felt helpless. But it triggered her to become more careful with money and more determined than ever to gain financial knowledge.
Grappling and Immersing into the Trade
To earn extra income and relieve some financial stress on her mother, Natalie plunged right into the insurance industry after Junior College at 19 years old.
She started in an admin role for Jaden Wang Group in Assets Prestige Alliance (“APA”). During that time, she saw how Jaden Wang built and led his team from the early days and did right for the customers. In that moment, she made up her mind to join Jaden as a full-time financial consultant eventually.
She stayed on in the admin role till she was legally old enough to become certified as a financial consultant (age 21 in Singapore), and three years later, she never looked back.
While many may perceive a career in the insurance as boring and stifling, Natalie said it’s the perfect job for Gen Z. A job where one is fully in control in terms of time and flexibility. This meant Natalie could still pursue her interests and focus in the different stages of life.
Using Social Media Positively
Like a true digital native, Natalie found a way to integrate her social life into her work life.
In fact, 50% of her current portfolio are strangers who messaged her on Instagram seeking financial advice and opinion.
“When strangers reach out to me on Instagram, I make sure they walk away with the information they need,” she said. “If I could spare someone the lesson my family and I learnt during the Lehman Brothers era, I’ll gladly walk the extra mile and help them, even if it’s not a Prudential policy.”
Asked to share her success on using social media positively and productively, she said:
“I follow a ratio when it comes to posting insurance-related posts on my feed. I call it the 1, 2, 3.”- Natalie Goh
1:2:3 ratio for any social media posting
She explained the ratio like this, “For every 1 hard post on insurance, I will make sure I have 2 soft posts and 3 personal posts. Of course, sometimes I don’t even post anything on insurance!”
Here’s her definition of “hard, “soft” and “personal”:
Hard: An image or video with full-on details of insurance. Click here for an example. Natalie says one shouldn’t be spamming hard posts too often. It can appear too aggressive and turn off your followers. Natalie uses the “Stories” as an alternative for such hard posts, as these stories will disappear from her timeline after 24hours.
Soft: An image or video that is somewhat related to insurance, work, or industry. Click here for an example. By having soft posts, you subtly maintain the concept of your job.
Personal: An image or video that is unrelated to insurance, or any aspect of your work. Click here for an example. A chance for your followers to know you more on a personal level as well. The more interests and hobbies you display, the more likely it is for others to find common ground with you. From there, you gain new followers and more traction on your social media account.
Lastly, Natalie says it’s important to stay real and be yourself on the Instagram platform. In this day and age, with constant exposure on social media, people can sniff out whether the person is authentic and genuine. Staying true to her personality even online is one of the factors why Millennials and Gen Z peers are comfortable reaching out to her even if they don’t know her personally.
Natalie said that she isn’t afraid to use social media as a platform to share useful information or to introduce herself as a financial consultant whenever she meets someone new. She is aware of the stigma the career carries, but as someone “burnt” before, she feels this innate sense of responsibility and accountability to help educate or be someone’s guide when it comes to financial insights and decision making.
Despite 2020 being a trying year, Natalie hasn't stopped helping others and has been working towards protecting 100 lives. And she’s doing it on her own terms.
Assets Prestige Alliance (APA) is a group of agency units of Prudential Assurance Company Singapore.
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Read more on Jaden Wang's team:
An entrepreneurial path with the right mentors- Jillian Hoe
Focus and whatever obstacles will be out of focus - Zhou Ai Hua
Have an end goal that is so strong, it will be all worth it - Priscilla Tay
Thriving with the right mentor and organisational culture - Ryo Shu, banker-turned-financial consultant
Scepticism, rejection, and disappointments. Nonetheless, persist! - Ong Zhi Wei
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