Meet the Kee family - a family of financial advisers, to find out how they embrace financial advisory the family way, the journey so far, and why they chose Great Eastern.
Financial Services Director Benny Kee and his wife, Senior Manager Karen Tan, have both been Great Eastern financial advisers for over 30 years. Amanda and Damien, are also walking in their parents’ footsteps, with the former already a financial planner for the last three years, and the latter just obtaining his financial representative license.
For the husband and wife who have built successful careers in the financial services industry over 30 years, you’d probably be expecting them to be trying to recruit and influence their children from young, right?
But as we found out from Benny, “No. This is such a tough business!”
“However, having gone through the thinking process. The long term benefit of this business outweighs the price that Amanda has to pay. Therefore, eventually, we decided that it’s the right thing for us to do, to recruit her into the business,” he said.
As for Amanda, her initial hesitation came from fearing that she would not excel in a sales role. But having had the privilege of hearing countless stories of how much meaning this industry has brought to both her parents and their clients, she realised, “It’s not just another career; I’m here to make an impact on people’s lives.”
And she knew that she would be in very good hands with her parents as mentors. “That’s why I decided to take that leap of faith to join them. So far, it has been a great journey,” said Amanda.
Overcoming Heartaches and Rejections
Even as experienced agency leaders, the loving parents’ hearts ached for their daughter. Amanda had to face the inevitable heart-breaking rejections that all financial representatives face, especially in their early years.
Benny shared, “In the first six months, Amanda cried a lot. I put on a false front to say that it’s ok but my heart ached for my daughter.”
Karen added, “It was very tough to see Amanda face a lot of rejections. But I kept telling her that she had to get out of the phase to mature and grow. Meeting different people and gaining the experience will make her stronger.”
Amanda said, “When I get rejected, it is something that they cannot really help with, and they know it is good for me. So, I understand. But the good part is if I have any questions, they are always there. I know that they will always have my back.”
So what advice do Benny and Karen have for parents who are not in the industry but whose children wish to become financial representatives?
Karen said, “The early years are always very tough. But it is a wonderful career as you reap what you sow. It is important to find a good mentor to ensure that your kids are in good hands. To make sure that the mentor is able to discipline and teach them the right things.”
Concurring, Benny added, “I would suggest parents have multiple face-to-face meetups with the mentor. To assess for yourself whether this is the mentor that will lead your children to do the right thing.”
The Big Family at Great Eastern
The decision to become a multi-generational family of financial representatives was also made easier being part of the big family at Great Eastern, they shared.
“Having spent 30 years in Great Eastern, I must say this is a big family. At Great Eastern, putting clients’ interests first has never changed. And this is something that I’m very grateful for,” said Benny.
Karen concurred, “I have the same sentiments as him. Because Great Eastern is like a family to us. The company takes good care of not only the clients but the financial representatives as well.”
For those who are considering a career as a financial representative, Amanda shared why it is a worthwhile move and why she believes Great Eastern is the insurer of choice. “This career is one that really allows you to take charge of your future and you get rewarded for the hard work that you put in. And Great Eastern is so established in Singapore, if you join Great Eastern, there is not much selling to do as people already trust the brand,” she said.
Jump-start your career as a Financial Representative of Great Eastern, the oldest and most established life insurance group in Singapore and Malaysia. Find out more here.
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