5 Amazing People I Met In 2021

Being exceptional professionals in what they do, these 5 individuals would probably appear ordinary to most, but they certainly have left an impression and some valuable lessons that I can take with me through my journey of lifelong learning.?

TLDR:

• Melvin Yuan, my greatest connection from Clubhouse; Reminded me that the real magic happens when you reach out to people you meet on new platforms or networking events.
• Jasmine Yong, perhaps the friendliest lawyer of her generation; Taught me that it doesn't hurt to be nice and why I should respond to all invitations (even if I am not attending).
• MC Rovan, generously gave me a second chance; Stressed to me the significance of first chances in life, and why I should never miss them.
• Raina Lim, one of the few people who actually read my company's website; Displayed to me the art of customer experience.
• Dr Anamah Tan, most likely the oldest member in BNI; Showed me that age is just a number and the true meaning of lifelong learning.

In my course of professional work and involvement in BNI, I do get the luxury to meet brilliant people every year. Recalling the Chinese saying?三人行、必有我师 which translates to "in a group of three, there will be someone whom I can learn from."

I took some time off to think about some of the amazing people that I’ve met this year. These 5 individuals came to mind as we met through rather unusual circumstances. I shall briefly share how we met as well as the insightful lessons I obtained from them. In a difficult year for most of us, I hope this lighthearted reflection of mine could provide you with some break-time entertainment.?

A. Melvin Yuan, Founder & CEO of Starboard - Clearly, the greatest connection I got from Clubhouse.

His tagline: 2% Inspiration, 98% Persistence.?20% Gut, 80% Spine.

In the early months of this year, there was a trendy app that took social media by storm. Yes, it was Clubhouse. In a time when "Zoom fatigue" was starting to creep in, Clubhouse provided an attractive alternative to just unmute and speak. Imagine, even Dr Mahathir was on it at one point and I was there tuning in when he spoke 'live'.

I met Melvin on the day of the Singapore Budget announcement and he was sharing how he had tapped on several initiatives to build Starboard, a Corporate Secretary Automation Software. Wow! That instantly caught my attention and I reached out to him immediately. When I got to see what he had created, I was blown away.

We are currently in advance talks and I am really excited to explore how we can work together in 2022. None of this would have happened if I did not take the active step to reach out to him.??

Lessons learned: I believe it won't be too long before we see another new platform coming up in this age. Every new platform (similar to any other networking event) provides a good channel of exposure to a wide array of new connections. What really matters is what we do beyond the first meeting. It is important to actively reach out to the connections that we think can potentially be beneficial. That is where the magic truly happens.

B. Jasmine Yong, Dispute Resolution Lawyer - Probably the friendliest lawyer of her generation.?

Getting to know Jasmine was entirely unexpected. My BNI chapter was looking for a lawyer back in April, so we reached out to several lawyers through the letter campaign. We each prepared a list of lawyers to invite and mailed out formal invitation letters to each of them.

I was scrambling to get my list up and through one of the LinkedIn searches Jasmine appeared on the top of the list, likely because she was connected to some of my common friends in the legal industry. When my invitation reached her, what came as a surprise was that she actually responded with a very pleasant message. Given that I was just some random stranger, it was heartening that she accepted the invitation and showed up at the meeting, especially when my lawyer pals didn't even bother to respond,

Lessons learned: I am actually a culprit of 'ghosting' invitations occasionally, so this experience has taught me that it's polite to respond even if I am declining the invitation. Also, it doesn't hurt to be nice, and a pleasant response can actually go a long way in leaving a lasting impression. To my fellow BNI members, the letter campaign really works, even in present times. So stop doubting and start trying.??

C. MC Rovan, CEO of Outxource Group of Companies - This guy waited for me but I just walked away.

Being a seasonal extrovert, I do have the occasional off days which I am just not into the networking mood.?I didn't expect this to backfire badly during my first opportunity to meet Rovan. He was my friend's prior appointment who waited for me to arrive so that he could meet me in person. Not knowing his intention and also not dressed in the right attire, I walked away ignoring my friend's continuous cues to join them.

When I eventually found out about the whole situation, I was left ashamed of my terrible antics. Being an auditor, Rovan was certainly a valuable connection to have as we could potentially collaborate on many avenues given that our trades were a perfect match. To spare my blushes, I reached out to him shortly after. Thankfully I did so because he eventually assisted me in resolving a complex requirement from one of my clients. He was a great person to work with who was generous in providing advice.

Lessons learned: Thinking back, I can't imagine what would have been the outcome if I had passed on this. We don't always get second chances in life, so we have to grab the first chances when they come.

D. Raina Lim, Founder of Framing Me - This lady mastered the art of customer experience

Her tagline: Your frame is your brand.

Raina was a visitor who came to one of our weekly BNI meetings representing a trade that was very relevant during a time like this; a "work-from-home specialist". Her company Framing Me provides an interesting work-from-home kit made up of items such as portable lighting and decorative backdrops to help individuals look more professional on video calls.

It is commendable for one to take that leap of faith into entrepreneurship amidst a pandemic. But, Raina hit the home run when I found out she actually READ OUR WEBSITE before reaching out as she was asking me very specific questions on what we were doing. When she showed me the unboxing of her essentials kit, I was very impressed with the amount of thought and focus placed into creating that special user experience. I am proud to say I am a happy user of Framing Me and I am curious to see what exciting new products they have in 2022.

Lessons learned: That bit of extra effort put into doing thorough research before heading into any potential sales pitch or job interview, could essentially do wonders. Honestly, I can't help but laugh whenever I receive a private message from a sloppy salesperson mistaking my company to be BNI GLOBAL!?! Anyone looking to be more customer-centric or working on customer experience can definitely learn something valuable from Raina.

E. Dr Anamah Tan, Family Lawyer - She is the oldest BNI member in Singapore and a champion of lifelong learning.

Her tagline: Mend it or end it.

If there is one BNI member that you should meet, it has to be Dr Anamah Tan. I actually met Dr Tan back in 2019 when I was a substitute in another BNI meeting. It was her first visit to BNI and I was surprised when she applied for membership! Never did I expect that our paths would cross once more under very unique circumstances, a month ago.

We were both at a BNI training and we were paired up for a discussion in a breakout room. My video was initially off as I was on an ongoing phone call. When I got Dr Tan as my discussion partner, I felt it was only right that I end that phone call, turn on my video and give her my full attention. We both had a great discussion. What's truly embarrassing was I soon realized that I actually got the pronunciation of her name completely wrong throughout the entire time, and she was so kind not to even correct me on it.

Note to self: There are people in BNI who couldn't get pronunciation right, even if their lives depended on it. Never again would I follow their pronunciation blindly.

I reached out to have a one-to-one session with her and it was hands down one of the most enjoyable sessions I had in a very long time. Towards the end of that session, I realized that she and my dad are friends. He spoke very highly of her and I trust he would have an entirely different impression about BNI now.

Lessons learned: Honestly, I don't even know if I would still be a BNI member at the age of 60. I found out from Wikipedia that Dr Tan is 81 this year. Seeing how active, how passionate, and how she champions the values of lifelong learning is truly an inspiration. I am out of words, she is someone we can all look towards as a role model.

This is my first attempt at trying to write again after a very long time. Thank you for reading up to the end.