An Unexpected Career Move: Joining the Financial Advisory Industry
Kum Soon was previously an Engineer and SAF regular. Having served in the high-pressure logistics industry for over four years in Thailand, he’s trained to think on his feet and make decisions quickly, logically, and analytically.

When the sub-prime crisis hit in 2018, Kum Soon was not directly affected but it filled him with uncertainty. He became concerned with his retirement as he witnessed people being retrenched at the peak of their careers. Wanting more control over his career and retirement, he discovered a new path that pointed to the financial advisory industry.

Initially, Kum Soon started planning for his own retirement. He quickly learnt the importance of having the right knowledge to make the most informed insurance and investment decisions. As he deepened his expertise in this area, he found himself in a position to help other people. Since then, he has been helping clients kickstart their retirement journey through careful planning, reviewing and monitoring.

“If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. I want my clients to understand that financial planning is a journey and that, no matter how young you are, retirement planning has to be part of it.”

Kum Soon chose to become an independent financial advisor representative because he believes this benefits his clients more. Because he is not tied to any insurance company, he’s able to consider and recommend the most appropriate products in the wider marketplace, giving him and his clients more flexibility and personalisation.

Brick by Brick: Retirement Planning is like Building a House
Kum Soon believes that retirement planning is similar to building a house. The base comes before the beautifying. Like a home with a strong foundation, having a good start in retirement planning will help his clients weather future storms. His role is also that of a shelter, ensuring that clients who are under his care are always well protected.

“Seeing my clients slowly achieve their retirement needs and dreams motivates me to continue.”

For Kum Soon, one of the most memorable moments in his career is when he helped a client regain a $30,000 investment loss that happened through another firm. The client was naturally worried and nervous but Kum Soon was able to reassure him. After analysing the situation, Kum Soon managed to turn things around with sound advice. The investment is now generating profits annually, much to the client’s delight. Kum Soon’s ability to make quick and sharp judgements even in times of crisis shines through in these situations.

Taking a Stand: Making Time For Family
Being an independent financial advisor representative and working directly with clients, Kum Soon has developed a deeper appreciation for the importance of early financial planning. He recalls an unfortunate incident where a client and his spouse passed on, leaving two young teenage children behind. The silver lining was that Kum Soon had already helped them with their legacy planning, ensuring that the children remained well provided for.

“I want my clients to be able to spend time with their loved ones so they have no regrets after they’re gone. That’s why I enjoy helping my clients achieve financial freedom early — so they have time to live life.”

To Kum Soon, family is the most important thing in life. It saddens him to see people prioritising their work and sacrificing family time just to make a living. As an independent financial advisor representative, he hopes to help more people with financial planning so that they achieve financial freedom earlier and have the peace of mind to enjoy more time with their family.

Making a Difference: Life Outside Work
In his own pursuit for work-life balance, Kum Soon is active in the community. He used to be the Honorary Treasurer of the Kreta Ayer People’s Theatre Foundation. He currently holds a dual role as Treasurer and Deputy Head of the Investment Committee for Tung Oh Wui Kun Singapore, a 140-year-old clan association, actively managing the association’s cash flow and preserving its $20 million assets.

As Kum Soon strongly believes in the preservation of Singapore’s Chinese heritage and culture, he also volunteers his time in the Cultural Committee for Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Association as their Vice Chairman. He is also the Investment Committee Member for Kwong Wai Siew Peck San Theng and regularly volunteers at his church.

If you would like an obligation-free consultation with Kum Soon, contact us now.