While many people work their fingers to the bone to chase after high salary and bonuses, some realise that spending more time with family and having me-time can be a priority.
Among those who have successfully shifted from Work-Life to Life-Work balance is Jacqueline Chua, co-founder of local financial advisory firm, One Stop Solution Advisory.
Speaking at the recent Entrepreneurial Leadership Program held at Great Eastern Mall , Kuala Lumpur, Jacq shared how she took the leap from being a full-time MNC employee to being a full-time entrepreneur. Founder of local shoe label ChristyNg, Chistina Ng, were also invited to share her entrepreneurship journey.
“My dream career as an accounting student was fulfilled. My first job as an auditor in one of the "Big 4" KPMG, Singapore is successful, where I became Star Performer in second year. Few years later when I joined another Japanese corporation, UMW Toyota, I was again designated as Star Performer and secured myself a pretty high salary with 13-months bonus. So why am I here today?" asked Jacq who left a promising career.
Why she decided to quit?
Jacqueline revealed some factors includes the typical 9-5 working hours, unable to control her own time, taking work home instead of leaving it at the office, and workplace culture and the drama. "And on top of all of those, I still need to put myself through peak hour traffic twice a day. By the time I get home, I ended up having less than a few hours a day for myself. I just couldn’t imagine myself doing it for the rest of my life!"
"I figure that life is a gift, and I don’t intend on wasting it. Throughout my 10 years of corporate experience, I’ve learned that the higher you climb, the heavier your shoulders, " Jacq added.
"The amount of responsibility and workload doesn't always match the salary you get. This was why I looked for alternatives, wanting to change."
What it takes to be an entrepreneur
As a conservative accountant, Jacq done thorough research to ensure her priority was to look for opportunities that require very little capital to start with.
Jacq's advice to entrepreneurs is to build as many connections as possible and look for one that is stable (selling necessity), well-protected under Malaysia’s law and without income ceiling. That is why she selected insurance industry.
"Was it easy quitting my job and building a successful business? It is easy if you are self-discipline and determination," said Jacqueline.
Ask yourself these 2 questions. Do you prefer to work under a boss or to be your own boss? Are you working hard to build your own dreams, or are you working hard just to fulfill someone else’s dream?
Check out our Career page to jumpstart your entrepreneurial journey!