A chat with Hwei Min
We sat down with Lee Hwei Min, Senior Financial Consultant of Life First Advisory (LFA), to have a chat about her role as a financial advisor to both her corporate clients as well as individual clients.
Why did you choose be a financial consultant?
After 11 awesome years in the media and advertising industry, I decided to go for a mid-career switch. Back then, I was a Media Director in an international agency with not much control of my professional and private time. While I learnt a lot serving my firm, it was misaligned with the needs of my growing family.
As someone who has always been interested in financial planning, I have also been lucky enough to be surrounded with many good friends who are great advisors. I believe that over the many years, they have influenced me to develop a strong belief that our Quality of Life is directly linked to our financial well-being, and that we can be in control.
After my second daughter was born, I made the career switch with the initial hopes of having flexibility with my time.
The family went to Tasmania in 2020. Hwei Min’s daughters are now 13 (Gabrielle) and 11 (Alexa).
However, it has given me something way beyond - it gave me a purpose.
Now, in the blink of an eye, I’ve joined my great advisors as an advisor myself for more than 11 years.
Over the past two years in Life First Advisory, I am not only provided with a platform that allows me to deliver an unbiased view and well-rounded solutions for my clients, I am also surrounded by a group of like-minded, passionate partners who inspire me to constantly grow into a better version of my professional self.
I am proud to be a part of this family of deeply passionate and highly competent professionals.
Team mates at Life First Advisory.
I am driven to provide financial independence, one family at a time.
As I was in a corporate environment previously, I also valued the opportunity to serve companies in the areas of employee benefits and talent retention.
Hwei Min giving a presentation in a company.
What are your personal values?
Putting myself in my clients’ shoes has always been my guiding principle. I’d always ask myself how I may view this situation or work out a solution if the client was me.
I make it a point to only recommend and implement solutions that I personally would be satisfied with if I faced the same situation as my clients.
I don’t believe in having a “sales person” mentality. There is neither a one size fits all financial plan, nor a one size fits all employee benefits programme. It just does not exist.
I enjoy taking time to understand the needs, challenges, barriers, and priorities to structure a unique roadmap for my clients. This helps them visualise their financial journey better.
Over the years as I grew as a financial advisor, I managed to hone my own advisory specialty in the area of retirement.
Being in the sandwich generation myself, I experienced real challenges in providing enough for the old folks, saving enough for the little ones and at the same time setting enough aside enough for our own old age.
Hwei Min took a family trip in Nikoi Island, a private island off Bintan, in 2016.
Because of that, I am even more motivated to make a significant difference in my clients’ retirement lifestyle. Of course, the results cannot be seen immediately now, but they will be able to reap the returns in their retirement years.
Hopefully, we can catch up in our old age and look back at all these steps taken to enable our happy retirement together!
Can you share some memorable customer encounters?
I recall the moment of epiphany after we run through the financial roadmap with my clients.
We would discover other more suitable approaches to achieve what they want, and they would say, “I didn’t think of it that way.”, or “Now I know this is how I can do it.”, or thank me for shedding light in their situation.
Whenever they express their thanks and appreciation, I feel like I’ve become their trusted advisor. Even after doing this for many years, it is still very touching for me!
As much as my clients value my inputs, I value the difference I make to their financial planning journey.
What do clients say about you?
My clients all know that with me, it has and will never been about closing a deal. I always believe in forming a partnership with my clients, and as partners, we work together to achieve a common goal.
Hwei Min catching up one of her clients.
I can only provide sound and useful advice when we engage in tough conversations. I am very thankful that my clients are comfortable and are willing to communicate with me.
Being a math graduate, it is in my blood to work with and present numbers in a comprehensive way. My job is to ensure that my clients are able to understand the complexity of financial planning in simple and relatable ways.
In fact, one of my dreams is to conduct financial literacy programmes for young children. Since young, my dad had imparted the value of teamwork within our family. This emphasis on teamwork extends to the area of finances too.
A family’s financial stability is as strong as its weakest link.
More than ever, our children need to understand the value of prudence, develop the right attitude towards money and build a strong foundation in financial responsibility.
What do you do for fun?
I love the sun and the outdoors! My husband and I love to take our girls out for walks and runs during the weekends! This kills two birds with one stone as we get to keep fit and bond with the kids.
Hwei Min and her family took a walk at MacRitchie Reservoir.
On the other end of the spectrum, I also love staying home to make DIY crafts and bullet journaling.
My girls have taken a liking to this as well, and now, they are so much better than me!
DIY pencil case made by Hwei Min and her daughters from an old dress during Circuit Breaker in 2020.
What is one quote that you keep relooking at when the going gets tough?
For everything, there is a season.
This is a bible verse that has helped me whenever the going gets tough.
People go through different seasons during the same period of time. This helps me to be empathetic towards others and gives me a much needed “grit”.
If you were not a financial consultant, what will you be now?
I will probably still be planning advertising campaigns, or nurturing our next generation in classrooms!