At Unicorn, we often talk about a “Freehold Life.” To me, it means something deeply personal:  the autonomy to build true wealth, not just financial capital, but the freedom to live my desired  lifestyle, entirely on my own terms. 

But a definition is just words on a page. The real question is, how does it translate into reality? 

Growing up, I was taught a lesson many of us inherit from society: success equals money. It was a highly practical mindset, and it made sense to me. In a world where almost everything has a price tag, it felt as though you had no right to dream without financial means. Money wasn’t just currency; it was the ultimate key to freedom. 

My first real shot at securing this key came during National Service. I sat in a recruitment talk by the RSAF, and a path cleared before me. I saw a way to carve out a respectable career, achieve complete independence, and most importantly, take care of my family. 

For 14 years, I served as a Fighter Aircrew. True to its promise, the RSAF provided immense financial stability. I reached a point where daily expenses were never a worry. I bought a car; I secured a property on my own. By all traditional metrics, I had made it.

Yet, beneath that stability, a quiet friction was growing. My life had become a predictable,  demanding cycle: endless hours on duty, high-stakes standby, and weekends spent entirely on survival mode, just trying to decompress enough to face the next week. I had the financial  means, but absolutely zero emotional or mental capacity to live. While some of my peers could balance the heavy rigours of the job with their personal lives, I found myself consistently sacrificing my health and my relationships. I want to be entirely clear: this wasn’t a failure of the organization. It was simply my own awakening to the fact that the path I was on no longer aligned with the life I wanted to lead. 

I spent years sitting with a heavy question: Financial stability is incredible, but if I keep  bankrupting the other areas of my life to get it, will I ever taste true joy? I knew I needed a career that allowed me to build wealth without losing my well-being in the process. 

That search eventually led to an unexpected reunion with a classmate from my polytechnic days. Through him, I discovered Unicorn and one of our Chairman’s core philosophy, the belief that a truly successful life rests evenly on three pillars: Health, Relationship, and Wealth. 

The concept hit me with total clarity because it directly answered the questions that had been keeping me up at night: 

“How much money is truly enough for the people I care about?”

“What is the point of earning a premium living if I am entirely absent from the 80% of life spent earning it?” 

“I am providing for my mum financially, but is she getting the best version of me, or just my exhaustion? Is money really the only support she needs?” 

“Can I realistically sustain this for the next ten, fifteen, or twenty years?”

That was my turning point. I finally understood that a Freehold Life cannot be measured solely by a bank balance. It requires your meaningful, clear-headed presence for the people you love, and a healthy mind and body to actually experience what you build. Success shouldn’t be a distant finish line we cross while completely broken; we have to design a journey that allows us to thrive  along the way. 

Now, hitting my two-year mark with Unicorn, I look back amazed at how quickly the time has passed. I have always been blessed to live a life without major regrets. I deeply honor my 14 years in the RSAF, it shaped who I am and gave me the self-awareness to make the next great  leap into Unicorn. 

Under the mentorship of our Chairman and the leaders here, I haven’t just found a new job. I have found the space, the framework, and the true freedom to build the exact Freehold Life I once thought was impossible.

Recently, Hyrox has been gaining popularity amongst fitness communities. You may have seen friends, family members, or coworkers taking part and sharing their experiences on social media. Earlier this April, I had the opportunity to take part in the Hyrox Relay together with friends from the Unicorn family.

It was a humbling experience, both physically and mentally, and one that taught me lessons far beyond fitness. I hope these reflections will encourage others to step out of their comfort zones, try something unfamiliar, and consider taking one small step towards better health.

Lesson 1: “This Is Not Me”

When Henry first introduced Hyrox to me, my immediate reaction was simple:

“Nay, this is not me.”

At that point, I was focused on strength training and had little interest in endurance-related activities. Hyrox looked intense, exhausting, and honestly… intimidating.

But after two years of my own fitness journey, I decided to give it a shot.

As I started training for my assigned relay stations, something interesting happened. My workouts suddenly had greater purpose. I became more disciplined and focused because I now had a new goal in front of me.

At the same time, the training exposed weaknesses I had previously ignored. It was my aerobic fitness and the experience humbled me. I realised that the version of myself who said “this is not me” was simply someone avoiding discomfort.

Ironically, this challenge became exactly what I needed.

Besides, once payment had been made and my intentions declared to friends, there was no easy escape route anymore.

Lesson 2: Discipline Means Doing What You Usually Avoid

One of the biggest challenges for me was running.

My aerobic engine was rusty. In fact, earlier body scans once assessed my metabolic age to be close to 50, despite me only being in my mid-thirties at the time. Thankfully, I later discovered that many of these health markers can improve with consistent effort.

Training for Hyrox forced me to confront the area I disliked most: cardiovascular conditioning.

I often compare it to owning a car with impressive horsepower but an engine that stalls every kilometre. Strength alone was not enough.

I avoided running whenever possible. However, being the slowest runner in the relay team motivated me even more to improve and not hold the team back. Through training, I learned pacing techniques and how to manage my breathing more efficiently. Slowly but surely, things improved.

Today, something as simple as climbing flights of stairs no longer leaves me breathless.

Sometimes growth begins by doing the very thing we spend years avoiding.

Lesson 3: Anyone Can Do This — Especially With Teamwork

Perhaps the greatest takeaway from Hyrox was the power of teamwork.

Every member of the relay team had their own responsibilities outside of training, be it work, family, and personal commitments. Yet everyone showed up, encouraged one another, and gave their best effort.

We each had personal timing goals we hoped to achieve, but what made the experience meaningful was supporting one another through the difficult moments. Even during exhaustion, there was encouragement, breathless nods, and camaraderie as we tagged each other into the next station.

Social media can sometimes make events like Hyrox appear intimidating, especially when we constantly see elite athletes completing the race with clear ease.

But the reality on the ground was vastly different.

There were participants of all fitness levels, ages, and backgrounds. Some were seasoned athletes. Others were new beginners. Some pushed through physical limitations simply to prove to themselves that they could.

And that is what made the experience so inspiring.

The goal was never perfection. The goal was courage, and the willingness to try.

Final Reflection

Many of us wait until a health scare before we start taking our health seriously. We tell ourselves we are “too busy,” “too tired,” or “not the sporty type.”

I used to think certain challenges were “not me” too. But growth often starts the moment we stop labelling ourselves and start giving ourselves permission to try.

You do not need to become an athlete overnight. You do not even need to take part in Hyrox.

But maybe there is something in your life right now that you have been avoiding because it feels uncomfortable, difficult, or unfamiliar.

Maybe, this is your sign to take the first step.

Your future self may thank you for it.

The Beginning: A Little Wonderland in the Sky

I joined Unicorn in 2010.

Back then, our office was perched on the 24th floor of a commercial tower along Shenton Way — our little wonderland in the sky. It was where we conducted our practice, met our investors, and shared conversations that shaped the early chapters of my journey as a family wealth consultant.

One of my most unforgettable experiences there was my job interview — the one that set everything in motion. It was the first time I came face-to-face with our Chairman. That meeting gave me a deep sense of who I would be partnering with as I embarked on this new path.

Sixteen years on, that encounter continues to shape my beliefs and approach to wealth advisory. In future editions of My Musing Mind, I’ll share more about the values and principles of my Chairman that have deeply influenced me.

From Tenants to Landlords

Although my time on the 24th floor lasted just about a year, it left me with many fond memories — and one major turning point.

Our Chairman made the decision to move out of that rented space, which was costing us close to S$1 million a year, and relocate to our current home in Geylang. The reason was simple yet profound:

We wanted to become landlords, not tenants.

From owning just a few units in The Arizon back in 2011, Unicorn — together with some of her family wealth consultants — now hold 13 office spaces spanning over 20,000 square feet along a 400-metre stretch of Geylang Road. Our latest acquisition — a two-storey heritage property — is being renovated as we speak and will soon be ready for use.

The Belief: Wealth Builders Should Walk the Talk

Why was it so important to become landlords?

Because at Unicorn, we call ourselves wealth accumulators.

We believe in building wealth — not only for our investors, but for ourselves. In real estate, that means owning quality properties at fair prices, enjoying potential capital appreciation and rental income over time.

Our Chairman often reminds us: If we want to be stewards of our investors’ finances, we must first be shining examples ourselves.

In Chinese, there’s a phrase that captures this perfectly: 以身作則 — to lead by example.

“Eating Our Own Cooking”

Over the years, our investors have come to see that we walk our talk. We invest alongside them.

Whatever we recommend, we ourselves are in it too — as a company and as individual family wealth consultants. We take the lead. We go in first. We never say one thing and do another.

This principle of role modelling is not just a philosophy. It’s our way of life.

Continuing the Journey: From Offices to Homes

In October 2025, EdgeProp magazine featured a story on a S$23 million closed-end fund backing a new project — Vila Natura, an 11-unit landed housing development in the Lentor area of Singapore’s northeast¹.

Unicorn, together with some of our family wealth consultants, are proud investors in this project.

We remain committed to being landlords in the real estate space, investing in developments we truly believe in — whether for our own use or as part of our long-term wealth-building strategy.

Leading by Example, Always

Ultimately, what we hope to inspire in our investors is not just confidence, but conviction — to think and act like asset owners.

Wealth building is not about chasing trends; it’s about cultivating an ownership mindset that spans across asset classes and generations.

As family wealth consultants, we can only nurture that belief if we first embody it ourselves — leading from the front, and leading by example.

That is why I am proud to be a Unicorn family wealth consultant.

Because at Unicorn, we take the trust and confidence of our investors deeply to heart — and we never take that for granted.

Source

1 – https://www.edgeprop.sg/property-news/aurum-gravis-strategy-games-property-crowdfunding-and-100-mil-target-equity-investment

I firmly believe, as a family wealth consultant, that everyone needs a Will.

In Singapore, anyone aged 21 and above, and of sound mind, can write a Will. You have several options: leave your estate to the state under the Intestate Succession Act (ISA), draft a Will yourself, or work with a lawyer to prepare one.

Although I’ve been a licensed estate planner for just 20 months, I feel fortunate to have already helped nearly 50 investors—ranging in age from 21 to 83—with their estate planning needs. Each story, each family, brings its own lessons.

Yet, there’s one group I feel particularly close to: parents of minors—children under 21. As a parent myself, I know that deciding on a suitable guardian for my children—should my spouse and I no longer be here—is a question that keeps me awake at night. Honestly, it’s a consideration that outweighs even how I wish to distribute my assets. It’s also about choosing the right trustee for my assets, someone who can guide my children financially until they’re ready to make decisions themselves. In those moments, my children’s safety, happiness, and environment matter more than anything else.

I believe this is also something that concerns my investors who are parents of minors.

Why does this matter so much to me?

Understanding the roles

In Singapore law, a guardian has legal responsibility for a child’s care and welfare until they turn 21. A trustee, on the other hand, is tasked with managing assets on behalf of a beneficiary, according to the terms of a trust.

I often explain the distinction to my investors in Mandarin:

一個管錢，一個管人

(One manages the money, the other manages a person.)

Yet most parents I work with instinctively choose the same person for both roles. When I ask why, their simple answer is almost always: “We trust that person.”

I understand. Trust is everything. It’s also the first and most important consideration in my own Will. But this is where my professional—and parental—instinct kicks in: I cannot help but ask my investors to think a little deeper. My concern is that, by choosing a single person, they might overlook other crucial factors—conflicts of interest, competing priorities, or the sheer burden placed on one individual.

The skills needed to care for a child differ vastly from those required to manage finances. I have seen it in my own life, and I have seen it in my clients’ lives. It becomes even more complex when the child and the assets are not your own. What if the guardian has never been a parent? The responsibility could be overwhelming. Even if someone is capable in both areas, is it fair—or necessary—to place them in such a demanding position?

A Chinese saying comes to mind:

一人難撐樹，眾人共育花

(One person cannot support a tree alone; many people nurture the flowers together.)

While I respect my investors’ wishes and choices, I am not simply an order-taker. It is both my professional and personal responsibility to raise these questions. As a parent—and as their family wealth consultant who understands their values, beliefs, and needs—I put myself in their shoes and ask: would I make the same choices if I were in their position?

When I have done my part, and my investors have taken the time to consider their options thoroughly, I can rest easy. I have fulfilled my responsibility—not just as their family wealth consultant and estate planner, but as someone who cares about their family as much as I care about my own.

If you grew up in Singapore, you probably heard this saying before: “It’s cheaper to die than to fall sick.”

It sounds dramatic when I first heard it as a teen. But now, having walked through a real health crisis with my own family, I see how painfully true it is—not just in dollars and cents, but in the emotional and relational toll it takes.

This article marks the beginning of a series exploring two core pillars of life: Health and Wealth. They may sound separate, but they are intimately linked. Without one, the other is always at risk.

When Crisis Hits Home

If you’ve ever had a loved one suffer a chronic illness or health scare, you’ll understand how quickly things can spiral. For me, it became deeply personal when my mother faced a serious health crisis.

As the patient, she experienced intense uncertainty, physical pain, frustration, and guilt. And as her caregiver, I had to make countless decisions, big and small, around her condition. Our family routines changed overnight. Priorities shifted. Conversations became more serious.

We were fortunate to have strong family ties and a company that supported me through this difficult time. But even then, the stress was real. Time, energy, finances and emotions were constantly being stretched. That experience imprinted one truth on me: your health doesn’t just affect you. It also affects everyone around you.

Prevention is Power

In my mid-thirties, my own health wasn’t in a great place. I had multiple risk factors: fatty liver, low oxygen levels, sluggish digestion, poor circulation. My energy was low. I was constantly tired, distracted, and mentally foggy. My confidence took a hit. Even my work suffered. At one point, a body scan told me I had the biological age of someone nearly 50.

It was a wake-up call. And it forced me to ask:
What would I be willing to pay for a healthy body, if I lost mine today?

Too often, we wait until something breaks before we act. Professor Tao, our wise resident physician once told me: “Most people would rather spend on treatment than prevention—because we don’t value what hasn’t yet gone wrong.” That really stuck with me.

My dad had a saying for it in Hokkien, albeit he is not medically trained, which roughly translates to: “Only when diarrhoea comes, then you rush to find the toilet.”

There Is No Pill for Immortality – Only Daily Choices

There’s no magic pill to fix years of neglect. Even in a world powered by AI, there is no substitute for your own daily choices. But here’s the good news: you don’t need a miracle. You just need a starting point.

My health has improved significantly over the past two years. I no longer have those conditions, though I’m still working on my body composition. I didn’t get here with shortcuts. I got here by showing up, staying consistent, and respecting the process.

Avoid turning your health journey into a short-term war. This isn’t about 30-day detoxes or crash diets. Health is an infinite game. You don’t stop at 90 days. You keep going, because your life keeps going.

Your health is the silent partner in your wealth journey. When it declines, so does your ability to create, serve, and provide.

Start Today. Invest in Your Health Like You Would Your Wealth.

Think about it: we understand the power of compounding when it comes to money. The same applies to health. Small, consistent actions, taken daily, build powerful results over time.

Drink more water. Take the stairs. Sleep a little earlier. Get that check-up you’ve been putting off. Bring your family out to nature. Start moving your body. All of it counts.

The Slight Edge principle tells us that success isn’t built in dramatic moments – it’s built in the quiet, daily decisions behind the scenes.

So here’s the question we should all ask:
What small commitment can I make today so that my future self, family and legacy will thank me for?

Because whether it’s your finances or your fitness, the best time to start investing… was yesterday. The second-best time? Right now.

Stay tuned for the next part of this series, where we explore the real cost of “waiting until it’s too late” and how to align your financial planning with your health goals.

 

My journey with Unicorn began through an introduction by my parents, who were close friends with Mr Patrick Tan, the Chairman of Unicorn. Initially, my life lacked direction; I aspired only to secure a stable job and live modestly. This perception shifted dramatically upon engaging with Unicorn, where I realised that even a “simple” life requires substantial family wealth planning.

Unlike most of my peers, my educational journey took an unconventional route. Despite scoring 9 points in secondary school for N-level, a B4 in English prevented me from entering Polytechnic or Junior College via the Polytechnic Foundation Programme route. Consequently, I attended ITE but, after only two months, transitioned to pursue a private diploma at PSB Academy, from which I graduated recently. Throughout this period, I grappled with the fear of falling behind, shaped by society’s traditional narrative: study hard, secure a stable job, earn a decent salary, and live comfortably. My unconventional educational path jeopardised these goals, reinforcing my insecurity about the future until I encountered Unicorn.

My mindset and life perspective underwent a profound change after attending Unicorn’s Job to Entreprofessional (JET) session and Season of Wealth (SOW) event, invited by Alicia, a Unicorn Family Wealth Consultant. A significant turning point was the impactful sharing session by Mr Seow Kek Wee, the Head of Investment Research. Mr Seow’s journey deeply resonated with me; he had previously graduated from NTU, secured a prestigious Audit Manager role at PWC, and earned a six-figure annual salary. Yet, he chose to walk away to pursue a deeper sense of purpose and personal fulfilment. His story sparked my awakening, making me realise that life is not solely about financial stability but about creating value and positively impacting the lives around me.

Within just one month as an intern at Unicorn, I felt integrated into a family rather than merely joining a workplace. My initial expectations of routine office tasks and investment lessons were quickly surpassed. The first lesson I encountered at Unicorn was “弟子规,” highlighting Unicorn’s deep emphasis on character building. While I gained invaluable insights into family wealth planning and investments, the most transformative lessons were those that shaped my character and values, generously imparted by my mentors.

A pivotal conversation with my mentor, Ms Chua Hui Xin, Unicorn’s newly appointed Chief People Officer, further reshaped my perspective. Hui Xin challenged my fixation on formal education, asserting that academic achievements only matter significantly if one genuinely loves studying or aspires to specialised government roles. Reflecting on my motivations, I realised I neither enjoyed nor genuinely valued formal studies, having always believed practical experience to be more relevant.

Hui Xin’s profound insights prompted me to reconsider the deeply ingrained employee mindset fostered by society and my upbringing. She highlighted that many pursue degrees merely as credentials to secure employment, rather than genuinely absorbing and applying knowledge. Emphasising continuous, practical learning (学习), Hui Xin illustrated the critical difference between accumulating theoretical knowledge (学) and effectively applying and reflecting upon it (习). This practical wisdom resonated deeply, encapsulated by the meaningful phrase from 弟子规: “古人云：不力行，但学文，长浮华，成何人？但力行，不学文，任己见，昧理真。” (If one learns without practicing, the knowledge becomes superficial; if one acts without learning, one acts blindly without understanding.)

This realisation illuminated the value of character over academic qualifications. Hui Xin posed an impactful scenario: would an employer prefer a highly educated yet unhelpful employee or one less formally educated but proactively supportive and eager to learn? The answer was clear, underscoring the primacy of character and proactive learning.

Today, I profoundly cherish my transformative journey with Unicorn. It was here that I found genuine mentorship, invaluable life lessons, meaningful purpose, and unwavering self-belief. I have come to embrace my unconventional path, not as a setback but as a distinctive strength. Unicorn has gifted me not just financial knowledge but a clearer, deeper understanding of life’s true essence. My gratitude for Unicorn runs deep, and my commitment to this journey is unwavering; it is a lifelong promise I am honoured to fulfil.

I decided to be certified as an Estate Planner (Wills & Trusts) in January 2024.

I made the decision to get certified after a health scare in late 2022. I was relieved that I finally wrote my will during Covid lock-down. And this was after procrastinating for 3 years!

I was comforted that should I have walked out of life at that juncture, the only grief my family had to overcome was an emotional one. They wouldn’t be beset with a financial one too.

It was this unfortunate (or fortunate, depending on the angle you take) incident, that gave me the impetus to take this next step in my professional practice.

After working on close to 25 wills and estate plans in the past 14 months, I have had a few reflections and realisations. Most of them centre around life, human nature and their relationship with money.

I will share one that strikes a chord in me, and will save the rest for future postings when the opportunities arise.

In my view, when there is trust between you and your loved ones, the main (or sole, if you wish) purpose of a will, is to make things easy for them after you have departed from this life. Convenience and clarity of intent are the reasons why you should still write a will.

On the contrary, if there is minimal or no trust, your will serves the role of ensuring stability and family order. It ensures that the distribution goes according to your wishes and leaves little to the imagination.

Many discussions with my clients gave me a window into their inner world, and how they view their relationships with their family. You would be surprised how little trust some of them have in their loved ones. This can be the case even though things look rosy and great from the outside. Of course, more often than not, there are many clients who share their distribution plans with love and warmth.

I also come to see the fine difference between loving someone, and trusting him or her. They don’t have to come hand in hand. Best if they do, but often they are not.

As an estate planner, i understand even more now, about the value and importance of trust among people. It is a foundational piece in human relationship.

As Confucius said: Without trust, we cannot stand.
孔子曰：人无信不立 ，业无信不兴，国无信则衰

It is this realisation that fuels my desire to continue upgrading myself as both a family wealth consultant, and an estate planner. I am now even more aware of the critical role i play in my investors’ life. I am the guardian and shepherd of their finances — up to their death. It is indeed, as my mentor always reminded me of, a life-long journey.

My investors and clients are the ones who took the first step to trust me at the start of their partnership with me. I should not take that for granted.

Trust is essential for healthy relationships — whether familial, social or business. It is a fundamental virtue.

A good friend will bail you out of jail. A best friend will be in the cell next to you, saying, “Damn, that was fun!”

We’ve been through it all together — from dancing in the same primary school at age 7, to attending the same university, studying the same course, and staying in the same hostel. We’ve played together, studied together, exercised together, and celebrated countless Christmas and New Year’s Eves. We skipped classes together after late-night dance practices and even married our first boyfriends. (Different guys, of course!)

She’s been my best friend for more than 30 years. She’s the one who delivered meals to my hostel room when I was sick, offered a shoulder to cry on when I fell out of love, and supported my decision when I considered switching careers. She was also my first investor when I started this career, trusting me with her finances despite my limited knowledge at the time.

As I advanced in my career, becoming a Certified Advanced Financial Planner and Business Leader, she celebrated every milestone with me. She referred her closest friends and family to me and reminded me to keep my LinkedIn profile updated so she could connect me with quality candidates.

This career has deepened my relationships with friends. The trust they placed in me has been my greatest motivation to keep progressing. It has given me the opportunity to reconnect with long-lost friends and build stronger bonds as I walk alongside them in their life journeys.

Because of my profession, friends have shared their most personal matters with me — things they may not even share with their closest loved ones. Through this work, I’ve witnessed friendships grow between myself and my investors. Many of them came to me as investors, but over time, they’ve become friends who truly appreciate the time and care I dedicate to crafting their blueprint.

It’s an honor to be the guardian of my investors’ finances. I look forward to celebrating our shared successes, aging gracefully, and enjoying our golden years together.

Certified Advanced Financial Planner (CAFP)

The CAFP designation represents a mark of distinction earned by a select few within our firm who have demonstrated exceptional technical proficiency, strategic thinking, and commitment to investor success.

Out of the hundreds of professionals trained over the years, only three have attained this rigorous certification—testament to the high standards and deep expertise required. CAFPs are often called upon by fellow practitioners across the firm to support key investor engagements, where they conduct in-depth financial diagnostics and develop tailor-made blueprints with solutions that are both precise and easy for investors to embrace.

In addition to their advisory role, CAFPs also lead the development of internal training curriculum, and set a strong example through the way they run their professional practices.

The CAFP designation is not an exam-based certification—it is a recognition earned through real, on-the-ground experience. It affirms those who have consistently walked alongside investors, helping them navigate complex financial challenges with clarity and care. More than a title, it’s a validation of meaningful impact, earned through mileage, not just modules.