What made you embark on this venture choice?
Before going into the real estate industry I was a highly paid offshore surveyor. But I was retrenched in the recession of 1986. With no education qualification (I was a Secondary 2 dropout) and no other employable experience I had nowhere to go, while my expenses were piling up. A friend invited me to join his reale state company. With no other options I started from nothing again and went into real estate selling. I just started learning from the bottom and in a short period of time become one of the top producers in the industry. So I thought it is an industry that allows you to achieve your dreams if you put in the effort. When it comes the time to set up my own business, it was natural to choose the real estate industry.

How does your business work?
We recruit people from the public who are interested to become a professional agent and train them to be good in what they do. Once they are trained we provide them with the support that they need to make their work easier. All new agents will be assigned a manager that will guide them to excel in what they do. We will then get a percentage of their sales commissions. So the more they make the more we make. Our success is tied very closely to their success.

Did you have the capital to start the business or did you have to borrow from someone to get started?
Before starting the company I was already doing pretty well as an agent myself. So I used what I have saved to start the business.

Do your parents have their own businesses too? Have they inspired you in one way or another?
No, my parents do not own a business. They didn't influenced me too much in this area as I was living with my grandparents.

What was your childhood dream? When did you decide that you would strike out on your own instead of working for someone else?
When I was younger I wanted to become a teacher... because they get lots of holidays! I grew up as a happy-go-lucky type of person. I didn't have any big goals or dreams. I just wanted to enjoy life. But then circumstances forced me to take a different path. Along the way my purpose and goals in life changed drastically. I learnt from a lot mentors, gurus and masters in their fields, and I wanted to achieve bigger goals in my life. So it's a combination of circumstances and the influence from my mentors that spurred me to become an entrepreneur.

Why does someone decide to be on their own rather than join an existing company?
I think a big reason is self actualization. They wanted to achieve more in their lives. To achieve bigger dreams, rather than just lead a mediocre life. It's about becoming a strong individual.

Are there at any point in your life that you experienced a significant event (WW2, racial riots of the 1960s, the Economic Crisis of the 80s or 90s, SARS, new competition or shifts in market behaviour and trends) which affected or influenced you and your business that made you change the way you think and do your business?
There were many incidents in my life and business that influenced my way of thinking. I believe in continuous learning, so I keep learning from all these challenges. When I was retrenched and had to start from nothing again, I learnt about the value of saving and not taking things for granted. There was a time when a legal advisor working for my company left the company and took quite a few of our agents to join another company. Since then I learn more about trusting the right people. When the market become more competitive and especially crisis such as SARS hit, we learn to become more radical in our marketing. We add much more value to our services for our clients and stand out from the crowd.

What are some of the challenges in starting a business from scratch?
There are of course many challenges when you are starting from scratch. You have to have the expertise, know how to market and sell, understanding the clients, managing the staff and many more. Too many people want to become an entrepreneur but are stopped because they don't have the capital to start. That is actually one of the simplest challenges they are going to face as an entrepreneur. If they can't get over that small hurdle, it'll be dangerous for them to go into business. Businesses are created based on ideas, not based on money. Businesses created with bad ideas and lots of capital will eventually still die. But businesses based on great ideas will always be able to attract the capital needed to fund it. I think one of the biggest challenge in a business is to create an effective and efficient business system that works without you. It means that you need to create a system so that if you are not in the office, even for a long period of time, the business will still continue to function and grow.

Who/What motivates you?
Competitors, changes in the market and the economy motivate me to keep striving to become better.

Tell me about the first few customers and the first few years of business.
I started my company with 10 agents. They were my original clients. One of them, Chris Koh, has since became the Director of my company. The initial years were great! We were growing very fast because we had high quality service, especially our famous sales training for the agents was unique and very different from what was available in the market. Till now our company\'s sales training is still highly acclaimed in the market.

Please tell me some stories of your best day in business or your proudest achievement to date.
There were several proud moments in my life so far. In recognition for contributing to the real estate industry, I was conferred the title of Honorary Doctor of Business by Kennedy-Western University, USA in 1999. That was a big deal as I was only a Secondary 2 dropout, and yet I received my PhD. In 2000, the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (ASME) awarded me with the Top 12 Entrepreneur of the Year award. I was also awarded the Lifelong Learning Award 2002, presented to me by President S.R. Nathan, due to my commitment to continuous learning. My company was also one of the 20 winners of the Singapore Promising Brand Award 2002, making it the first and only real estate company in Singapore to have won this award. In 2003, we were also awarded the Superbrands status alongside other international brands. The award recognizes the company as one of the leading brands in Singapore.

Do you recall your worst day in business? Have you ever felt like giving up?
There was a time when we need to change our commision structure according to the market changes. Some of our agents boycotted the idea and the company. That was really a bad period. Eventually we worked things out and moved on to achieve higher successes! I never really felt like giving up. But there were times when I got very frustrated and angry with the situation. That was when the people around me made a difference and together we found the solutions to move forward.

When was the moment you realised the business would work and support you?
It was when the industry started talking about our unique and highly effective training courses. Our company's brand was also getting known by the general public. That showed that the business was growing.

What are some of the things you have had to overcome to succeed?
I was just a Secondary 2 dropout. That was a disadvantage for me because other people seemed to learn faster than me. Also when I was starting, I was getting a lot of negative comments from the industry as I didn't have any management background or skills. But I managed to turn my weak points to my strong points. Because I was a dropout, I commit myself to continous learning. I keep learning from many different experts and so I become better. On the other hand, many people who have high educational qualification tend to think that they know everything, and they stop learning. When your learning stops, your earning stops.

What are some qualities that you feel you possess which differentiate you from someone who works for others?
I am highly enthusiastic and motivated. With whatever I do, I do it with enthusiasm. Another quality is my willingness to listen and learn from other experts. I strongly believe in continuous learning and this has benefited me tremendously.

To succeed in business, what qualities are essential? What are some of the secrets in making a successful business?
It is important not to be arrogant in business. There must always be give and take to a certain extend. Be flexible, especially when you are providing a service. You also have to be genuine and trustworthy to make others like you and trust you. In business it's about having integrity. And of course, keep learning from other experts.

Who or what inspires you?
It is very inspiring when our agents do well by practising what we have taught. The satisfaction of knowing that we have help them achieve their next level of goals is very sweet.

Have you ever thought of expanding the business in some way or in multiple locations? How and where?
Yes, our training and business system are very popular. We have been approached by several interested parties to expand out into the region. We are currently exploring expansion possibilities in several areas within the region such as Malaysia, Thailand and China.

What aspects of expansion would you like to see for your enterprise?
We aim to expand regionally and become a household name by working closely with our network of partners. We will take consistent and committed actions towards creating a strong brand and a highly recognisable image for Dennis Wee Group and our partners.

In your opinion, how would you define entrepreneurship?
To me, an entrepreneur is someone who creates a product / service and make it unique and profitable. Entrepreneurship is about creativity and persistence, never giving up.

To what extent does one's educational level help or hinder entrepreneurial-ship?
Education is important in growing a business. But formal education you get from school is just one type of education. There are many other types of education that you need to learn to succeed in the real world. So continue learning and growing. It is important to learn from someone who has done it before, an expert, a practioner, and not just a theoretical lecturer.

As we try to select the final 41 entrepreneurs, what qualities would you think a person should have to inspire others?
To inspire others I think it's very important for someone to have great ATTITUDE. Attitude can make or break success. On top of positive attitude you must have enthusiasm, knowledge and skill.

What are some of your own values in doing business and what do you like to pass down to others, particularly the younger generation?
I think it is important for people to be honest and have integrity. Even more when you are in business. Also, you have to provide exceptional service, add value and be a problem solver. Have the courage to start and follow through. Continue to learn by attending courses. Learn from other experts.

What advice would you give young people who want to start their own business?
Starting a business is very difficult. You have to undergo the rigours of starting and surviving the business. The first few months are the toughest. If you can make it through the first few months, then your business will have a high chance of survival. You must always strive to be the best in whatever field you choose. Take calculated risks, without which your business would not prosper. Armed yourself with the necessary skills and knowledge required for the type of business you are starting.

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