Benjamin Loh, CSP

Professional Speakers Australia - PSA

Conferred by the National Speakers Association, the CSP is the speaking profession’s international measure of professional platform competence by which speakers become a Certified Speaking Professional.

About 12 percent of the 5,000 + speakers worldwide, who belong to the 13 member associations of the Global Speakers Federation, currently hold this professional designation.

The Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) designation is earned through demonstrating competence in professional standards: Platform skills, Business management, Education and Association

Information provided by the National Speakers Association based in the United States of America. The Professional Speakers Association of Australia also grants Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) status with similar (but different) standards of its American counterpart.

Statistics are estimated as of July 2017

Certified Speaking Professional (CSP®)

Flare Communications Coaching Pte Ltd.

Flare Communications Coaching Pte Ltd (201416605R) is a boutique executive coaching outfit dedicated to uplift the communications standards in Asia and help our clients deliver more impact and derive more returns from their communications.

We believe in business-backed outcomes and authenticity, not just plainly "informing" or "entertaining" your audiences. As a Public Speaking Coach, if you're delivering presentations and speeches but not getting the kind of sales results or conversions you want, we will work with you to increase the ROI of these engagements and have prospects convert to paying clients through a proven and tested system of presenting.

Clientele includes executives, directors and C-level executives from leading organizations like AIA, MOE, IBM, DHL, ERA, Barclays Capital, Deloitte Consulting US, Ernst & Young, NTUC, Franklin Templeton Investments, USAID, Lend Lease Group, Walton International Group and Le Xin Group.

We run tailored and customized public speaking programs for your key executives so they can maximize the returns from every speaking opportunity that falls into your pipeline.

Managing Director, Lead Public Speaking Coach

NewCampus

Host for Class - Pitch Your Way To The Top

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NewCampus is making learning a lifestyle through community and convenience.
We believe that lifelong learning, genuine human connections, enriching experiences and a broad view of the world is key to thriving in the new world today.

NewCampus Class Host (APAC)

The Huffington Post

Accepted and invited onboard as a Contributor on The Huffington Post platform. Articles center around career development, Millennials, young professionals, public speaking & presentation skills.

Huffington Post Contributor

Startupbootcamp FinTech

Onboarded as a Mentor (Pitch Coach) for Startup Bootcamp Fintech in 2017. Previously served as the Pitch Coach for the inaugural class in 2015.

Mentor

Served as the inaugural Pitch Coach to 11 early-mid stage financial technology (Fin Tech) start-up founders of Startupbootcamp FinTech class in Singapore who were seeking funding in quantum range of $250M to $1.2M USD. My job was to ensure clarity and impact of the investment and business pitches for the founders as they prepare for their Demo Day in July 2015 to over 500 industry practitioners, venture capitalists, investors and government officials. This class of founders comprised former bankers (from GS, CS, BoA) with over 10-15 years of banking experience, consultants, traders and financial professionals.

For more information about Startupbootcamp, Europe's leading accelerator program for startups, visit http://www.startupbootcamp.org/.

Official Pitch Coach

Speaker's Flare Training & Consultancy

Speaker's Flare Training & Consultancy (UEN: 53193779L) was founded in June 2011 with the vision of empowering individuals to shine brilliantly on stage by being their truest selves. As Public Speaking Coaches, We work with clients who desire to thrive on stage; increasing sales, raising investment funding and delivering solid effective pitches are what we specialize in.

Till date, we've worked with over 50 clients individually through executive coaching and trained over 1,500 clients in workshop setting. we've been fortunate and thankful to work with individuals from leading corporations including AIA, MOE, IBM, DHL, ERA, Barclays Capital, Deloitte Consulting US, Ernst & Young, NTUC, Franklin Templeton Investments, USAID, Lend Lease Group, Walton International Group and Le Xin Group.

Through our customized public speaking and presentation skills training program, we have empowered our clients to reap immense returns from their speaking engagements.

Founder, Principal Trainer, Lead Public Speaking Coach

Seedly

Seedly Personal Finance Festival 2021 is Singapore's biggest personal finance festival ran digitally for 2021 and has garnered over 5,000 paying #millennial attendees. It also involves over 50 speakers from ARK Invest, 99.co, The Woke Salaryman, Franklin Templeton, Providend, DollarsAndSense, StashAway, EndowUs, Syfe and many more!

Our role as the 'Official Learning Partner' involves preparing the 2 founders of Seedly Singapore to deliver their keynote speeches, 8 moderators, 2 workshop speakers and 2 event emcees to take the stage with effectiveness and authenticity as their Public Speaking & Presenting Coach.

Official Learning Partner (Seedly Personal Finance Festival 2021) 

China-ASEAN New Smart City Innovation & Entrepreneurship Competition (ASEAN Division)

One Pitch. Breaking Borders

This groundbreaking China-ASEAN New Smart City Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition is back for the 3rd year in 2020! We’re calling for the best ASEAN innovation startups who are seeking opportunities to break beyond their borders.

This is your opportunity to pitch your way into China!

The world is facing a different kind of normal and borders have shut indefinitely. As a result, this competition aims to provide a different kind of Value to startups.

Other than attractive prize monies to be won, we also strive to offer the best smart city Startups access to highly strategic networks, turn ideas into sought-after solutions, and opportunities to break into new markets!

This competition is hosted by the Nanning Municipal D&R Commission and the Nanning Foreign Affairs Office, and organised by CloudBae Big Data Industry Development Co. Ltd.

The ASEAN Division is organised by The 2B Compass Pte Ltd, and co-organised by *SCAPE Co. Ltd and Singapore University of Social Sciences.

Like and Follow us on our Official Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/chinaaseancomp

Head of Mentoring Growth

Singapore Management University

Appointed as a Career Consultant for undergraduates at the Dato' Kho Hui Meng Career Centre. Specialist in communication skills and mentoring undergraduates to speak and present powerfully during key moments like interviews, career assessment centres and pitch competitions.

Career Consultant with Dato'​ Kho Hui Meng Career Centre

Thousand Network Asia (Singapore)

Thousand Network is a global community of young people who live on the edge. We cook up molecular gastronomy, perform pop sonatas, build social empires, and craft radical policy. Scattered across 40 cities on 5 continents, we are bound by our curiosity and creativity. The world is our lab, and we were born to discover what’s possible. Altruism is our currency, and we prosper by aiding each other’s growth. Collectively we can do more with our time on (and off) this planet.

Local affiliated hubs around the world select exceptional young people under 30 as members, and empower them to achieve greater impact through the network. We are one such hub based in Singapore, and we spearhead the Thousand Network presence in Asia.

As the Hub Ambassador, I work with my co-Ambassador, Tim, to grow Thousand's membership and further our vision of bringing tomorrow's leaders together, one event at a time.

Hub Ambassador

Growing up as an introvert and serial bully victim, putting myself out there has certainly not been my thing. 

Yet when I decided to pursue my dream as a professional speaker and coach as an accounting college student, I had to learn how to build online influence well. 

A decade later, I’ve been blessed to serve a Fortune 500 life insurance corporation as their Millennials and Social Media Engagement Consultant. 

Here are some "top-line" achievements: 

🌟 Keynote Speaker for Asia Pacific Life Insurance Congress (APLIC), MDRT Day ID, KL & SG 2019-2022 - teach the very strategies that have grown my global speaking business over the past 12 years - from a $500 paid-up capital by 1,000x (annual rev)

🌟 Strategic Growth Coach to the Top Agency Leaders in SG, MY, ID, HK. Currently the "Outsourced CMO" to a $20+M Agency in Singapore, reigning as the Top Group. 

🌟 Taught >57,000 audiences across 10 countries in Asia and Middle East. As of 2020, I've been accorded the Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), an accolade for the top 12% of speakers globally. 

🌟 Featured over 70x on local and regional media (TV, radio, newspaper) like Channel News Asia (CNA), Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK), The Huffington Post, and more. 

🌟 Trusted and engaged by global corporations like AIA, Atradius, Coface, DB Schenker, MSC Shipping, Porsche Asia Pacific, Prudential, Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), the Saudi Arabia Kingdom (SAK) government etc.

All without spending on paid advertisement, but by pure organic engagement and attraction.

If you're a top life insurance agency decision-maker, you know it’s harder to attract talents.

The old rules - a numbers game - it was effective, but no longer. ❌

You need to be #𝗧𝗼𝗽𝗼𝗳𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱, but maybe are facing these challenges:

😪 Confused by the mixed messages on how to build your online influence well 

😪 Lost and frustrated after months of "posting content" that doesn't move the needle one bit 

😪  Time and resource-poor because you're tied up with strategic growth of your agency

There is a better way and it doesn’t involve you doing more or becoming someone you are not. 

I can help you: 

🚀 BE AWARE - So your personal brand is seen by your ideal talents and have you be in their radars consistently 

🚀 BE ATTRACTIVE - Leverage organic social content to draw talent to you and the right ones!  

🚀 BE AMPLIFIED - Leverage the right audiences to be a prominent choice

🎁 Connect with me and let's discover how we can make you relevant to your talents of today!

When it comes to learning, many corporations just check the boxes blindly. 

This client is different. They made my head turn 🤔


Last Friday, I taught a group of corporate bankers.

It was my usual spiel:

💰 Why posting on LinkedIn can raise your reputation and increase buy-in, internally and externally

💰 What you can do to overcome your fear of attention and inhibitions that hold you back

💰 How you can start building a Content 365 system that allows you to show up...

Authentically and effectively.

But there's always one missing link.


Leadership from inside. 

A lot of times corporate programs are designed and even, delivered with the best of intentions.

But there are so many reasons why learning programs fail:

❌ It's organized poorly with no internal set-up and competing with other business priorities

❌ It's not in sync with the organization, team and leadership's goals and desired outcomes

❌ The leaders think it's a "good program to run" but they don't show up or champion it.

Good monies spent. But little to no results or follow-through.  😔


Last Friday, I was inspired.

Together with Paul Kan 简毅辉 , Country Head, Business Banking Singapore at UOB Singapore and his learning leads, Adrian Yan and Michelle Liang, we conducted a 1-day program for their front and middle office A-teams.

I shared with their leaders to build your personal brand and be #topofmind in their industry. 🏆

At the end of the program, I was surprised.

Paul stood forward and rallied everyone with his intention behind building activity on LinkedIn. 

He got everyone to do the fundamentals of adding each other on the platform to even, setting the goal of their first post (some of them, 1st post in years!!) on LinkedIn. 

Over the weekend, we saw over a dozen posts coming through - some getting over 10-25x engagement increase and conversations! 🎁

The energy was just palpable and inspiring. 


If there's anything to learn from Paul and his team, it's championing and leadership.

We want our people to learn and apply what we've learnt. We got to drive these agendas like they truly matter.

Not lip service or "you do, I'll just watch you".

Don't you agree? 

#topofmind #leadership #clarity

LinkedIn Top Voice in SG To Follow (2024) | I help top life insurance leaders and service professionals in Asia grow their brand and influence and be #TopofMind | Millennial Dad | Top 12% Global Speaker

Dear 8-year-old Ben 👋🏻

You may not believe it. But I like you to know:


Life is still quite a popularity game. 
You don't do quite well at it. 
And that's perfectly okay.

Your mind and life decisions are often questionable.
People around you may not always support you.
And that's perfectly okay.

The path throws you curved balls and bouts of pain and hurt.
There are moments you lose faith in people and yourself.
And that's perfectly okay. 


The 8-year-old Ben asks,
"How can all these be okay, Ben? Stop your toxic positivity!"
(Okay, this term hasn't been picked up yet) 


Well, the 38-year-old Ben can tell you with assurance.

🍀 You are still not popular or widely known. 

But you've become relevantly celebrated for your deep value and expertise. You are paid to teach in over 20 global cities by dream corporation client and some truly successful individuals.

Through your work, they have found their voices and make their impact felt and realized. 

🍀 You haven't gotten it all right. 

But in Chinese wisdom, they'd say (三十而立，四十而不惑 - you find your footing in your 30s and live without doubt in your 40s). 

Most importantly, you still remain in search of what matters to you.

🍀 You haven't sold your company with a 8/9-figures pay-day with a Pina-colada in your hand. 

But you've brought a 4+ year old toddler into this world with your wife and, sold him the belief that life has meaning and worth. 

While you're at that, you're learning to nurture and heal your inner child too. 

---

Keep growing, I'll see you on the other side!

#weekends #life #reflections

Who said you need to have it all figured out by 30, 40, or even 50?

Seriously, who made the rules?


It’s easy to feel like you’re falling behind.

You scroll through LinkedIn, and it seems like everyone is crushing it.

Fancy titles, dream jobs, and picture-perfect lives.

And then there’s you... still figuring things out.

Here’s something I’ve learned:

👉 Life isn’t a race. 
💡 It’s a journey, and everyone’s path looks different.

Take Colonel Sanders, for example.
At 30, he was fired from multiple jobs and failed at several businesses.
At 40, he was running a gas station and selling chicken on the side.
At 65, with just $105 in his pocket, he started franchising Kentucky Fried Chicken.
By 75, KFC was a global empire.

Or Oprah Winfrey.
At 23, she was removed from her news reporter job for being "too emotional" for hard news.
At 29, she became the host of a local talk show, immediately making it a local hit.
At 32, she had launched The Oprah Winfrey Show,
By 40: she was one of the most influential and successful media personalities in the world.

And let’s not forget J.K. Rowling.
At 30, she was a single mother living on welfare, struggling to make ends meet.
At 31, she finished writing Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
At 32, she faced rejection from 12 publishers before Bloomsbury finally accepted her manuscript.
By 35, she had become one of the most successful authors in the world.

These stories aren’t exceptions.

They’re proof that success doesn’t follow a universal timeline.

Reminders that your timeline is yours alone.

So, if you’re feeling “behind,” here’s what I want you to remember:
✅ Stop comparing your Chapter 3 to someone else’s Chapter 20.

You don’t know the struggles they faced to get there.

✅ Focus on progress, not perfection. 

Small, consistent steps compound into big wins over time.

✅ Celebrate your own milestones. 

Whether it’s learning a new skill, overcoming a fear, or simply showing up.
Every step forward matters.

You’re not late.
You’re not failing.
You’re simply on your own timeline.

And that’s exactly where you’re meant to be.

👉 How about you? What’s one thing you’ve learned about trusting your journey?

P.s. ✍🏻 I am Benjamin Loh, CSP, a strategic growth coach and consultant who has taught over 65,000 leaders in over 20 global cities and constructed some of the leading icons (TOT, Award Winners) in the financial industry in Asia through the power of authentic storytelling and authority building.

💪 Follow me for personal brand and growth insights.

#growthmindset #personaldevelopment #lifelessons #motivation #business

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If you're introverted, this is for you.

Your quiet nature isn’t a weakness, 

it’s your superpower.

For years, I thought I needed to be louder to succeed. 

→ Speak up more. 
→ Act more extroverted. 
→ Be someone I wasn’t.

But here’s what I’ve learned: 
→ People don’t buy into loudness.
→ They buy into authenticity.

Your quiet nature? 
→ That’s your strength.

The world remembers you for being real, 
not for being loud.

Do you agree? 
Share your thoughts below 👇🏻

P.s. ✍🏻 I am Benjamin Loh, CSP, a strategic growth coach and consultant who has taught over 65,000 leaders in over 20 global cities and constructed some of the leading icons (TOT, Award Winners) in the financial industry in Asia through the power of authentic storytelling and authority building.

💪 Follow me for personal brand and growth insights.

#authenticity #personalbranding #selfimprovement #confidence #financialadvisor

Your personality is your superpower.

The more you lean into it, the harder you are to replace.

When I first started, I thought success was about blending in.

→ Offering the best services
→ Following the trends
→ and sounding “professional.” 

But here’s what I learned: 
→ People don’t connect with perfection. 
→ They connect with authenticity.

Your quirks? 
→ They’re not weaknesses, they’re what make you memorable. 

Your story? 
→ It’s the reason people will trust you. 

Your perspective? 
→ That’s your competitive edge.

In a crowded market, the easiest way to stand out is to stop trying to fit in. 

The more of you that you bring to the table, the harder you are to replace.

So, here’s your reminder: 
Don’t water yourself down. Or be a moniker. 
Show up as the real, unfiltered YOU. 

That’s what people are waiting for.

👉 What’s one thing that makes you, you?
Let me know in the comments 🤝

P.s. ✍🏻 I am Benjamin Loh, CSP, a strategic growth coach and consultant who has taught over 65,000 leaders in over 20 global cities and constructed some of the leading icons (TOT, Award Winners) in the financial industry in Asia through the power of authentic storytelling and authority building.

💪 Follow me for personal brand and growth insights.

#personalbrand #personalbranding #businessgrowth  #coaching

Have you ever felt like you’re wearing someone else’s shoes?

Like no matter how hard you try, they just don’t fit?

In the early days of my career, I was obsessed. 

Obsessed with how others spoke, how they dressed, and how they carried themselves. 

I thought, If I could just copy them, I’d be successful too.

I studied everything. 

How they opened their speeches. 
How they moved their hands. 
Even the colors of their suits. 

I was so focused on being like them that I forgot to ask myself: 
"Who am I?"

The truth is, the more I copied, the more I lost myself. 
I wasn’t connecting with people. 
I wasn’t even connecting with myself.

It wasn’t until I stopped and asked, "What’s my truth?" that things started to change. 

For me, my truth was this:

I used to be bullied. 
I was scared to speak up. 

But I found the courage to communicate. 
And now, I help others find their voice too.

When I started showing up as myself, everything shifted. 

People didn’t connect with me because I was perfect. 
They connected because I was real.

Here’s what I want you to know:
👉 You don’t need to copy anyone to succeed.
👉 Your story, your voice, and your truth are enough.
👉 The moment you embrace who you are, people will notice.

So, let me ask you:
Have you ever felt like you had to be someone else to succeed?

I’d love to hear your story.

P.s. ✍🏻 I am Benjamin Loh, CSP, a strategic growth coach and consultant who has taught over 65,000 leaders in over 20 global cities and constructed some of the leading icons (TOT, Award Winners) in the financial industry in Asia through the power of authentic storytelling and authority building.

💪 Follow me for personal brand and growth insights.

#entrepreneurlife #coach #growth #personaldevelopment

The biggest barrier to your success isn't lack of experience ❌

It's lack of permission.

I once coached a banking pro with 24 years of experience. 
✔️ Smart guy 
✔️ Tons of knowledge.

But when we talked about sharing content, he froze.
"Do you think I'm qualified to share this?"

This hit me hard.

The most experienced people doubt themselves the most. 

They think everyone knows what they know.

But here's what I see:
→ Your "basic" knowledge is someone's breakthrough. 
→ Your everyday experience is their missing piece. 
→ Your 5 years is someone else's goal.

The problem isn't your expertise.
💡 It's giving yourself permission to share it.

How many years of experience do you have in your field?

P.s. ✍🏻 I am Benjamin Loh, CSP, a strategic growth coach and consultant who has taught over 65,000 leaders in over 20 global cities and constructed some of the leading icons (TOT, Award Winners) in the financial industry in Asia through the power of authentic storytelling and authority building.

💪 Follow me for personal brand and growth insights.

#personalbranding #goals #entrepreneurship #impostersyndrome #financialadvisor

For 10 years, I was a victim of bullying at my boys' school. 

It crushed me, but it also taught me something that changed my life forever.

👉🏻 I feel safest when I have control over my environment.

Today, I lead a team of 7-8 incredible individuals across Indonesia and the Philippines. 

Building this team has given me the autonomy and sense of safety I once craved.

And it’s allowed me to thrive in ways I never thought possible.

Here’s the biggest takeaway from my journey:
💡 Our deepest wounds can become our greatest teachers.

How about you? What past experience shaped your career choices?

P.s. ✍🏻 I am Benjamin Loh, CSP, a strategic growth coach and consultant who has taught over 65,000 leaders in over 20 global cities and constructed some of the leading icons (TOT, Award Winners) in the financial industry in Asia through the power of authentic storytelling and authority building.

💪 Follow me for personal brand and growth insights.

#growth #personalbrand #financialadvisor #entrepreneur

I used to think leadership was about teaching skills.

Until I realized, I had it all wrong.

I thought I was helping people by showing them HOW.
→ How to close a deal.
→ How to follow a process.
→ How to use the latest tools.

For years, I believed mastering these was enough.

But over time, I’ve learned something important.
💡 Skills alone don’t move the needle.

I’ve worked with many financial advisors and leaders across Asia.

And the pattern is always the same.
→ The ones who thrive aren’t just the most skilled.
→ They’re the ones who believe they can succeed.

And here’s the thing: 
💡 Belief doesn’t come naturally for most people.

I remember coaching a team leader who was struggling.

She had all the technical knowledge and strategies.
→ But her team wasn’t performing.

When we dug deeper, the issue became clear.
→ Her agents didn’t believe they could achieve their goals.

So, we shifted the focus.

Instead of just training them on strategies, she DID more.

→ She showed them what they were capable of.
→ She celebrated their small wins.
→ She reminded them of their strengths.
→ She made them feel seen.

And the results?

Her team didn’t just hit their targets,
✨ They exceeded them ✨

That’s the power of belief ✨

When people believe in themselves:
→ They take ownership.
→ They push past fear.
→ They stop seeing limits and start seeing possibilities.

As leaders, it’s easy to focus on the what and the how.

💡 But don’t forget the WHY.
→ Why should your team believe in themselves?
→ Why should they believe in you?

Because at the end of the day, skills get the job done.

But belief?
→ Belief turns potential into performance.

💬 So, what’s one thing you do to help your team grow?

P.s. ✍🏻 I am Benjamin Loh, CSP, a strategic growth coach and consultant who has taught over 65,000 leaders in over 20 global cities and constructed some of the leading icons (TOT, Award Winners) in the financial industry in Asia through the power of authentic storytelling and authority building.

💪 Follow me for personal brand and growth insights.

#leadership #growth #coaching #businessgrowth #financialadvisor

Most people think they need better content strategies.

But I've coached hundreds of leaders. Here's what people often missed 👇🏻

→ The real block isn't technical.

→ It's your relationship with attention.

In Asia, we're taught "don't stand out" from young. 

In Japan, they say 
"the nail that sticks up gets hammered down."

So when it's time to build your brand, you freeze.

Not because you don't know what to post.

Because deep down, you're scared of being seen.

You think: 
"What will people say?" 
"I don't want to seem arrogant." 
"Someone will judge me."

Here's the truth:
💡 Personal branding is 20% strategy, 80% mindset.

Until you fix your relationship with attention, 
no amount of tips will help.

What's your biggest fear about putting yourself out there?

P.s. ✍🏻 I am Benjamin Loh, CSP, a strategic growth coach and consultant who has taught over 65,000 leaders in over 20 global cities and constructed some of the leading icons (TOT, Award Winners) in the financial industry in Asia through the power of authentic storytelling and authority building.

💪 Follow me for personal brand and growth insights.

#personalbrand #confidence #growth #coaching #career #financialadvisor

You already have the answers to your success.

But you're just too scared to ask for them.

Every time I close a deal, I ask two questions: 
✨ "How did you find me?" 
and
✨ "Why did you choose me over others?"

Most people skip the second question.

👉🏻 They're terrified of the answer.

But here's what I learned:
✔️ Your clients chose you for a reason. 
✔️ They saw something that made you stand out. 
✔️ They have the blueprint to your success.

And you're ignoring it.

The feedback you avoid is the strategy you need.
The answers you fear hold your next breakthrough.

The clients who picked you know exactly why you win.

Stop being scared of your own success.

Have you ever asked a client why they chose you?

P.s. ✍🏻 I am Benjamin Loh, CSP, a strategic growth coach and consultant who has taught over 65,000 leaders in over 20 global cities and constructed some of the leading icons (TOT, Award Winners) in the financial industry in Asia through the power of authentic storytelling and authority building.

💪 Follow me for personal brand and growth insights.

#businessgrowth #mindset #business #coaching #entrepreneur #financialadvisor

Success comes with a price. 

The question is, are you PAYING attention to it?

Years ago, I was chasing success with everything I had. 

I worked long hours, 
said yes to every opportunity, 
and pushed myself to the limit. 

On the outside, it looked like I was thriving. 

But on the inside? 

I was exhausted.

I told myself this was the price of success. 

Sleepless nights, constant pressure, and sacrifices were all part of it. 

But one day, I hit a wall.

I remember sitting in my office, staring at my laptop, completely drained. 

I had achieved so much, but I felt empty. 

I realized I was chasing a version of success that wasn’t even mine. 

I was so focused on proving myself to others that I forgot to ask: 
"What does success mean to me?"

Here’s what I’ve learned about the emotional cost of success:
1️⃣ Success without alignment feels hollow.
→ If your goals don’t match your values, it won’t feel fulfilling.
→ I had to redefine success for myself. It’s no longer about external validation. 
→ It’s about creating impact and staying true to who I am.

2️⃣ Rejection and failure are part of the process.
→ I’ve been told “no” more times than I can count. 
→ But every “no” taught me something valuable.
→ Every failure shaped me into who I am today.

3️⃣ You can’t pour from an empty cup.
→ Burnout isn’t a badge of honor. 
→ It’s a warning sign. I learned (the hard way) that taking care of myself isn’t selfish. 
→ It’s necessary to keep going.

Today, my definition of success looks very different. 

It’s about balance.
It’s about fulfillment.
It’s about showing up for the people and things that matter most.

So, let me ask you:
👉 Are you chasing a version of success that’s truly yours?
👉 Or are you paying a price you’ll regret later?

Drop your thoughts below 👇🏻 I’d love to hear your perspective.

P.s. ✍🏻 I am Benjamin Loh, CSP, a strategic growth coach and consultant who has taught over 65,000 leaders in over 20 global cities and constructed some of the leading icons (TOT, Award Winners) in the financial industry in Asia through the power of authentic storytelling and authority building.

💪 Follow me for personal brand and growth insights.

#personaldevelopment #selfimprovement #resilience #entrepreneur #growth

"𝘼𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙥𝙪𝙩𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛 𝙞𝙣 𝙖 𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙤𝙣?"

I asked the leaders of Asia's safest bank last week during a personal branding program I taught. 

One of them asked,

"Ben, I am quite introverted. Will this be too "loud" for me to share online?"

I also shared this during an interview with the The Straits Times 

We are telling ourselves stories all the time.

And we end up creating the lives we believe we are deserving of.

What do I mean?

Here's my life stories in snippets:

🤦🏻‍♂️ Got bullied in boys' school for a good decade
🤦🏻‍♂️ Social awkward and never played well in groups
🤦🏻‍♂️ Did well to study Accountancy at Singapore Management University but graduated with a sub-3 GPA
🤦🏻‍♂️ Had an offer to a Big-4 firm but turned it down to do sales
🤦🏻‍♂️ Made 5-figure months as a young graduate and quit prematurely
🤦🏻‍♂️ Zero corporate working experience 

Over the years, I realize there are useful and disempowering beliefs.

For example, many people think introverts are innately "disadvantaged".
⌙ we are quieter, "shy-er", "not loud enough", "not the life of parties".

They then, put themselves in a "prison" and limit what they can do. And who they can be. 

But I choose to embrace useful beliefs.

As an introvert, I'm able to:
🎁 Be more introspective and reflective than the normal
🎁 Learn to observe and engage meaningfully
🎁 Read the room and know how to be more efficient
🎁 Tell my stories well online and offline
🎁 Create curiosity about my work by talking less and when it matters
🎁 Analyze and go deeper in my value delivery (instead of being a superficial entertainer)

With these "superpowers", I've built a brand that sold me upwards of $4M SGD in corporate services and taught over 65,000 leaders in 20+ cities (like Chicago, Sydney, Tokyo, Riyadh and more) and helped build many successful icons in the financial services industry (TOT, Award Winners, Multi Million Dollar Agency Leaders and more). Be on media over 90x, published a book etc.

You can do whatever you want if you choose possibilities and useful belief.

But you'll end up living a much more constricted life if you put yourself in a prison with disempowering beliefs.

The choice is always in your hands.

Speaks to you?

#𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 #𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘁 #entrepreneurship

My answer to this million dollar question -

"How do I stay consistent on social media?"


When your work (or even, survival) thrives on you being on.

And being effective at that.

After coaching over 65,000 leaders in 20+ cities globally in communications and brand building, I can tell you for a certainty:

Most leaders and learners don't stay consistent at social media to reap the value that it can offer.
(Well, even some coaches and trainers too)


Yes, life gets in the way.

And you should be present with your loved ones in certain seasons of your life.

But what builds conviction behind social media activity?


It is when these factors occur:

✅ An overwhelming belief that social media can drive the success of your work
✅ Systems and processes that enable you to stay in "creation mode"
✅ It's already a part of your identity to create and share
✅ You're in an environment that supports and celebrates you doing so

For me, it was a simple (and ugly) Youtube video that landed a corporate client for me.
(I knew, because I asked them how they discovered me) 

The billings over the past years from this one client alone?

>$900+k SGD.

And I know that if I'm efficient and effective at social, business will come. 


What about you?

What keeps you active and thriving on LinkedIn or social media?

#topofmind #brandbuilding

"𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮 𝗳𝗮𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗵"

Do comments like this, hurt you?


A Japanese expat in Singapore posted on Tiktok:

"Things nobody tells you about living in Singapore." 
⌙ Singapore is "less of a country to play in and more of a country to make money in"
⌙ Many foreigners end up leaving Singapore after a few years because they find it boring

This reminded me when I was working in Tokyo. 

While it was fun to check out the Shibuya crossing or binge on Famichiki and 7-11 Tamago sandos, the reality was:
⌙ Squeezing in their morning subway trains like a salaryman
⌙ Observing how the locals seem to look frenetic, stressed and tired
And the after-work drinking parties (nomikai - 飲み会) with interesting sights on the streets.

My local Japanese friends shared similar sentiments:

"We have to make a living in Tokyo so things are like that. We've no choice." 
(with a heavy shrug)


So what's the point here?

There's always a lived reality that can only be learnt as a true inhabitant of the city.

My quick thoughts are:

#1/ You're not wrong. Singapore is engineered for socio-economic opportunities and mobility. 

I'd be worried (as a local) when our city becomes no longer viable. And it means I've to uproot myself or my family to seek growth elsewhere.

#2/ Boring and sterile? Yeah, maybe.

Clarke Quay used to be thing when I was growing up. But now I know night life in Singapore is muted. I guess it depends on your willingness to seek out activities? I've been seeing numerous ads on founders run clubs, Hyrox 🤣, tea parties and more. 

#3/ Learn to step out and mingle 

There are many locals who are Japanese enthusiasts. Maybe take the effort to also reach out and make new friends, both expats and locals. 

The beauty is that our openness also allows for a melting pot of global cultures and people. I was treated to a delightful Idiyappam and dhal by a Sri Lankan friend recently.

-- 

I won't sugar-coat things to suggest Singapore is vibrant or diverse as in Central Asia, China, the States or Europe.

But I'd highly recommend you to seek out fun and new experiences.

Or book a ticket out to greater Southeast Asia!

We always have choices and those are blessings in itself, already.  💙

#singapore #reflections

"𝗕𝗲𝗻, 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼 𝗜 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝘆 𝗯𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘁?"

My Gen-Z mentee asked me.


Well, as a business owner myself, I say it can be a difficult conversation.

But it doesn't have to be. 

This happened 2 years ago where my mentee felt that she has outgrown her role and environment. 

😔 There was little support or engagement from her direct line manager
😔 The work has become routine and monotonous 
😔 Her colleagues were also much more senior than her and were running in silos

So when she had an offer, she knew she had to make a jump.


But we realized her industry was a small one and it's wise not to burn bridges, isn't it? Also, her boss was mostly supportive (and had challenges beyond him). 

So this was the 'quitting framework' I shared that she used to good effect. 

The result?

Her boss is still in great relationship with her and has even recommended opportunities even after my mentee left.


Perhaps more so for the Gen-Zs who are quiet or rage quitting...

Quitting well is respectful and maturity on your part. 

Why burn the bridges when you can still maintain goodwill?

P.s. ✍🏻 I am Benjamin Loh, CSP, a strategic growth coach and consultant who has taught over 65,000 leaders in over 20 global cities and constructed some of the leading icons (TOT, Award Winners) in the financial industry in Asia through the power of authentic storytelling and authority building.💪 Follow me for personal brand and growth insights.

#quitting #millennials #careers

𝙏𝙮𝙥𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝘾𝙀𝙊 𝙤𝙧 "𝙗𝙤𝙨𝙨" 𝙞𝙣 𝙎𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙖𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙚 (𝘼𝙨𝙞𝙖): 😶👨🏻

"Don't you DARE put me on social media" 


Meet Adam Mosseri (Head / CEO of Instagram)👇🏻

It's not an open secret. 🤫

Business-to-consumer (B2C) businesses and leaders often have it rougher.

Their customers get irate and air their frustrations out loud. 🤬🤬

They get personal and conversations are ugly and triggering.

So it's no wonder most leaders tend to stay off social media.


But Adam has been a 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘴 𝘢𝘤𝘵 in communications. 🎁

Having been on Instagram for the past years, I've seen how Adam has been showing up consistently on platform doing Q&As over the past years.

Every time there are major changes to the platform, he's prompt to also dive into the problem(s), repercussions, solutions and next steps.

Here's one where he's addressing a remark from an Instagram user. 


Here's what business leaders can learn from Adam:

#1/ 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰 >>> 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱

Far too many CEOs hide behind perfectly-varnished scripts and conversations. So much so it sounds scripted (duh), orchestrated and detached from reality.

Of course, there are risks and downsides. But those can be learned!

#2/ 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗺. 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰.

OG instagram users would yearn for the platform to be like it was back then - simple photo feed, healthy engagement driven by social graphs.

But these days, the playbook and algorithm has evolved to ensure it remains competitive.

And Adam was just firm and cool, about it.

#3/ 𝗗𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 "𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁" 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗲. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 "𝘄𝗵𝘆" 𝘁𝗼𝗼.

Your customers may not always "agree" with your business stances and decisions. 

But Adam often makes it a point to share the rationale and consequences of certain evolutions to the platform.

Even towards customer with frustration and demands, he also responds with tact, firmness and kindness. 

#4/ 𝗕𝗢𝗡𝗨𝗦 - 𝗕𝗲 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝘁 

Adam recognizes that his and his management team may not always get it right. 

Instead of adopting a "holier-than-thou" stance or worse, "if you don't like this, many others do!"

Customers and companies share a symbiotic relationship. And the downfall of companies and management is when they stop listening.

And be all arrogant and heavy-handed.

--

Adam teaches modern day CEOs and leaders that it's important to have a human voice and face in front of the corporation.

It nurtures confidence, trust and connection.

All of these are often sorely lacking in businesses. 

Don't you agree?

#topofmind #communications

Many people speak or post about HNW sales content. 

But only a handful like Sujano Supianto can explain it with clarity and depth of experience and success. 💯💯

Top High Net Worth Producer, AIA Singapore 2024–2025 (No. 1 out of 5,800) | Companywide 1st Runner-Up HNW Director 2025

💵 47 billionaires moved to Singapore in 2024. 💵 
If you’re in sales, what does it mean for you?


In the latest wave of ultra-wealthy relocation, one place stands out: Singapore.

💡 According to UBS, Singapore is among the top destinations for billionaires and HNW families.
💡 In 2023, Singapore counted ≈ 333,204 millionaires, with combined wealth of ~US$1.2 trillion. 
💡 The number of single-family offices in Singapore has surged, exceeding 2,000 by end-2024, up ~43% year-on-year. 

What’s driving this trend?
✅ Political and economic stability in Singapore.
✅  Strong legal & regulatory infrastructure, deep wealth-management ecosystem.
✅ Proximity to Asia’s growth-markets while providing western-style governance.
✅ The desire of ultra-wealthy families to ensure mobility, optionality, generational readiness.

What this means for HNW families and family offices:
This isn’t just about selecting a “nice country for tax”. 

It’s about designing your base to support business, assets, family legacy and mobility.

If you’re considering domicile strategy, ask:
1️⃣  How mobile is our family/business globally?
2️⃣  Which jurisdictions offer the mix of lifestyle + governance + infrastructure we need?
3️⃣  Over 10-15 years, how future-proof is the base we pick?

📈 Real Case:
A few years ago, I referred one of my offshore clients to a trusted partner to help set up a family office based in Singapore.

Through proper structuring, he obtained an Employment Pass (EP), and later successfully became a Singapore Permanent Resident (PR).

He subsequently moved a significant portion of his assets to Singapore and qualified as a Singapore tax resident under CRS.

In the process, he saw the long-term benefits of consolidating wealth in Singapore and entrusted me to implement his protection and accumulation strategy.

He eventually purchased:
💰 1 large Index Universal Life (IUL) policy
💰 4 savings & investment plans
💰 3 income plans for his children

In total, this amounted to over SGD 3 million in annual premiums. All built on trust, structure, and education.

Singapore is not a silver-bullet, but if your family office or private-wealth structure plans to pivot or expand in Asia, it deserves to be in the conversation.

If you work with HNW clients or family offices, what factors do you think matter most when choosing a base: tax, lifestyle, or governance?

💬Let’s spark the conversation. 

It’s exciting to see how our industry is evolving, and I’m grateful to be learning from visionary leaders like AIA Singapore CEO Sze Keed Wong, CDO Alvin Fu, CIO Chunyen Liu, 劉俊言 CFA MBA  who continue to push wealth management in Singapore forward.

#FamilyLegacy #WealthManagement #HNW #UltraHighNetWorth #Sujano

Sharing good content and people and also, I see Ratna Juita in Bosnia now!

Trained 56,289 people how to use LinkedIn for business

Mega news! I'm hosting my 3rd global meetup! 

But I'm doing something for the 1st time:

I am opening it up to the public. For free!

Context?

1. Every quarter, I reward 1 member of my Link Up community with a fully-paid trip to Bosnia.

2. Every time, other members want to arrive on their own, so I organize an in-person meetup for us. We hang out, have dinners, lunches, go on road trips...

3. This time, we have members from 19 countries! USA, UK, Pakistan, all the way to Cameroon. Wow!

So why is this news? (for you)

Because this is a super-private "thing". 

Members-only. But I'll admit 20 more people.

Anyone who is in Bosnia this weekend can attend. Anyone who isn't, I'm officially inviting you.

If you're in, email me at: admin@linkupbyjasmin.com

(Details will only be shared privately)

And while I'm in a good mood...

1 reposter will get my 1-year membership! Cheers! ♻️

P.S. Ever been to Bosnia? If not, what's 1 thing you know about my country? ❤️

So many say "LinkedIn is cringe" 🤮

In a heartbeat, I'll agree.. 


𝘖𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘱𝘰𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘺. 

You don't:
⌙ Nurture your network to create an "online space of goodness and value" 
⌙ Curate your personal feed for relevant content that inspires and educates you 
⌙ Leverage social media to share 'media' that expresses you AND 'socialize' with good people

And then you wonder why you only see the lame and cringe and memes (okay, some are good tbh) 🤔


Most so, LinkedIn for me has been a groundswell of kindness and empowerment. 🎁

Over a decade back, I ran my first learning event to empower young graduates and business owners on the power of LinkedIn. 

Atul Harkisanka said "yes" to me in a heartbeat and we ran a full-house event.

When I wanted to host Julius Bieliauskas and Ratna Juita for a sold-out LinkedIn charity learning event last April (2024), my dear friend of close to 2 decades - Lena Chang agreed to me in an instant.

2 weeks back, I hosted a group of leaders I'm coaching at AIA Singapore on brand building for a Learning Day at LinkedIn Singapore office itself, Lena helped me again.

And she even toured my leaders around the beautiful Singapore office with an exclusive office experience, while nursing a bad throat. 

We also had Angeline Tang (a crowd favorite!) share powerful insights on social selling and the LinkedIn Sales Navigator tool.

Every leader who attended our event walked away with a refreshed perspective for what LinkedIn can do for their businesses. 


So you know what makes a company?

Her people.

And in my interactions with Atul, Lena and Angeline... they aren't just amazing at their professional work.

They live, breathe and exemplify LinkedIn and their mission: 

'𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥'𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘧𝘶𝘭.'

With the platform, they've opened up a world of learning and growth for me as a global speaker. 


So yes, LinkedIn, you are 𝘯𝘰𝘵 cringe.

The only people who say so, are those who are too closed-minded to ever open themselves up to the power of connections and conversations. (sorry, not sorry) 🙌🏻

Whose kindness have you been moved by through the LinkedIn platform too?

I'd love to know!

#topofmind #brandbuilding #linkedin #singapore

6i Communication Pte Ltd

Beekeeper is a robust Internal Communication Platform. The secure App was developed in Switzerland to enhance internal communication with your mobile and frontline workforce.

Beekeeper is an employee-centric technology that works the way your people work – collaboratively, on the go, and in real-time.

Beekeeper's main objective is to help you engage every single employee of your organization. Even if they either do not have an E-Mail address or are performing predominantly non-desk bound work.   To connect the unconnected.

Targeted Market Segments are Hospitality, F&B, Retail, Logistics and any industry with a high share of a mobile workforce.

Beekeeper humanizes the workplace by engaging employees via multiple types of communication like Top-Down, Bottom-Up, Peer-to-Peer, Pulse Surveys.

You can finally get your messages across to everyone directly. You use it to share important content like for example a company's mission, values, operational KPIs, Best Practices, Success Stories, team events, and many more.

Because to get your customers' experience right you have to get the employees' experience right first.

Early adopters have observed measurable improvements in productivity, operational management and employee retention - all clear competitive advantages in all industries.

Taking Care of My Own Business (TACOMOB)

Investing (ETFs, Equities and Commodities, with global allocation) and blogging on financial literacy
Main objective: Don’t lose money! Make money consistently.
Sub-objectives:
1)	I stay in my circle of competence, which I strive to continuously enlarge one step at a time
2)	I execute my Trading System (Trend Following with risk/reward balanced position sizes) correctly and avoid judgmental biases
3)	I target a positive skew return profile and a high Kurtosis
4)	I am prepared for the unexpected (Black Swan Events), Panic Proof Trading
5)	I am always prepared for a probable forced expropriation looming due to extreme fiscal crises of all major economic powers
6)	I am determined to resist human nature to gravitate toward the things that don’t work
7)	I strive to continuously learn to achieve “Unconscious Competence”

Company Owner

Siemens Pte Ltd

Strategic partner to the Executive Vice President of one of the four Siemens Sectors “Industry”. Reporting to the CFO of Siemens Pte Ltd in Singapore holding the full commercial responsibility for the Industry Operations in Singapore with annual Revenues of S$ 180 Millions as well as the regional position of Division Controller for the ASEAN market.
Leading a team of 6 Managers Business Administration that guide 25 operative Business and Logistics Administrators.

Senior Vice President & Financial Controller

Supporting setting up of first full-fledged Manufacturing and R&D Site for Pick and Place Equipment outside of Germany to serve the Electronics (PCB Assembly) Industry in Asia.
The setup was completed 6 months ahead of schedule exceeding the targeted savings in the production costs.

VP Finance

Siemens Dematic

Boosts Employee Engagement through inclusive communication | Beekeeper App built for our frontline workers | LinkedIn Top Voice - Company Culture | Rotarian

All people should be happy and engaged at work and have all the tools they need to perform their jobs at the highest level. 

Inclusive communication is key. Most businesses struggle to communicate with their frontline workers. We close those internal communication gaps (The Frontline Disconnect) for full alignment and better business results in your hands.

6i Communication brings the digital workplace to non-desk workers through the Beekeeper internal communication and productivity platform to connect those who were previously disconnected or underserved by technology.

Think front-line workers in Maritime, Retail, Hospitality, Manufacturing and Logistics. There are more than 2 billion workers globally working on the go. Often without corporate email accounts, they feel left out of the loop, less involved, siloed, undervalued, and under-appreciated. 

To get the customer experience right one has to get the employee experience right first.
Employee experience is the input and employee engagement is the outcome.

Beekeeper - get your message across to inform, involve, and inspire all of your people. 
Beekeeper - your Storytelling App to inspire all of your people across shifts, locations, and languages.
Beekeeper - sustain intrinsic motivation in your people.
Beekeeper - easily gather data on employee sentiment using tools like pulse surveys, confirmation campaigns, peer-to-peer, bottom-up, and top-down communication channels.
Beekeeper - mobile workflows to boost productivity.

Beekeeper delivers Better Communications for Better Business Results to clients like Mandarin Oriental Hotels or Eastern Pacific Shipping.

Check out the below media for deeper insights into how the Beekeeper Platform will help you boost productivity and employee engagement through better communications with your people.

If you have similar interests and goals, send me a connection request or drop me an email: andyg.schmidt@bkc.sg or give me a call +65 9233 9127

Andy G. Schmidt 🐝

Here's a thought: Maybe we need 𝗳𝗲𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 & 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁 𝗗𝗼𝗲𝗿𝘀. 

We live in a time where opinions are free, loud, & everywhere. Everyone has one, many share them, some even go viral. 

But real knowledge? That comes with a price:
 👉 Responsibility
 👉 Setbacks
 👉 Tough compromises with compliance & controlling
 👉 Pressure at the conference table
 👉 And actual lived experience

𝗢𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘆. 
𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀.

The problem? 
We often celebrate voices over value. 
We applaud catchy mantras over quiet expertise.
 
And yes, “Be authentic!” is a solid opener. 
𝗕𝘂𝘁 “𝗕𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁!” 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲. 

Because true relevance comes from having done the work, not just talking about it.

If you want to advise on leadership, you should have actually led.
If you want to shape culture, you should have lived through real organizational pressure.
If you want to call yourself a Thought Leader maybe start as an Expert Doer.

✅ Let’s stop mistaking a slick keynote & a killer tagline for actual impact.
✅ Let’s start giving the mic to those who’ve earned their wisdom the hard way.

Whether this post is Thought Leadership or just well-informed ranting… I’ll let you decide. 😉

🍯

If I were to ask you to name what you love most in life, how long would it take 
.
.
.
to name yourself❓


I wish you a rejuvenating weekend.

Don’t forget self-care & self-love. 😉

Remember, today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday. Tomorrow is NOW.

~~~~~~~

“If I am not good to myself, how can I expect anyone else to be good to me?” - Maya Angelou

🍯

The summer was over & I had less honey than my father.

It was back in 1984. I was a 15-year-old boy living in a small village somewhere in Germany.

My father had a unique hobby. 

He was a Beekeeper - taking care of 15 beehives also called colonies.

I regularly joined my father to attend to the bees.

In springtime, we were checking whether they survived the harsh winter in good shape. Then later whether the queen was fit & laying enough eggs for the population to grow in time for the honey season.

On my 16th birthday, my father asked me whether I’d like to take care of one hive all by myself. 

The deal was that I could keep the money from selling my own hive’s honey.

Curious to see whether my beehive could deliver as much honey as my father’s beehives I enthusiastically agreed.


Every few days, I opened up my beehive to see how my bees were doing. 

I was amazed by the hum-drum & busyness in the hive whenever I opened the lid.

I was mesmerized by the sweet fragrant smell of the honey wafting up from the hive.

Sometimes it was also a bit painful when I got stung. But I knew that it was always my fault because the common honeybee is non-aggressive. It only stings in self-defense.

During those occasions, I frequently observed 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗲’𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀. 

Honeybees being social insects have to communicate with each other. And they can. Through odor cues, food exchanges & certain movements.

That famous waggle-dance is the only known symbolic language that exists outside the realm of humans & lower primates. It’s one of the seven wonders of animal behavior.

Based on the waggle-dance communication the worker bee colleagues do know exactly where to find the best source of honey without flying around aimlessly. They make a beeline for it.

All of the bees are self-organized in that way. 

The queen is NOT telling them what to do. 

Nor does the beekeeper have to give them an elaborate strategy talk at the beginning of the season. 

The worker bees simply get it communicated from one generation to the next. They know exactly what is expected of them.

Their mission – their WHY - is clear: Bring home as much honey as possible for the well-being & survival of the entire colony over the next winter. 

That mission inspires them.

They trust each other. 

It is almost as if the colony of ten thousands operates as one homogenous being.


So, at the end of the season, I checked my colony’s harvest against the average weight of honey my father’s colonies had produced.

My father had more – much more.

Disappointed I thought to myself that experience must have made the difference.

My father however told me: “Son, the bees do know what to do. It was not necessary for you to check on them so often. Every time you opened the lid to check on them, you disturbed their business, micro-managed them & caused them stress which resulted in them being less productive.”


⏩ Is there something to learn from nature & apply at our work?

🍯

The fastest way to improve your own life is by doing something to improve someone else’s. 

You might want to start with kindness.

There are some curious facts about ‘kindness’.

1️⃣ Researchers figured out that givers of kindness consistently underestimate their impact on the people who receive it — regardless of whether the recipient is family, friends, classmates, or complete strangers. 
2️⃣ The recipient reliably reported the acts of kindness as “bigger” than the participants who performed them did.

Evolution wired us for this. Groups that cared for each other survived longer. 

✅ Kindness isn’t soft - it’s survival.
✅ Kindness gives you a competitive advantage over your uncivil colleagues.
✅ Kindness makes you more successful.
✅ Kindness has no nasty side effects.
✅ Kindness prolongs your life.

I dare state that nothing compounds faster than kindness.

Kindness has a ripple effect. 
Kindness works like a boomerang.🪃

⏩ 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗹𝗮𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴 🪃 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆?


You might want to start here: Like more people & you will become more likeable. Be a liker first. 😉

🍯

Might this be you? 
𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗝𝗼𝘆

Harvard Business Review published a recent article on this. 

Here’s a summary:

Joy, along with achievement & meaningfulness, is one of the three keys to a satisfying life. Yet it’s the missing piece for many ambitious individuals, the authors found after examining data on how nearly 2,000 professionals spend their days. 

Jam-packed schedules are certainly a negative factor because people experience more joy during their limited free time than while working. 

Interestingly, 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗿𝗮 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝗱. 


The authors uncovered five strategies that will help you get more out of your free time: 

1️⃣ Engage with others. Sharing experiences amplifies joy. 

2️⃣ Avoid passive pursuits. The more time you spend on active ones, the more satisfied you’ll be with your life.

3️⃣ Follow your desire. Doing what you find personally rewarding delivers four times more benefits than doing things that typically are considered “good for you.” 

4️⃣ Diversify your activities. Variety - not depth - boosts happiness. 

5️⃣ Protect your free time. Don’t let work encroach on it; if you use it wisely, your well-being & job engagement will both increase, & you’ll actually get more value out of your work.


Many interviewees experienced this phenomenon that Jane shared: “Before, I never made room for fun because I thought it was a distraction from my goals. But after the layoff forced me to slow down, I discovered that allowing myself to feel more joy gives me patience & more energy to tackle challenges in my life. Now I don’t feel guilty when I take an hour for myself to recharge. I know doing this genuinely makes me even better at my job.”


Yup, I hear you, free time is scarce for many working professionals.

You don’t need to find more hours in the day or sacrifice your drive for meaning & achievement. 

To create a more satisfying life, you just need to find more sparks of joy in the limited leisure time you already have.

Cheers to your deep joy & fulfillment.


✍️ Now, what gives you the most joy? 👇👇👇
Sharing is caring. 😉

🍯

Someone asked me: “How much does Beekeeper save us during the Employee Life Cycle?”
Yeah, no one asked that, but if you are interested, here is the answer.

To find it, I asked ChatGPT yesterday: How much do companies spend on recruiting, training & onboarding each year? 

GPT had all kinds of answers:
 
💡 The global recruiting & job-placement market size is valued at around US$379.5 billion in 2025 (for the market of recruiting/job-placement services). That does not include recruiting costs incurred internally.

💡 The global corporate training (workplace learning) market was estimated at about US$370 billion.

💡 The average onboarding cost of a new employee ranges from US$3,000 to US$28,000. 


𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗮𝗺𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗼𝗿 & 𝘂𝗽 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝗻𝗲 & 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲.

𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗳𝗳 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲.


▶️ By how much could a mobile-first Employee App that connects everyone on the team reduce those evil attrition costs?

You wouldn’t believe any figure coming from me, right?

So, we asked our Beekeeper clients to let us know (see carousel).

How much would you like to save?

~~~~~~~

⏩ Drop 'Me' into the comments below & I will send you a link for you to simulate the potential savings based on your organization's demographics. 👇👇👇

🍯

Beekeeper's impact: Savings Across the Employee Lifecycle

❌ Hundreds of people don’t like what I do. 

✅ Fortunately, millions do.

Over the years, I have given more than 100 demos of the Beekeeper App to prospects. 

Not too many bought into the idea of having a seamless two-way communication platform to connect their frontline workers with each other & headquarters.

I heard the comment: “𝘖𝘩, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘦 … 𝘢 𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘦-𝘵𝘰-𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵-𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦.” Gasp


𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗮 𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗲-𝘁𝗼-𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀!

It’s the difference between being safe & unsafe, informed & confused, or engaged & checked out. 

Implementing a great employee app doubles as a digital front door to everything your workforce needs.

A digital workplace that’s faster, smarter & fully aligned with how people actually work. 

The future of frontline work is more than digital. 
It’s connected. 
Personalized. 
Human-shaped.


Here is just one example of how that works: Reinventing workflows for the frontline with Beekeeper’s Dynamic Digital Forms:

300+ workflows streamlined. 
100+ companies on board. 

Beekeeper’s Dynamic Forms are making frontline work easier. 

Find out how: https://bkpr.biz/423fmJO


⏩ I am curious, have you ever asked this in one of your oh-so-important meetings where you spoke about innovation: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗳 𝘄𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝗮𝗯𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴? 🤔

🍯

Too much to do?
Nah, it's fine.
or
I’m soooo busy!

We all know that one colleague who starts every meeting with “I have to leave on time, I’m swamped.” 

Or the manager who constantly reminds everyone how overloaded they are. 
Maybe … we’ve even been that person ourselves. I know I have. 🙋‍♀️


But here’s what I recently learned:
Research by Prof. Jessica Rodell (University of Georgia) shows that constantly talking about how stressed we are doesn’t just annoy colleagues & it actually makes us look less competent & less likable. 😬
Even worse: it’s contagious. 😱
 
If someone on the team keeps boasting about their stress levels, it can raise everyone’s stress & increase the risk of burnout.

The takeaway?
 
Stress is real.
But bragging about it isn’t helpful. 
It doesn’t make us look more important. 
It doesn’t get us more support. 
It can quietly chip away at team morale & well-being.

So, what shall we do with this insight?
 👉 Try to complain a little less.
 👉 Focus on solutions, not stress levels.
 👉 Support a team culture where 𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗼𝘂𝘁.

Let’s normalize saying “I’ve got enough on my plate, but I’m managing,” instead of wearing stress like a badge of honor.


⏩ What’s your experience with stress bragging?
⏩ Have you seen its impact on your team or yourself?

🍯

What does it say about our culture when the leaders closest to the people feel furthest from the mission?

New insights from DDI’s Global Leadership Forecast 2025 reveal a troubling disconnect:
➡️ Frontline leaders - the culture carriers, the doers, the ones closest to employees - are running on empty.
➡️ Meanwhile, C-level leaders are more fulfilled than ever.

This isn’t a motivation problem. It’s a meaning problem.

👷‍♂️👩‍⚕️👩‍🍳👨‍🔧 Frontline leaders are:
1.5× less likely to trust senior leadership
1.3× less likely to believe their company makes a positive difference

Why? Because while C-level leaders operate with autonomy, context, & influence, frontline leaders often navigate a narrow, overloaded bandwidth of execution & become disconnected from strategic purpose.

🧭 The issue isn't effort. It's alignment.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝗽 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲.


So what can organizations do?
🔑 Enhance the employee experience.
✅ Recognize effort
✅ Invest in development
✅ Connect daily operations to broader business goals
✅ Build real belonging

These aren’t perks. They’re performance levers.
💡 When organizations lead with transparent two-way communication, genuine connection, & care, frontline leaders evolve from task managers to stewards of meaning.

It's totally worth it. According to DDI:
⏩ Purpose-driven leaders are 17× more likely to view their org positively
⏩ 17× more energized by their work
⏩ 6× more accountable for team outcomes
⏩ 3× more likely to stay another year

🎯 The takeaway: Culture is built (or broken) where strategy meets execution. Let’s ensure the leaders at the frontlines of the business aren’t left in the margins.

🍯

Your people speak. Does your workplace listen?

True connection happens when tools & leaders open channels for all voices. 
Recognition grows. 
Communication adapts.
Learning extrapolates.
Ideas have sex.

I truly believe that leaders everywhere can learn a lot about people management from taking a step away from the traditional corporate environment & spending more time with their “on the ground” teams.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 𝗳𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗿. 

In customer-facing roles - like logistics, retail or hospitality - the true health of your culture becomes clear. 

Leaders who step into these spaces gain firsthand insight into what really drives their people: psychological safety, empathy, development opportunities, & being heard. 

Spending time with frontline teams also exposes leaders to a more diverse cross-section of their workforce, building empathy & understanding that can shape smarter, more inclusive strategies.

Be authentic.

Own the challenges. And remember that people respect honesty over perfection. 

Surface & elevate the true human insights that come from the front lines. 

Then close the loop: when people see changes made from their input, trust grows. Inclusion grows.


Take a moment to reflect on your own systems: 
Are they positioned to welcome every voice? 
Have you considered how usability barriers might hold back certain groups? 
How does your company make inclusivity real? 

Share one change that boosted your team’s voice. Let’s raise the bar together 👇

🍯

HR Tech is out. Work Tech is in.

Have you heard the term Work Tech before?

What do you associate with it?

During my business lunch yesterday, my lunch partner asked me, 'How is your HR Tech business going?'

Well, it's very bad. 

Because I am not in the field of HR Tech but in the business of providing a Work Tech Solution to my clients.

What's the difference?

❌ HR Tech: mainly focused on HR, not the clients of HR - the people
❌ HR Tech: geared toward browser-based access for the deskbound employee.
❌ HR Tech: often only used 'seasonally' by frontline employees (Performance Eval, Rewards Platform, Survey Tools, ...)
❌ HR Tech: sometimes feels like another task to frontline employees

✅ Work Tech: new employee-first design principles that drive inclusion & daily use
✅ Work Tech: geared towards mobile usage by everybody, incl. frontline workers
✅ Work Tech: new System of Productivity, Agility & Safety
✅ Work Tech: feels like it enhances our experience at work, is essential in helping do a great job & doesn’t just capture data & surveys.


The success of any new technology implementation depends on two key factors:
1) 𝙋𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙞𝙩. 
2) 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙫𝙖𝙡𝙪𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙩, 𝙨𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙪𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙞𝙩. 

Let's implement more Work Tech that people actually want to use daily & in the flow of their work.

Work Tech isn’t just a capex or an opex decision. It has far-reaching implications for the DNA of an organization.

I love the irony of Work Tech allowing us to make internal communications more human. And that is one of the primary goals of internal communications, to connect human beings & unite them in being part of something bigger than themselves.

I promise you, when you bridge the existing Frontline Disconnect with mobile-first Work Tech, you get from Frontline Disconnect to Frontline Success in a hurry.


➡️ I hope this post helped to explain the difference between HR Tech & Work Tech.

Let me know what stood out to you 👇👇👇

~~~~~~~

Nice to see Beekeeper included under EX Work Tech in this neat infographic.

🍯

The more anxious & disturbed the world is (not much “outer peace”), the more important it is to find tranquility within oneself (“inner peace”). 

Below is a link to a recent research paper showing the share of the population that states they are at peace with themselves often or always across the 22 countries.

I wonder where Singapore would rank.

One important finding:
The older people get, the more they feel inner peace. Religious people also feel more at peace than nonreligious people. And married people feel significantly more inner peace than unmarried & single people.

Inner peace increases with age!
Now how much are you looking forward to getting older (aka adding years to your age-experience)?

The pattern that emerges is the one that people who no longer compete with other people (whether it is for a job, a salary increase, a spouse, etc.) simply are happier.

My sense is age leads us from a state of mind focused on performance (& comparison) to one focused on presence (& contentment). 

Many of us are less focused on the pursuit of happiness & more focused on the practice of gratitude.

⏩ What do you think? 
⏩ Will you have more inner peace as you age? 
⏩ Why?

I am curious, how often do you feel you are at peace with your thoughts and feelings?


The author can see how you vote. Learn more

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