Eric Feng

Top Voice | I help trainers, coaches & entrepreneurs get paid to speak

For a long time, I did everything “right.”

Built a personal brand. Spoke on global stages. Hit milestone after milestone.

But somewhere along the way, I lost myself behind the image.

The pressure to perform. The constant proving. The silent burnout.

After a health scare in 2025, I made a quiet decision.

I still want to scale my business and influence but not at the expense of my soul.

I haven’t figured it all out yet.
But I’m building differently now.
And I’m using this space to document the journey.

If you’re a high achiever who’s starting to question the old definition of success…

If you’re ambitious but tired of hustling on empty…

If you're craving more peace, purpose, and meaning in how you build your businesses...

You’re not alone.
Let's walk this out together.

Content Creator

With 200K+ following on Facebook and 51K on Instagram, I have been using these platforms to share my knowledge on sales, marketing and branding. Target audience are service professionals who market directly to consumers (B2C).

Eric Feng (CSP) - Global Speaker

I walked away from a career I spent 20 years building without knowing what would replace it.

That’s what “willing” looked like for me.

When I was told that my REAL mission wasn’t branding or professional speaking even though I was good at it, I was asked one simple question:

“Now that you’re aware of your 天命… are you willing?”

My deeper work, I was told, is to awaken people.
To raise their consciousness.
To build platforms and systems that help others fulfill their own calling.

I didn’t fully understand how.

But I said yes.

And “yes” meant action.

I deleted 7 years of social media content.
I stepped away from my professional speaking path.
I ended old business partnerships.

I did all this with no backup plan, no guaranteed next move and nothing to fall back on.

Just trust.

I was told that if I stepped into what I was supposed to do, the help I needed would come.

A month later, an ex-university classmate I hadn’t spoken to in almost twenty years reached out.

We met.

Weeks later, I found myself in Fukuoka meeting Marie Kondo, the globally renowned tidying expert behind the Netflix series Tidying Up, followed by over 4 million people worldwide.

She and her husband were building the Joy Movement.
And I was invited to be part of the core team.

Completely aligned!

Awakening people.
Spreading joy.
Building something larger than myself.

And then more “miracles” followed which will be more stories for another day.

But here’s what really changed for me the day I decided to do what I am supposed to do on earth.

Conviction returned.
Flow returned.
Joy returned.

Not because life became easy (newsflash: I still have my challenges)

But because I stopped building a life that wasn’t truly mine.

Looking back, the stagnation, the dissatisfaction, even the six-figure scam, they weren’t punishment.

They were redirection.

If you are 天命人, you cannot sustainably play small.
Eventually, life will disrupt what is comfortable.

And in a Fire Horse year, known for intensity, bold shifts, and forcing change, misalignment doesn’t stay hidden for long.

So please don't wait for life to force your hand. 

If you know you’re 天命人, this is your line in the sand.

Step into your bigger mission!

Comment “READY.”
And watch what moves toward you when you do.

#innerwork #awakeningachiever #天命人

Documenting my journey of scaling without losing my soul

Things that don’t matter in your 30s
(from a 45-year-old who has been there).

I just turned 45.

If I could speak to my 30-year-old self, here’s what I would say:
There are five things that don’t matter as much as you think.

1. Being popular.

Popularity is flaky at best. It comes and goes depending on your success, your relevance, your usefulness. The moment something goes wrong, watch how quickly praise turns into distance or worse, gossip. And the more popular you become, the more jealousy you attract. You don’t need that distraction when you’re still building.

2. Being right all the time.

You don’t have to win every argument just to feel good about yourself. Most people don’t change their minds because you argue better. Pride gets in the way. All you do is drain energy and risk damaging relationships you may need later. Sometimes it’s wiser to stay silent and let results speak.

3. Avoiding failure to protect your ego.

Your 30s are the best time to make mistakes. This is where you gain real experience, the kind that prepares you for bigger responsibilities later. Don’t let early success make you play safe. In your 30s, you’re still allowed to experiment. That window doesn’t last forever.

4. Keeping up with lifestyle inflation.

When income increases, lifestyle often follows immediately - luxury condo, sports car, branded everything. It feels like progress. But many people in their 30s are upgrading expenses, not building wealth. They look successful but are financially fragile. Freedom in your 40s and 50s depends on discipline in your 30s. Invest. Build assets. Create options. Image impresses strangers. Assets protect your future.

5. Trying to figure everything out.

There’s pressure in your 30s to “have it together.” Career path. Marriage. Kids. Investments. Five-year plan. Ten-year plan. But you are going to live a long life. Your 30s are just one chapter. Don’t rush to appear settled and lose the joy of discovery.

And stop asking everyone how you should live your life. Most people project their own fears and regrets onto you even if they mean well.

Your 30s are for building useful skills. Gaining real experiences. Expanding your network. Accumulating resources. And most importantly, getting to know yourself - your strengths, your weaknesses, your values, your purpose.

Because when you reach your 40s, you don’t want to still be experimenting with identity. You want to spend the next decade building something aligned with who you truly are, not who you were trying to impress.

If you could give your 30-year-old self one piece of advice, what would it be?

Photo on left: Me in my 30s
Photo on right: Me in my 40s

#lifeinyour30s #lessonslearned

At 35, she lost all her hair, eyebrows and eyelashes.

What happened next changed her life - and the lives of thousands of professionals she now helps.

This International Women’s Day, I want to spotlight Xi Ren Yang, one of the speakers we groom at Experts in Asia.

At the time, Xi Ren was a successful HR leader.

From the outside, everything looked fine.

But the intense stress she had been carrying eventually triggered Alopecia, causing her to lose all her hair.

That experience became a turning point.

Instead of hiding, she chose to rebuild her life around a new mission: helping professionals manage stress, build resilience, and thrive - not just survive.

Today, Xi Ren is an award-winning consultant and keynote speaker whose sessions have helped 80%+ of participants reduce stress within just one hour using her CARE Framework.

I recently had the privilege of interviewing her on the #ExpertsInAsia podcast, where she shared how leaders and organisations can build resilient teams in today’s high-pressure world.

If you’d like to watch the full podcast interview, DM me and I’ll send it to you.

Happy (belated) International Women’s Day to all the women who turn adversity into purpose!

#InternationalWomensDay #IWD2026

Last August, someone I trusted said to me, "Eric, your time is running out.’”

Not in a dying way.
But in a destiny way.

Let me explain.

Many of us (you too!) are born with a God-given mission.

No, it may not be your current career. 
And no, it is also not some role that our society rewards.

It is a unique task that only you can fulfill in this lifetime.

Think about every hero story:

Neo in The Matrix. 
Moses. 
Even characters like Naruto or Luffy.

They were different.
They didn’t fully fit in.
And they were all called to something bigger.

They are all people with a calling (or in mandarin, we say 天命人).

Now here’s the part people don’t talk about.

If you don’t use your gifts for what they were meant for, they get taken away.

It’s like the Parable of the Talents in the Bible.
The servant who buried his gift lost it.
The ones who used theirs were given more.

Back to my story.

When I met Huiteng (who can read into people's life missions), she told me, "Eric, you are good at branding and speaking. But you are not using your gifts for what they were actually given to you for.”

That hit. 

I was succeeding.
But I didn’t feel fulfilled.

There was always this feeling… like something was missing, but I couldn’t name it.

Then she said something really drastic, “If you don’t step into your real mission, life will disrupt what is comfortable until you do.”

It already did for almost two years.

I lost passion for the work I used to love.
Money didn’t come as easily as before.
Problems in my professional and personal life started stacking up.
I even got scammed six figures.

Looking back, I realize it wasn’t punishment.
It was redirection.

So if you too have been feeling stuck, restless or things keep falling apart for no clear reason…

Maybe you’re not unlucky.
Maybe you’re just misaligned.

And life is trying to move you toward what you were actually meant to do.

In my next post, I’ll share the clear signs that you might be called for a greater purpose i.e. 天命人.

For now, tell me, "Have you ever felt like you were meant for more, but couldn’t explain why?"

Pic: Huiteng (extreme left) who can read into people's life missions. 

#innerwork #awakeningachiever #天命人

Why do hateful comments hurt more on some days than others?

I recently came across an old interview with Anne Hathaway (video below) where she spoke about dealing with online hate.

At first, she was deeply affected by the criticism.
Later, she realised why.

Because she hadn’t learned to fully love herself yet.

In her words: “If you don’t love yourself, when someone says horrible things, a part of you is always going to believe them.”

That line stayed with me which inspired this morning's post. 

Hate only lands where there is a "soft spot".

If someone insults you about something you’re completely secure in, it barely registers.

But if they touch an insecurity you already carry, even lightly, it stings.

For example, if someone calls me “fat,” it wouldn’t affect me. I know it’s not true. And even if it were, weight has never been my insecurity.

But if someone commented on my hairline a year ago?

That would have hurt because that was something I had been insecure about for a long time.

Now that I’ve addressed it and feel secure about it, the same comment wouldn’t land the same way.

This is why inner work is so important! 

Not to silence your critics.
But to strengthen the parts of you that still feel fragile.

So the next time you receive a criticism that affects you, instead of asking, “How do I shut them up?”

Ask, “Why did that affect me?”

That question will change more than any argument ever will.

Watch Anne’s clip below.
It explains this far better than I can.

And after you watch the clip below, share with me one criticism that used to affect you but no longer does.

#haters #AnneHathaway #innerwork

5 Signs You’re Not Meant For An Ordinary Life
(You might be 天命人)

Pay attention to the final sign.

1. You never fully felt like you belong.

Even when you fit in, you feel slightly different.
Like you’re observing the world more than blending into it.

You can function in society.
But deep down, you know you’re not here to just fit in.

2. Your life has been unusually hard.

Not normal challenges.
But intense seasons. Pressure. Loss. Setbacks.
Almost like you’ve been trained through adversity.

3. Success doesn’t fully satisfy you.

Even when things look good.
Even when others think you’ve made it.

There’s still a quiet voice saying,
“Something is still missing.”

4. You have natural abilities you can’t explain.

You read people easily.
You sense energy shifts instantly.
People trust you quickly.
Your words carry unusual weight.
Things that feel normal to you but don’t to others.

5. You can’t get away with playing small.

When you settle for superficial success…

Energy drains.
Flow slows.
Things fall apart.

Ordinary success feels empty.

If these signs resonate with you, you might be 天命人: someone called to a bigger purpose.

But here’s the part no one tells you.

If you don’t use your God-given gifts for your REAL mission…

Passion drops.
Flow slows.
Disruptions increase.
Things stop feeling smooth.
Dissatisfaction grows.

Rest assured, it's not punishment.
It’s a wake-up call.

If you’re serious about finding out whether you are 天命人, don’t just scroll past this.

Comment “ME.”

Let’s confirm it!

#innerwork #awakeningachiever #天命人

How do you deal with haters... without losing your peace?

Let’s be honest.

Being talked about behind your back hurts.
Especially when you’ve done nothing wrong.

But inner work can change how you interpret it.

Here’s what I’ve learned over the years of dealing with my haters (and gossipers).

1. When they criticise you, it reveals more about them than you. 

When someone speaks negatively about you, it often reveals their insecurity more than your identity. What sounds like an attack may actually be envy, fear, comparison, or unresolved pain speaking.

Before you absorb it as truth, ask yourself: Is this really about me… or their unresolved pain?

2. Not everyone deserves your defence.

If someone chooses to talk ABOUT you instead of TO you, that tells you something about their maturity.

People who value truth will come to you for clarification.
People who value drama will gather an audience.

Before you rush to explain yourself, ask: Is this a conversation worth having or just noise not worth entering?

3. Your trigger is your teacher.

If their words sting deeply, pause.

Strong reactions often point to something tender inside you. Sometimes criticism hurts because it touches an insecurity that hasn’t fully healed.

Before blaming them, ask: What part of me still needs assurance or growth?

4. Protect your energy, not your image.

Trying to control how everyone sees you will exhaust you. In fact, the more you chase acceptance, the more power you give away (to them).

Reputation lives in other people’s minds.
Character lives in your daily actions.

Before defending your name in future, ask: Am I protecting my reputation… or my peace?

5. Let your integrity outlast the noise.

You cannot out-talk gossip. But you can outgrow it.

Consistency exposes exaggeration.
Time exposes truth.

Before responding, ask: Will this matter in a year or is my ego just uncomfortable today?

The truth is no one truly “hates” you.

They are just reacting to what you represent, what you trigger, or what they haven’t resolved in themselves.

So instead of silencing your critics, you are better of learning how to master your response to your critics.

While we are on this topic, what is your personal rule when dealing with criticism or gossip?

#haters #innerwork

Some of the most successful people I know are deeply unfulfilled.
Not because they failed.

But because they succeeded at the wrong thing.

Career is going well.
Income is stable.
People around them think they’ve “made it”.

Yet there’s a quiet feeling inside that refuses to go away:
“This can’t be all I’m here for.”

If you’ve ever felt this, you’re not alone!

A few days ago someone asked me a question many people secretly are asking too: “How do you know if there’s something bigger you’re meant to do?”

From what I’ve seen, clarity about your deeper calling usually comes in two ways.

1. Honest conversations with yourself

Questions most people avoid:
- If money wasn’t an issue, what would I actually want to do with my life?
- If my life were a movie, what story would I want it to tell?

These questions sound simple.

But when answered honestly, they reveal what your soul actually cares about.

2. The right guidance

Sometimes we need someone who can see what we cannot see ourselves.

Not someone who decides our path.

But someone who can help reveal:
- your natural gifts
- your patterns
- the direction your life energy seems to be moving toward

Even then, clarity rarely arrives all at once.

It grows through movement.

The only thing you really need at the start is WILLINGNESS!

The willingness to move when you feel the pull.

And the COURAGE to take the first step before everything makes sense.

Each step then becomes feedback.

You ask yourself:
- Did this make me feel alive?
- Did this create something meaningful for others?

If yes, you keep moving.

Even setbacks become part of the path.

Looking back at my own journey, some of the hardest moments eventually became the experiences that shaped the work I now feel most aligned with.

Nothing was wasted.

So if you’ve been feeling that quiet pull lately…
Please don’t ignore it.

Sometimes that feeling is the beginning of your real life work calling you forward.

Quick pulse check:
Which one describes you right now?

1️⃣ I feel there’s something bigger I’m meant to do
2️⃣ I’m starting to figure out what it is
3️⃣ I’m already building toward it

Comment 1, 2 or 3.

#innerwork #awakeningachiever #天命人

Most people don’t burn out from failure.
They burn out from succeeding at the wrong life.

If you’re doing well on paper but something feels off inside, read this post. 

Here are 7 signs you are succeeding but losing yourself. 
(see pictures below)

Be honest: how many hit you?
Comment the number.

#scalewithsoul #awakeningachiever

Your brand MUST generate income. If it doesn’t, you're doing it wrong.

Most people work hard. Few get noticed. Even fewer attract the right clients, investors, and opportunities.

That’s where I come in.

Hi, I am Sam and I build powerful personal brands for entrepreneurs, corporate leaders, and professionals who are tired of blending in.

If you want more opportunities, more influence, and more income, working harder alone is not going to help.

You need to POSITION yourself better!

And that’s what I do best.

Here’s how I make it happen:

🚀 Personal Branding for Leaders & Entrepreneurs – so the right people find you.

🎯 SEED Academy Experts – matching businesses with high quality experts across Asia to upskill their teams.

I’ve led personal branding bootcamps for professionals and entrepreneurs and facilitated storytelling & personal branding workshops for global companies like Unilever, Samsung, Under Armour and more —helping their teams craft compelling narratives and build influence.

I’ve successfully transitioned from corporate life to entrepreneurship, and I’m here to guide you on your journey to success too.

With a background in HR and branding, I’ve partnered with top organizations like Coca Cola, L’Oréal, Prudential, Diageo, and more, shaping strong leadership brands and helping leaders attract top opportunities.

I’ve been featured in The Business Times, Straits Times, and recognized as a LinkedIn Top Voice and Global HR Influencer. I’ve also been named SHRI CEO of the Year, Top CEO to Follow, and served as the youngest council member at SHRI.

Good attracts good.

If you're ready to build a brand that attracts attention, let’s talk.

Sam Neo

The political corporate job you have?
Someone wished they had the income.

The sleepless night as a parent?
Someone wished they had a kid.

The irregular income as a founder?
Someone wished they had the courage to start their business.

The small house you live in?
Someone wished they had a roof over their head.

Your complaint is someone else's dream.

Let's practice some gratitude and appreciate what we have a little more, shall we?

❓What's one thing that you are currently grateful for?

🔔 Follow Sam Neo for HR Corpreneur and Intention-based Branding content.
♻️ Repost if this resonated.

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The Battle

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