The Conversations That Changed my Career

If you’d like to listen to my full conversation with Cheryl, click below to listen the replay.

In my final year of university, I sent out dozens of CVs and sat through interview after interview. I ended up with four offers: Management trainee positions at Fancl House, DHL and DFS, and an Associate role at PWC.

It was a tough decision. I chose Fancl House. I admired the style of their Hong Kong CEO, and their office had a panoramic sea view that looked like it came straight out of a TVB drama ☺.

Very quickly, I realised I had made the wrong choice.

The working culture was very local. Emails and meeting minutes were in Chinese. Over 90% of my colleagues were local. I had wanted an international environment – exposure to different cultures, the chance to practise my English and a steeper growth curve. That was exactly what Trudi, the VP of HR at DFS, had described to me as the working culture during my interviews.

I knew I had to do something. 

I visited the two DFS downtown galleries in Hong Kong as a mystery shopper, and prepared a presentation of opportunities I found and how I would contribute if I were to hired as a management trainee. Then I emailed Trudi. I told her I had made a mistake, and I would be really grateful if she’d be willing to meet me again.

Trudi gave me a second chance.

A few years later, I overheard that Burberry was launching a new global function – Burberry Private Client. The global leader was Christina Abbott, someone I admired deeply.

I was determined to make myself considered.

On my next business trip to London, I reached out to Christina and asked her for a coffee. I wore the best Burberry outfit I owned. I shared my passion that I would give it my 200% if I were selected, and my view of the Asia market, which I hoped could complement her vision.

And I stood by my words.

In 2010, Private Client was still a brand-new concept for most market leaders. So I used every opportunity to show them what it meant:

A personalised breakfast gathering for our retail team with handwritten invitation cards;

A thoughtful welcome gesture in the hotel room of every leader visiting our Hong Kong head office;

A reservation at a restaurant that was almost impossible to get into.

I was demonstrating, day after day, what clienteling looked like, and why it was the most important investment those leaders could make in their markets.

In three years, we built over $300 million annual turnover with just 300 Private Client Stylists globally.

When I look back at my career, hardwork, expertise and performance mattered.

But many of the opportunities that changed my path came because someone trusted me, remembered how I had shown up, and was willing to open a door.

Clienteling – building relationships built intentionally – is not a “good-to-have”. It is a very important part of your professional capital.

That was the heart of my conversation with Cheryl Goh on CNA938’s Mind Your Money last week. We spoke about how careers today are increasingly shaped by the “relationship economy” — how being trusted, remembered and recommended is becoming the real differentiator, especially in an AI-enabled workplace.

Clienteling was born in luxury. But it does not belong only to luxury.

If  you’d like to start building clienteling intentionally for your own career — I’d love to invite you to The Luxury Insider Masterclass. It’s a 3-hour live virtual experience and your doorway to the Art and Science of Clienteling™. Click below link to sign up.

Whenever you are ready, here are the ways we can support you (or your business) to thrive in your industry:

• Review Your Customer Loyalty Strategy

• Design a Clienteling Learning Ecosystem

• Elevate Your Clienteling Capability

• Master The Art and Science of Clienteling™

• Deliver an Inspiring Keynote

• Support Your Leadership and Communication Development