A product from the school of hard knocks, the desire towards focusing on only the bigger things in life started for Lew Mun Yee, Chairman of Am Life International Sdn Bhd when he was very young. The entrepreneur extraordinaire shares with Top 10 of Malaysia on how he hit the nail on the head when he ventured into the direct selling industry and how his product could benefit others, healthwise and wealthwise.
Lew Mun Yee decided to join the direct selling industry in 1995. “I’ve always dreamed of carving my own successful business since young. Therefore, direct selling became a career path for me,” he says earnestly. Lew admits that his years of experience in direct selling had taught him a valuable set of skills. “Aside from learning how to deal with people, I also gained the necessary marketing and healthcare knowledge. Most importantly, I moulded myself into a leader who can shoulder responsibilities.”
Founded in 2002, Lew started the company specialising in the marketing of high tech home medical devices. As the years went by, the company eventually became the leader in the sleep healthcare industry by innovating the science of electric potential therapy into the form of a mattress. To date, Am Life has successfully expanded its market not only in Malaysia but also to Singapore, Brunei, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Lew reveals that his company’s Indonesia branch will be opening soon this year. “Our main goal is to create both wealth and health for people. I am truly privileged to have a career that can help users to regain their health and at the same time be rewarded with good income.”
Since 2012, Lew has been travelling throughout Malaysia, Brunei and Vietnam to give talks on the importance of quality sleep. From there, he discovered that there are many consumers who suffer from sleeping problems and are eagerly looking for solutions. “This proves that my theory of people beginning to take sleep quality very seriously is right. I feel that they believe that the relation of one’s health is strongly linked to having good sleep,” he says.
Dreams can be realised in Am Life as every single person who purchases the company’s product can also be a distributor. This serves as a platform for people to start their own business in the sleep health industry. According to Lew, the company doesn’t operate in a brick and mortar shop. “We are a mobile franchise where the goods are delivered to the houses of people who are interested in trying out the product. We give them a week to try out the mattress and decide whether they want to make a purchase,” he says. Lew continues to say that this industry has a lot of great potential as it is not a saturated market and the concept is still in its early stages. “Even though there are lots of sleep related products out there such as mattresses, you rarely discover a bed with treatment functions. We don’t sell bedding equipment but medical treatment device. We use healthcare technology that incorporates sleeping equipment combined with healthcare treatment. The product has managed to acquire certification from the government in Malaysia, Taiwan and Japan. The Minister of Health in Japan has also certified our product as a medical device.”
Having been in the medical treatment device business for the past fifteen years, Lew confesses that he continuously persisted to ensure that his creation succeeds. “It all started when I discovered that even though there are many good products out in the market, modern people with busy lifestyles don’t have the self-discipline to work out daily or take their supplements on time. Therefore, I had the idea of creating something that people can use daily. Thus, our electric potential treatment mattress was created. This special mattress is made from a material called carbon fibre which is very light, durable and comfortable. After using it, you can sleep comfortably like a baby. This therapy has been proven to improve the conditions of those who suffer from headaches, insomnia, muscle soreness and constipation. I personally witnessed people who have improved their condition after a week of usage. They do not have to rely anymore on painkillers or laxatives.”
Lew also says that he always anticipated that his product is going to be a big hit in the market. “I think this is only logical as the access to good health is not only about having sufficient to eat, drink, work out and rest. We are overwhelmed as we did not expect the response from the market would turn out so well and so fast.”
When asked about what contributes to the success and growth of his company, Lew states that having the right attitude matters. “It was not a quick success for me and I have always maintained sincere relationships with people in my work line. Building the trust of others is extremely important. I owe my success to my team at Am Life. A strong and powerful team gives you the pool of strength to further accomplish more as individual strength is limited. Besides that, I also give credit to my beloved other half who has been supporting and standing by me through thick and thin since the beginning. She is the core of my achievements.”
In 2003, Lew had his first taste of success when he introduced the first generation of home use electric potential medical equipment to the public. Other successes followed up gradually with Lew winning a number of awards over the years such as the Asia Yes Brand Award in 2014, Golden Eagle Award in 2016, World Sleep Day Outstanding Activity Award in Prague in 2017. A notable feather in the cap for Lew is making it into the Malaysia Book of Records for largest electric potential treatment company in the country.
Running a business is not simple as there are many challenges faced. For Lew, his most notable challenge is adapting to the various cultural differences and needs in different markets. “Different countries or region have their own uniqueness and values. For that, this requires us to understand and acclimatize our operation seamlessly to meet the local culture and needs. Other challenges include searching for a suitable local partner as we are running a long term business.”
When asked regarding his management and leadership style, Lew reveals that he holds on to the motto of continuing to improve and evaluate oneself. Lew says, “The journey of looking for the right business model is very tough as you might never discover it. Since I have waited many years for this opportunity, I cherish every moment of it.”
Lew also admits that his greatest motivation is helping people by creating the sleep health industry. “I am glad to know that the people who own the mobile franchise have achieved their dreams. In the first three years of this business, we have already created seven millionaires,” he says with a smile.
Since Lew’s schedule is very limited due to constant travelling, good time management is very crucial for him. “I am at a stage where my career takes a lot of my time. However, I still believe that spending time with my loved ones is important. I definitely will not miss my children’s special milestones. Of course, having a supportive wife matters a lot too.”
A family oriented man, Lew still considers his family as his greatest achievement in life. “I am blessed to have both a caring wife and great kids. You’ll be surprised to know that there is rarely any dispute among us at home,” reveals Lew.
Career wise, Lew says that nothing is more fulfilling than seeing a wheelchair bound patient walk again with the help of the electric potential therapy. “That ecstatic feeling is almost indescribable.” Lew’s advice for young aspiring entrepreneurs is “Cliché as it sounds, perseverance is the key to success. I have been there.”
