Boldness and perseverance have propelled Teh Gaik Cheong, the CEO of G Life Group Sdn Bhd to achieve the kind of success that he takes pride in today. For anyone to take a leap of faith to foray into the world of business at a young age of 18 is certainly a bold move, especially when one has neither the experience nor confidence for it. In a recent interview with Top 10 of Malaysia, the enterprising and dynamic Teh talks about his dream, his journey into the world of insurance business and his plans for the future as well as giving back to society.
Hailing from Penang and growing up in an extended family, Teh Gaik Cheong has witnessed the kind of success which one can achieve in the insurance industry. “I watched my aunt gain ultimate success when she started being an insurance agent. Thus, it made me yearn to be like her and on my 18th birthday, I decided to take a leap of faith and venture into the insurance business,” says Teh.
However, during the first two years in the field, Teh found himself having to contend with hard-hitting struggles. “It was certainly no walk in the park, partly due to my lack of experience and confidence,” he recalls. Nevertheless, Teh decided to persevere and to pursue his dreams of succeeding in the insurance world. “After lots of hard work and perseverance, success came knocking at my door during the third year of the business. I also won a trip to travel overseas due to my exemplary performance,” shares Teh proudly. This achievement of his gave him a boost to reach for greater heights in the insurance industry.
“In today’s world, everything changes rapidly and whatever that was workable ten years ago, may not be so today,” says Teh as he talks about the establishment of his company, G Life Group Sdn Bhd. “G Life is a platform where companies from different industries would work under its impeccable branding, advertising and promotion services to promote their brands. I understand what my customers’ needs are and I am able to meet them in the media, travel and even education industries. G Life provides well-researched and comprehensive insurance and financial planning services to its clients to help them save a lot of money on their promotions and advertisements,” explains Teh.
Teh takes pride in being able to help as many people as possible. The humble entrepreneur is also honoured to be listed as one of The 100 Most Influential Young Entrepreneurs in 2017. He has also given talks to more than 12,000 people. “I am proud of my team as we have trained the best salespersons for the past 11 consecutive years and we reward them richly for their achievements.”
“10 years ago, success was all about connections and knowing the right people in order for the business to flourish but today, it’s largely about the power of social media,” says Teh. “When I first started out, I strived to build good relationships with my clients and garnered tremendous successes. However, times have changed and social media is now very much a good part of our daily lives. That’s when I shifted my direction and focus on branding and promotions with the assistance of modern technology,” says Teh. He believes that the younger generation is very influenced by the internet and social media platforms especially when planning their shopping. This in turn made him transform G Life into a significant presence on social media.
Teh also has plans to expand his offices to East Malaysia and other major cities in Peninsular Malaysia such as Penang, Melaka, Johor Bahru, Ipoh and Kuantan over the next five years. “I also plan to give back to society by organizing seminars targeted for young people on proper workplace etiquettes,” reveals Teh. He believes that the seminars would be extremely helpful especially when they are conducted by professionals who have the hands-on experience in meeting people and building relationships with clients. This is only the start of another journey for Teh and there is so much more which he would like to achieve in the future as the sky is the limit as far as he is concerned.
“It is important for them to develop people skills, be diligent and willing to learn,” says Teh as he touches on what is essential for young entrepreneurs in order to succeed in life.
