Marko, Are You Burnt ??

My phone rang. It’s a familiar number.

He is Mr. L. He runs one of the biggest electronics supplies in Singapore. A very highly respected figure in this trade. He does not call for no reason.

Years ago, when I started my robotic business, he was one of my Mentors. I was lucky he opened himself up to me.

A person with a golden heart. A man, whose requests, I will fulfill.

I am incredibly grateful to him and his wife.

Today, he is in his 70’s. Still going strong. I am very happy to say that.

The first sentence he spoke “Marko are you burnt?”

Me : What do you mean Mr. L ?

Him : Your properties, how many vacant ?

Me : maybe 1 out 10 ?

He asked “lu gong si mi?” …. [ Singlish for what talking you ]

I replied : I have more than 10 properties and I average it to be only 1 out of 10 units are vacant at this time.

He asked : How come ?

I replied : Most of my properties are factories. They are still occupied. Sir, I am not rich like you. I can only afford those commercial properties below $1M. You guys made lots of money and were buying condo after condo during Singapore hay day in the 80s and 90s. I only started after that.

I added : I started with nothing and bought factories because that is all I could afford. Our friends think I was crazy. I was not crazy; I was poor. I had no choice at that time.

He was listening and asked to continue : Sir, look at a car workshop. Can you refused to repair a car when its broken? Can the car mechanic push the car into his HDB flat to repair?

How about your air conditioner? Can they be repaired in the electrician‘s flat ? Most people cannot sleep without air con these days.

How about a carpenter? Can he bring planks of wood into his flat and cut into a kitchen cabinet and then deliver to a customer home ?

No sir, all these activities are essential for our daily lives. They need machines and heavy tools.

Mr. L replied : wow, I learnt something new from you today. My friends and I are facing vacant condo and shops. Want to rent out, no tenants. Many tenants return to their countries. Want to sell, no buyers. Everyone flocks to new launches.

Mr. L continued : But, your tenants are so different. They cannot work from home. They cannot stop work. Their customers need them. You are so very heng … [ Singlish HENG means lucky]

Me : No sir, I am not lucky. I did not have money. So, I only can buy these cheap, nobody-wants-to-buy factory units. And learn how to moneti from these properties. I learn from many teachers. And that is why today I can live a good life. Investing a lot, profitable and yet very safe.

Mr. L : Since knowing you Marko, I saw you were always enterprising, resourceful and doing new things. I see you failed before. I see you successful. You always get up. You never stayed down for a long time. Your life is full of up and down, but you, never give up.

Me : Sir, what can I do? I arrive into electronics market late. And too early for internet boom. With so little money and so many mouths to feed, I must do something new, something different, something nobody wants to do. I was desperate.

Me : And I am glad I did, our trade (electronics) have shrunk. My friends are now jobless or changed to other trades. Most of them pretend to be happy but are in depression.

Mr. L : Can you help them ?

Me : I want to . I like to. But they only remember my failures, my falls. Most of them think I am borrowing money from them or selling them my course. It’s funny. I give them free, they also don’t want.

Mr. L : Let me see what I can do. Maybe gather them in a restaurant in my next birthday celebration and I give you ten mins stage time.

Me asked excitingly: That will be wonderful. They trust you. So they will come listen to me !

Mr. L replied : Lets do that.

Me: Do I need to sing? Because I am going thru singing classes now. I can sing after I talk.

Mr. L : No singing, just talk.

Me thinking inside ….. my singing got that bad meh?

Love,
Marko

Investor, Practitioner & Full-Time Coach (note: not singing type)