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When Arthur Kiong, CEO of Far East Hospitality, failed his A Levels, he thought his life was pretty much over.
His dad even told him, "I’m sorry, you had your shot but you missed it" and in Arthur's own words, "I was lost and I was discouraged and I was in a great deal of pain and despair."
Arthur ended up selling slimming products on the streets because it was the only job he could find before applying to Mediocorp to become a stage technician.
Things took a turn when he was asked to take a voice test and he ended up with a celebrity radio DJ because he could pronounce "Thursday the Thirteenth”!
Overnight, Arthur found himself rubbing shoulders with the who's who and celebrities of the world and you would’ve thought that this was where Arthur’s career was on a rapid trajectory upwards save that he gave it all up to work to become a greeter at Prego.
People were astonished.
Why would he take on such a 'demeaning' job?!
But Arthur was adamant.
And Prego signalled the first step that Arthur took into the world of hospitality, where you'll find that he's had more than his share of incredible luck, ingenuity and adventures.
Including:
🔸 Being 'saved' by a war and lauded as a genius
🔸 Landing his dream job (at Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong) because his dog, Silky, fell sick!
🔸 Launching a successful marketing campaign straight after 9/11 (despite being in the thick of a fight between the head office & owner!)
Tune in to learn more about Arthur’s unconventional journey to the top of the hospitality industry and how you can do the same!
Highlights:
00:00 Introduction to Arthur Kiong's Journey
2:46 Adrian Tan
3:50 I thought my life was pretty much over
6:16 I didn’t want to live
7:03 Becoming a celebrity radio DJ overnight!
8:35 The seductive world
10:36 I saw no future?
12:16 Becoming a restaurant greeter?!
12:54 Oh Lord, what have I done?!
15:00 Sales is hard!
15:25 First big breakthrough
16:33 Interesting hospitality initiatives
19:31 The war saved me - Grand Hyatt
22:27 I found nothing!
23:50 That scares me. I don’t want it to be true
24:44 The difference between knowing and knowing
26:27 Landing the dream job at The Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong
28:01 Get a grip, man!
39:34 Why return to Singapore?
30:48 The career breakthrough that allowed me to go to the Ritz
33:34 Superman on Earth?
34:58 Moving the whole family to New York
35:31 The wise Chinese saying, “When the cucumber turns green, it means the time is ripe”
36:49 That fight between the head office and owner o.0
39:29 I wanted to architect my resume
42:03 Joining Far East Hospitality
44:38 What is Singapore-inspired hospitality?
48:41 The challenges of being a CEO (that no one sees)
49:41 The relationship between the owner and the CEO
50:15 God
51:24 The Second Act in your career?
52:52 Biggest career advice for fresh graduates
54:15 Do you feel like you’ve found your why?
55:10 What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind?
55:29 What are the most important qualities of a successful person?
New episodes drop every Sunday!
🎙️Show notes/transcript for this episode: www.sothisismywhy.com/147
📚 Download 5 Stones & a Sling: www.fareasthospitality.com/-/...
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Special Thanks: Limpeh Studios ( @hepmilcreatorsnetwork5697 ) for the studio in Singapore for this recording!
WHO AM I:
I'm Ling Yah, ex-lawyer turned LinkedIn personal brand strategist & host/producer of the So This Is My Why, where I interview inspiring people about how they found their why, and their blueprint for turning that why into a reality. I’ve interviewed US Congressman, 4* generals, FAANG executives, Olympians, Michelin-starred chefs, entrepreneurs, VCs, artists and more.
P/S
⌨️ I’d love to hear from you! Just leave a comment below or email me at sothisismywhy(at)gmail.com