BBA, CFP®, ChFC®/S, CLU ®/S, IBFA
Financial Services Director
My Personal Story
On the surface, my growing up years seemed better than many others. Whatever I put my mind on, I usually achieved them.
In academics, I was able to get into top schools.
In sports – long distance running, I won numerous individual and team medals.
And today, at the age of 28, I’m leading the youngest and one of the most productive team in AIA.
However, what many do not know is that I grew with only my dad and a foster family, and was orphaned by the time I was a teenager.
My mother left us after a quarrel with my father. I was only 2 weeks old then.
My father did odd jobs to make ends meet. For most of the time, he was a caddie at a golf club.
We didn’t have much, but it was just enough…
…or that’s what I’d thought.
I was 18, and fresh from winning my 5,000m Gold medal and preparing for my A levels when we received the news.
My dad was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer. We sought immediate treatment.
But with no insurance, we could only afford basic healthcare; there was nothing else we could do.
Instead, I watched him deteriorate over 6 months until his very last breath.
And while in my grief, I discovered I had an inheritance of merely $5,000.
Inheritance was never on my mind till I received a letter by CPF Board a couple of months thereafter informing me to claim the remaining amount from his Medisave Account.
Not only did I have to deal with the grief, I realised my dream of going to University could not be funded!
Where was I going to find the money?
Do I ask my foster family for help?
Could I afford the monthly repayment of a bank loan?
From that day, it sparked a desire to master personal finance and I put my mind to it. I simply had no choice.
I was reading books after books on this topic while serving my National Service.
One day, I chanced upon this book written by a university professor titled “Financial Services & Wealth Management in Singapore”, it changed my life forever.
Being the geek that I am, I devoured every word and realised how big, dynamic & complex the financial market is in Singapore!
Hence straight out of National Service, I decided to join the industry for 3 reasons.
- To find an income source to fund my university tuition fees
- To ensure my financial needs are taken care of so my future family does not go through what I went through
- To prevent people around me from having to go through the financial hardships I went through
I worked almost every day on this career even while in university. Often describing to others that I’m a part-time student, full-time advisor, even though I was in a full-time undergraduate course.
I studied most of my lecture notes while commuting to meet my clients.
I made the decision not to go for overseas exchange and even summer school, in order to serve my clients here.
All the little effort eventually snowballed into a sizeable income while I was still studying. I was glad to be able to fully pay up my tuition fee loans immediately upon graduation.
On top of that, should anything unfortunate happen to me, I know my family will still have adequate finances to sustain their lifestyle, instead of having a financial burden on their shoulders.
As a financial planner, there are many areas we can value-add to our clients. Personally, I help most of them with two things. First, to set up a system to save and invest consistently, before they spend. Second, to eliminate major downside risks with the right type and amount of insurances.
A story about one of my clients, Timothy (not his real name). Timothy started his financial planning with me right out of graduation, as with most people. All along, he had been saving money the way most people do, by keeping them as bank deposits. By doing it this way, his money would have devalued a lot in the long run due to inflation.
Timothy placed his trust in me to set up a system where he is now saving and investing consistently in. He is now well on his way to accumulating a sizeable portfolio which he will eventually need for retirement.
Thankfully, Timothy further took the advice to implement a comprehensive portfolio of insurances. Without which, he would have needed to liquidate his entire portfolio and asked for financial help from his loved ones…
About a year later, while he was playing football on a weekend with his friends, an unfortunate collision occurred which left him with a torn anterior cruciate ligament. The surgery at one of the private hospitals locally with 4 day’s stay chalked up a bill of close to S$40,000.
Timothy never had to be concerned one dime about the cost of treatment, but instead could focus on getting treated and the recovery process.
I hope the story of my life, and of Timothy, has inspired you in one way or another. It is never about your circumstance, but how you react to it. It is never about the resources you have, but about your resourcefulness. In life, we never make sacrifices, we make choices.
When one life is gone, the others must live on. One of the greatest gifts you can leave behind for your family will one day come from the proceeds of a life insurance policy. I wish that you never have to go through the ordeals that Timothy and myself had gone through.
But if something similar happens, it is both our responsibility to ensure you are insulated from it financially.
Let us weave through life’s adventure together!
Testimonials
Read More About What Others Have To Say About Kevin
”Kevin has been my financial consultant for the last 2 years plus, throughout this time with Kevin, he had been consistent with his intent for regular meet-up sessions to do a thorough review to allow myself to remember/recap/review the how well protected or well invested I am at the different stages in life. Kevin have been able to also differentiate himself in the sense that he understands the needs of mine and my own personal financial aspirations. All in all, the experience with Kevin has been very positive, and I am looking forward to a very long term partnership with him in this aspect.
Justin HoBusiness Development Manager
”Kevin is a really dedicated financial advisor that will go out of his way to serve clients’ needs. He is also very understanding and accommodative to my busy schedule, and really patient in sharing the policy plans in detail. Kudos to a wonderful mentor and team, you will definitely be in good hands if you choose to get your insurance from Team Odyssey!
Amanda ChuaInvestment Banker
”Awesome team with a strong leader. Kevin is a trustworthy financial planner who has your best interest at heart, tells you things as it is, and empowers greater heights in his peers and clients. He's an inspiration in my journey, and more importantly, a friend that I can trust.
Joshua ChinBusiness Owner
”Kevin is lovely and insightful and is a little bit of a disciplinarian. Honest and frank, full of candor - and willing to walk life's struggles with you.
Rebekah LeeMedical Doctor
”Kevin has been a long-standing friend, teammate and financial advisor. Highly recommend his services given his illustrious accreditations, bountiful experience and most importantly being a man of integrity whom you can depend upon. Keep striving ahead with that fervent commitment and ambitious drive! Great job!
Lee Xuan DeCompliance Analyst
”I first met Kevin in Officer Cadet School, while we were both serving our National Service. What stood out to me about Kevin was his resolute perseverance and pursuit of excellence for everything he does. An influential leader who always sets ambitious goals and motivates those around him to work towards them, I was confident that Kevin was destined for great things when he said he was going to join AIA. As my financial advisor, Kevin was very detailed in explaining each policy in layman’s term, and he was able to tailor respective policies to my needs. He would offer both professional and personal advice and always prioritises his clients’ well-being above his. Kevin also ensures that there is sufficient follow up and frequent updates are sent to his clients so that they are kept up-to-date. Well done bro!
Glenn SeahSAF Officer
”As someone who just started working with a variable income stream, I was looking for a policy that I felt comfortable with both in terms of the premium and its flexibility. Kevin has never failed to surprise me with proposals that addressed my concerns meaningfully. This was something that other advisors struggled with. And with a rising number of freelancers in Singapore, it is important to recognise how inconsistent income streams make annual or monthly bills all the more difficult. Kevin’s solutions have offered me peace of mind in this regard. While I may not need a premium holiday, for example, it is comforting to know there are options embedded into my policy that offer such flexibility.
Ernest PueyBroadcast Journalist
”Having known Kevin for over a decade, I have always found him to be a very hardworking and helpful person who is also extremely dedicated and meticulous. Having been my financial advisor for the past few years, I have had full trust in him to handle my portfolio in my best interest without any worries and I have never been proven wrong. I’m sure he will continue building up his team to achieve greater heights! My experience with Kevin and team has been nothing but positive and I would highly recommend them!
Casslyn KohMarketing Manager
”Kevin is an efficient and knowledgable advisor. We sat down to discuss my needs and Kevin was able to come up with his plans to meet my needs in a fairly short amount of time. I enjoyed this straightforward experience with him and I strongly believe that I'm in good hands being advised by him!
Andy YongEngineer
”I have been with Kevin for the past 5 years since I started studying and have seen just how much dedication he puts into his craft and his clients. It is rare to see somebody put in 100% in his craft, going out of the way for his clients. It has been a joy to work with him over the past few years and I would recommend all to sit down with him for a chat about financial planning. As my needs change over the years, I am glad to have Kevin here to advise me on my financial matters as I progress through different stages of life and require different needs.
Llewyn Li
”Kevin and I have a history over the years and he has proven himself to be patient and caring. I recently bought some policies from him and I must say he is immaculate in his diligence to find the right policies to cater to my income and other various intricacies. It is also really evident that he is deeply knowledgeable about the products AIA sells. He explained and went through whatever questions an oblivious layman like me threw at him for which I am very grateful for. He is kind and passionate about what he does too! Thank you very much Kevin, this is just the start of our odyssey!
Gabriel PuaManager
”Where do I start - Kevin has been my financial advisor and insurance agent for 5 years going 6. It’s truly been an eventful journey and frankly it all seems not too long ago when I first consulted him while I was in National Service. Since then, he has witnessed me commission, matriculate into university, graduate, and finally - embark on my journey in the workforce. What strikes me the most about Kevin is his how genuine he is in his service. Truly, he makes a deliberate effort to know his clients; I would say it’s more accurate to associate him as a friend than agent. I have always been thoroughly impressed and touched by his sincerity in keeping close contact with me despite his hectic schedule. I really appreciates how he engages me for catchup sessions on a frequent basis, just to keep up to date with my well-being. The common perception is that agents tend to touch base with their clients for the sole purpose of selling “koyok” - yet in the time I’ve spent with Kevin, I have never experienced any form of hard selling; rather, I have been a recipient of truthful, honest advice. Our frequent topics of conversation are certainly not confined to financial planning and insurance, but to large practical topics such as my career progression, life goals, and even topics of interest such as running. In more recent news, he is my current ‘quasi running coach’ - I hope to get that IPPT 100 points soon! Earnest, trustworthy, dependable. I am grateful that I employed Kevin’s services at an early stage. As my needs change over the years, having a meticulous advisor like Kevin around certainly makes me feel more adequately prepared for the future ahead. It has truly been a pleasure to work with him and I would tell anyone looking for plans to look no further than him.
Dedrick ChuaSAF Officer
Kevin Goh
BBA, CFP®, ChFC®/S, CLU ®/S, IBFA
Financial Services Director
My Personal Story
On the surface, my growing up years seemed better than many others. Whatever I put my mind on, I usually achieved them.
In academics, I was able to get into top schools.
In sports – long distance running, I won numerous individual and team medals.
And today, at the age of 26, I’m leading an awesome team (or I should say family) in AIA.
However, what many do not know is that I grew with only my dad and a foster family, and was orphaned by the time I was a teenager.
My mother left us after a quarrel with my father. I was only 2 weeks old then.
My father did odd jobs to make ends meet. For most of the time, he was a caddie at a golf club.
We didn’t have much, but it was just enough…
…or that’s what I’d thought.
I was 18, and fresh from winning my 5,000m Gold medal and preparing for my A levels when we received the news.
Dad was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer. We sought immediate treatment.
But with no insurance, we could only afford basic healthcare; there was nothing else we could do.
Instead, I watched him deteriorate over 6 months until his very last breath.
And while in my grief, I discovered I had an inheritance of merely $5,000.
Inheritance was never on my mind till I received a letter by CPF Board a couple of months thereafter informing me to claim the remaining amount from his Medisave Account.
Not only did I have to deal with the grief, I realised my dream of going to University could not be funded!
Where was I going to find the money?
Do I ask my foster family for help?
Could I afford the monthly repayment of a bank loan?
From that day, it sparked a desire to master personal finance and I put my mind to it. I simply had no choice.
I was reading books after books on this topic while serving my National Service.
One day, I chanced upon this book written by a university professor titled “Financial Services & Wealth Management in Singapore”, it changed my life forever.
Being the geek that I am, I devoured every word and realised how big, dynamic & complex the financial market is in Singapore!
Hence straight out of National Service, I decided to join the industry for 3 reasons.
- To find an income source to fund my university tuition fees
- To ensure my financial needs are taken care of so my future family does not go through what I went through
- To prevent people around me from having to go through the financial hardships I went through
I worked almost every day on this career even while in university. Often describing to others that I’m a part-time student, full-time advisor, even though I was in a full-time undergraduate course.
I studied most of my lecture notes while commuting to meet my clients.
I made the decision not to go for overseas exchange and even summer school, in order to serve my clients here.
All the little effort eventually snowballed into a sizeable income while I was still studying. I was glad to be able to fully pay up my tuition fee loans immediately upon graduation.
On top of that, should anything unfortunate happen to me, I know my family will still have adequate finances to sustain their lifestyle, instead of having a financial burden on their shoulders.
As a financial planner, there are many areas we can value-add to our clients. Personally, I help most of them with two things. First, to set up a system to save and invest consistently, before they spend. Second, to eliminate major downside risks with the right type and amount of insurances.
A story about one of my clients, Timothy (not his real name). Timothy started his financial planning with me right out of graduation, as with most people. All along, he had been saving money the way most people do, by keeping them as bank deposits. By doing it this way, his money would have devalued a lot in the long run due to inflation.
Timothy placed his trust in me to set up a system where he is now saving and investing consistently in. He is now well on his way to accumulating a sizeable portfolio which he will eventually need for retirement.
Thankfully, Timothy further took the advice to implement a comprehensive portfolio of insurances. Without which, he would have needed to liquidate his entire portfolio and asked for financial help from his loved ones…
About a year later, while he was playing football on a weekend with his friends, an unfortunate collision occurred which left him with a torn anterior cruciate ligament. The surgery at one of the private hospitals locally with 4 day’s stay chalked up a bill of close to S$40,000.
Timothy never had to be concerned one dime about the cost of treatment, but instead could focus on getting treated and the recovery process.
I hope the story of my life, and of Timothy, has inspired you in one way or another. It is never about your circumstance, but how you react to it. It is never about the resources you have, but about your resourcefulness. In life, we never make sacrifices, we make choices.
When one life is gone, the others must live on. One of the greatest gifts you can leave behind for your family will one day come from the proceeds of a life insurance policy. I wish that you never have to go through the ordeals that Timothy and myself had gone through.
But if something similar happens, it is both our responsibility to ensure you are insulated from it financially.
Let us weave through life’s adventure together!
Testimonials
Read More About What Others Have To Say About Kevin
”Kevin has been my financial consultant for the last 2 years plus, throughout this time with Kevin, he had been consistent with his intent for regular meet-up sessions to do a thorough review to allow myself to remember/recap/review the how well protected or well invested I am at the different stages in life. Kevin have been able to also differentiate himself in the sense that he understands the needs of mine and my own personal financial aspirations. All in all, the experience with Kevin has been very positive, and I am looking forward to a very long term partnership with him in this aspect.
Justin HoBusiness Development Manager
”Kevin is a really dedicated financial advisor that will go out of his way to serve clients’ needs. He is also very understanding and accommodative to my busy schedule, and really patient in sharing the policy plans in detail. Kudos to a wonderful mentor and team, you will definitely be in good hands if you choose to get your insurance from Team Odyssey!
Amanda ChuaInvestment Banker
”Awesome team with a strong leader. Kevin is a trustworthy financial planner who has your best interest at heart, tells you things as it is, and empowers greater heights in his peers and clients. He's an inspiration in my journey, and more importantly, a friend that I can trust.
Joshua ChinBusiness Owner
”Kevin is lovely and insightful and is a little bit of a disciplinarian. Honest and frank, full of candor - and willing to walk life's struggles with you.
Rebekah LeeMedical Doctor
”Kevin has been a long-standing friend, teammate and financial advisor. Highly recommend his services given his illustrious accreditations, bountiful experience and most importantly being a man of integrity whom you can depend upon. Keep striving ahead with that fervent commitment and ambitious drive! Great job!
Lee Xuan DeCompliance Analyst
”I first met Kevin in Officer Cadet School, while we were both serving our National Service. What stood out to me about Kevin was his resolute perseverance and pursuit of excellence for everything he does. An influential leader who always sets ambitious goals and motivates those around him to work towards them, I was confident that Kevin was destined for great things when he said he was going to join AIA. As my financial advisor, Kevin was very detailed in explaining each policy in layman’s term, and he was able to tailor respective policies to my needs. He would offer both professional and personal advice and always prioritises his clients’ well-being above his. Kevin also ensures that there is sufficient follow up and frequent updates are sent to his clients so that they are kept up-to-date. Well done bro!
Glenn SeahSAF Officer
”As someone who just started working with a variable income stream, I was looking for a policy that I felt comfortable with both in terms of the premium and its flexibility. Kevin has never failed to surprise me with proposals that addressed my concerns meaningfully. This was something that other advisors struggled with. And with a rising number of freelancers in Singapore, it is important to recognise how inconsistent income streams make annual or monthly bills all the more difficult. Kevin’s solutions have offered me peace of mind in this regard. While I may not need a premium holiday, for example, it is comforting to know there are options embedded into my policy that offer such flexibility.
Ernest PueyBroadcast Journalist
”Having known Kevin for over a decade, I have always found him to be a very hardworking and helpful person who is also extremely dedicated and meticulous. Having been my financial advisor for the past few years, I have had full trust in him to handle my portfolio in my best interest without any worries and I have never been proven wrong. I’m sure he will continue building up his team to achieve greater heights! My experience with Kevin and team has been nothing but positive and I would highly recommend them!
Casslyn KohMarketing Manager
”Kevin is an efficient and knowledgable advisor. We sat down to discuss my needs and Kevin was able to come up with his plans to meet my needs in a fairly short amount of time. I enjoyed this straightforward experience with him and I strongly believe that I'm in good hands being advised by him!
Andy YongEngineer
”I have been with Kevin for the past 5 years since I started studying and have seen just how much dedication he puts into his craft and his clients. It is rare to see somebody put in 100% in his craft, going out of the way for his clients. It has been a joy to work with him over the past few years and I would recommend all to sit down with him for a chat about financial planning. As my needs change over the years, I am glad to have Kevin here to advise me on my financial matters as I progress through different stages of life and require different needs.
Llewyn Li
”Kevin and I have a history over the years and he has proven himself to be patient and caring. I recently bought some policies from him and I must say he is immaculate in his diligence to find the right policies to cater to my income and other various intricacies. It is also really evident that he is deeply knowledgeable about the products AIA sells. He explained and went through whatever questions an oblivious layman like me threw at him for which I am very grateful for. He is kind and passionate about what he does too! Thank you very much Kevin, this is just the start of our odyssey!
Gabriel PuaManager
”Where do I start - Kevin has been my financial advisor and insurance agent for 5 years going 6. It’s truly been an eventful journey and frankly it all seems not too long ago when I first consulted him while I was in National Service. Since then, he has witnessed me commission, matriculate into university, graduate, and finally - embark on my journey in the workforce. What strikes me the most about Kevin is his how genuine he is in his service. Truly, he makes a deliberate effort to know his clients; I would say it’s more accurate to associate him as a friend than agent. I have always been thoroughly impressed and touched by his sincerity in keeping close contact with me despite his hectic schedule. I really appreciates how he engages me for catchup sessions on a frequent basis, just to keep up to date with my well-being. The common perception is that agents tend to touch base with their clients for the sole purpose of selling “koyok” - yet in the time I’ve spent with Kevin, I have never experienced any form of hard selling; rather, I have been a recipient of truthful, honest advice. Our frequent topics of conversation are certainly not confined to financial planning and insurance, but to large practical topics such as my career progression, life goals, and even topics of interest such as running. In more recent news, he is my current ‘quasi running coach’ - I hope to get that IPPT 100 points soon! Earnest, trustworthy, dependable. I am grateful that I employed Kevin’s services at an early stage. As my needs change over the years, having a meticulous advisor like Kevin around certainly makes me feel more adequately prepared for the future ahead. It has truly been a pleasure to work with him and I would tell anyone looking for plans to look no further than him.
Dedrick ChuaSAF Officer
