Never Burn Your Bridges

Recently, I returned to Singapore—my "home away from home"—to host a real estate seminar at Knight Frank Singapore, the company where I worked for ten years. On the day of the event, longtime seniors and comrades came out in full force to support me, including legendary figures in the industry. Seeing masters from various backgrounds gather to listen to my talk was both an honor and a source of immense pressure, as I was speaking in front of heavyweights and had to be extra careful not to make any mistakes. Most thrillingly, many of these seniors decided to invest in FMI properties after the seminar, becoming my clients and offering high praise for our work. Their tangible support was both an encouragement and a profound honor.

It has been 14 years since I left Knight Frank, but every time I return to my former company, it feels like coming home. I have maintained great relationships with my former bosses and colleagues, who continue to support me and show up for my events to this day. A legendary senior whom I respectfully call my mentor, Danny Yeo, treats me like family. The day after the seminar, we had lunch together, and he introduced two new friends to me. Throughout the meal, as those friends eagerly asked questions about the Japanese property market, Danny worried I wouldn't get a chance to eat, so he playfully told them to stop asking questions for a while—isn't that just heartwarming?

Looking back at my days at Knight Frank, I learned so much and met incredible people. I always gave my work my all; a colleague once joked, "Amous, stop working so hard, or you'll make the rest of us look lazy!" I joined Knight Frank at a very young age and became their youngest director, but I never forgot to show respect to my senior colleagues while earning their trust. When I eventually started my own company, I held firmly to that same attitude. Time has proven that people do notice your hard work and integrity. That is why I want to tell our younger colleagues: you reap what you sow. If I had been lazy, irresponsible, or arrogant back then, would my former colleagues still show up to support me today?

You should never be afraid of losing out or focus solely on short-term gains. How you treat people and handle situations may not yield immediate results; the impact can ripple out over ten or twenty years. Just like my departure from Knight Frank so many years ago, the seeds I planted back then are still bearing clear fruit today. Some of the partners I used to grind with have moved on to other places—some became developers in Singapore, others work at Knight Frank in Thailand—which is precisely why I was later able to bring Singaporean and Thai properties to the Hong Kong market.

There is a saying: "It helps to have friends in high places." But the real question is: how do you treat those "friends in high places," and can you sustain those relationships? Some people leave a company and sever all ties, or even act in ways that harm their former employer. Do you really think you'll never see them again? I always say: Don't be in a hurry to burn the bridge. Once you've crossed the river, never be in a rush to tear down the bridge behind you, because you never know when you might need to cross it again.

After the seminar concluded successfully, I told my FMI colleagues not to take it for granted that we could easily get such prominent figures and big bosses to show up and support us. The bonds I share with them weren't built overnight; they are the result of long-term accumulation. I hope my team understands that a company's reputation and network are hard-earned and must be treasured. Please cherish the brand that FMI has worked so hard to build. As the company accelerates its future growth—with our frontline pushing forward and our backend operations keeping pace—let us all work hard together and cross the bridge toward our future side by side.

During my recent return to my "former home" to host a seminar, I was deeply honored to have so many longtime partners show up in person to offer their support.