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A Malaysian named Vincent Ng has lived through a journey that many would find hard to imagine.
From earning a comfortable five-figure income every month to taking on a cashier job in his 50s, his story shows how life can completely turn around.
Started off as sales engineer
Vincent started his career as a sales engineer and worked in the field for five years.
He later moved on to another company as an assistant product manager, earning RM7,000 a month, which was a lucrative salary in the 1990s.
But while working there, Vincent felt a deep passion for teaching. He began tutoring part-time and soon found himself enjoying it more than his corporate job.
Thus, he took a risk many wouldn’t dare to take by walking away from his engineering job to pursue teaching full-time.
Built a thriving business from his home
At the start of his journey as a teacher, Vincent recounted upon its humble beginnings:
It was just me and 10 students at my house. But slowly, the number kept growing. Parents told their friends. Those friends told more friends.”
As time went by, Vincent’s class continued to grow in size and this led him to first rent a house and eventually a shop lot, where he launched his own tuition centre called WOW Tuition Centre.
Thanks to the tuition centre’s rapid growth, Vincent saw his earnings hit the five-figure mark every month. This allowed him to live a comfortable life as well as bring his parents to several trips overseas.
Little did he know, however, that this would subsequently come to a screeching halt.
‘When Covid hit, my life took a turn’
When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, everything Vincent had painstakingly built up collapsed. His income dried up and he could no longer afford to pay his teachers.
Although he tried to sustain the tuition centre a little longer by teaching all the subjects himself, it still wasn’t enough and he had no choice but to shut it down.
“Life was just really bad during that period. I struggled with rent. I was overweight and nearly got diabetes. On some months, I had to ask my friends for help. It was a very heavy burden.”
Feeling exhausted and financially cornered, Vincent decided to apply for a job as a cashier at a convenience store. While some might see it as a downgrade, this isn’t the case for him.
“I may not be earning like before, but I am living peacefully. That’s enough for me,” he added.
‘Life goes on’
Today, Vincent says he finally lives with peace and no worries. While working as a cashier, he still continues teaching tuition on the side.
“Many of my former students have grown up to become doctors and engineers, something which I take great pride in,” he beamed.
When asked whether he has plans to retire, Vincent said he only plans to do after he turns 60, adding he “cannot sit down and do nothing.”
Given everything he has gone through, Vincent hopes younger Malaysians won’t fear life’s uncertainties.
Young people today worry a lot. They think if they lose something, it’s the end. But it’s not.
“Resilience is built through experience, not comfort. Life still goes on. Don’t overthink. Don’t panic when things don’t go your way. You will find a way out.
“Sometimes you fall, sometimes you lose everything. But as long as you get back up, you’re still winning. If someone like me can start again in my 50s, so can you.”
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