Darren:

I chose to study at DISTED because of its reputation as a college with qualified and caring lecturers and successful experience in providing quality higher education.

The Bachelor of Commerce fitted well into my career aspirations. Deakin University is highly reputed for providing the best of Australian business education.

Darren:

The Deakin University commerce degree is certainly useful and relevant to my career now.

It provided a very strong foundation for me to work and progress in the financial industry. For example, the units that I took in the degree help me to better understand inflation factors and the fiscal and monetary policies as practised by Bank Negara.

I am also more knowledgeable in utilizing effective strategies in marketing my services and managing my team.

Darren:

I started as a financial planner with AIA and in July 2002 the International Association of Registered Financial Consultants conferred upon me the Registered Financial Consultant (RFC) status. This means that I am qualified to provide professional financial consultancy to individuals and corporate bodies and charge consultancy fees.

It took me just one year to become an assistant unit manager of AIA. Upon qualifying for the Million Dollar Club (MDC), I then became a business development manager.

Now I am AIA's top rookie unit manager in Malaysia.

Darren:

I chose this career because in the financial industry, I can earn unlimited income depending how much effort I put into it. Becoming a financial entrepreneur is definitely more attractive to me than being an employee.

I was delighted to find out that a professional financial planner or consultant is not an insurance salesman as commonly perceived by the uninformed public.

Of course, I had to work very hard to get to where I am now. I set a high standard of expectation and requirement for myself to achieve my goals. 

My main job responsibility is to help people plan for their future financial security through financial need analysis. The analysis involves planning for financial protection, retirement, education, estate, business, taxation, risk management, debts etc. 

Financial planning career is very challenging compared to other professions. But it is satisfying as it teaches me entrepreneurship and self-development. 

Darren:

My motto is enshrined in the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Shallow people believe in luck; they believe in circumstances. Strong and successful people believe in cause and effect”.

Another pearl of inspiration for me is: “A goal without deadline is a wish, not a commitment!”

I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.

Darren:

Simply put, financial planning is any planning related to ringgit and sen that is based on 3 cornerstones: protection, accumulation and retirement.

Life insurance is a part of financial planning. Financial planners provide guidance for money management, family health protection, taxation planning, employees benefit planning, business planning, and emergency fund planning. 

You need financial planning no matter if you are rich or poor, or young or old. A one-year-old child needs financial planning for medical protection and future education. Fresh graduates need to plan for their personal protection to prevent long term debts due to any disability. Working people need retirement planning which can effectively safeguard their hard-earned money against inflation. So, people should start their financial planning when they are still young.

Darren:

The entry qualification for this job is preferably at least a diploma in marketing, economics, accounting, taxation, finance, law or management information systems. We at AIA provide training for 6 months to prospective financial planners. 

Successful financial planners must have integrity and intelligence, common sense, right attitude, good judgment, strong discipline, high energy level, good communication skills and the ability to establish relationships of trust and confidence with people. 

The rewards are very lucrative provided that one is willing to work very hard. In fact, the sky is the limit and top financial planners earn in excess of RM500,000 per year. 

Darren:

Unlimited income, time flexibility, self-development, social recognition, free overseas trips, special bonus, and most importantly, “you are your own boss”!

Darren:

This is a very competitive and challenging career. Not every prospective proposal ends up as a sale.

One must be able to digest failures as well as success in this industry. Without strong personal discipline and determination, it is hard to survive here.

Darren:

In the next 10 years, one of my agency goals is to successfully build up 10 managers and 10 Million Dollar Round Tables.

I want to pursue my PhD and to be a successful leader and entrepreneur in financial industry.

I hope to reach the Top of the Table and to become a multi-millionaire in my lifetime.

I must also live a meaningful and worthwhile life, and contribute to society in whatever way I can, as I believe that “the more we give, the more we will receive".