110: Veronica Tan The Woman behind the 100 million dollar personal development business

For Women Who Love The F-Word

110: Veronica Tan The Woman behind the 100 million dollar personal development business

In this episode we have a very special guest she is Veronica Tan. She was recently awarded the 2017 Global Women Inspiration Woman award in London. The award recognizes the contributions of women towards the Advancement of personal growth and championing the development of business Women globally.

Realizing the dream

Our life’s calling will come to us as we do our best in what we are currently working on. Like Veronica, the foundation for Success Resources came to her and her partner as she was attending seminars while still employed.

(1:15) So I stumble on personal development and realize there’s more to life, more to what we do and be better and bigger.

(1:25) So I started to attend seminars and then, of course, over time because of the program, events that I do, we go, we meet the team of people, like my partner, Richard today, and my other business partner Patrick Liew.

(1:55)When you love what you do just go into 27 years.

Be mindful of the company that you keep

As we go along this life we will meet a lot of people, we will encounter different personalities and characters. So we need to make sure that the person or people we hang around are reliable and can build us up. In Veronica’s words, she said:

(2:08) I was fortunate because, Then I was only an employee and I do go and attend a lot of enrichment program and then through the enrichment program I meet a lot of people and is really like what we say today, it is about "who are you surrounded with?” Because the people you hang around within this area of learning and growing so that's how I chance upon it.

(2:34)So I think it’s very important that you know who you hang around with.

(2:39)You are the average of the 6 people you hang around with the most

(2:49)Most of the time I hang around with my husband which is my business partner now Richard Tan, the other partner Patrick Liew was really very instrumental to train me to expose me to the area of public speaking and meeting people. Other than that person that I’m very influenced by is my family members and then the speakers that I hang around with. So, in the early days, it was people really like Robert and Kim Kiyosaki whom we started with until today is actually 20 years of partnership that we become good friends. Through Robert and Kim, we really got to understand the power of personal growth and business development, financial investment.

(03:44) The last person is Tony Robins these are the people who have influenced us in what we do today in the area of our business ethics, work ethics, and the way we treat people.

We must be wise in choosing who we call friends or partners in life.

Business Ethics and Principles

In this life, we do have different business ethics and principles. How we grow our business will affect how we treat people that surround us. Veronica and her husband are strong believers in treating people well.

(4:21) Number 1. Love people- Everybody has greatness in them. So look at everybody you’ll see their greatness, you’ll see their goodness that nobody’s born to be a bad person “Always look at the greatness of somebody” and ask yourself what can I do to bring out the best in this person. So it’s people's development.

(4:49) We believe in people and we value people we look at people big and small.

(5:05) From the non-successful ones we call them small people and then we coach, build them bring the best out of them and that they become great. So we believe in people.

(5:18) The second one is about honesty and trust. We cannot do things alone if you don’t trust your team, you don’t trust people, you don’t trust your partners, you don’t trust the speaker then nothing will happen. Then you’ll be so careful and so cautious then you will fall into the scarcity mindset. Because you don’t trust so you start with trusting people first.

(5:42) and then you control risk. I think things can go sour, go bad, So what? So Most important is you know it’s a controlled risk, you have to trust the process, trust the universe that all would be great.

From nothing to Something

We all start from scratch, most of us started small before we become great and successful.

(6:42) We evolve from starting as a small team and grow along the way definitely we faced challenges in the area of people. Recruiting people, finding the wrong people. In the end whom you trust did not turn out the way you wanted. And of course, some consequences but they happen but again so what?

Making Mistakes

We will make mistakes, we should not dwell on them but use them as a learning experience.
(7:23)We made mistakes in the area of working with the wrong people and then we also made mistakes in the area of finding the wrong speakers sometimes we are not perfect.

(8:09)So in the end, I do have struggles with speakers I picked wrongly but again so what?

Having Faith

Running a business is never easy, it is not a walk in the park. But according to Veronica with faith, your business will grow. Here are more of her words of wisdom:

(8:55) I know I have faith and have a God. If you are obedient, you are faithful I believe God will take care of us. So if you do the right thing again, the universe will take care of us.

(9:14)You’re doing the right thing the universe will bless you, will open doors for you so there is an element of certainty and trust in yourself first. Now can I make mistakes? Of course. That’s why I said so what because it’s an experience that makes me a better person.

Work-Life Balance

Part of being truly successful in managing all areas of your life.

(10:05) My favorite line is that it’s true, you can’t have two persons at one time in managing. I call it value or rules. Richard, I make him the head of the business, head of the family I just stay as a neck. So, you know the neck actually controls the head.

But yet you give him you want to be the head.

(10:35) And you just stay as a neck to manage them. And tell them to turn left, turn right turn up, look down so because of these so-called values and principles I have with my husband, so we don’t clash, we don’t fight as much, as you hear other people can’t work with their spouse. Because there’s always conflicting values and conflicting instructions so we are quite clear with that and that’s what kept us working happily for 27 years.

Managing a team

Handling a group of people can sometimes be a challenge. Here is a nugget of truth that Veronica wants to share.

(11:34) Everything is by agreement, so I have a prearranged agreement with my team, my husband.

(11:47) We are a team, we need each other. You are great at doing this, I’m great at doing this so let’s not cross boundaries, then coupled with respect.

(11:59) Respect the agreement, that okay you do your thing and I will do mine. We welcome feedback. We make mistakes, if there’s feedback don’t get upset and learn.&n...