MY STORY

A Spontaneous Decision

I always wanted to be one of those people who say #lovemyjob. You know those people who have #passion and #purpose. They look forward to going to work every day. And then there's me #cantbebothered, #boredwithwork and #surroundedbyjokers. I'm in a rut--in banking.

Every year, I tell myself, this is my last year in banking. Yet, fifteen years later, I was still in banking. I dreamt of a life where I can be carefree and follow my passions — travel, dance and learn a new language. In short, I wanted to be one of the #digitalnomads of Instagram.

Then one day, my boss called me into his office. He wasn't supposed to in that day. I found out that the bank has a surprise round of layoffs. My heart skipped a beat. It is my chance to be paid to leave.

"Ok, I'm done. I want out," I blurted out to my boss. "I'm going to South America to learn Spanish and dance." I declared.

My boss looked amused, "Did you just make this up?"

I smiled at him, "This has been in the pipeline. Now it's time to execute!"

So I did. I got rid of most of my stuff and set off to my new nomadic life in South America.

Living La Vida Local

At the top of La Ciudad Perdida (The Lost City) in Santa Marta, Colombia

While living la vida local in South America was an adventure, what happens when the year is over? What happens when the money runs out? What do I do then? I still have no clue. All I know is, I do not want to go back to banking.

Maybe I can be a blogger? I do like food and travel. But I forget to take photos. How about something to do with tango? Set up "Anna Ong's School for Men Who Can't Dance"? While that would be a fun project, it's not my life mission.

So there I was in Buenos Aires, tired of dancing tango, tired of travelling, tired of living out of a suitcase (literally). It was time to pursue not just my passion but also my purpose.

Top of the Pyramid of the Moon in Teotihuacan, Mexico

I’m Pretty (&) Funny

So I moved to San Francisco, where I started to look for jobs in tech, but I wasn't finding anything that gets me excited. One night, I was out in a comedy club when I found myself heckling the lone female standup comedian. I got more laughs from the audience, so I told myself, "Well, if this is the benchmark for comedy, then maybe I'll just do comedy."

So I signed up for improv because it sounded easier than standup. I figure all I have to do is show up. It turns out it was a lot more than that. It was about being in the moment, connecting and letting go. It was through improv I discovered the world of storytelling. There I was on stage, telling my story of a time in Colombia when I had an epiphany — "this was what I do. I tell stories."

I found my passion for storytelling on stage. Improv (and storytelling) inspired me to start WYSH (What's Your Story, Huh?). I started a business where I apply the skills I learned through improv and storytelling. I help companies, teams, and individuals break down their walls, develop their stories and work together.

When I moved back to Singapore to set up WYSH, I missed the world of storytelling on stage, so I created What's Your Story Slam. It is a curated storytelling competition where people tell personal stories on stage. I believe everyone has a story worth telling, and it brings me such joy to shine the light on other people and help them see their gifts.

So now I wake up every morning filled with passion and purpose. I can honestly say that I #lovemyjob.

How Can I Help You?

I love meeting people and creating synergies with them. Tell me what I can help you with?

Communicating with Confidence
Thinking on Your Feet
Storytelling
Story Banking and Strategy