Transcription
How much you earn depends on how much you're willing to drive. I also don't want people to recognize me. My happiness is attached to how people see me. I come from a poor family. Imagine you're a kid seeing our parents always quarreling, always shouting at each other. The weird thing is I'm overqualified for the position to finally can tell people. I'm a taxi driver. Let's say tomorrow I die. It's an experience that I have that made me today. When you can start to chat about your difficulty, that is when the healing starts. So there's nothing that can bring me down.
Hey friends, today's episode is brought to you by Wers, a brand of N International. Wers is Singapore's global business account, simplifying key financial operations, including international payments, collections, currency conversions, and more all in one account. And for someone like me who lives in Thailand and works in Singapore, Wers is amazing because I can use my Sing Pass to open a local Thaiart account, US dollar, or even a Sing dollar account completely online. No cost and no minimum balance at all. So, if you're like me who operates beyond local SGD payments, I will share how Wers plays a crucial role later in the podcast. But for now, let's get back to the show.
Everybody, welcome to a special podcast episode. Today, we are outdoors and we have a very special guest. I have here Eddie with me. He started as a typical business owner here in Singapore. He had his own customers, his own supplier. But in this economy, eventually things went south and he had to give up his business and eventually even turned to becoming a taxi driver. Something that a lot of us Singaporeans can relate to and we sometimes even consider doing it ourselves. So today we want to talk about Eddie's story, his resilience, his journey and his new perspective of life.
Eddie, thank you so much. It's really I'm really excited to meet you.
>> Hi. Thanks. Thanks for having me.
>> Yes. So Eddie, uh, for people in my channel who may not hear of your story, could you do a short introduction?
>> Okay, I I'll do a short one. I used to have um company of my own, it's a small company. Yeah, it's is actually um trammart agent. So it's like a middleman kind of thing doing legal stuff but not a law firm. So I had that company for like about eight eight coming to 9 years.
>> Wow.
>> Yeah. Then after that something happened, you know.
>> How many employees did you have? How big was it? So you were you were on they were all on your payroll.
>> Yeah. Yeah. Correct. Right. So I started with a oneman show at home actually. But as time goes by I I need like um a break away from that home setting because you know the when you're at home the motivation to work >> a bit different. It blurs the line between relaxing and working, you know. >> So I say okay I need to get out and and find a proper schedule because I'm a creature of habit. So I need like that kind of 9 to5 kind of um schedule. So I found a cheap place. I moved there and slowly grow and then you start your first hire until your eight. And how big was at your peak? How big was your sort of annual revenue? Can you share that?
>> Close. It is almost touching a million. Yeah.
>> Okay. So it's not a not a small small business, it is is decent. You have >> still small business. >> Now that we are starting YouTube, right, to make like a few thousand very difficult for you to hit seven figures is is >> over a period of time. Yes, it is is.
>> So, can you share with us what happened? How did the business sort of uh eventually faded away?
>> Yeah. So um how should I start? Because it's a is a combination of factors, right? And and over time it caused the downfall, right? I I would say uh system-wise the company runs very well. We have a very good structure, right? Uh from from marketing, procuring new new clients, new new new new uh accounts to closing deals, every month is should be okay one. I think the main problem is myself, yeah, because I'm inexperienced first as a business owner >> right? Uh I I don't go to any master class like how to run a company, so I I don't know how to do it uh properly.
>> You're just learning on the go?
>> Yeah, sort of. I'm alone, right? Because I Understand now on high side company, there's different growth stages. Yeah. You you have like this at the start, you need to like jump into the blue ocean and just cut cost and try to get in, you know, when when you get a few deals, then you try to do your branding to is a different stages, then you try to build your brand around the company to be reputable. You start to do ISO kind of standards and all these, then people wow like credibility and all this. uh then after that, you become like go inwards to grow your internal company culture, trying to build up your company morale, branding internally. So all these great grow stages, I learned all by myself >> but uh along the way, I made a lot of um uh uh business mistakes. Yeah. That cost a lot of money.
>> Yeah. Take for example, initially I thought that okay, I got few staff ready. I'm responsible for their uh day-to-day, right? Their their families to feed. You. So I was thinking about how about their career progression? If they are here with me on the long term. Uh can I ensure a career path that can sort of like make sure that they are able to to to you know >> and to retain them.
>> Correct. So uh then I spent a lot of money building out nice office decoration, trying to upgrade to a bigger office, like from from a three to four man space become a 12man space kind of like uh so you can imagine the capital investment into procuring the new table, chair, furniture, and all, then also ascendant for training and all this. So I spent a lot on this kind of thing, you know, but yet cannot sustain. Yeah, because of the cash flow issue. So that's another problem is the cash flow, right? Because for business, right, >> you got 30 days, then you get the money. It's not like Wers, even for YouTube, right? They you take a month for our expenses go out immediately, but the the the the checks come in 30, sometimes 60 days, right?
>> Yeah. 90 days even, you know, not like 9 to 5 job, every month, you sure have the kind of fixed a month.
>> So for us, yeah, maybe we close a 100,000 deal this month. Does it mean that we have >> to hunt for another 60 days until you can receive it, if and when they pay you.
>> Exactly. And meanwhile, you still need to pay for the uh business cost. You need to pay for the official fees. This >> and this is something that from corporate people thinking of starting a business, you don't know because in the corporate environment, you're very sheltered, right? You don't have to make these decisions and trade-offs. But then once you start your own place, you realize, wow, the cash flow management is really is relentless. And the trap and the trap is where when the banks come in, >> don't worry, we'll take care of it. You can change.
>> Yeah. Then you suddenly have a kind of line of credit.
>> I used to get a bank. So I was the one telling you. Yes.
>> Yeah. So I was like, wow. Now suddenly I got this lifeline I can use and touch the OD overdraft to try and pluck the gap while I run the business.
>> But this is how trap you lock you in.
>> Yeah. Then I say I I am not able to like a tsunami, the wave wave, then you keep trying to stay afloat, then you come down again because the the when when the that time, the uh economic crisis, not economic crisis, but there's a bit of up and down in the economy. So you can feel it because why the vendors are your your your your customer or your accounts are you can feel already from 30-day paying you become 60 days.
>> Is there a point you start to realize that hey, business is is really tough and things are really starting to >> just before the >> okay, what happened? Like how, what was there a particular moment? Was it like a particular interaction with your customer that you realize, okay, my business is really, this is not going well?
>> Yeah, is is yeah, the due date, the payment due date, I to start chasing more and more, chase and chase, then they say, oh yeah, then they'll give you excuses, then next month we will know.
>> But like what earlier Eddie said, right? While the customers is you're able to give them grace, or you have no choice but to give them grace period, your own bills with your landlord, with the banks, there is no grace period.
>> To run your CPF, your salaries and all this has still that's why the lifeline come in, and then you keep using it to plug, right? Then you not to catch up because some of your accounts are maybe closed already, they're not in business anymore.
>> Yes.
>> How you going to chase that money?
>> Yeah. So at at at the point where you realize that your business is good, you have to close down. Can you walk us through how that day is? Do you still remember that moment where you make a decision, I have to close this down?
>> It's a it's a very difficult question because like it's not like instantaneous like kind of like I don't know, is I know it already when when the things are going south, I know is this one how to sustain, how long can I do it? Then it's a matter of time when I have to like really put down my fee and say, okay, cannot really. But when when the I remember that time when a few of my accounts, my my clients are are close close shop already, right? I can't get my money back. I know already I'll be in trouble very soon. It will be my turn. Yeah. So that is when I I I feel that okay, start to prepare exit strategy, how I'm going to do it, you know? But that time I've got staff, I also don't know how to do it. I also learning how do I get out of this mess, you know? Because I was in that ready that time, I'm not able to repay banks, letters are coming in. Yeah, my wife was throughout this process, uh don't know anything, one. She's totally out of the picture because she don't understand. It's very complicated. Look at the balance sheet, the P&L one, say what the hell. I have to learn all this financial >> slowly, then I can come to my realization, bas yeah. That's the time I took my taxi license.
>> So that was your your backup. That was backup.
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Yeah. >> So, how difficult was that process of like, I have to give up my business, your baby, right, over 8 years, and then pivot into something that is not nothing like as glamorous as being a business owner, being a taxi driver, where there may be some social stigma, where you feel that, oh, you know, what will other people think of you? How was that transition like for you?
>> That transition is not beautiful at all. Very. You see, that time, um, my, you see, the thing is, we come from, I come from a poor family, right? So from being a poor family, uh, lowly educated, because I, my law degree was right after I finished my studies. I didn't, my JC, I didn't even finish my A-level, so I went through the private diploma side and then go UK and get my law. So throughout my early 30s, uh, my my life was like quite average Joe one. Yeah. So when I built a company, everybody like, wow, can sure >> you finally made it, right? You made something. You >> people were skeptical at first, the relative and all >> but after I made it already, w I got uh a pretty, you know, a number of staff working me, then they, oh, okay, this guy may be in for something. But when when this thing fell, this this whole thing fell, I like, what really? Then how, actually, this guy cannot make it one? This really a failure. So for me, actually, is I think I can still overcome, but I'm more worried for my parents because they are from the Malaysia side.
>> They are the they ones that facing my relatives, you know, year after year, every week they go back. Ah, how's your son? Or where, when you still live, you know? >> Where you live and all these.
>> So what was more difficult? Losing your business and income affecting your income, or having to deal with the negative perception of a failed business owner among your family and close ones?
>> I I I think it's a mixture of all. It's like mixing everything together, like >> so it doesn't happen one and all go. Everything comes to you.
>> That's why it's so difficult. Is it's like it happens all at once. You don't know how to process. You you don't know how to, you can't even define why, what's the where's the pain? Is it because of the company they're trying to build eight years and now it's gone? Or or or is it like, um, you're no longer a boss, the status changed already?
>> Yeah, going back to 9 to 5. Now you have to look for a job because I was actually sending applications.
>> Yeah. Uh, trying to get a job, trying to uh, find.
>> So you didn't immediately like, okay, I I'm going to do a taxi, I'm going to do private hire, p um, grab? You actually thought of going back to the corporate workers?
>> Yeah. No, I tried everything because I not I'm single. I'm not single.
>> Yes. Can you share a little? At that point, you were already married? How many kids do you have?
>> That time I have uh two kids already.
>> How old were they?
>> Very young only. Toddler and one is just newborn.
>> Oh, sh.
>> Yeah. So it was like very painful period. And my wife have a lot of expectation because that time we we still have this um uh a bit of cash. So our child care is those quite >> one. Oh, okay.
>> Yeah. So we spend like a few thousand dollars on on child care and all this. Uh, so the the output cannot catch up.
>> Yeah. Until one day, you know, I tell my wife, we have to stop this, this, this, and this.
>> So you shock to her because we were always at this level and a certain level of concept.
>> Yeah. Then suddenly boom, steep decline. Then she like, what, what happened? Then after it dawned to us, then we have like one, two years of argument throughout. So difficult of that period.
>> Yeah.
>> For everybody involved.
>> And your children as well, right? That my children >> were they more adaptable because they were younger? To them, were they able to >> No, they all they see is arguments. Like imagine your kids seeing our parents always quarreling, always shouting at each other. That's the period they have been through.
>> I think this is what, okay, a lot of my YouTube channels, a lot of the viewers are between maybe 30 or 20 something to 40 something. I think we all can relate to this where you are, you already have a family or you have a lot of commitments, but yet you are also at the most risky, you you may be at the highest peak in your career, but you are also at the most risky because once if anything happens, you got way more, way more commitments and expectations from your family, a lot of dependence, right? It's it's not like when we were younger where, you know, if it fails, then okay, I'll go find another job. I'm sure when you were sending applications, it was also tough for you to even get an interview or to to for people to take a chance on you.
>> Exactly. Is the the weird thing is I'm overqualified for the position they're looking for.
>> Underqualified. It's kind of mismatch. So it's and my age also. So it's very difficult. This is the toughest part when we are between our 30s to our early 40s, late 40s, where you are too overqualified for some of the open jobs that you don't mind taking, 'cause you are desperate, right? You want to do entry, they won't consider you, and you are like >> too junior, or your business is too small to consider for the senior roles that companies.
>> So you are in a very awkward position, very hard.
>> And awkward at home also, right? 'Cause your your dependents, your children, um, you want to give them a certain level of comfort, but then now you have to have to pull back.
>> So The thing is during that time, you you you you have the because you are in that kind of um state of mind that w everything is not going well and all this, you have the tendency to to spiral down into this uh kind of very depressive state, you know? But when you want to indulge in that, when you reach home and and you open the door, you see your kids there, how >> you cannot bring that.
>> Put it all away. It's not easy, easier said than done.
>> Yeah, you you have to throw all that away, say this cannot really, because my kids are waiting food on the table, and my wife is waiting for a turnaround. So I have to power through piano. So when I look back and say, ah, did I do that? I don't think I can do it alone. So those who are who are like single, all these, maybe you say, maybe they can have it better. I think maybe worse, because then they will keep spiraling down.
>> That's true. Nobody can them.
>> That's true. That's true. So this is the beauty of having a supportive family, or at least having like an obligation like you, you cannot indulge in feeling negative.
>> Because if you are down, everybody is down, really. It's not just you now.
>> That's true. That's very true. That's very true. So, um, do you consider that experience your life's rock bottom?
>> Life's rock bottom. I I would below, I believe so, because there there's a few force. Uh, I always have, I don't think I don't take things very well. Like a lot of things, I try to over dramatize. Like this die, because that time I was um, I remember when I was younger, I was in the Bak. So because there was some management shift in the BPA, uh, my beloved CEO left the company. We were working at a Bak Mandai WRS. So I was so angry. A lot of people are very angry, you know, because of the management chief. We >> reorg, like? Yeah. So we all just get out of the company. That but that was so sudden because I thought that would be my life. Bird presenter. I love nature.
>> I was a falconer and and um bird of prey presenter. W that will be I work until >> you found something you like.
>> Yeah. My passion. I don't feel like working. I love it.
>> So when that happened, like now, like I don't know what to do. I don't like this job. I love nature. I don't have any qualification. I fa my own level. So what I going to do? So is that rock bottom at that point of time? Yes, it was my rock bottom. Yeah. But if you like put on a skill of S plus tier, A tier, B2, I think the company one is the >> maybe those also give you the resilience or like >> over time. Yeah. But at that moment, you don't think that way, right? At the moment.
>> It's like uh, why it happened to me? That kind of feeling. Like so many billions of people, why this kind of thing had to >> and you did everything right. It's not as if you were dishonest or you took shortcuts, right? You try to play by the right rules, but yet like life's waves just hit.
>> Yeah.
>> Then what can you do, right?
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> And um, was therefore a moment where you question, oh, I wasted all my prime years? Because that's what I went through when I was laid off. It's like >> you know, they never lay you off. I mean, of course, different people, different experience, but they never choose to lay you off somehow at like 20 years old, 25, the worst timing for you, right? When you just got married, when your wife just got pregnant, when you just bought your house, the mortgage, then it hits you, right? So did you feel that, ah, you know, I, my prime years are there? How, how did you rationalize that?
>> I I never thought of that question of my prime, prime, and most productive year during that that whole episode.
>> It's only now when I reflect in hindsight, then I feel that, oh, that that that part, that era of uh growth, of productivity, my my best years of my life, because now I'm 50, right? I I wouldn't say it's a waste. The thing that I do. Let's say tomorrow I die. My I just I feel that I still, I've been through that. It's an experience that I have that made me today. Yeah. Is is the kind of uh uh resilience that I built over the years.
>> The kind of um um family values I wish to inculcate in my kids because of my mistakes. All this, I think is all worth it. So if you ask me how do I rationalize this um kind of prime era of my life gone, really, I don't think it is gone. In fact, if let's say I have, if let's say today, you are still me, why you are $10 million company also, so what did I learn? I don't know what. Maybe that in that universe, right, maybe I have a lot of money, then what else? A lot of people have money more than you, yeah, but maybe I don't have the kind of family bond I had now with my wife who stood through me. Now I know this girl supported me. I know my family had this >> that is worth more money, honestly. Our age now >> uh, you know, mid uh 30s and beyond, to find a partner that can >> say do or die with you all the way, is actually quite >> rare.
>> Yeah, exactly. So I don't think >> you gain something out of this.
>> Do I regret that that that period? Yeah, I do make mistakes. I do make financial mistakes. No, no budgeting, no financial prudence. Stupid. Yes. But if I go back and reverse, maybe then I will not have found found this wife or this family. I wouldn't I just.
>> That's amazing.
>> That's amazing. And now, now let's talk about, you know, out of out of this this tough period, you know, your perspective has changed, your you've sort of pivoted your direction uh of your life as well. Um, so what led you to becoming a private hire and eventually a taxi driver? Can you walk us through your thought process then?
>> So that time uh I was doing it as a backup plan. So because the application didn't go through uh didn't work out. So I still need money because I already started that time my repayment to the bank already. So I still need that money to come in. I cannot just sit there. All my cash wiped up. All my savings, everything is wiped off. My insurance policy, I do to know all give up because I need to pay off the vendors. Yeah, because we are doing through the going through the uh liquidation, all this. So nothing, zero. But yet my obligation stays. I still need to pay my my wife uh alone cannot sustain the whole uh period.
>> So the only the lowest hanging fruit that time is private hire.
>> Cuz straight away you get cash in every day. I just the thing is is hourly based. It's the effort is straight away. It's how much you earn. How much you earn depends on how much you're willing to drive. You want to drive 24 hours, you get 24 hour worth of earnings.
>> So I do that.
>> Yeah, I like that. I think >> sometimes, at least for me. So I also tried tried grab delivery, by the way. But I >> I saw you.
>> I was much more fortunate. I did it not because I needed the cash. I was still very employed. But I did it because during the what was it called? So the circuit breaker >> co, they only essential workers could go out. I couldn't go to the gym. I couldn't go jogging. I said, fine, I go and cycle and get get. But I, I, when I did that, I realized people saw me differently. So before that, I will enter a restaurant as a customer versus I enter as a private uh uh food delivery. The staff, the people around you, all see you almost like invisible because you're just doing your job, and that's fine. It's an honest living. But what I want to comment is that, um, there's no, there's no, there's no shame in that doing. It's an honest living, right? Immediately you get cash, and sometimes probably sound it sounded that at that period of time, that was what you needed the most, right?
>> Yeah, is what makes sense then because then I don't see any any other way out to get that kind of um income stream to help the. But I didn't realize that uh after I done that for a couple, because my intention was in the meantime, I submit applications, all this, right? Hopefully along the way, I get. I, I did get a call from my ex-boss to go back and help him.
>> Okay.
>> But uh, after a year, it didn't work out because our expected to meet.
>> She wanted, he wanted me to do more like um marketing side of the job, which I hate.
>> Okay.
>> I don't like, so I went back to my >> private hire.
>> Oh, okay. So, so you did private hire. You actually got a corporate job, which a lot of people think, ah, this this is the go, this is the the golden ticket out, but then you actually came back to to driving. Yeah, because the firstly is a big drop in my income, and the the money that I earn.
>> Hold on, hold on, hold on. You're saying that driving taxi, driving earn more than corporate job.
>> No, not say more. Almost the same. You see, but the plus side is I have a car.
>> You have more control.
>> My time. Yes.
>> I can do other things, and I can spend more time with my kids. So my priority shifted a bit. This is important for for people to know that like actually, there is a lot of hidden benefits to actually running um, driving your own taxi as well, right?
>> Yeah. Because um, yes, uh, when you are new, you, you don't expect to earn that kind of stable income because you are learning. Yeah. But the thing about private hire and taxi, once you know the ropes already, you know the timing, when to drive, where to drive, I think you can sort of like find your way around that schedule. You can craft out a time to do other hustle. That's what happened to me while YouTube.
>> That's amazing. We'll talk a little bit about his YouTube channel. That's how I found it. I'm a subscriber. I'm a big fan of his content, really, really, really uh, because I can relate to your story. I think most >> uh, people after working for a few number of years, they start to realize that it's actually not that easy. Life isn't that easy, right? Yes, people from outside see Singapore as this very uh, rich and comfortable and secure place. But the struggles we face, be it a corporate worker, or be it an entrepreneur, business owner, is is very real.
>> Yeah. Um, what was your family's response when you earlier you said, right, you know, in Malaysia, your families, or you know, you have to justify why your business didn't work out, think of their opinions. What were their opinions about you becoming a taxi driver, and how did that affect you?
>> The truth is, they don't know. Up to now, they don't know.
>> Even you're on YouTube? You're on >> My mother is very good at the whole facade thing, you know.
>> So to me, I told her, you know, I don't know what you don't care what you do.
>> Your decision, however you want to make.
>> Yeah. This video come out is for the world to see now. In fact, that time when my interview with um, Straits Times, what the featured >> one of my relatives actually saw me and asked my mother, is it, is it him? Is it Eddie? Then how?
>> Because they look so familiar.
>> Then how?
>> You just keep quiet.
>> Wow.
>> So is that that's not my side. But I understand because >> Yes. They have a different way of >> Yes. They coming from the very old school one. So I give it to her. I'm not >> Yeah.
>> I don't hate her for it.
>> That's respectful of you. That's respectful.
>> It's like, but I, this one had to go because you see, to me, healing is when you can stop to start to talk about your problem. When you can start to chat about your difficulty, that is when the healing starts. To me, it's like that.
>> Yes.
>> Yeah.
>> And I, I >> and you don't need to keep pretending and forced to put on this mask, this facade, this this impression that you keep living through other people, right?
>> Yeah. Then that's very, firstly, that is very liberating. Yeah. Secondly, you are in control of yourself. Yeah. I, I feel that um, yeah, right.
>> So the first day you entered your car, okay, can you walk me through the first day you, you know, you did all the paperwork, you got your car and everything, you start, you pick up the first customer, and everything. How are you? Were you excited? Were you hesitant? Were you afraid, like if you bump into, you know, someone you know? Can you walk us through?
>> Yeah, is definitely because that that time when I drive taxi, I mean, sorry, private hire, I also don't want people to recognize me because that time I cannot see myself in this position.
>> Because you were a business owner?
>> Yeah. So it's a take down rate. I that time I still couldn't accept that kind of failure, the mess that I made, you know? Uh, so so it was a very difficult time for me, um, and for my family. So there were indeed a few times when I, I encounter my vendors, my supplier.
>> Yeah. But but because during the pandemic, we are wearing masks. Yeah. So I had to hide behind her.
>> So they didn't, you didn't say hi. They didn't say hi. I, I don't know if she recognized me, but we were quiet for the right. Yeah. So that kind of awkwardness, the kind of silence. Yeah. So I was actually struggling that time because I am still trying to navigate my feelings, what I was going through that transitional period. Yeah. It, it took me quite a while, I think two years at least, to finally can tell people that, what do you work as? I'm a taxi driver.
>> Yeah.
>> And and and two years because why do you think it's so difficult? Because a lot of people watching this would struggle to express how they really feel. It's almost like we're embarrassed to share with other people that.
>> I think it's a, I don't know how to say, like, is it an Asian thing? Like last time when when you are young >> so there's a negative >> and now that you're there, what what would you like to say about it for people who say, like, oh, you know, if you cannot make it, then you become a taxi driver? What's your opinion of it now?
>> I feel if you are still attached to this kind of titles, then >> good luck to them.
>> It's hard. See, you are still attached. For for me >> I, I don't know if I've seen through because I'm now 50, really, right? So there's nothing that can bring me down that will hurt me more >> than if I hurt myself with this kind of abstract thing that is not real, actually. It's not real. So what if I have? So what if I'm a millionaire, but I live in the house alone, you know, without coming home with my kids hugging me? Yeah, this kind of happiness, do I need to tell everybody I'm happy? Because no, I myself know. Because at 50, these are the things that matter to me. Last time when I'm young, maybe I don't, I want my happiness is attached to how people see me. Yeah. So it's a different shift in, I don't know how you call that, the north compass change.
>> Do you think you will feel this way if you didn't lose your business?
>> I, I, I don't think that's why I told you this kind of thing. I don't reflect on it. It's part of Yeah.
>> That's amazing. Now, um, you said you changed your perspective and everything. What's even more exciting is then Eddie decided to start his YouTube channel, and I started my YouTube channel. I know how difficult it is, and I used to work for Google, so I know all the tricks and and and and techniques. He completely didn't for him to pick up, and his channel, I'm going to link it below, is doing so well because I guess a lot of Singaporeans, a lot of audience can relate to your story. Um, can you walk us through how you decided to start a YouTube channel? Because it's so drastic from working in a bird park to running your own business, then now driving taxi and becoming a content creator.
>> Yeah, I, I actually started it uh unintentionally because during that time my company fell. Yeah. So I was like very cooped up in my room.
>> Close my door.
>> So I don't want to talk to anybody. I don't want no interaction. Your family shut down. Everything shut down already because I closed. I, I'm trying to find my own answer. What happened? What the hell? Right. So, um, my wife decided that uh, okay, why not? Because I don't want to talk to her, even like, what's the problem, right? Basic things. I still don't want to communicate. Then he say, then he got me a this uh camera and said, you talk to this camera, right? You see, that time I was in the room, not sleeping. I was playing games. I was a gamer, gamer for life. So I play a lot of World of Warcraft, a lot of this old school um, you know, Guild Wars 2, MMO RPG, you know, indulge in that because that's the world I can control. Whatever >> you escape, you don't need to face.
>> Yeah, it's my escape.
>> So you say you're doing that, why not you make some money out of that enterprise, like esport kind of >> stream yourself like playing video games and something like that. So your wife is trying to be creative, like trying to seeing you at at at this stage, she's still trying to like figure a way for you.
>> Yes. So I tried streaming, bulang. They want to see, you want to see pretty girls play. They don't want to see us play.
>> So cannot work. So funny. So I say, then you do YouTube because he was you watching YouTube. You do YouTube.
>> Yeah.
>> So she was the one who came up with the idea.
>> So she bought me your wife. Hey, shout out to your if your wife is watching this. Hey, you are very precious. Respect, man. Respect.
>> So, so I, I talk to the camera. So, I tell about my day as a taxi driver. I then I beginning to share a little bit because to me, talking to a camera is like talking to myself, talking to a fish, because I love fishes. I love nature.
>> So, sometime I talk to my aquarium fishes about how, what today's earnings, how much, and all this. Yeah. Because I really close up. I don't, I, I feel it's meaningless to communicate to the outside world. So I just, that's my way. So when I talk to a camera, I don't feel like talking to an audience. Uh, I don't know, when you talk to a camera, is it like you have this conception?
>> No, I feel the same way. To me, when I talk to camera, I feel like just doing a presentation like at work, I present a PowerPoint, I talk, but >> there's no like audience in your head one. Yes. Yeah. So I was just just like ranting and telling about my how my experience on on all these things. Then slowly I become more open up and talk about my opinions, my take on certain issues.
>> So that that's how it goes about.
>> That's amazing.
>> Yeah.
>> And a lot of people have now subscribed to your channel, relate, support you, um, join as members. Why do you think so many people relate to your content?
>> Actually, I'm quite surprised also. I'm very surprised when you ask me like, so people asking me like, within like a short period of time, you got like so many uh subscribers, you know? Actually, I don't know. I what I know is uh, what the comments usually uh tell me is I'm being uh vulnerable because I be able to articulate my thoughts. Yeah, because I think Asian also, I don't know, is it because of we have been more kind of upbringing this kind of thing? We just blame ourselves, we are not good enough, yeah, we, we, we are, you know, such a failure and all this. So then we begin to like self-blame, self-worth, all this kind of issue. I don't know, is it a universal thing or it's just me?
>> So some people cannot articulate it, and then what happened? You go into this dark, dark phase. May the force be with you in the dark area. Then you become like so, then you become like so skeptical of humans, and you don't want to interact. Then it becomes when you're older, right? You become like grumpy old man.
>> We cannot articulate.
>> Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Then you just bear all the bitterness inside.
>> Yeah. Then you are so, you hate life so much. You hate money. You hate >> everything negatively, right? Every everything is negative to you. You just wait for the day where the meteor will come and reset everything. So if you just game over.
>> Game over is like because I had this idea because game is like that. I just reset the game. I restart everybody on equal footing. But it doesn't work like this because if your character is like that, your your your view is like your worldview is like this. Even if you reset inity, >> even if you hit 4D, it's not going to change your life because you're going to use it for for negative things, right? You're not going to like build a family. So uh, I think the f the first step, awareness, articulating your thoughts are, I think is firstly, it's very difficult to do. I understand. I don't know why I have this ability to articulate, right? And then people can sort of understand my thought process. Yeah. So I think that's what's drawn them in. I, I, I don't know, that's my.
>> I, I, I think so. I agree that. And and what I feel, what I see is Because I think your viewers are rooting for you.
>> Because everybody can relate to the struggle, but not everybody has the courage, capability uh, and social network to actually speak up. So for you to speak up so vulnerably, and also because social media, everything is very clean, >> very perfect, to actually see someone talk so vulnerability, I think it's it's very rare, and that's why.
>> Yeah.
>> And and now that you have uh my viewers and your viewers watching, you know, maybe can you take this moment? Is there anything you want to tell them? Anything you want to say to them?
>> Very stressful. You put me in this very stressful position.
>> All I can say is um, you know, like the the because I love nature, you see the beach, the the wave is up and down, up and down. So things go up will come down. It's a cycle one. So we are always in the different seasons of life. To me, I believe because Singapore is the problem is there's no season. There's just monsoon season and you know, so there's no way for you to biologically reset, like, oh, summer time, let's go and do something different. Oh, it's winter now, let's have a break, family. So you have physically being affected by this season to kind of like different priorities. Singapore is not like sun is throughout. So you have this perception that you need to work throughout for everybody except yourself. So I, I feel that we, we need to have our own internal season. There's a season for change, season for growth, season to rest and heal. So we must be very clear of that. And whatever season you are at now in your life, in general, if you look at the big picture, maybe on a very rough patch, uh, this one will pass also. Then another chapter will will come. So we just need to >> you know.
>> Amazing. And and and if you can now talk to the old version of Eddie, or the younger version of Eddie, when when you were, you know, facing so much blow after blow from your creditors, from your bank, from your employees, from your customers, and you were at your low point. Now that we you have all these reflections, what will you say to him?
>> That will be my new video.
>> Please go check it out then.
>> What will I say to him?
>> Uh, maybe make my wife's life a little bit easier.
>> Get people, I mean, don't cook up everything to myself. It's okay to share the burden with somebody, especially important people like your spouse, if maybe your partner, your parents, no need to shoulder it alone. Sometimes you need that kind of extra notch to open up a bit more. That time I was too close up. I would say it's relax a bit. It's okay to ask for help. It is actually asking for help, saying help me, is is a kind of courage also.
>> Having a supportive family and a spouse is so underrated. We don't think of it immediately. We think of like, okay, where can I get money, or who who can I borrow, or whatever. But really, having a spouse, and it's, I, my, my spouse is like this to me as well. I think I won the jackpot. I think that's far more precious than whatever money you can get, or whatever business or clients you can win, or whatever.
>> Yeah, exactly. Agree. Agree. And for viewers who are now going through some kind of hardship right now, they are finding it difficult to get out of that spiral that you that you mentioned about.
>> What advice would you have for them?
>> I, I don't know what to say because that even during that time, uh, um, I was going through that. I don't even know I was going through that. I don't even know I was in uh in a mess. I just felt that everything come at once, like, oh, how going to handle this? So I was, don't have the mental capacity to touch in touch with my feelings also, just go through, just trying to stay afloat only. Yeah. So being self-aware that, you know, of the bigger picture, I think is is will help a lot. So if let's say, uh, there are somebody I know that's going through this kind of tough time, firstly, we need to touch grass, I feel, and not be so uh indulge in the technicalities of things, like, like, oh, like just now you say, right, this creditor, how much you can, how much balance, how much money, and all this. Yeah, these are important, yes, you need to settle then there. Yeah, but it's not an end-all thing. Yeah, you still need to take a step back and look at yourself as a human, because at the end end of the day, you are not a machine. As a human, you know, what can I do, right? Uh, in the long run, not only at the moment.
>> Third third person perspective.
>> So don't don't dwell on like just problem-solving mode and and and and and give yourself the space to see things.
>> Yeah, in in a more holistic manner. Being self-aware of the of the whole situation, I think that can do a lot more than just tackling one by find technicalities and, you know, because the problem will not will stop, not stop coming. One one come, then they will come, then you will snowball, and then you get bigger and bigger. How die already? That's what happened to me. Time.
>> Well, Eddie, this is this is this is amazing. Your story is amazing. I didn't even know about the nature part, but I know you like like uh fishes, but I didn't know you started as a bird watcher all the way to being a business owner, and then now a taxi driver and a content creator. It really just shows you that sometimes life, if we plan too much, it doesn't go the way that it wants to go, right?
>> Exactly. This is is um, that's that's why I say life is the fact that we can now talking to each other, you know, still alive and breathing is already a miracle.
>> Yeah. It's a gift.
>> Yeah. Right.
>> So, um, Eddie, for people who are more interested about your story, to find out a little bit about what you share, how can people find out more about you?
>> Yeah. Yeah. The my YouTube channel is um lazy cabbie, the handle.
>> How did you come up with the name lazy cabbie?
>> My my wife, I always say I'm lazy. I always taxi cabbie or lazy.
>> So lazy cabbie on YouTube. Are you on any other platforms?
>> Yeah. Instagram as well. I think should be the same handle. Lazy cabbie or the lazy cabbie? I can't remember.
>> Okay. So go to his channel, give him a shout out. I think we need to support people like like him, his resilience. Uh, and I get energy from that. So, thank you so much, Eddie. Uh, it was a pleasure. I hope to work with you or just stay in contact with you. It's amazing to meet you. Thank you so much.
>> Thank you so much.
>> All right. Thank you everyone. Take care and see you next.