I was born in the
conjunction of 2 muddy rivers.

The vibrant multiethnic city of Kuala Lumpur. 

My grandparents came from a poor village in Guangdong, China. They came to Malaya before World War 2 to seek a better life. Grandfather worked in the tin mine, and grandmother worked in a rubber plantation.

Born poor, my grandparents did not go to school but worked to help end meets as a child. My father started working at the age of 11, and my mother at the age of 8. My parents work very hard to make sure their children go to school. 

Unfortunately, a fire took away everything.

After the fire, life was challenging; with added circumstances to our struggles, my brother and sister dropped out of school and started working at 15.

That year, I was 10 years old.

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I dreamed of a different life.

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While watching how hard my parents and siblings are working. I only know I must find a different way to lead a different life.

I took up part-time jobs and housework to ease my family while ensuring I scored high grades in every school exam and championed Netball for the Federal States for six consecutive years.

I did the same when I was accepted to advance my studies in the UK. With only one term of school fees, I flew to the UK. Within 2 years, I graduated with a (hon) degree in communication media.

At age 24, I returned to Malaysia and started working. 

After years of trying, my work was finally honoured as The World’s No.1 Direct Mail Campaign and was nominated for the Cannes Lion Award.

I was named one of Asia’s Top 7 Young Creatives by Longyin Review.

That year, my agency ranked as the Top 10 Agency in the World. My client won the Asia Hero Award in Diageo, a prestigious award.

In late 2008, I moved to Shanghai.
My work expanded in breadth and depth and helped Fortune 500 companies succeed in millions. 

In 2010, I was promoted to Executive Creative Director and flew globally to create effective campaigns for clients in China and beyond. 

I was ranked #122 Creative in the world. 

In 2014, Zambezi-LA appointed me to lead their creative in China and set up a branch in Shanghai. In 2016, I set up a Global Office to travel and continue helping clients move their business to new heights.

That year, I went to the Cannes Lions Festival.

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I had an epiphany.
All I dreamed of came true!  

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I dreamed of having enough education to choose and lead a different life, and I did.

I I dreamed of doing a job knowing my work contributes to the industry, and I did.

I dreamed that my work could help people change their lives, and I did.

I dreamed of opportunities to learn and work with extraordinaire, and I did.

While enjoying the dream of my life. I remembered.

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Dad and I dream of a hiking trip together.

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A dream we made 20 years ago when Dad and I travelled to The Grand Canyon National Park and Yosemite National Park. The package tours we booked restricted us from hiking inside nature’s beauty. 

When I left 15 years ago, Dad was 67. 
I quit my job, packed my apartment in China, and headed home.

Mission accomplished.

During the trip to New Zealand, I witnessed the power of a 1° change in global warming.

In less than a decade, Franz Josef will be gone; nope, more accurately, 104,000 glaciers will be melted, resulting in 2/3 of the world’s freshwater being gone. 5 nations will be uninhabitable.

What can we do?
They are a lot we must do.

2 decades ago.

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I dreamed
I could change to save the earth.

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Since 2000, I practised 5R – refuse, reduce, reuse, repurpose and recycle to help slow down the extraction of forests for unsanitary waste landfills that cause bad air and water pollution that impacts wildlife and humans.

Since 2008, I do not own a personal automobile. I cycle, walk and take public transport. Doing this, I gain more quality time and freedom to pay attention to things that matter more in life. 

Since 2019, I planted some trees in my house to help combat climate change, reduce soil erosion, capture rainwater and provide a biodiversity habitat for urban insects, birds and soil organisms. In return, birds sing all day in my garden.

Since 2019, I have been manning a tiny veggie garden and composting waste to help the earth rejuvenate its original biodiversity.

Through this journey, I discovered –

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I am part of a collective dream. 

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Collective efforts changed the world. It has been, and we can do it again.

There are 8 billion of us if each of us is willing to make a 1° lifestyle change. We are contributing 800 million positive changes to the earth in a day.

In 2023, APE Malaysia helped me plant 55 trees at Lower Kinabatangan to help them reestablish a Wildlife Sanctuary Corridor for the diverse flora and fauna to continue thriving under their Restore Our Amazing Rainforest initiative.

They said only 1% of people succeed in life! 

I understood as I was among the 99%.

From my experience, success came from standing on the shoulders of angels and giants – their wisdom guided me to improve at work and in life. Sometimes, they also provide tools. For example, In JWT, I was trained in the Young Tiger Program to create effective campaigns with Thompson Total Brand, and later, I was well-versed with the Ogilvy Butterfly formula. These tools effectively helped me do the work that impacts change.

I learnt from many teachers, but mostly from obstacles and failures. Eventually, I crafted the tools that helped me in leadership roles and through managing Fortune 500 companies and their Global 500 brands to succeed in millions for short and long-term goals.

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I dreamed of giving back.

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Gladly, I shared my learnings and techniques at Disney and Publicis Groupe, organised on their VivaKi Talent Development Platform in China. Later, at the TedxWanchai Hong Kong and Culture360 Malaysia.

What is next?

I am brewing new dreams and excited to share them with you soon.

If you want to be among the first to know of my latest creations, I can send them to you. 

Thank you for your time reading my story. 

With lots of love, 

iamnickiwong

If you would like to connect.