As a young creative, I was just happy to create.
But after years of trying under different bosses, I started to wonder if awards were meant for others, not me.

Then I met Tan Kien Eng.

He didn't give me an award-winning brief.

He gave me an opportunity.

He put me on a team that had already won Gold at Cannes.
I wasn't even their equal on paper. But maybe he saw something.

My first assignment?

Lion Dance.

A job most had passed on—no budget, no time, no interest.

I said,

“Give me an hour,
I’ll be back with the core idea.”

A few hours later.

I went to see Kien.
He looked at me with a smile.

“Make sure you stay true to the core idea”

My face lit.

He didn't push. He didn't over-direct.
He guided. He trusted.

Because of that, I gave it everything.

I illustrated the piece myself.
I wrote the Chinese draft and got it polished.
I handled every detail as it mattered—because it did.

And that's how
Lion Dance became my first One Show Finalist.

I was from zero awards…
to eight wins across global shows.

But here's what stayed with me:

A master shows up when you're ready to rise.
Every opportunity reveals something in you
—if you let it.

That moment didn't just make me an award-winning creative;
it also made me a better person.

It shifted the way I lead.

Kien taught me the meaning of leadership.

“Look for the gold in every opportunity”

Even in unlikely places and people.

This philosophy guides me today as I continue to lead, grow, and nurture the creativity of those around me.

That moment didn't just make me an award-winning creative—it reshaped how I lead.

It taught me to see the gold in others, and that's how I continue to build successful teams, innovative ideas, and thriving careers.

Thank you, Kien. You didn't approve of an idea.

You put me on the path to see gold in it.

And that changed my creative life.

| entire beside winning series |

Look For The Gold In Every Opportunity

Egoless Leadership Transcends Individual To High-Level Teamwork

| entire special series |

What Are We Willing To Care For?

How Success Quietly Misaligns Mastery

Chef René Redzeoi of Noma Personal Mastery Misalignment Under Pressure

Michael Jackson On Brand Mastery Misalignment Under Pressure

Apple on Leadership Mastery Alignment Under Pressure

How Success Continues In Change

| beside winning |

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