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From Semi-Retired to Just Getting Started
- Vivian Chong
- 11 minutes ago
- 12 min read
In this episode of the Her Bold Moves Podcast, we sit down with Gladys Koh, someone who has spent more than 30 years in the corporate world, from the fast-paced world of electronic components to a regional role that had her on a plane every Monday morning, before stepping into real estate as a fresh RES.
Gladys's story is one that many will find deeply familiar. She had a full and successful career, and when that chapter closed, she did what most people dream of. She retired early, travelled, hiked, volunteered, and took things slow.
But somewhere along the way, she found herself browsing SkillsFuture courses, spotted the RES course, and thought, why not. One thing led to another. She sat the exam, passed, got her licence, and walked into an industry full of young, digitally savvy agents wondering if she belonged.
In this episode, Gladys talks honestly about the fears she carried going into this new arena. The uncertainty of a 100% commission income, the discomfort of putting herself on camera, and what it felt like to go from being the most experienced person in the room to knowing almost nothing again.
She also shares what kept her going through the months with no income, why she realised very quickly that semi-retired was never going to work for her, and what she would say to anyone sitting on the fence at this stage of life.
Viv: Before we dive in, can you share with us who you are as a person?
Gladys: I'm someone that's actually very straightforward. Partly maybe because of training, because I'm from engineering, and I was always with guys around me, from school and even after that in the working world. I was in electronic components. I somehow picked up a character that's more towards the guys than the girls. So that also makes me very straightforward. I speak my mind. And I do challenge if I feel that something is not right.
Viv: You had a high-flying corporate career. What was it like at the peak?
Gladys: Towards the end of my corporate life, I was doing a regional role, so I was travelling most of the time. Monday morning, first flight out. Back on Friday night. Every day after meetings in the hotel, catching up on emails, doing reports, doing presentations. You don't have normal hours, because you have to talk to the US, the Europeans, and then Asia. It was very long hours, 12 to 14 hours a day. Very, very tough.
My role was made redundant thereafter. I took some time off before joining Enterprise Singapore, where I helped local companies grow their business in South Asia. This is an area I knew well from my manufacturing background. But after almost two years in the government sector, I realised it was not for me.
Viv: I totally understand where you're coming from. At one point in my career, I also left to join a role that felt very much like a government job. I also couldn't take the hierarchy. So I left too.
Viv: What made you decide to close that corporate chapter?
Gladys: To be very honest, it's also age. I don't think I can go back to that kind of life anymore. So I called it a day at around 55. I thought, okay, retirement means lots of travelling, do what you love, what you want. I had a year of that. Some well-meaning friends got me into exercise, so I started hiking. I did some volunteer work.
Then I told myself I should go and take some courses. So I was going through SkillsFuture, looking at what to study, and I saw the RES course. I do have friends who took it, and I had bought and sold properties before, rented out properties. I thought maybe this is something easier for me because I already have some knowledge. The course is not long, so I went to study, took the exam, and passed. Then it's like one thing led to another. Since I passed the exam, I might as well get the licence.
Viv: The RES exam is notoriously difficult. Was it hard to pick up a book and study again?
Gladys: For me it's not that difficult, but when I was studying the notes, I felt it wasn't enough. I'm someone who is always very curious. I want to get to the bottom of things. So the notes alone were not enough, the practice papers were not enough. I dived deep into the government websites. There's a very popular author whose books everyone swears by. They say you have to do her books three times. To be honest, I didn't finish once.
Viv: That author is Celeste Ng. Honestly, I love attending her CPD lessons. Every time I see a class by her, I sign up, because she shares so many real-life examples and it is never boring.
Gladys: I think everyone learns differently. It's not all about memorising. Yes, you have to memorise things like Seller's Stamp Duty, Buyer's Stamp Duty, HDB schemes. But beyond that, it's really about understanding because the questions are so tricky. But with deep understanding, it's actually okay.
Viv: Now that I hear you say this, I can see why. You like to go deep and get to the root of things. During these past two years working with you, I noticed that you are very detailed. For every project you take on, you don't just study the surface. You go and see the location, study the developer, look at the future of the area etc.
That is also a tip for aspiring real estate agents taking the exam: it helps to understand why certain policies and rules exist, not just what they are.
Viv: Making such a big move coming into real estate, what were some of the fears you had? I'm sure there were many.
Gladys: So when I entered the industry, I gave myself two years. The two years is coming up, and I told myself honestly. If I make it, I continue. If I don't, I'll just quit.
My number one fear is income. It's not constant. We don't get a monthly salary and it all depends on your closings. I was calculating, its almost six months without a single income. It's very scary. What's next? Will I close something or not? And it's actually very common. I speak with agents around me, and there are agents who tell me it's almost a year without an income. At that point, they either find a part-time job or go back to employment.
Viv: Someone shared with me recently that before she joined the industry, she had plans for how she would spend her commission. After she joined, she told me she didn't dare to spend anything. Every dollar, you really have to think about how you use it.
One thing some of our teammates have done while building their real estate career full time is they take on a part-time job on the side. That part-time income helps cover marketing costs and operating expenses. It is something worth considering if you come in without much reserves.
Gladys: To those going through the same fear, the person must really know what they believe in. Focus is important. In property, it is very easy to lose focus. You try one thing, it doesn't work, you get discouraged. You try A, then B, then C. You go one big circle and feel like nothing works.
So I take a step back and ask myself: what do I actually want to do? And I think it also comes with passion. And at this stage of my life, whatever I do, every deal, every owner, every seller I work with — I have to remind myself that I'm doing purposeful work. It's not just transactions. I'm applying what I have learned, sharing my knowledge, helping a buyer or seller with their planning. Money is good, its really good. But beyond that, it's purposeful. The seed is planted even when there is no closing today. But I know that by end of the year, I can help this person achieve something.
Viv: As a real estate agent, we really must look beyond the money. It is good money, but it is definitely not easy money. And I think sometimes agents give up too soon. But I also understand it is not a simple decision. It is easy to tell someone to keep going. The harder question is whether the person living through it can actually survive the wait.
Viv: You mentioned that age was also a concern when you were thinking about joining. Can you share more?
Gladys: After I passed my exam, I visited different real estate agencies and looked at their programmes. And I looked at the agents around me. I saw a lot of very young agents. Huttons happened to have a good mix, and Navis too.
But I also heard so much about agents doing videos. For me, doing a video can be very scary. I can use CapCut to edit videos, but to put myself on camera talking? I'm scared. I'm actually scared.
Viv: So when we talk about the fear of age, is it more about fitting in because you saw so many young agents? Or is it more about the digital side like social media, technology and putting yourself out there?
Gladys: I'm not scared of learning new things. Every day there are new things to learn and I'm okay with picking up new skills. What I'm scared of is putting myself out there. I did lots of presentation in my previous work, so to stand in front of people is natural for me. But to do a video? It's so difficult. I look at my daughter, she's a natural. She does it in such a short time. For me it's hard.
Viv: But you are here. you are on video right now. That is a big step! And when you speak, you are natural.
Let me share something on putting yourself out there. Whenever I want to engage someone for a bigger purchase, I will always look them up first by going online, checking their social media etc. If I find nothing about this person, I won't want to meet them. Why would I sit down with someone for two hours and then realise this is not the person I want to work with? That is why I strongly believe we have to put ourselves out there.
But I also understand that not everyone finds it easy. So here is how I think. There are many ways to show up. Social media is one. But if that feels too much, start with a website. A website is more proper, more considered. A few photos, good write-up about yourself. That alone is a start.
And Gladys, you have so much knowledge. Every time I speak with you, I learn something. A platform gives you a way to share that knowledge and attract the right people to you.
Viv: To someone sitting at home right now, same stage of life as you, thinking about starting something new but holding back. What would you say?
Gladys: Property is actually one of the good areas to go into, because there is no age limit. It's not like a corporate job where you work for a number of years and then have to retire. There is no age limit. And the knowledge you have gained through your whole journey that is something you can bring to the conversations you have with buyers and sellers. That is real value.
To someone who wants to step in but is scared the very first thing is to go and take the RES course. Take the exam. I know the exam is tough. There are questions a page long and you have to speed-read just to finish. There are people who pass on the first attempt and people who take ten attempts. I really salute the person who took ten attempts and kept going. That alone tells you the trait needed to succeed in this industry.
Viv: You know, these past few years I have been doing a lot of team building. And I see a few team leaders around me super aggressive and driven. Their leaders are mostly in their 20s and 30s. And think to myself, can I do what they do cos I am already 50 this year. Whenever I caught myself saying that: 我已经这个年龄了, I will stop myself. Cos if I live till 80, I will still have 30 years ahead of me. What am I going to do with the next 30 years if I keep holding back?
There is something I read somewhere that stayed with me. It says close your eyes and imagine you are 80 years old. Now think about what you will want to do if you are 50 year old. Then open your eyes, and you realise, hey, you are 50. So go and do it now!
如果你走不出去，眼前就是你的世界。如果你走出去，世界就在你眼前。
Viv: You went from being the experienced person in the room to coming in as a fresh RES. How did that feel?
Gladys: I thought some things would be easier. Take Facebook marketing as an example. You taught me the steps. I thought I was okay. I put up my posts, got a few scammers, then no more results. Second time, I said okay, now I'm more prepared. I'll do video instead of just pictures. I made a video which I thought was very nice. Good music and impactful. I got no leads. So I stopped. I didn't dare to do it again.
Until two weeks ago. I realised that getting leads is probably the biggest struggle for any property agent. So I told myself I need to try again. If it didn't work, something is wrong somewhere. That is how I see it.
Viv: This is one of the constant challenges I always share with new agents. The RES exam is not easy, but it is not the hardest thing. Rules and regulations change, you have to keep up with it that's not easy.
But the hardest thing, always, is getting and converting leads. Whether you are one year in or twenty years in, it is the same. Where is your next client coming from? That is forever the constant.
Another I always talk about with new agents is taking ownership of your career. In real estate, we are self-employed. Nobody tells you what to do. This is your own business, and you have to treat it that way.
I actually use you as an example whenever I speak to new agents, because what I see in you is exactly what I mean when I talk about ownership. You attend trainings, visits the government websites, studies the master plan. You know it is important and you went to do it. That is the mindset this career requires. We are here to guide, but we cannot hand-hold every step. You have to take ownership of your own career.
Viv: You came into this with a semi-retired mindset. But looking at how you work, semi-retired is not quite the word I would use. What happened?
Gladys: Someone actually asked me this yesterday at church. The reality is even just to arrange one viewing, I have to study the property, check the map, find the nearest MRT, look at the amenities. Then because you bring clients to see multiple properties, you have to check the last resale transactions, the rental history. That is already many hours for one viewing alone. Then for new launches, you have to know so much not just the project itself, but the future of that area, your opinion on it, the rental outlook. I realised that you actually cannot do this part-time. The amount of time needed is just too much.
Viv: I want to share how I feel about Gladys working with her so far. She gives me a sense of security whenever I get her to tag for me, cos I know she always do her homework. She is well-versed in government policies, and when there is anything she is unsure, she will find out and get back promptly. She also connect easily with clients.
Viv: How is your life now as compared to when you were working in the corporate world?
Gladys: I would say its still tough, but also much more relaxed.
In terms of time, I have a lot more of it now, and it is up to me to decide how I use it. I try to devote my mornings to myself, whether that is exercise or just doing something for me. Viewings are usually in the afternoon, evenings, or on weekends, so mornings are mine. Afternoons I spend more on planning, thinking through the projects I am involved in. Weekends are busier because of viewings and show flat duties, but honestly it is manageable.
Viv: At this stage of your life, how do you define success?
Gladys: To me, success is no longer about money. Success now is more about the inner self. That joy. That peace. Being happy with yourself and the things around you. Having that inner peace. 你学会放下，你学会享受。To me that is success.
Viv: Any last words for our viewers?
Gladys: Just do it. Because if you don't, you will never know.
Viv: Gladys, thank you for sharing your story so openly with us. It is very enriching and i am sure it will benefit our viewers.
Check out the full episode here!
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About 'Her Bold Moves' Podcast
In the first season of this podcast, we will invite guests from the real estate industry to share with us their lives, experiences and the bold moves they took to carve out their path in the industry.
Each episode features in-depth conversations, where we recount our personal journeys, challenges and decisions that shaped our careers. Whether you are an aspiring real estate agent or an experienced realtor, we hope our stories can inspire you on your own journey!
Join us as we embark on this exciting exploration of lives transformed by the bold moves we take in our real estate career!
