I have made the decision to quit my corporate banking job and switch to real estate.
This was one of the hardest decisions I have made throughout my career — even harder than deciding to leave Morgan Stanley in Tokyo and return to Malaysia.
Changing careers and moving into a completely different industry takes a lot of courage, and I have a lot of respect for people who have taken the same leap. *Hats off*
I will be joining a small real estate brokerage with fewer than 10 employees.
When I first received the offer, I had endless sleepless nights thinking about whether I was making the right decision. Now, with only a few days left until my last day at my current bank, I can finally say this with confidence:
I believe I have made the right decision.
And I am ready to rock and roll.
My goal is not simply to become a real estate agent. I want to use this opportunity to build my knowledge, expand my network, grow my own investments and, ultimately, achieve financial freedom — so that one day, I can live between Japan and Malaysia.
Why I Left Banking to Join Real Estate
- Limited growth opportunities
In the corporate world, especially in corporate banking, there can be a high level of bureaucracy.
Many large companies operate with a top-down management structure, where decisions have to go through multiple levels of management. And when I say multiple, I don’t mean just one or two — sometimes there can be at least four!
I personally feel that this is more visible in Malaysia compared with my experience in Japan and North America.
Another thing I noticed is that many opportunities tend to be given to people who are more senior. I was told many times to be patient and wait for my turn. To make things worse, I felt that upper management had already identified a few people they wanted to promote. In other words, there was a certain level of favouritism, and no matter how hard I worked, those people would get the opportunities first.
I understand why companies operate this way. There needs to be a structure, and experience matters.
But for me, waiting several years for the next opportunity does not feel like the best way to build the career I want.
Fewer opportunities can also mean slower salary growth and fewer chances to increase my bonus.
Compared with joining a small firm that offers a base salary with commission-based income, I believe my learning curve — and potentially my income curve — could be much steeper.
Of course, the risk is also much higher.
And that is exactly what makes this decision exciting. - Corporate Culture
I am someone who prefers working in a collaborative and relatively flat environment. I also don’t work particularly well when I feel overly controlled.
One of the things I struggled with in larger organisations was the multiple layers of management. In my experience, top-down management feels more visible in Malaysia than in Japan and North America.
There were situations where questioning a senior person’s decision was not particularly welcomed. Whenever a senior says something, nobody below is allowed to talk back or even ask questions. I was very surprised by that.
That was something I found difficult to adapt to.
I want to work somewhere where I can ask questions, challenge ideas, learn from people around me and contribute directly.
I also realised that I need an environment that stimulates me.
For me, work is not just about receiving a monthly salary. I want to be surrounded by people who are ambitious, entrepreneurial and constantly learning.
And I believe real estate could give me that environment. - One Step Closer to Getting Out of the Rat Race
This is probably the biggest reason behind my decision.
Joining a real estate brokerage and becoming a real estate agent will not only allow me to gain practical experience in the property market, but also expose me to a completely different network of people.
The brokerage primarily focuses on residential properties priced at RM1 million and above.
That means I will be working around property investors, entrepreneurs and high-net-worth individuals.
I will also be working closely with my new boss and COO, which gives me the opportunity to learn not only about real estate, but also about how a small company is managed and operated.
There is a Chinese proverb that I really like:
近朱者赤，近墨者黑
Jìn zhū zhě chì, jìn mò zhě hēi
Your environment and the company you keep shape your character. You pick up the habits, mindset and behaviour of the people near you.
If I want to become financially independent and eventually build my own business, I need to put myself in an environment where I can learn from people who are already doing it.
I don’t expect to become wealthy simply because I work around wealthy people.
But I believe that being exposed to ambitious entrepreneurs, investors and business owners can broaden my perspective, change the way I think and potentially accelerate my own journey.
Hopefully, one day, I can be on the same level as them.
And ultimately, achieve financial freedom and to have the freedom to live between Japan and Malaysia without being tied down by a traditional corporate career.
Risks
Of course, this decision does not come without risks.
There is a real possibility that I may not close many deals, especially when I am starting from scratch in a new industry.
A downturn in the property market or a broader financial crisis could also reduce the number of clients and transactions.
That is frightening but I also want to give myself the opportunity to find out what I am capable of before I get married and settle down.
I also believe that if things don’t work out, I can always return to the finance industry. My experience in banking, and finance will not simply disappear.
So what is the worst thing that could happen anyway? (Trying to stay optimistic, haha)
What’s Next?
I will be constantly updating my career transition, real estate journey and investment progress on this blog — including the good, the bad and, the lessons I learn along the way.
Please subscribe to this blog so you don’t miss any updates on my journey to succes, failure or somehwere in between!
Leave a Reply