Why I Gave Up a Banking Job to Sell Bak Chor Mee

Jie Wei willingly gave up a lucrative banking career to continue a 100-year-old family legacy at Famous Eunos Bak Chor Mee. Why did he do it, and how has he adapted to life as a hawker?
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[@gachibassclap8433]

this guy is what keeps our hawkers alive. His passion is what we should be thankful for and i truly admire him a lot wish him all the best!!!

[@kimchiba4570]

You are pretty gullible aren't you

[@sp33dbump33]

Very well calculated and right move. Look at it this way, he switched from an employee to become an employer. The possibility for business owner is endless. A lot can be done from streamlining the operations, finding the right supplier, improve the quality, adopting new technology etc... Who knows one day he may have over 20 outlets in Sg or 100 outlets around the world or even more.

[@AlphaGal02]

Honestly nothing can compare to a 100-year family legacy! 🎉

[@starshine9836]

I like this young man who uses Mandarin and Singlish. To be a top student at NUS, his English definitely is not an issue. Not act an ang mo accent and trying to behave like an atas person, but very down to earth and speak local. We definitely know how to code switch at different setting.

[@askingalexandriaaa]

more people are like that la haha

[@amytan3706]

Favourite BCM soup! Before this stall was crowded, your mum is so welcoming and warm despite being a one-woman show handling the stall. I remembered I accidentally spilled some of the soup before I started eating and went back to ask for more.. Instead of dismissing me, she topped up without hesitation and asked me if it was enough for me. When you took over, the uncle taking my order mixed up mine and we had a miscomm. You stepped in and resolved it with a smile. Truly appreciate the hospitality from both mum and son! And def very happy to see the business flourish! 🎉 Jiayou!

[@kengleetan63]

To have a filial son like this, the parents is so lucky. More lucky than parents who had struck TOTO Grp 1. Money cannot buy filial piety.

[@kokchaitan7209]

From a banker to a business man in the food industry. Very lucrative and profitable. All money from customers will be in his bank .

[@stickymoney]

I like this guy. Feels like he knows how to balance making a living & continuing a tradition. Jiayou!

[@joshuacheong_]

Smart guy! Its more possible to be a multimillionaire selling a noodle franchise today than it is to be a banker.

[@zacharytan6281]

While I applaud Jie Wei for choosing a career that he is more interested in, despite the more tiresome nature of the job, I fear that OGS is trying to sensationalise the title. It is important to acknowledge that Jie Wei can already make use of his family's existing business to chase his passion, without worrying about the loss of money and start-up costs. It is much more difficult for young people to make the swtich to being a young hawker not just because of the start-up costs, but because of the high rental fees, and lack of customer loyalty. While we want our next generation to carry on our hawker culture, it is abhorrent to paint a picture that young hawkers can survive. On the contrary, they can't because most young Singaporeans aren't priviledge. They have no family business, or family recipe, or existing investment capital to fund such a dream, what more about even making profits. It is simply wrong to mislead young Singaporeans that they can chase their passion and yet survive in today's business climate. More has to be done, and it starts by acknowleging these barriers instead of sensationalising such a career switch.

[@FlameIce87]

true, a new start up F&B business as hawker is not easy compare to a 2nd/3rd gen hawker

[@patrickchak1393]

i somehow feel that the mother and son are showing-off.

[@nattokami9598]

Well said, it’s also worth mentioning that Jie Wei has a strong academic background as insurance if the hawker store doesn’t work out.

[@zhenxiong5389]

@@patrickchak1393 I don't see showing off. Mum sincerely don't want son to be hawker given what he has achieved.

[@patrickchak1393]

@@zhenxiong5389I disagree

[@mlxh2819]

Kudos to this young man. Brave enough to make this decision. Many Singaporean women would break up with their partner if they quit their decent paying job to do this. What he is doing is something these women will never understand.

[@philipanzelmo9711]

Good for him to follow his passion. What matters is he loves doing what he does.

[@pishedbloke]

We should be thankful that there are such enterprising young people around. Sometimes Asians have the wrong idea about education vs paper qualifications. Getting a degree is a great achievement, but if we use it to narrow our choices for the future instead of expanding our horizons, maybe we have our priorities in the wrong. Education and experience in finance has clearly helped this young man improve his family's business, and brought a fresh change to running the stall. Good job!

[@mariatachi8398]

Please continue on the hawker spirit and very touched to see young generation taking over.❤

[@lfc1981]

the courage to take the plunge is already what 99% of people his age wouldn't choose to do! there is always the fear of uncertainty that hinders one from moving.

[@meesanunab4811]

The joy of being ur own boss and enjoy the job beats even 150k a year

[@lubis1991]

Lol, bankers earn way more than that.

[@meesanunab4811]

@@lubis1991 it doesn't matter. It's joy to see he doesn't see his efforts thru money only. Money never can buy happiness truly

[@lubis1991]

@@meesanunab4811 I agree. But your estimate of the opportunity cost is wrong.

[@Here4theComments]

Excellent video and such a smart young man. I'd love to have an opportunity like that!

[@EYee633]

Down to earth Lion City’s son ❤❤❤❤

[@JesusIsReal925]

This and being an entrepreneur is a noble career than corporate slave. It's time we stop this type of stigma .

[@weikwanglee4383]

It's better to count own money than count other people's money . 😅

[@Berniegoh]

take it to a 200 year legacy, awesome job jie wei

[@lancetsan5495]

All the best to this 4th Gen hawker.

[@wonjontheaxolotl]

the bak chor mee here is one of the best i've ever had!

[@metallooily7606]

HDB has built Hawkers centre for hteir livelihood,Good planning , In M'sia rental rates is whimsical, hawkers stall in coffee shop is exorbitant, food is lousy, you can heared the wok sound drumming in your ears but food is tasetless

[@finalion]

Can you stop perpetuating the idea that $70,000 annual salary is a big sum ? Being a hawker can earn more than that if they are hardworking and successful. No need for such a clickbait title.

[@takanna]

😂 exactly my thoughts...hawker can avoid tax somemore.

[@Samwaitforittay]

Honestly speaking, how is 70k annual a large sum? especially for banking??

[@Treelia]

@@SamwaitforittayThis was $70k pre-covid. $70k then was decent salary.

[@TheBebemom]

@@Samwaitforittayit’s a decent back end job I guess

[@helloiamwendy2896]

I’m so curious ??y’all think bringin home 5k after cpf isn’t enuf. ??? Y’all r outta control of ur mind

[@FlyingPuppie]

$70,000 in the title brought me here. I remembered DBS CEO monthly salary was about 100k 2 years ago. I was expecting someone quit his very senior top executive job in banking to make bak chor mee...

[@yenchu1237]

I had a strong hunch m this guy wasn't in the top management level.

[@leedonlee5050]

Where

[@enghse888]

business is business. in the long run, if he can commercialize and transform into a good business model, he can earn lot of $$$

[@ngkokwei6114]

The Dumplings is incredible!

[@SimplyMeYc]

Wise choice! Corporate is so stressful.

[@abramswee]

it is rather disheartening to see our young and bright young professionals abandoning their white collar career and thus create a vacuum which require more people to fill in. I understand he might find the family's business of selling hawker food is a safety net and comfort zone to fall back on, but our economy need more young blood talent to support. I hope he will change his mind later on.

[@leewn2319]

Jie Wei, 👍👍👏👏加油祝你梦想成真！

[@angxiang3186]

I think U made the right decision ~ me,studied Dip/Deg/Master >55 years old, labour demand slide downhill. All those years of studying n applied knowledge not wanted due to age n equitable salary vs cheap FTs = Paper throw away into longkang. Put the efforts to manage n expand your stall n crave a brand standing. 👏 👏 👏

[@Maya-sv1pz]

I want to work hard with my family too.... he's living a life with no regrets. meaningful

[@jeneuweenlaf948]

He is smart, he's capitalising on the secret recipe. He will build on it and sell the biz later to someone else at a higher price.

[@samcart2861]

It's a successful family business. Of course he'll keep the baton going

[@steventay5834]

Wise choice. Self employed is the best.. you won't be retrenched when you are 40+

[@clarelee3397]

This reminds me of the st Nicholas girls’ school orange-bowl bak Chor mee from 2000 to 2010.

[@matthewchiayongxuan2251]

all the best!!!

[@markwang8423]

Becoz some banks of banking job more sucks than selling noodle, as simple as that

[@jiranma]

Not banker nor 银行家，but an employee of a bank. Nevertheless, it is still a leap. It is also likely, he is making more or will be making more money soon than being an employee of a bank. It is a conscious choice. Hope to give it a try soon and hope it tastes good.

[@tonykeat9096]

Excellent 👍 Life free from all stupid unnecessary nonsense stress working lifestyles. Good choice 👍

[@jag4064]

Dont give up.

[@meilanimeneses]

Let’s support

[@vincentchua8025]

Comments are so salty LOL

[@geofferytanmingchun426]

Being a minister can earn more than 1MILLION DOLLARS! PEOPLE SHOULD AIM TO BE MINISTERS INSTEAD OF HAWKERS

[@arishem555]

I don't know what is right here. He could be like a cog in the banking systems helping whole mechinasm to work smoothly. Or on the other hand he will be hard working restaurent owner. But he needs to understand, that restaurant job will drain him faster than the bank one. If he would put his knowledge, skills and brain to open couple more locations and manage them instead of working, - would be great and for him and for everyone else.

[@peterlai6503]

No joke sure can earn more $ and satisfaction then doing a 70k job that you do not really enjoy !

[@Iendleasereit]

understand the mom's perspective, but this is a dam strong brand! and their flavour is unique and tasty!!

[@arishem555]

your mom is right. garlic should be peeled at the spot. that's how it is preserving it's uniq smell and flavor. Your customers probably won't notice and business will stay the same. But whenever you gonna decide to replace other ingridients with pre-fabricated, - it's gonna lost it's uniq flavor. Also, buying peeled in bulk not from farmers but from warehouses, - you are kinda giving up on local farmers which do care about their products. Don't become just an average restaurant which is processing centrally supplied pre-processed ingridients. Be uniq.

[@年ONAME]

Is this where the ming ji was?

[@embershen364]

I think hes my NUS BBA senior too

[@carwhj]

I do wish the taste of his bak chor mee can improve though. 😅

[@alextan8979]

Which part of the video mentions $70,000? Want to catch attention? Not like that…

[@matthewong5469]

Good luck.

[@patrickchak1393]

i somehow feel that the mother and son are showing-off.

[@Michael20]

Nice son but I wouldn't give up my office job to work there 😅

[@johnsim6165]

Probably earn more as a hawker. No brainer to this.

[@sorcereh1]

Now everyone who works in a bank is a banker? 😂

[@nokap2695]

address?

[@kennySg101]

职业不分贵贱！小贩是开始。潮州是湯的比较多。加油

[@tulutututu5613]

妈妈只能强颜欢笑😂

[@Qoonutz]

Lol. He takes over an established brand of BCM. Imagine if it just another hawker stall. Would he still take over?

[@yenchu1237]

Of course not.

[@HeyHey-qp9eh]

Working in bank is to help your boss to pay condo and holidays and luxury spending 😂 Welcome to bank industry.

[@daigogo5967]

Shouldn't study at the beginning stage!

[@beetledune9264]

Title was written by aunty,,who regards only those work under ac is worth it.def is asian.

[@tankman20064]

70K per month then say lah😂😂😂😂😂

[@justthedejavuguy]

salut

[@cathdan]

70k banker probably is cmi banker. Probably ganna sack due to poor sales. Than say quit to join hawker.