Determination and diligence drive sustained success

“Believe in yourself and put words into action,” said Ichha Thapa, Wealth Management Manager of Manulife Hong Kong and a winner of Manulife’s C.E.O. Program Advertorial Challenge.

Soft-spoken and brimming with sunshine, Ichha Thapa is a Hong Kong-born Nepalese. She graduated from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University with a bachelor’s degree in Aviation Management in 2019, and subsequently entered the retail industry as an Assistant Manager for a clothing giant. All was well and bright until the pandemic took its toll on Hong Kong’s economy.

Her entry into the wealth management industry began with a lighthearted remark she made to her insurance agent, jokingly suggesting that “maybe I should join you as an agent!” She sees it as an ideal career as she values work-life balance, job flexibility, and the belief that hard work pays off, rather than having to wait for a year or even years to get a pay rise and promotion. And she has never looked back since.

Ichha’s agent, Bishal Thapa, is not only a long-time friend but also her high school and university buddy. Bishal joined Manulife in April 2021 and has worked her way up to Branch Manager.

Bishal knows Ichha well and sees lots of potential in her. “I know her strengths, her hard-working and never-give-up attitude,” said Bishal. This is evidenced by Ichha joining Manulife’s Young C.E.O. (Career of Excellence and Opportunities) Program and making remarkable achievements with flying colours.

Persevere through a seemingly impossible challenge

Ichha joined Manulife as a Wealth Management Manager in November 2022, and also signed up for the C.E.O. Program Advertorial Challenge. Bubbling with energy and fully committed to her dream job in a new industry, she worked hard to acquire the required knowledge and skills. “I was pleasantly surprised that my skills and network are more transferable than I thought,” she remarked.

”The efforts I put in were immediately reflected at the initial stage, giving me a much-needed confidence and a sense of control over my work,” she continued. ”Therefore, I set myself the goal of achieving the C.E.O. Program Advertorial Challenge as my first milestone in this new territory, and I am proud that I did it.”

She recalls that the most challenging aspect of the job was to turn potential clients into her own clients, and the crux lies in putting her clients’ interests first. One month before the deadline, she found herself with one-third of the target still pending. Yet she wasn’t about to give up. “Believing in yourself may sound cliché, but it is a positive set of mind that definitely helped,” she explained. “I was worried and restless but deep down I was certain that I could do it – and more importantly, I put it into action.”

“It is easy to read self-help books or make New Year resolutions, but the key to achieving your goals is to translate words into action and stay consistent in everything you do,” she emphasized.

Work hard, work smart and be self-motivated

Ichha’s confidence comes from the one-to-one coaching she received from the Program’s Business Consultant, who offered personalized, step-by-step tutoring with cases and scenarios to accelerate her learning curve and productivity in no time. “The Business Consultant gave me advice on how to work smart and plan for a short time frame,” she pointed out.

She also attributes her success to her manager, who followed up on cases with her, and the company training that includes experience sharing and product knowledge. She is grateful for the help offered by everyone in the company, including Bishal, who helped her stay motivated. She also appreciates the availability of English leaflets and materials at Manulife, finding them immensely helpful.

Ichha is now forming her own team as she prepares herself for the next step in her career at Manulife as a Unit Manager. Her goal for this year is to work towards the international qualification of MDRT (Million Dollar Round Table), which represents the highest standard of excellence in the insurance and financial services industry.

Ichha is not only happy to help her clients and see them satisfied with the services she offers, but also recognizes that her experience demonstrates the importance of happy clients in generating referrals, which, in turn, can help bring sustained success to her career. “All in all, my goal in the long run is to be a professional agent who provides top-notch service and be a lifelong partner to my clients,” she summed up.

Manulife Hong Kong has been a trusted name for over 125 years and has grown to become one of the top-tier providers of financial services, offering a diverse range of protection and wealth products and services to about 2.5 million customers in Hong Kong and Macau.

Committed to providing financial solutions that help people make their decisions easier and lives better, Manulife Hong Kong values talent development and invests in it. Manulife’s Career of Excellence and Opportunities (C.E.O.) Program is a career development platform especially tailored to those who aspire to future leadership positions. The program provides professional training, opportunities for rapid career advancement and support through the “Corporate Business Coach” specially assigned to each member, with the aim to nurture professional wealth management managers, putting them in a strong position to take advantage of the abundant business opportunities in this booming industry.

More details: http://bit.ly/39OsqoJ