On Rested Edge Advisory Turning 5
In 10 days’ time, the business advisory with a twist – Rested Edge Advisory, will turn 5. I’ll be a month shy of my 46th birthday as Rested Edge was created just a month shy of my 41st.
How Time flies and what a journey it has been! These are 5 very wonderful and exciting (though I must say not easy) years of my Life; and I am glad to have stepped out of my comfort zone, taking that very first baby step, in January 2010.
I remember well the day the company was born – 12 January 2010 to be exact – through a simple online registration with ACRA, and with my new name cards and letterheads being judiciously designed & printed.
I remember crafting the paragraphs describing why the name “Rested Edge” – a seemingly odd juxtaposition of 2 contradictory terms – “Edge” and “Rested”.
Here is that paragraph, as relevant then as it is now; and hopefully well into the future.
Rested Edge Advisory is about “Rest” and “Edge”. It seeks clients who share its vision & philosophy.
"Rested” --- always in a relaxed, peaceful state of mind, but having deep reserves of energy and insight, ready to pounce, perform, influence, impress, impact, at any time.
“Edge” --- never comfortable with status quo, never in “maintenance mode”, always thinking of newer, better, cleverer ways to provide that point-of-view, to teach, influence and impact leaders, managers and their organizations, to make positive contributions to Nation and Society, to see things differently, to get things done.
Path-breaking, “seeing beyond corners twice”, always with an incisive, effective cutting edge.
I remember well every client which Rested Edge has worked with, and every project which Rested Edge has worked on – clients from both public and private sectors; clients from non-profit, community and people sectors; and pro bono clients.
As 2014 closes, I am happy, humbled and honored at having worked with 42 unique clients, of which 6-8 are active at any one time. I hope this list continues to expand and grow as Rested Edge Advisory goes about its Mission of “Helping Leaders Create Better Futures” and doing so with Simplicity, Mastery and Impact.
Since graduating from NUS in 1994, I’ve truly loved and enjoyed my Time with all my previous organizations. Unlike when I was in AC (Andersen Consulting) / Accenture and Gallup, where quite a few partners, managers and associates can accurately and affectionately address at any one time their client (usually large MNCs, Ministries or Stat Boards) as “my client”; here at Rested Edge, I have a profound, humbling and quiet sense of satisfaction of being the only person calling each Rested Edge client “my client”.
Well, enough about Rested Edge. Let’s talk about One Dream.
A deep part of the satisfaction of having stepped out to create Rested Edge is its sister, all-volunteer, societal improvement group with a twist – One Dream Initiative.
Whilst One Dream was conceptualized the same time as Rested Edge (in my mid-late 30’s), its creation was on 1st August 2010, after Rested Edge had scaled (in a small way) and stabilized with 6 clients.
One Dream was launched with the simple dream and aspiration that every Singaporean should have a dream, and that this dream must be a parallel one, not just for Self but also for Society, such that as one improves one’s life and achieves his/her goals and dreams, to also help someone along, helping them to achieve and fulfil theirs.
From our very first One Dream Contest, which audaciously asks “What Would You Do if You Have S$5,000?”; to Ling Kai’s One Dream theme song and charity CD; to our various HOME for Christmas/CNY/National Day events; to the HOME@The Movies and HOME@The Restaurants initiatives; to the One Dream Scintillating Conversations series; to our nationwide One Dream Prize; and the recently launched SG50-supported The Dream Journal – One Dream has had the privilege and pleasure of working with progressively more & more Singaporeans and our PR friends to play a small (but let’s hope important part) in helping Singaporeans increase their 4 E’s – their Emotional, Experiential, Evaluative and Economic Well-Being, and their ability to once again, Dream.
2015 will be an exciting year for both Rested Edge and One Dream, it being the 5th Anniversary year for both.
Rested Edge will soon move to a permanent business address – a 667 sq feet oasis (and office) in the city fringe; and One Dream will soon announce a cozy 110-seat charity concert featuring the singer-songwriter of our One Dream theme song – Singapore's own very talented Ling Kai, who’s now based in Beijing, China.
In closing, from the bottom of my heart, I want to mention that Rested Edge Advisory and One Dream Initiative will not have crossed its 1st Anniversary, let alone about to reach its 5th, had it not been for the support, friendship, kindness and love of many people. Other than my immediate family, there are simply too many people to name, and to everyone I've met in my hitherto Rested Edge and One Dream journey, to all of you, I am grateful, honored and humbled... and hope to continue on many more journeys together, way into the future. Let's continue to do meaningful, wonderful and useful work together!
Concluding, I hope that 2015 will be a thriving, flourishing year for all my clients, friends, family and loved ones, filled with energy, engagement & Eudaimonia – personally & professionally; collectively, organizationally & societally.
May 2015 be memorable in all the right ways – May we get to “do our best work, build our best homes, and live our best lives”.
