Author: Low Hoey Fen (Agnes)
Company: (1) YSG Builders Solution Pte Ltd; (2) YSG M&E Solutions Pte Ltd
Business Nature: Buildings Construction & Renovation Contractor
Position: Co-Founder
《The Boat Has Passed Through Ten Thousand Mountains: Turning Every Storm into a Gift and Becoming My Own Ferryman》
Hello everyone, I am Agnes Low, a proud Penangite from Malaysia.
I was born into an underprivileged family. From a young age, I helped my mother with her street food stall, shelling cockles and managing clothing stalls. My parents worked tirelessly to fund my Higher Diploma, but could not afford the examination fees. Thankfully, Uncle Hong offered a helping hand, allowing me to graduate smoothly. This act of kindness inspired a lifelong conviction in me: if I ever gained the means in the future, I would become a benefactor to others in need.
After graduation, I worked as an accounting assistant during the day and took on a part-time job at McDonald’s at night to supplement our family income and pay off my student loans. Regrettably, before I had the chance to repay Uncle Hong, he passed away—a regret I carry to this day.
Shortly after, my husband and I embarked on a 15-year journey as cross-border commuters, riding a motorcycle back and forth between Singapore and Malaysia daily.
Starting in 2002 while pregnant with twins, and continuing through my second and third pregnancies, I commuted daily by motorcycle and burned the midnight oil studying for my ACCA certification.
However, six months into my twin pregnancy, I suffered a devastating blow when one of the babies passed away in the womb. Carrying one living child alongside a lost life was an agonizing emotional torture that tore my heart apart.
In 2009, my eldest son was suspected of having bone cancer. During those dark days, I spent my mornings caring for him at the hospital and my nights commuting to work in Singapore. The agonizing two-week wait for the diagnostic report plunged me into a 17-year struggle with depression. Thankfully, the final results returned negative, and my son was safe and sound.
In 2014, my husband and I co-founded a construction and interior renovation company. In the beginning, my husband handled business development while I leveraged my years of accounting and management experience to support the operations. Every day after work, I would care for my children and manage household chores. Only after putting the kids to bed—around 10:00 PM—would I start handling company affairs, often working until the early hours of the morning. This routine continued for years until the business stabilized and I transitioned to working full-time for the company. We started with just two workers, step-by-step building a team, and eventually established our own factory.
Looking back on this journey, I choose to be grateful for every experience. I am thankful to my three mentors for helping me discover my true self. I am also grateful to the setbacks and betrayals that allowed me to see human nature clearly, taught me resilience, and led me to cherish the united team I stand with today. I firmly believe that no life experience is ever wasted. As long as we hold onto good intentions and press forward bravely, every storm we endure will eventually turn into a light that illuminates our future.
To learn to let go is wisdom; to know how to persevere is courage. When you live authentically, you become a beacon of light for others.
— Agnes Low