YeoMama Club:
Jasmine How
Meet Jasmine, a true adventurer and creative spirit who delights in spontaneous campervan trips and exploring diverse cultures.
With a background in the creative industry, she made a significant shift to insurance to provide better support for her family and immerse herself in financial planning.
Jasmine skillfully blends her professional and social worlds, transforming friends into clients and clients into friends. Her outlook on life is all about embracing each moment with enthusiasm and positivity. Read on to learn more about Jasmine.
How would you describe yourself and what excites you?
Hello! I’m Jasmine, some of my closer friends call me HowHow because of my unique surname. I’m an adventurer, a dreamer, a creative at heart, and my job is to value-add to the lives of my clients, be it in their businesses, personal growth, or the curating of their financial portfolio!
I love traveling by campervan, going on spontaneous adventures, and learning and living out the cultures in other countries.
Can you walk us through a usual day in your life?
I’m usually rushing about through my day, either meeting with clients or new friends for lunch, coffees and dinner, doing up custom proposals for my clients, or trying out a new activity.
You’ll find me at my best when I’m hanging out with business owners, sharing with one another on the topic of personal growth, thinking up exciting new ideas, and sharing with them on how to manage certain risks through business protection planning.
Having shifted from the creative industry to insurance, what led to this career change and how did it come about?
Previously I was immersed fully in the creative industry, from doing PR work with Ogilvy & Mather, to being a creative in an events company, then co-founding a digital marketing company! I was asked many times along the way to join the insurance industry but had rejected these proposals many times, because the word “sales” was not appealing to me.
The big move into the insurance industry came about when my dad had to have a back surgery, and I was looking for a more flexible working schedule so that I could be there whenever my family needed me.
Though there were perks in being my own boss, I found that there were also times where I couldn’t walk away from certain client meetings given I was the face of the business. Being YOLO like most creatives, I also felt it was time to learn more about financial planning for my own future.
So when I was offered a role at one of the top agencies in AIA, I found that it was a great fit because there was time flexibility, I could dive in-depth into risk mitigation, wealth accumulation, business protection, and more, and a huge bonus was to be able to directly impact the lives of others.
On top of that, I learnt that insurance is not about “selling”, it’s about providing great value and advice, and allowing clients to know what options they have available to them so that they can decide for themselves, and it’s really different for every individual!
Given your busy and dynamic lifestyle, how do you balance your professional life with social activities?
I’ve grown to learn that in my line of work, it’s about integrating my professional and my social life! My friends have turned clients, and clients have also become like family to me.
I often hang out with my clients and friends and meeting clients has become part of my lifestyle. My personal mission statement is to grow alongside my clients, and to retire well together with them!
What are some of your favourite activities or hobbies outside of work?
Hanging out at YeoMama Batik is one of them since Desleen is one of my best friends since our time together at amcasia!
Campervan trips for sure! And the both of us actually went on our first campervan trip to Aussie together which was probably what made me fell in love with this way of traveling and seeing the world with great company!
You can see more pics of our trip on Instagram with the hashtag #malabalawondervan!
Besides that, trying out new activities, going for singing bowl meditation sessions, zen yoga, pilates, slow walks, and maybe a pint of Guinness are some of the ways that I counter the stresses of hustle and bustle in my daily life.
You have such a positive and confident attitude. What's your secret to staying confident and happy?
That’s what many people see on the outside, but I definitely do have my lows! I think self-reflection and learning to grow innately are key to building our resilience and strength.
When I’m down or burnt out, I go for a walk, listen to happy music, personal growth podcasts, look at positive quotes, and hang out with friends with positive energy! That’s my way to get back up on my feet. Everyone has their own way, so I’d recommend to try out different activities till you find the one that suits you best!
I’m a very heart-based person, so I’ve learnt that I can still allow myself to feel those emotions, recognize them, introspect, and learn to move on by the next day. It takes practice! Just keep going, and move on to the next best thing.
Have you faced any challenges related to body image, and how have you overcome them?
I’ve never been a skinny girl but I definitely used to be slimmer than I am now. It used to be a pain point whenever others would point that out but as I’ve grown into my own person across the years, I’ve also learnt to take it with a pinch of salt because honestly, what matters most is that we’re happy!
Weight gain could be due to many factors such as stress, hormone levels, and the daily activities that we engage in. I used to go on different types of diets, but they were mostly not sustainable. So rather than do more damage to my body, and allow someone else to tell me I shouldn’t be happy with how I look, I’d now much rather look at lowering my stress levels, ensure I get enough steps, tryyyy to get enough sleep, and incorporate more whole foods into my diet.
Life is short, so it’s important to allow your days to be happy!
If you were to describe YeoMama Batik to a friend, what would you say?
I always always tell my friends to check YeoMama Batik out because the prints and cuts that the brand produces are always so happy, and that because the brand encapsulates it’s founder’s joy!
My friends and clients all know of this crazy-in-good-way friend I have called Desleen, and the positive vibes she exudes, and they love her the way I do! We share the same work ethics and I’d say she always gives her best and her fullest dedication towards this very brand she calls her own.
I’ve even had little girls come up to me in malls when I’m in YeoMama Batik and they point to my clothes and say “pretty”! My clients often also ask where I get my lovely cardigans from because I wear them so often. So much so that I’d say, the products have a life of their own and market themselves!
So if you want to be happy everyday, wear YeoMama Batik and live a Batik-ful life!
