Michael Teoh sees the big picture

He’s only 24, but this fearless Malaysian entrepreneur will stop at nothing to achieve his goals.

SO, now that you have won the title ‘global ambassador’, what makes you think that developed countries would want to take your lead? You are Malaysian, after all, a citizen in a developing nation,” the Hungarian professor challenged.

Unfazed, 24-year-old Michael Teoh flashed a confident smile at the audience.

Under the scrutiny of candidates, judges and dignitaries, he replied: “Sir, thank you very much for your feedback. As a Malaysian, I assure you that we welcome it as we strive to improve. Working towards global citizenship, in line with our programme, we, especially developed nations, must remember our lessons, that whatever that had worked for us in the past may not work again in the future.”

This response elicited loud applause from the crowd.

Dignified and quick-witted, this is how the Penang-born global ambassador clinched the title at the inaugural Your Big Year 2010, an international entrepreneurship competition that challenges participants (aged 18 and above) to pursue fresh ideas to support social responsibility causes and key charities.

The final stage of the competition took place in Liverpool, England, over seven days during Global Entrepreneurship Week.

Outlasting 45,000 candidates from 168 countries, 24 finalists worked in pairs, designing strategies to run a local charity campaign, developing an entrepreneurship module for students, conceptualising a comprehensive business plan as a platform for women in Britain to network internationally, and finally, pitching themselves as the (world’s first) global ambassador.

Teoh and his American partner and co-winner, 30-year-old former broadcast journalist Carielle Doe, drew 70% of the votes in the poll.

Quite the odd couple at first, they didn’t seem to understand each other’s ways – Teoh’s inclination was towards mingling while Doe lingered behind, preferring to capture moments with her camera.

They had different cultures and contrasting views, but were willing to adapt, and it was that synergy that merited them the win.

Now, as global ambassadors, they will lead and participate in social projects in 20 countries to meet the United Nation’s millennium development goal to spread the concept of global citizenship and enterprise.

Liverpool-based Smaller Earth (the programme sponsor) and its partners – governmental agencies and non-governmental organisations – had collectively pooled about £100,000 (RM494,000) to be invested into each of the winners’ year-long programme.

According to Teoh, the flights and project arrangements alone absorb most of the funds. Most of the work will take place in rural areas. In one of their upcoming trips, they will be taken to a volcanic site in Peru where the villages’ water sources have been sulfurised in a recent eruption; Teoh and Doe will be tasked to find clean water for the area’s inhabitants.

In the final leg of Your Big Year, Teoh had written to New Zealand (then) prime minister Helen Clark to inform her that he was representing New Zealand (as a Malaysian student at Auckland University of Technology) in a global ambassadorship competition.

“She replied within a week to thank and congratulate me on my contribution. Citizens tend to deem political leaders ‘unreachable’ but the truth is, we just need to be persistent in our approach,” he says emphatically as he holds up two thick folders of letters and certificates of appreciation from political leaders around the world.

“To this day, I enjoy talking to politicians – or watching them in interviews – for their perspectives. I have learnt so much by observing them,” he says.

(You can watch him being interviewed or addressing a crowd on YouTube; he speaks with such aplomb that you’re left wondering how he does it. “I practise,” he says matter-of-factly in his crisp Americanised accent. “I used to mimic American politicians’ speeches.”)

His courage has earned him the privilege of connecting with world leaders through business programmes such as the locally-organised Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) last year where he was recognised as Malaysia’s most enterprising youth.

Earlier that year, he was invited as keynote speaker at One Young World, the world’s largest youth summit in London, where he spoke on “youths changing the world with social technology”.

In his element

To understand this lofty aspirant’s background and journey, I took a trip to Prai, Penang, where he lives with his parents and paternal grandmother.

His only sibling, 19-year-old Jackson, is pursuing a degree in economics at Auckland University of Technology. (A fan of the legendary pop star in his youth, Teoh had convinced his parents to name his infant brother “Jackson” as “it would be really cool”, he explains later.)

As I pull up at the two-storey link house, a sprightly Teoh greets me with a bold, crisp hello and gives me a firm hand shake, thanking me for visiting. He is enjoying the last few days of his two-week break with his family before his next mission to Brisbane and Ayers Rock in Australia where he will participate in archeological conservation efforts.

As we spend the next couple of hours chatting and touring the town, I learn that, apart from a natural penchant for oratory, Teoh’s accomplishments today have just as much to do with his upbringing.

“This was my ‘second home’ where my grandfather would send Jackson and me after school. We washed up, ate our meals and did our homework here. In between sessions, I helped clean up after students because they often left a mess,” Teoh says upon arrival at his parents’ tuition centre, a four-room shoplot unit in Bukit Mertajam, where he spent most of his youth.

Even at a young age, he was learning an important lesson in humility and initiative.

During those car rides from school, Teoh listened to his grandfather’s stories and advice, picking up lessons on hard work, treating people with kindness and family values.

In secondary school, while his peers studied their textbooks, Teoh pored over personal development books and autobiographies to learn about leadership, entrepreneurship, financial and people management.

As he describes his teen years, one incident stands out in his memory. It offers an explanation to his sense of esteem and drive today.

“I was up to run the 400m on sports day when I was 16. I was – still am – not good at sports; in fact, I was so bad that the other boys didn’t want me on their team.

“However, I told myself that I would win and prove that I could achieve anything that I set my mind to.”

Halfway through the race, Teoh lost his footing and crashed heavily. The impact from the fall caused the bones in his left knee to misalign, as a fire-like sensation shot through his leg.

“As I sat in the dirt grimacing, holding my dislocated knee, my friends crowded around laughing instead of helping,” he says.

“If people won’t even help when I fall, they won’t hand out opportunities; I have to create those opportunities for myself,” he’d decided.

Rather than mope over the event, he values the lesson and applies it in his life today.

Teoh hopes to use the experience from his victory to broaden his repertoire and network with dignitaries.

His knowledge about current issues in the political and business arena attests to him being an avid reader.

And not just any genre; he enjoys personal development books by established authors, such as Sharon V. Voros’ Road To CEO, a head-hunter’s journal of recruiting young talents who have the capacity to lead multinational firms in the future.

“I read that when I was in Form Two as I saw the need to develop leadership skills to lead others in a common goal. I was not the brightest student in school, but I knew it would be within my power to employ the best people to work with me in the future.”

Model student

While at school, Teoh says that he developed character through “hard work and dedication to extra-curricular activities”.

He attended the recently-renamed High School Bukit Mertajam (renowned for producing outstanding debate teams).

As we amble through the school corridors, Teoh’s former teachers cluster around, congratulating him. They remember him well: an energetic, likeable student and a prized asset to their debate team.

“Although he was a solid debater, it was clear to us that his niche has always been public speaking. It’s his talent, backed by hard work and dedication,” says the school’s co-curriculum assistant coordinator Zulkarnian Ramli, who advises the debate team.

He had mentored Teoh through many debate and public-speaking competitions in upper secondary. In those days, Teoh spent many late nights on long strategy discussions after school and practice debates.

When asked how he had coped with his studies, he replies: “Well, I did not hang out at Internet cafes. Students will find that they have enough time for the important things if they prioritise. I never abused my schooling hours; if I had to skip class, it was to compete or practise, never to play truant, and my teachers knew that.”

He recalls an incident where a teacher yanked a financial management book from his hand while he was reading it during a free period and demanded to know why he was reading a “non-school book”.

When the 16-year-old pointed out that the book was educational and that he would benefit from reading it, the teacher said, “Books like these won’t get you anywhere,” as she shook the book dismissively in Teoh’s face.

“She slapped a thick history textbook on my desk and told me this is what I should be reading to be successful,” Teoh relates.

That was eight years ago, but the incident left a deep impression on Teoh.

“I believe in alternative education. The incident left me even more motivated to keep going beyond the syllabus in order to improve my knowledge,” he says.

“School is meant to be a wholesome experience for the individual. I have friends who were straight-A students but didn’t learn to communicate effectively in their adulthood. I think there’s a lesson there,” Teoh says.

Every decision counts

When I jokingly ask Francis Teoh and his wife, Linda Khoo, a former paediatric nurse, about raising high achievers, the couple glance at each other with a smile and a shrug.

“We didn’t feel the need to be ‘prudish’ to raise good children. They had their space and we simply guided them,” Francis says.

Francis illustrates with an incident: “When Michael was younger and wanted a PlayStation, we said fine, as long as he paid for the machine and managed his time wisely. His RM20 allowance took a cut but he kept his promise and maintained his grades.”

Once again, Teoh learned responsibility for his decisions.

Nowadays, even when he’s back for a brief holiday, he is careful about how he spends his time.

If he’s not reading at Borders, chances are, he’s in the company of friends and mentors at a nasi kandar outlet, discussing his pet topic – current issues on politics and business. He also enjoys organising activities for friends and family that foster teamwork.

That, or watching thought-provoking movies such as The Social Network, The Prestige and last year’s award-winning The King’s Speech.

The one surprising thing about Teoh, perhaps, is his music preference. He listens to Linkin Park and Japanese anime songs, interesting genres for a goal-oriented individual (pardon the stereotype).

“I’ve always enjoyed them,” he says excitedly, before launching into a summary of foreign-sounding Japanese names and titles.

After an enlightening day with Teoh, it’s clear that the key to this go-getter’s success is simply a deep-rooted hunger to learn and uncover his potential.

In terms of education, Teoh had found his alternative: developmental books, which were, in his words, “things they don’t teach you in school.”

Altogether, his experiences have enriched his mind, moulded his character and elevated his confidence.

“There’s pressure on me to perform when I return from the world tour in December. I’ve not figured out the next step although I’ve had many job offers (because I don’t want to be an employee). But, someday, like Lim Goh Tong (the late owner of the Genting Group), I want to give Malaysia a conglomerate,” Teoh says with a wide smile.