If you’ve ever imagined a life where your pursuit of adventure is balanced with work that pays the bills but find you don’t know where to start, here is an example of how Wendy Chung ‘95*, did it. After a familiar start doing accounting and equity analysis, finance management and strategy, Wendy started taking on contracting work: 6 month short to 1 year long project led contracts that allow her to choose her work based on her interest in the company, country and the actual project. These projects have varied from being an interim CFO at Nando’s Malaysia & Singapore to project manage a London Stock Exchange IPO to heading competitive strategy of a racing company. Not only has this approach allowed Wendy to work to her strengths but it has also given her the time and the means to pursue life outside of work in the fullest sense possible. So if your idea of adventure is months learning to husky sled in Alaska or play polo in Argentina, race the Mongol Derby or work on microfinance in Cambodia, read on to see how Wendy set all these wheels in motion –
- Name: Wendy Chung
- Graduating Year: 1995
- *Years at CIS: 1992 – 1993
- College & Degree: London School of Economics, BSc Economics with 1st class Honours
- Current city of residence: Seattle, US
- Places lived before: India, Cambodia, UK, US, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia & New Zealand, Alaska, Argentina, Spain
- Tell us about your biggest adventure to date
Maybe riding the Mongol Derby, badged as the ‘world’s longest toughest horse race’. It is a 1,000 km horse race across rural Mongolia on the local, semi-wild horses. I entered on a whim, allowing myself three months to train, broke my right hand 6 weeks before the race and completed despite this. I was competing against life long riders who work with horses and/or own them. In comparison I was working an office job in central London, only able to ride on weekends and had 2 years of riding experience. No one was more surprised than me that I completed given the attrition rate for the Derby is 1/3. I have a strong suspicion that my name was fairly high up on bets placed as to who would drop out first. As you can probably tell I am still a little bit pleased that I survived but when I think back to that time, I am surprised at some of the risks I took. Presented with the same choices again, it would probably be a ‘no’.
- Was there an out of body experience during this adventure where you thought to yourself “I can’t believe I’m having this amazing experience” and when was it?
It was day 4 of the Mongol Derby. I had been saddled up on a horse which I had been told was an ex-racehorse. As soon as the herdsman let go, the horse took me on the ride of my life. From a standing start, he went straight into a mad gallop across the countryside and we went up a hill at full pelt, jumping all the little gorse bushes. It was a good job I was facing the right direction otherwise I could have ended up in Russia as much as the next checkpoint. At the top of the hill he decided to stop. I had little to no control over his speed and he only allowed me to suggest small changes in direction. I remember being on top of this hill with a panoramic view of the Mongolian steppe, no sign of mankind anywhere, looking out to the horizon on all sides and having this overwhelming feeling of beautiful solitude. I didn’t cry, the wind just happened to catch my eyes at that point.
- Tell us about turning up to a Christmas gathering in the tropics with a broken foot:
Two years ago I spent a winter season learning to dog mush, aiming to race in the 1,000 mile Yukon Quest, endurance dog sledding race. I had been in training for three months and had got up to taking 14 dogs out on the trails in Alaska. (For context, 3 dogs is sufficient dog power to pull an adult on a pleasure ride) Unfortunately on a practice run, I took a corner too sharply, got my leg caught under the sled and broke it. My family were planning on meeting in Asia to celebrate Christmas together so I turned up with a skiboot on crutches. My parents were concerned and upset which I had predicted, and which is why I thought it would be better to not tell them beforehand. My brothers just rolled their eyes at me.
- Tell us a little bit about your current line of work and how you got into it:
I work as a strategy and finance consultant. By profession I am a chartered accountant then spent a few years in investment banking. Those years taught me work ethic and various technical financial skills but I did not enjoy it. I decided to try something new so went into industry and ended up seconded to Bain Consulting on a strategy project at a telecoms company. I realised that working in strategy allows a helicopter view of an organisation very quickly and that I really enjoyed this. This is an aspect of my work that I still love which is why I actively look for each subsequent assignment to be in an industry I have not previously worked in. My geekiness is in business models.
- Why did you decide to pursue this model of work over climbing the corporate ladder?
The biggest attraction of contracting for me is that I get significant variety of work – in the type of work, people I work with, the culture of different organisations and of course the industry sector. I prefer the ‘short sprint’ rather than the ‘long haul’ of work. I don’t particularly enjoy business as usual work and like companies that are undergoing change. Putting this together with my love of travel and adventure meant that working as a contractor, where I could take time off work in between assignments, meant that I could have the best of both worlds.
- What does it take to be successful at this?
I have been contracting for 8 years and enjoy it hugely. There are of course downsides that need to be managed. The lack of job security and the need to source a new contract every 6 months to 1 year means I need to plan, to be on the look out for my next assignment as each contract ends. I interview often and get my fair share of rejections. A tough skin helps and a creative mindset in landing that next assignment. I have built good relationships with recruitment consultants over the years, get a proportion of assignments through word of mouth but I also have to get creative in getting my foot through the door. You can’t be too proud to hustle.
- What kind of mindset do you have to have on a day-to-day to basis?
I am just finishing a 6 month sabbatical in Seattle writing a travel adventure book (based on my travels) Not having an externally imposed, fixed schedule has been very calming so for the last 6 months I have woken up in a creative, curious and happy mindset. I will be back in London soon, working commercially, so I expect my mindset to do a 180. I do not see this as a bad thing, I enjoy changes in pace. To everything a season.
- What was your worst moment career wise and how did you bounce back from it?
Realising that working in the traditional way did not work for me, but not knowing what an alternative option might be. As a permanent employee, I found myself spending as much time worrying about bonus, promotion, office politics as I spent actually doing my job. I felt like I was navigating my career according to received wisdom and on paper it seemed to be going in the right direction, but in my gut, I knew it was dead end for me. This precipitated the Argentina adventure where I ended up on a polo estancia learning to play polo, without knowing how to horse ride first. I believe the answers to some tricky questions present more easily when I don’t force the answer. Going to Argentina was a way to delay that decision by 6 months.
- How do you take care of your mental and emotional health?
A favourite soapbox topic for me. I believe that psychological well being and physical health are intrinsically linked. I prioritise psychological fitness equally highly to being physically able. Currently I have regular meetings with a lifecoach, practice hot yoga and make sure I spend lots of time outdoors playing sports and being with my dogs.
I also believe that what I don’t do is as important as what I do do. For example, I am a very light user of social media. I try to be mindful as to how much I am on my mobile phone and internet usage.
- What was your most memorable CIS moment?
Eating chicken drumsticks in the cafeteria. Every day. What a great snack.
- Who was your favorite teacher at CIS?
Mr Grant (English teacher)
- What was your favorite subject at CIS and was it related to anything you actually ended up doing?
Maths – yes, by profession, I am a chartered accountant.
- What role did CIS play in the foundations of your life?
I grew up in northern England. I was 15 years old when I attended CIS for one year as my family moved to Hong Kong. Although changing countries and schools felt difficult and confusing at the time, I learned that there are hugely divergent ways to live. With the benefit of 25 years’ hindsight, the year at CIS helped open the way I think. It was my first experience of immersion in a new culture. I was going through the same awkward growing pains that every other teenager goes through but was grateful for the kindness of Mr Grant and my classmates.
- What, if anything, do you strive for on a daily basis?
Emotional neutrality. In so far as is possible and sensible, I like to deal with conflicting situations, relationships and emotions as soon as they arise so I can go to bed in a clean-ish emotional state.
Please read the following questions and write down the first answer to pop into your mind (3 second limit ):
- What is your favorite movie: The Blind Side
- What do you have for dinner on a weekday: Whatever is in the fridge. I love all food and am not fussy. Depending on the state of the fridge and how organised I have been in grocery shopping, dinner can be multiple permutations of food items implausibly combined.
- What would be your last meal on death row: This is a very hard question. I eat everything apart from olives. A hangover from an unpleasant altercation with a green one in my formative years. Probably some combination of steak and chips, a full English breakfast with extra baked beans, macaroni cheese, sashimi, ma po tofu (extra spicy), dark chocolate mousse, marionberry pie, mint choc chip ice-cream. (Am I running out of word count yet?!)
- If you could have a one hour conversation with anyone – historical or current – who would that be and why: There are many famous people I admire and find inspiring and fortunately I am able to learn about their motivations and decisions through their biographies, recordings of interviews, etc. Someone I don’t seem to be able to find much about, at least not in his own words, is Kevin Carter, the South African photojournalist who shot the photograph of the starving Sudanese toddler stalked by a vulture. Although he committed suicide aged 33, I imagine that he witnessed more in those 33 years than most of us will in a lifetime.
About the Writer:
Article written by Jennifer Ching ’97: Jennifer Ching joined CIS in primary 2 and decided that there was no other school worth going to until she completed IB. After graduating from the London College of Fashion, Jennifer pursued a 15 year international career across London, Hong Kong and Singapore working for some of the largest media brands around the world including CNN, Discovery and Fox. She served as the Vice President, Client Services for Fox Networks Group before stepping down in 2016. She currently lives in Singapore with her husband and two kids.