A Journey to Empowerment: The Inspiring Story of Andrew Ngin, Wealth Manager and Active Philanthropist
At MRLA Media, we're driven by the stories of individuals who defy the odds, showcase resilience, and impact the world positively. Andrew Ngin's tale is a remarkable embodiment of these values. From the rich cultural tapestry of San Francisco's Chinatown to the prestigious echelons of UCLA, his journey weaves challenges and triumphs in a way that not only inspires but also educates. It's stories like Andrew's that remind us of the limitless human spirit, the importance of perseverance, and the profound difference one individual can make in the world. We first met Andrew Ngin back in 2022 through an event, and we had a chance to learn all about his philanthropy passion with Building Education at the time. We've continued to follow him on social media, and his continued philanthropy caught our attention into wanting to share his story to everyone. We're excited to spotlight and share his compelling story with our readers.
From Humble Beginnings
Born to refugee parents who escaped the chaos of the Vietnam War and Cambodian Genocide, Andrew’s beginnings started in San Francisco's Chinatown. However, during his upbringing, he moved around a lot and lived in over eight different apartments by high school. "As a first-generation Teo Chew Asian-American, my family's struggles were my constant reminders of the sacrifices they made for a better life here in America," Andrew recalls.
Academic Challenges and The Leap of Faith
Growing up, Andrew constantly struggled with academic challenges. Determined to overcome his circumstances, he made a leap of faith and moved to Los Angeles at the age of 18. "I packed my Honda Del Sol, left the comfort of my mom’s apartment, and drove down to LA on my own. It was something I felt I had to do in order to get serious with my education," Andrew says. This decision wasn't easy. He recalls the solitude and hardship of those early days in Southern California, "I often wondered if I had made the right choice. But I had a plan and reminded myself not to give up. I also constantly kept God in my prayers to stay strong."
Achieving the Dream at UCLA
His dream was to make it to reputable halls of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). After a rigorous period at community college, marked by a combination of long hours working to support himself financially, he achieved an impressive 3.83 GPA to apply and transfer. Despite his initial rejection from UCLA Admissions, Andrew didn't give up. He said, "I wrote a letters of appeals, sharing my story, the hard work I put in, and the obstacles I had overcome. I didn’t ask for a handout, I just wanted a chance to compete at UCLA." Touched by his tenacity, the university reversed their decision.
At UCLA, Andrew immersed himself in diverse fields ranging from economics, accounting, ethnic, and global studies. He also took on the challenge of learning a new language, Mandarin Chinese, revealing a drive to continually grow. To further his studies in Business, Andrew also traveled to Shanghai, China for a summer study abroad program through the UCLA Anderson School of Management.
Finding Purpose in Financial Empowerment
His endeavors landed him an opportunity with an investment company after graduating, marking the onset of his career as a Wealth Manager. Empowering his clients with financial knowledge was a role he embraced wholeheartedly. Andrew was determined to build his business from the ground up. He started by hitting the streets in Compton, CA.
During the early months of starting his business, he struggled to make new clients. He took on a second job over the weekends to support himself financially. Andrew said, “As a recent college graduate, asking people to take a meeting with me was hard.” However, he had conviction and a purpose. Andrew was determined to see success in financial empowerment.
All his hard work eventually paid off. Within the first 6 months of starting his business, Andrew helped enough clients to quit his weekend job and paid off all of his student loans. He moved up quickly in the company’s rankings and finished #2 his rookie year in production and assets under management. Thereafter, Andrew went on to finishing #1, year after year in Los Angeles within his company. Andrew said, “You can get lucky one year but to achieve success consistently, that is when you will have accomplished something special.”
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A Passion to Educate
Andrew’s career trajectory is underpinned by a desire to educate and empower others. "I believe it is important for everybody to learn how to manage their money because knowledge is power," he says.
With over 13 years of experience, Andrew emphasizes that his mission with his clients is to help create a path to financial freedom. He said, “The art is in the savings, investing, and building passive income." He also hopes to inspire his clients to give back to something they care about in society, either through donating or volunteerism.
Building Education: A Dream for Global Learning
Giving financial advise is just one facet of Andrew’s multifaceted career. His travels around the world had exposed him to the pressing need for education in third-world countries. He remembers from his travels, "Seeing children on the streets selling candy, prompted a deep question - why aren't these kids in school during the day?" This realization led him to donate, volunteer, and serve as a founding Board Member at Building Education. A startup non-profit with the ambitious mission of building 1,000 schools to give kids a safe place to learn.
As an active philanthropist, Andrew said: "Education empowered me and changed my life. I want to promote education and help shape the future. I hope to give children in poverty an opportunity to create a better life for themselves and their families. Hopefully with an education, one day these children will go on to make a positive impact in the world.”
Andrew also shared the second reason why it is important for him to give back. He said, “It is important for me to give back because I want to build a legacy and be remembered after I am gone. I want to be remembered by how I treated and impacted people.” Tragically, Andrew had lost more childhood friends than his two hands could count, due to suicides, illnesses and drug overdoses. Andrew said, “Everytime there is a death in the group, family and friends mourn their death. But with time, people move on and forget. It’s the sad reality without a legacy.”
Guiding Principles and Future Aspirations
In his journey, patience has been a guiding force, a lesson passed down by his grandparents. They emphasized being a leader in your community, keeping promises, and being kind to people. He offers sage advice to those aspiring to follow his path: "Always do the right thing. Don't be afraid to ask for help. Set goals, be patient, and accept that something’s take time."
An Unwritten Future
Andrew Ngin's story is still unfolding, but it's evident he's far from done. "The rest of my bio has yet to be written...but I am just getting started. Please connect with me on FB, IG, or LinkedIn to follow my impact journey" he concludes with a glint of excitement for the future.
You can follow Building Education's Instagram at: @buildingeducation
Their website: bebuildingeducation.org
You can follow Andrew Ngin at:
IG: @andrewngin
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