From Quitting the Rat Race to Achieving Financial Independence
In 2018, I quit the rat race.
I was an associate director of a prestigious private bank, got my CFA charterholder and was earning a good 6-figure income.
But somehow deep down inside, something was missing.
I was uncomfortable with the rigid structure and politics of banking.
And I was just tired of pouring through the endless restructuring of bankrupt companies that had lost clients so much money.
Knowing myself as a quiet worker, I realized the harder I worked, the more burnt out I got. My face would look crumpled, back shoulders tense and sometimes, I didn’t even dare look at my work phone. Some nights before I sleep, I get heart palpitations and sweaty palms.
The toughest thing about this was I loved financial markets, yet I knew I couldn’t survive the corporate world.
The truth was, I felt I was always exchanging my time away for a paycheck.
On the side, I kept saving and investing (this saved my life).
When I knew I was financially secure with a comfortable 6-figure portfolio, I left.
Today, I’m a full-time investor, and at one point, growing my financial blog, dividendtitan.com, to over 100,000 readers a month, been invited to speak at conferences (Singapore Exchange, Invest Fair, REIT Symposium), featured on news media (Channel News Asia, Yahoo! Finance, CNA938 Live, MoneyFM89.3) and became a regular radio guest host.
Along the way, I’ve also helped more than a few hundreds of my Diligence Wealth Club community members grow their portfolios (some up to $100k dividends). More importantly, I finally fulfilled my personal mission to help my mom build a retirement portfolio.
I enjoy what I do – choosing how I want to spend my life and time. And not get beholden by a big organization.
Now, I want to share 2 key lessons along the way:
✅ No one looks after your money better than yourself.
✅ It’s not worth exchanging your time to build other people’s work
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I was a former Research Analyst
My financial expertise is grounded in a strong professional foundation and widely recognised authority in the field. I began my career at Phillip Capital Management, where I was part of the team managing Singapore’s largest retail Singapore dollar money market fund.
I later served as a research analyst at leading financial institutions including Deutsche Bank, Bank of Singapore, and DBS Private Bank, specialising in high-yield bond analysis and income-generating investments.
Beyond my banking career, I’ve built a reputation as a respected financial writer, with contributions featured on platforms like DollarsAndSense.sg, Seedly, Yahoo! Finance, and ShareInvestor.com.
I’m also a regular speaker at major investment conferences such as those hosted by Singapore Exchange, Invest Fair, and the REIT Symposium. My insights have been featured on Channel News Asia, CNA938 Live, and Money FM 89.3, where I frequently appear as a guest host on the segment “Your Money with Michelle.”
Diligence Club and My Personal Mission
Beyond building Dividend Titan, I’ve helped hundreds of members of my Diligence community grow their investment portfolios—with some achieving annual dividend income exceeding $100,000.
Perhaps most meaningful to me is fulfilling my personal mission of helping my mother build a retirement portfolio that provides her with financial security and peace of mind.
Connect With Me
Drop me an email at willie@dividendtitan.com. I reply to every single one of them. You can also explore more through my blog.
Even better, sign up for my free newsletter.
However you choose to use this site, I hope you’ll learn something useful on your journey to financial independence through dividend investing.
Willie Keng, CFA
Founder, Dividend Titan
