The high-flying entrepreneur Dr Theresa Fok shares her life story and how she turned challenges into opportunities on the road to success. Her mantra is to always have courage, wisdom, and compassion in mind.

As humans, we tend to think that we will only be truly happy in the absence of problems. However, through overcoming great emotional adversity, I learned that problems are an inevitable part of life and are in fact invaluable opportunities to strengthen our character and capacity as a person. My experiences have taught me that any given moment can be perceived from an infinite number of perspectives and it is so important to never give up.

My son’s battle with Hemifacial Microsomia
Though most of you may know me as the Founder & Managing Director of Jade Land Properties, my other major role in life is being a mother. My son was born with a congenital condition causing for him to have an asymmetrical face with impaired jaw function. Not once did I let myself despair or question why I was dealt this hand as I did not want my innocent child to be exposed to negativity. I was determined to set a positive example for my child and to raise him to be a happy, confident, and resilient individual. I sent my child to a pre-school that incorporated Dr. Maria Montessori’s early childhood learning method, and later to international school, which I believed would provide him with an all-rounded education with a mix of academic & extra-curricular activities. I sought Hong Kong’s leading healthcare professionals and my son underwent seven major oral and maxillofacial surgeries to restore function and appearance. My son’s experience gave him deep respect and appreciation for the doctors who helped him with his struggles, inspiring him to follow in their footsteps. I am proud to share that after years of studies and hard work, my son ended up graduating from the University of Hong Kong and is now working as a dentist.

Finding opportunity amid a crisis
In 1997, I faced an unprecedented struggle to keep my real estate agency afloat with the onset of the Asian Financial Crisis, which saw property prices plummet to never seen before levels and my business faced severe economic hardship. There seemed to be no hope in sight, yet a moment of wisdom, creativity and luck triggered me to restructure my business to focus on mortgagee sales. I was appointed by two multinational French banks, BNP Paribas and Crédit Agricole as their only real estate agency responsible for networking vendors who needed to dispose of their held assets with prospective buyers. Over the years, this moment inspired me to tailor my company’s business model similarly to meet new opportunities, adapting swiftly to capitalize on sudden changes in market forces. Since then, I expanded my company’s scope to include international properties, interior design & renovation, and property management.

About Dr Theresa Fok
Dr Theresa Fok, founder of the award-winning boutique real estate agency Jade Land Properties (HK) Limited, is a property investment expert with entrepreneurial vision and over two decades of extensive experience in real estate investment and property management across the Asia Pacific region.

The Standard’s Master Class
The Standard’s brand new online video series ‘Master Class’ features the successful female entrepreneur Dr Theresa Fok, who has made notable achievements both in business and in her family. She shares with the audience her recipe for success and finding happiness in the face of adversity.