The investor...

They say, which may include a few famous people, including Azizi Ali and Donald Trump, the best investment is to invest in land as they don't make them anymore. It is cliche but everyone knows that it is true. You can buy a piece of land at a cheap price, then turn it into something stuff of dreams are made off and make loads of money out of it. So, it is true if you are patient enough.

Just one of the many lands that she has

This happens to one of the closest person in my life. My mother. My mother invested in a lot of lands in 1970s and 1980s using the advice of her father in law, my father's dad. She bought pieces of lands around the place where Kuala Lumpur International Airport is now way before the idea of it was ever conceived by the former Prime Minister. It does not have anything to do with her wanting to make money out of it but more for her to cultivate fruit trees and some other small plantation enough for her to play with. It now has made millions for her which allow her to retire a contented person (in a way).

It is not that my dad didn't also play a part in all this plan but she is the real master planner for turning her land into bungalow plots of 5000 to 7000 square feet by entering a joint venture with a developer which in turn gave her nearly half a million of profit after buying the same piece of land for RM5,000-00 (USD1,400) per acre in the late 70s. The final piece of that bungalow plot is still in my name which I plan to turn into a small bungalow for both my parents to live in one of this day.

That is why my mother has always been my business idol as she always planned way ahead of everyone as she has been around the block a few times in term of being an investor. She has played the equity market. Invested in houses. Travel around the world farther than me including driving the whole of north America in 1990 and backpacking in Mediterranean countries in 1993. I have this love/hate relationship with her but she has also invested in my company in it's early days and this small legal firm still owe her some money although we have been quite stable for the past 5 years.

Some built their business by borrowing money from banks. Some by mortgaging their properties. I started mine with some loan from my parent's and thanks to them I am where I am now. So, here's to the belief my investors have in me.

p/s : As a yardstick, my brother who is a doctor also opened his first clinic using her money...