This is part of our monthly interview series in 2024. Various individuals will share spiritual reflections and insights on their past, present, and future.
This month, I have Harmony Tee with me.
Who is Harmony?
Harmony Tee (@harmonytee) has been a funeral director for about five years. She made a career switch from an auditor at Ernst and Young when she was 25 years old in 2019. Upon her pastor’s advice, she saw her family business as an open door to enter the funeral industry. Hence, she took up the baton of her family business, Harmony Funeral Care Singapore, even though the funeral industry is male-dominated and shunned.
As she fights stigma as a female or just by being in this industry, she continues to grow and shine her light as a daughter of God even as she comes face to face with death so often.
She is currently worshipping in Singapore.
The Past
Looking back…
What was the transition from a financial auditor to a funeral director like?
It was a tough transition. Compared to the corporate world, the people in the funeral industry are more direct with their thoughts and opinions. If they don’t like something, they will make sure you know they are upset about it. So I had to adapt to their working style while they had to adapt to mine.
When I first joined, I would buy my staff bottles of beer and spend time with them at the coffee shop to get to know them better and build rapport. I had to connect and build relationships with them before they gradually accepted and adapted to my working style. My efforts paid off as our ways of working came into agreement and we got better at working together as a team towards a common goal: bringing the company to greater heights.
Any advice for people wanting to make a career change?
Dare to make the career changeas long as you are sure that is what you want to do, and not half-hearted or lukewarm about it.
Your chosen path does not always have to be related to your university degree or what you studied in school. Many people think their degrees or paper qualifications will be wasted in an unrelated field. However, I believe God will never waste our experience and whatever we learn, just like my time as an auditor (see next section). God will somehow put what we’ve been through into good use, even if we cannot see it right now. For example, soft skills we don’t get accreditations for.
[Editor’s note: I was reminded of the previous post about wisdom – wisdom can also be gained through experience and without us knowing!]
What is the most memorable lesson you had during your time as an auditor?
The long working hours as an auditor had trained me to adapt well to the odd and long hours as a funeral director. It has also taught me to plan my work efficiently and use my time wisely in the most productive way so that I wouldn’t need to work even longer or later!
Having the skill to get most work done in the shortest time possible is important because time is of the essence when dealing with short turnaround times for funeral affairs.
Looking back now, is there anything that would make you say, “God has made everything in his time,”or “God works all things good?”
Yes, God had a wonderful plan for me even though I was unaware of itwhen I started as an auditor. Yet rather than my time as an auditor, my secondary school days best prepared me for this calling in the funeral industry. It’s a neighbourhood school with people from all walks of life and different social classes.
Learning how to assimilate in such an environment has made me versatile in situations and good at communicating with all sorts of people. Being able to adapt well helped me a lot in my current vocation where things and hours are unpredictable.
The Present
Looking at now…
What are the things you are doing now or going through? Are you at a mountaintop, in a valley or plains?
I am striding comfortably at the plains now, but I am moving towards conquering a mountain with my expansion plans for the business.
In this season, what is God speaking to you about or teaching you?
I have expansion plans for the funeral business and am praying for a breakthrough only God can provide. However, not much is moving as of now. Hence God is probably teaching me to perseverein my current role and have more patiencein seeing the breakthrough in business come to pass – to wait in faith and trust in His right timing.
Also, I think God is growing me to have more grace towards people. There are many new challenges in expanding the company, but other than growing the business, God is giving me the grace to grow the people first.
What is your bible verse of the season?
And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,
Colossians 3:23-24 (NKJV)
knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance;
for you serve the Lord Christ.
The Future
Look forward…
What are your dreams or plans for the future?
I plan to set up a counselling arm in Harmony Funeral Care. I have witnessed many people who struggled with their loss but due to the hectic life in Singapore, people don’t process the loss as they quickly move on with life. This usually leads to dire consequences of mental health issues in the later stages of their lives.
As such, I have expansion plans to grow the company, getting more people to work together as a team and bring comfort to grieving families.
What’s the next step you feel led to take for these dreams or plans?
To grow my team in size and quality, my focus now includes developing my staff rather than merely focusing on how best to serve the bereaved family. I want to inculcate in my staff a good attitude towards their current roles – to work not just for a paycheck but for a higher purpose and meaning. Hence, I would also want to spend more time nurturing the company’s leaders so that they become good role models for other employees to look up to and follow.
Lastly, to shed insights into the funeral industry, I’m about to publish a book next year about this supposed black box. I hope this will make more people drop the stigma and appreciate the importance of the funeral industry.
Editor’s Note
We thank Harmony for sharing her past and future growth stories. If this post speaks to you, particularly if you are changing careers or building your team,leave a comment or send us a message to encourage Harmony on her continued trust in God.
If you liked this, you may enjoy reading other interviews too: shema-rhema.com/blog/category/interview
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