Boyd Au

Boyd Au is an entrepreneur.
Early life
With his parents separated, Boyd's parents could not support the young 6-year old and his mother sent him for safe keeping to the Salvation Army Boy's Home in Thomson Road, before taking off with her elder daughter to Malaysia where they worked on a rubber plantation.

They also could not afford to pay the monthly $20 maintenance fee nor visit young Boyd. While other boys went home monthly or had parents and family visit at weekends, young 6 year old Boyd was one of the lonesome tykes left in the home - for 6 long years! No visitors, no outside visits except to school each day and to church on weekends.

"Other boys had their tins of Milo and biscuits," recalls Boyd winsomely but without any trace of blame. "The Salvation Army took care of us well physically and they really provided me with my salvation - I could have been out in the streets."

What Boyd recalls most is that the benevolent Salvation Army staff did not only take care of his body, they took care of his soul - and Boyd credits them for providing him with the means of his salvation - his strong Christian faith which has sustained him all his life.
But what went on in the battlefield of the playground, the cookhouse and the bunk room was something else - Boyd recalls it was really the survival of the fittest in George Orwell sense - where the strongest vanquished with fists and cuffs over the weak and a line of "kings" (the toughtest fighters) ruled the roost - taking away the best toys given at Christmas, while Boyd literally lived in the "roost" amongst the chickens.

His duty was to take care of the eggs they laid daily and to ensure that the eggs did not get eaten by rats. He literally had to protect the eggs with his life!

"You know each year, the donors would come to give us toys for Christmas," said Boyd and we would all dutifully queue up for our gifts. When the donors left and we boys were left on our own, we all had to line up the toys on the floor and the "kings" would choose what they wanted. Being the youngest and without the protection of family, I was often left with the worst of the spoils."

'Shoes were so prized…walk barefoot…'
Boyd recalls that the gifts were mostly toys but not shoes. Shoes were so prized that he would walk barefoot from the home, which is where United Square now stands to school, which was near the Polo Club, and only put on the shoes when he reached school.

The tough Orwellian lessons Boyd learnt at the Salvation Army, were literally his salvation in his professional life. Boyd's early lessons were that, "You need to fight for your own survival and success, having to remain physically and mentally strong. There are no short cuts.

"I was so determined as a young tyke aged 8, sitting in the chicken coop to guard the eggs, that I will be successful one day and would not lack in means!"
Early career
The other life changing experience was National Service. "I grew up with no social skills - at age 12, my mother sent enough money for my aunt to bring me to live in her home in Tiong Bahru, I had no confidence and was really shy - BUT DETERMINED!

"In National Service I found that if I worked hard, I did have the additional advantage of brain power and came up consistently at the top of the class - not the first but always in the top three. This gave me confidence and self-esteem and I came out of National Service a man with fuller confidence to tackle my first adult job."

'Believe in training…'
The year was 1972 and Boyd joined one of the big boys of the semi conductor business then. It was fortunate that he nabbed a job in a multinational company and he worked day and night and weekends to get ahead. What set the company apart from local companies is the fact that multi nationals believe in training and in his 10 years in the company he was sent for no less than 60 courses - in Singapore and the USA.

Though faced with seemingly insurmountable difficulties, Boyd's fighting spirit in his life paved the way for him to start his own business with a colleague, selling electronic components.
Entrepreneurial activity
'Enzer was formed…'
In 1984, Boyd and a business partner formed Enzer, and started an electronics components business. Professional and Entrepreneurial pinnacle and success was represented by the listing of Enzer on the Singapore stock exchange in 2001 - an experience he calls "humbling" as it was back to another jungle - that of the corporate world.

At this point Boyd is happy to share with you that it is by God's grace and favour and not luck that has shone on him and his family all these years. He is a devout Christian, since his Salvation Army days and as he mature in life, his faith and devotion have taken new and deeper meanings.

'God's favour…'
It is a faith shared by his family. "Some people may have been broken by an experience like mine as a young 6-year old," said Boyd. "In my case, it gave me inner strength and resolve and a very important faith, as the Salvation Army brought us up well and with solid Christian values, God fearing and Man respecting."

Having been through such a roller coaster in life, but sustained and given ballast by his Christian faith, giving back to society and to his church has been a practice of Boyd and family throughout his rise to success and the achievement of the good Life, Singapore style.

And having come from a broken home and knowing what burdens it can give to a young child, Boyd and wife Lisa's aim has always been to provide their 2 children with a stable, loving,
comfortable home and family life. No lack of tins of Milo for their children.

Boyd is one of the two founding members of Enzer Corporation Ltd which started in 1984 with a capital of S$10,000.He was the Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, overseeing all activities of the Group including managing the growth and providing strategic directions. Enzer became a world renowned brand with products sold in over 25 countries. Thecompany was listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange in May 2001 with company sales turnover close to S$80million by 2006.

"Having gone through hard times, Boyd Au wants to leave a legacy behind" Streats-Financial

Besides being an entrepreneur, Training, Coaching and Mentoring is another passion that runs deep in his veins. Boyd is launching the Revelations for Entrepreneurship Success Training (REST) Programme, a 3-day intensive training seminar, packaged with separate one-to one coaching sessions. Also a trained and experienced coach, he is currently coaching and mentoring 8 business owners including his daughter Claire, in industries such as fashion & design, construction equipment, TV media, spas & beauty, wood paneling/building materials, fast food and human resource/executive search.

With 25 years of successful entrepreneurship experience, Boyd aims to leave a legacy of having trained and mentored at least 7 successful entrepreneurs of the next generation, through the REST programmes.

In 2006, Boyd stepped down as CEO of Enzer, remaining as Executive Chairman to devote more time for God's work. An opportunity came in 2007 and Boyd sold his entire interest in the company. Always an entrepreneur, he set up 7 Notes Capital Pte Ltd which focuses on investments, training, coaching and mentoring business owners.

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