Sean Ng is the director of HS Roof and Repair Solutions, and a Recommend.my service professional. But he has an interesting backstory.
“Did you know I used to play guitar for Eric Moo and Fish Leong? But now I am a roof repairman lah.”
Above: Sean playing bass guitar for Tian Zhen (田震) during her performance in Penang
Married with two kids, we sat down with him to learn about his fascinating background as a musician.
“Music is in my blood since young. At 16, I was teaching guitar. Then I got my diploma in classical guitar, then a Performance Certificate from Trinity College London.”
Armed with these credentials, he found work playing in a live band in the early 2000s. His band supported many famous celebrities who would perform in Malaysia.
“We played for great stars like Eric Moo (巫启贤), Fish Leong (梁靜茹), Gordon Lam (林家栋), Grasshopper (草蜢), Tian Zhen (田震) and Ciang Teng (邓智章).”
Above: Sean (on the right) with Eric Moo (巫启贤) (in white)
After Sean left the band, he joined a company that specialised in roofing and plumbing.
“That’s where I picked up all my training. From music to roof repair; very different, right?”
After that, he started his own home repairs company with a partner.
“My partner would handle the plumbing jobs, and I specialised in roof repairs.”
But after his partner returned to his hometown, Sean carried on solely providing roofing services, running what is HS Roof Repairs and Solutions today. And the experience has come with ups and downs.
“One unique thing about the roof repair industry is, during the rainy season, there is too much work. Then suddenly, there are zero jobs for the next few weeks.”
With such unpredictable demand, Sean has learned to focus on other areas of the business during slow periods.
“I try to use the quieter periods to do more sales and follow up calls.”
One thing that has helped Sean get more steady jobs is to join a home services platform like Recommend.my.
“Recommend.my gives me steady jobs week after week. After I do a job, I will get a customer review. I already have over 150 five-star reviews.”
Sean meets all sorts of customers in his line work.
“There was one time during a plumbing job, I replaced the customer’s tap. I asked the customer if they wanted to keep the old tap or not; they said no. So I helped them dispose it. Then later they gave me a one-star review, saying I steal their things. They said ‘I say don’t want, doesn’t mean you can take!'”
But, such incidents don’t put Sean off from delivering good work, and he has built up a long list of satisfied customers over the years through his honest communication and hard work.
“I’m still a one-man show after all these years. Sometimes, my 16-year-old son follows me on jobs, but I know he is not interested to take over lah.”
Sean looks back fondly on his musician days. But being a roofing expert brings a different type of satisfaction
“It’s hard to make money as a musician. But this job is not easy also. You are out in the hot sun all day, climbing up and down ladders. If you fall, sure die one. But when I get the positive feedback from my customers, it can be satisfying.”
Above: Sean (on the right) with Ciang Teng (邓智章) (middle)
His advice to others just starting out?
“If you are selling your services, you need to value your time and skills. Resist the temptation to always give the lowest price. It’s just like playing music. If you are dedicated to the quality of your work, you will always find customers who appreciate it.”
Sean Ng is the director of HS Roof and Repair Solutions, and a Recommend.my service professional. Recommend.my is Malaysia’s #1 home improvement platform where you can find the best service professionals for all your home needs.
Alex is a content marketer, geek dad, and digital marketing specialist. As the co-founder of the Recommend Group, he drives digital, content marketing and SEO strategy as well as product development. Prior to Recommend, Alex was a software developer at a global consultancy, and a content director at a B2B agency for Fortune 500 tech clients.
