As a second-generation business owner, Jasmine Leong has had to learn how to balance the legacy of her father’s vision and being a leader in her own right.

The CEO of Inter Education Consult (IEC) Sdn Bhd, based in Sabah, Malaysia, has forged a unique path for her company, building a diverse suite of services spanning various fields.

Originally providing English classes and further studies counselling, IEC has expanded under her leadership to offer baby ballet, speech and drama courses, and Maxwell Leadership training programmes.

Over the past 20 years, she has found the confidence to take the road less travelled in Christ, whom she acknowledges as the Source of her business strategy. “He is a redeeming God who cares deeply for our businesses,” she said.

She shares three lessons from her own journey of learning to depend on God, in hopes of encouraging leaders who feel unfulfilled and inadequate.

#1: With God, we can find creativity 

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11, NKJV)

A born dreamer, Jasmine loved ballet and the performing arts as a child. One of her earliest memories is reenacting scenes from Swan Lake, with her parents as forced cast members.

After university, she joined IEC which her father had started in 1981. Her love for the performing arts lingered, but she could not find a place for it in her new job.

Throughout Jasmine’s leadership journey, her parents Casey and Datuk Adeline Leong (right) have provided invaluable guidance and counsel. Her younger brother Andre (first row, left) is now also in the family business.

In 2011, however, she was given the opportunity by Skyline SIB Senior Pastor Philip Lyn to helm her church’s performing arts ministry, SkyArts.

“I truly appreciate him for being able to identify our individual strengths and giving us the opportunity to grow. I think that’s part of what good pastorship is,” she said.

Through SkyArts, she was able to pursue her passion for performing arts through church productions and musicals.

But Jasmine wanted to take her dream beyond the church walls. She knew the power of performing arts in building confidence and discipline in people, and wanted to include it in her business.

As she leaned into God for wisdom, He showed her a way to intertwine her passion with the business.

In what seemed like a strange move, Jasmine started offering speech and drama classes as an add-on to her English courses.

While getting the buy-in of parents was initially challenging in the academically-driven community, these parents quickly saw the transformation in their children’s confidence.

“The Holy Spirit presides over everything, and every production is filled with God’s love and presence as we pray over the students, classrooms and presentations daily,” Jasmine shared.

#2: With God, we can see transformation

“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31 (NKJV) 

With her father, Jasmine does prayer walks around the company building every day to dedicate the centre and people who walk through its doors to God.

“I can testify that whilst we do have challenges, overall the spirit of gratitude, hope, trust and love prevails in the company and people who come through,” she said.

Jasmine (seated, in black and white) openly shares with her corporate coaching clients that she is a Christian, and that she trains based on godly values.

For business owners who feel stuck, her encouragement is to invite Jesus into the workplace.

“Never underestimate the power of the Holy Spirit. There has been a stark contrast compared to before we started prayer walking,” she shared.

When we work to the glory of God, His presence will change the way we strategise, see and run our businesses, she added.

#3: With God, we can have confidence

“So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessings if we don’t give up.” Galatians 6:9 (NLT)

In 2021, Jasmine embarked on a rebrand of IEC as it celebrated its 40th anniversary. As part of the rebrand, the IEC team and consultants came up with the tagline, Building Confidence from Cradle to Career.

“We realised all that we do leads to building confidence. Once we have confidence, we can truly reach our potential,” she said. “If I may take it one step further (for believers), Christ-centred confidence is liberating.”

Having Christ-centred confidence has given Jasmine the courage to try different things and embrace failure, because she knows that the success or failure of her business does not define her. First and foremost, she is a child of God.

Armed with Christ-centred confidence, Jasmine embarked on a unique diversification model and introduced new offerings at IEC such as baby ballet.

Being a child of God also means that she does not work for herself, but for Him. “All of my clients know that I am a Christian and bring with me Christian values and principles,” she said.

Jasmine has realised over the years that the more she reached out to God and made herself available for His use, the more He expanded her capacity.

“As business owners, the journey is rarely easy. Listen to Him. Stay close to Him. He will never leave you nor forsake you. As we follow Him and do good, we will reap a harvest of blessing.”

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