A familiar face to Singaporeans, Teo Ser Lee rose to fame after winning three national beauty pageants in the 80s, from Miss Singapore International to Miss Singapore Globe.
Yet, before her achievements as a beauty queen, Ser Lee was a little girl who grew up in a kampong and then an active athlete in school who played various sports including basketball, volleyball, and softball.
Now, she mainly works as the founder and director of Protocol Academy, a pioneer company in etiquette and protocol services. She and her team train people from all walks of life.
Ser Lee’s story doesn’t stop here – she’s also a council member of the National Council Against Drug Abuse (NCADA), a board member of Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan, and an actress. Her exploration of different fields breaks the stereotypes people might have of a beauty queen, showing a soul full of passion and vitality.
Read on for Teo Ser Lee’s journey in different stages of life from her interview with Vintage Radio SG, a digital radio station available online and via mobile app.
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Growing up in a kampong
Teo Ser Lee grew up in a kampong, now known as Hougang. She lived there with her extended family and friendly neighbours.
There used to be a crocodile farm where her father worked, and she liked to play on the farm with her friends and her young brother Teo Ser Luck, who is the former Minister of State for Trade and Industry.
To Ser Lee, the kampong days are precious memories.
"I much prefer that kampong than the high-rise buildings nowadays."
From accountancy to the hospitality industry
After graduating from Nanyang Junior College, Ser Lee wanted to pursue hospitality in Switzerland. While a lot of her friends went overseas to study, her family could not afford it, so she settled with an accountancy degree in the National University of Singapore (NUS) with scholarship for the first year.
Ser Lee first worked as an external auditor with Ernst & Young (then known as Ernst & Whinney) after college graduation. Afterwards, she transitioned into the tourism industry.
With her passion for hospitality, she spent a long time there, moving from cruises to airlines to travel agencies. Days working in the hospitality industry were like a dream come true for her.
Miss Singapore International was a hit-and-run thing
Ser Lee started her beauty pageant journey by chance. She was signed up by her friend for a campus pageant at NUS – the first pageant she participated in and eventually won. One of the prizes was a modelling contract.
At that time, Ser Lee did not really have any interest in the modelling industry, but she signed the contract to pay her school fees.
"I thought the cash prize was really good, but if I don’t win, I can still gain experience."
To Ser Lee, her participation in Miss Singapore International was “a hit-and-run thing” because she focused on her studies and did not prepare much.
Her manager then encouraged her to participate in a second national pageant, Miss Singapore World. Ser Lee was again attracted by the cash prize, as she wanted to pursue a master’s degree.
The last pageant she took part in was Miss Singapore Globe.
She won again and went on to represent Singapore in five international pageants.
From Miss Singapore to acting and beauty pageants
Ser Lee likes to be kept busy by trying her hand at a variety of activities that interest her.
After winning Miss Singapore International, she was invited by Mediacorp to host some variety shows, starting her journey as an actress.
She has also had roles in films including Daddy at Home (2009) and The Dream Makers (2013). In Good Goodbye, an anthology film about terminal illness released earlier this year, she played a speech therapist for a stage-four cancer patient.
Ser Lee has been with Mediacorp till today, but only working part-time as she always has a main job. In 2003, she founded Protocol Academy, a consultancy firm that has provided more than 20 years of professional etiquette and protocol services across Southeast Asia and China.
Furthermore, in 2016, she was invited to join Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan (a Teochew clan association). Soon, she was elected as a board member.
Applying her experience as a former beauty queen, she then organised Singapore’s and the world’s first Miss Teochew beauty pageant in 2017, and the second in 2021 during the pandemic.
Interesting retirement plans
When asked about retirement plans, Ser Lee expresses that she looks forward to her retirement life.
"All the things I used to not have money or time to do, I finally get to do them now."
This content was originally aired on Vintage Radio. To listen to the complete podcast, click here.
