We interviewed Melvin Tan, 34, a Director and Veterinarian at West Coast Vetcare, an up and coming vet center located in Singapore.
Melvin juggles a hectic work schedule as one of the anchor vets at the clinic, performing surgeries and saving lives on a day-to-day basis all whilst keeping up a grueling fitness regime which has allowed him to maintain a cover-worthy physique.
Melvin worked in private practice for three and a half years before taking the leap to start up his own practice with his Co-Founder at the end of 2013. He currently manages a team of 5 support staff.
We caught up with Melvin to get an insight into his life as a career-veterinarian, management philosophy as well as to glean his grooming and fitness tips.
1) As Co-Founder and Director of your clinic, what is your work schedule like?
Melvin: I work 4 days a week starting at 10 am in the morning and up till 8 pm on most days. On average I perform 2 surgeries per day and stay late frequently enough when there are late evening appointments.
2) You lead a team of 5 support staff to enable a smooth work flow in the clinic, what is your management philosophy?
Melvin: I believe that trust between management and the team, as well as within the team itself is crucial to the success the business. As a client-oriented business like ours, building that trust is of paramount importance to us.
3) What is your vision for the company?
Melvin: We hope to grow the platform to become one of the leading clinics in Singapore, attracting more talents to our brands both Veterinarians and Support staff.
4) Seeing that you work a rather erratic schedule, how do you stay in such good shape?
Melvin: I invested into building a home gym which has really helped in terms of convenience, which is key when my work hours can drag on, on any given work-day. I try to lift weights for 1 to 2 hours 2-3 times a week, focusing on compound exercises like the bench press and military press, which helps me work out multiple muscle groups in any work out session. Also never forget those bicep curls.
5) Nice, what would you say are your secrets to looking sharp?
Melvin: Working out is just one part of my regime, I try to eat clean with low-carbohydrate meals on a daily basis, save for one cheat day per week. A good haircut definitely helps too. It all boils down to self-confidence though, having all that without self-confidence isn't going to work.
6) Well said, what are some of the grooming products you absolutely cannot live without?
Melvin: My electric shaver and hair wax.
7) On that topic, since we just launched our own hair wax, what do you look out for in your hair wax?
Melvin: I like my hair wax to have a matte finish with a medium hold. It shouldn't be too glossy, stiff, or difficult to wash off.