Alvin Lee’s unique real life story is one of plain clarity and simplicity.
In 1993, when Alvin Lee was the general manager of an electronics factory, he and his family invented and patented the construction set to build better sandcastles. His dream is that children around the world can build better sandcastles with better tools. In the beginning, the project started out with great enthusiasm and energy, but soon enough he started encountering a long series of rejections and obstacles. Unable to get any head start in Singapore, he ventured into USA looking for a suitable partner.
In 1995, he found such a partner, Eagle Affiliates. They got into a 10 years partnership and launch the product, Beachworks. Not long after, in 1998, this family hobby project ended up in the world largest toy fair, the New York Toy Fair and won the major toy award, Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, the “Oscar” award equivalent in the toy industry. It was featured in MSNBC’’s Today Show, ABC, “A Stroke of Genius”Talking Point, and many other major news programs.
From a simple dream, it turned into a success. Today, some 20 years later, Alvin Lee runs a corporate training company Castles Can Fly that uses the same equipment to help corporate and youth program to make their own dreams come true. He also started Castle Beach, a volunteer-run social enterprise movement, promoting the joy and benefits of family building sandcastles together.
In his book “Castles Can Fly”, the sandcastle story is an eternal testament to the transforming power of our dreams and the importance of listening to our hearts. Through his book and speeches, “Castles Can Fly”, his main essence is to encourage all to create a world where our dreams do come true. Through his against-the-grain wit and self-effacing humour, he skillfully cuts across corporate polite-ness to address the universal point: “What does it take to bring out the excitement and vigour in all our lives?”
Through his corporate training company, Beautiful Minds, Alvin Lee speak and train regularly in the region e.g. Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, Mauritius Hong Kong. In his many regional talks, it is not uncommon for the audience to feel that this story bears striking resemblance to the boy, Santiago in the book “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho.
Alvin Lee received his MBA education from Brunel/Henley (UK) program and Industrial Engineering degree from University of Newcastle , Australia.
