'Pambansang Wealth Coach' Chinkee Tan named TikTok Philippines Educator of the Year

MANILA, Philippines — So much for dance moves and comedy skits. Trends show that TikTok users are now looking for content that do not only entertain but also inform and educate on certain topics.

This shift in demand has encouraged members of the academe and educators in general to start using social media platforms to share their knowledge on a wide range of subjects. It has also created a novel category of digital content creators known as TikTok Educreators, who share their expertise on topics such as history, health, finance and entrepreneurship.

These TikTok Educreators put the spotlight on informative and engaging content, marrying education and entertainment in a smart and creative way, which is known today as "edutainment." Their unique approach offers viewers a captivating and enjoyable social media experience. It allows them to gain new knowledge on an interesting subject yet feel completely entertained at the same time.

When it comes to edutainment, one of the most popular figures in Philippine digital space is Chinkee Tan (chinkeetan), who is better known as Mr. Chink Positive. A wealth coach and author, Chinkee has a personal mission to help Filipinos become wealthy and debt-free through educational and motivational content on personal finance. He is so effective at it that when TikTok was deciding on whom to give the “Educator of the Year” award to at the TikTok Philippines Awards 2023, guess who their hands-down choice was? Chinkee Tan, of course!

The awards ceremony took place at the Newport Performing Arts Theater just last September. This award gives him a solid ground to stand on as an "educreator."

Making financial education fun for Pinoys

Also known as the Pambansang Wealth Coach, Chinkee joined the educational community of TikTok Philippines in 2020 to expand the reach of his informative content.  

His most successful TikTok video is the "Ipon Box," which has garnered over 15 million views since it was uploaded. But more than the view count, Chinkee finds fulfillment in imparting financial knowledge to millions of Filipinos in a fun way. He crafts edutainment pieces that make even the most complex financial concepts easy to understand for everyone by combining his background in theater arts and his 15 years of content creation experience.

“I firmly embrace the concept of ‘edutainment’ as a blend of education and entertainment. After all, who enjoys a boring lecture? The key factor here is relatability. Simultaneously, ensuring that viewers get to grasp the content is crucial,” said Chinkee.

As author of several financial books, Chinkee knew he had to keep up with the changing preferences of his audience in order to positively influence more Filipinos to work hard toward finding financial peace.

“In today's fast-paced world, content is no longer limited to books or traditional videos. Many people lack the time to engage with lengthy content, so they opt for shorter, more digestible offerings. TikTok stands out as a fantastic platform because it delivers content in a concise manner. Instead of sitting through a 10-minute video, you can acquire the same knowledge and learning in just under one to two minutes,” he added.

His TikTok videos, thus, empower Filipinos to become financially savvy one TikTok video at a time.

Keeping up the habit of learning

Chinkee draws inspiration from everyday experiences and conducts interviews with various individuals to keep his content fresh and relevant. “I firmly believe that learning from others' mistakes is one of the most effective ways to gain wisdom,” he shared. 

He has also cultivated a strong sense of discipline, seamlessly weaving study time into his daily schedule. He draws insights from a wide array of resources, including podcasts, books and videos to ensure that he stays up-to-date with the latest knowledge and trends.

According to Chinkee, one of the most rewarding aspects of being an educreator is having people reach out to express how his content has positively influenced their financial choices.

“It's heartening to hear how it motivated them to embark on their entrepreneurial journey, save money, afford the things they once couldn't, and attain financial peace,” he shared.

Serving as an inspiration to educreators

Chinkee believes that educreators are reshaping how people learn and acquire knowledge in today’s rapidly changing world. So he encourages more content creators to harness the potential of digital technology and social media to disseminate content that educates and inspires people.

 “To all aspiring educators or educreators out there, my advice is to identify a specific niche you're passionate about helping. Understand the target audience, their challenges and their pain points. Once you've grasped these aspects, focus on crafting solutions to their problems. By doing so effectively, you can become a highly impactful educreator,” Chinkee shared.

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