credit goes to https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/never-ever-build-business-transformation-plane-while-its-roundy/
As founders, we often get asked: so, why do you do this? While sometimes we joke that had we known how hard it is, we would not have done it, the truth is venturing into entrepreneurship was no easy feat. With three challenging years behind us, it's evident that this journey was filled with unpredicted obstacles. Yet, despite all the setbacks, trials, and tribulations, the true, sincere answer to whether I would do it all over again remains an unwavering yes. This journey, much like finding true love, is one of passion and destined paths. It was, and still is, a calling that my co-founder and I couldn't ignore.
Before starting on this journey, we had comfortable, high-ranking roles at large corporations, earning substantial salaries and leading extensive teams. But comfort was never our goal, we were in pursuit of more - more risks, more learning, more growth. That's why we decided to step out of our comfort zones and dive headfirst into the entrepreneurial world.
1. My journey has always been about personal growth and transformation.
See this piece I wrote on my birthday. From being a Spanish major in China to a lawyer on Wall Street, from earning an MBA at Duke to working as a junior procurement manager at Apple, and then an engineering program manager at Samsung, and finally leading procurement in the self-driving car industry. Each transition made me stronger, faster, and more adaptable. And when I felt I had hit the ceiling in my pursuit of growth, it was natural to leap into the world of entrepreneurship.
2. Along the path, we learned that we can do this too.
We have interacted with numerous entrepreneurs who've grown remarkably successful. They were our inspiration, our models. But as I observed and learned from them, I also came to realize that they were human. They made mistakes, had weak moments, and yet they persevered. I knew that with our intelligence, ambition, and emotional resilience, we can do it too.
3. Working in corporate America came with its own share of limitations - politics, inefficiency, and a very real bamboo ceiling.
I was tired of the turf fights, the blame games, and the constant struggle to climb the corporate ladder. My ambition has always been to focus on building and innovating, not playing corporate games. In parallel, by the time I got to a senior level at a company (my highest was senior director), the amount of momentum I needed to go further up also grew exponentially. It’s no longer just enough to deliver results. Now you are playing at a much higher level where people’s perception of you and faith in you becomes much more important.
I don’t intend to play the “women” card or the ethnicity card per se, but it is a pure fact that in the U.S., even in Silicon Valley, minorities and women are still in a weaker position to climb up as opposed to, for example, white men. The bamboo ceiling is real. When I repeatedly make the request to be promoted to a VP and get turned down for reasons that can be related to my or my team’s performance and delivery of results, the writing is on the wall. Starting my own company provided the opportunity to redefine the rules of the game.
4. Over the past decade, we've accumulated invaluable knowledge, experience, and connections, all of which have become the cornerstone of our current venture.
Our product directly addresses the pain points that I personally experienced leading procurement teams, making us typical problem-solvers in our domain. Our wide network, particularly in the self-driving car space, has been instrumental in propelling our progress.
5. We were finally in a position to do this financially and logistically.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, we were ready to make the leap into entrepreneurship thanks to years of savings and the fortuitous timing of securing my green cards. These factors provided us with the necessary stability and freedom to embark on this journey.My Co-founder said it the best, the moment Gloria got her green card, we started this company. This is 100% true. I got my green card in Feb. 2020. In September, we incorporated Sleegal AI. We took six months to idealize, find a team and get ready. Not too shabby.
In conclusion, founding our own company was not just about ambition, it was about a deep desire for growth, a profound belief in our capabilities, and a relentless drive to create solutions to real-world problems. It was about breaking free from the limitations of corporate America and creating our own rules. It was about turning our vision into reality, and we are confident that we are on the right path.
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