Today is my birthday. Without revealing my age, suffice it to say that even by a generous measure of longevity, I feel that I am undoubtedly halfway through my journey.
So, now what?
Where have I been?
Many, many years ago I arrived in this country from China with two thousand dollars in my pocket. Not super proficient in English and lacking real skills. When I first walked into a Burger King, I asked for a “WHO-per”. Unfulfilled by teaching Spanish to affluent undergrads, I abandoned my scholarship in Spanish literature to pursue a legal education. To supplement my income, I worked as a cashier at Chinese restaurants.
In the past two decades, I reinvented myself several times: from a graduate student majoring in Spanish to a licensed lawyer working in big law, then a mid-level procurement manager in silicon valley, and now a founder of a two-year-old startup.
Thought out this journey, I have witnessed the rise of of the internet and its associated phenomena, the birth of the Iphone, the emergence of self-driving cars, and now, the likes of ChatGPT.
I have lived the frustration of being unable to fit in, underestimated, overlooked, misunderstood, and undervalued. I’ve also savored the thrill of pursuing clear goals, being part of a community, contributing to a vision, and ultimately building a team to realize our own aspirations. From all these experiences, what have I learned? And where will this path lead me?
A decade ago, when I quit my lucrative law firm job to embark my MBA journey at Duke Fuqua, many, including my own mother, considered me insane. I couldn’t articulate exactly why, but I just sensed that if I remained on that path, life would drain the last drop of joy out of me. So, in my thirties, as a single mom, I returned to the classroom, interviewed for jobs with significantly less pay than I was making before, and eventually became a junior global supply manager at Apple.
I didn’t have a clear idea of where I was headed. I have switched jobs frequently, spending on an average of two years at each company. I’ve worked for large corporations, mid-size companies, sizable startups, and now a tiny startup of our own. But why? In Steve Jobs's words, it’s all about connecting the dots. And now, after a long and winding journey, all the dots have finally coalesced into a clear picture.
There is a reason I was not content. I have a low tolerance for meaningless work. I’ve always despised lip service. I passionately loathe people who overpromise and underdeliver. Ultimately, I want to build products that make life better, simpler, and more enjoyable.
I’ve always been drawn to exploration, not necessarily to tick items off a bucket list, but to get to know diverse cultures. I love wandering through little towns, conversing with locals, and learning about their happiness and sorrows. I enjoy the local art, food, and culture.
Most importantly, I relish interactions with people who possess aspirations and passion for their work. I enjoy learning about their concerns, sharing stories about our lives, and forging friendships.
Over the past decade, I spent most of my time perfecting this art called procurement. While some may dismiss it as merely buying and haggling, I find it to be an intriguing field while learning a huge variety of subject matters. It encompasses negotiation, strategy, and relationship building. Ultimately, it’s about being a trusted advisor to help people get what they need (and advise them of what they may consider and what they may not need), negotiate a favorable price and achieve savings for the company.
Finally, I’ve always had a natural passion about building better software and better systems. Because I started my career buying software, I have seen the ascent of industry titans such as Workday, Databricks, and Looker. I’ve always hated outdated, clumsy, and clunky software (not naming names) and loved a sleek design, optimal UI, and cutting-edge AI. My passion is to create a superior experience in this field.
This entire journey has led me to this path of building our own SaaS software for procurement and legal automation. This is the culmination of my entrepreneurial spirit, my quest for autonomy, my deep passion for technology and innovation, and my ability to connect with people to help them solve a problem. After years of searching, it finally feels like everything has come together, and I am connecting all the dots.
Admittedly, building a company from scratch is a daunting task. Many times I feel this is the most challenging task I’ve ever tackled in my life. But this is also the happiest I’ve ever been when it comes to working. I am finally doing what I WANT to do.
So, what comes next? Build the company. Grow the team. Develop the product. Generate sales. Rinse and repeat.
Anything else I would like to do? May pursue my passion for art further, maybe taking a couple of years of formal training, perhaps in Paris? Learn an instrument and learn to sing and play, maybe the guitar, maybe the piano. Explore countless new destinations. Write a book about my life story, leadership, or even the journey of building a startup. Teach at a law school or business school and finally share my learnings and my passion for coaching. Who knows, inspired by Yellowstone, maybe I’ll run for a political office one day.
Here is to the second half of my life. I am feeling stronger and more powerful than ever.
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