The behind-the-scenes story: How I Took the Leap to Become an Entrepreneur

A love note from me to you:

October has always been a special month - it's the month that I quit my job and went on this entrepreneurial journey! So it means a lot to share this story with you this month, celebrate that has happened and hopefully show you that you can do it too. Thank you for being here.

My entrepreneurial path all started with a passion project. Well, actually 12 of them.

in 2016, I decided to do monthly projects to figure out what I wanted to do in life. This ranged from starting a blog, to making videos, to learning to dance. A year later, I decided to quit the EdTech marketing dream job in SF that I had outgrown, and created a personal MBA bootcamp to transition into either writing or instructional design. During this time, I based my curriculum on learnings I’ve gained from the year of side projects, and I completely shifted my mindset from “what stable job I must get?” to “what would make ME feel fulfilled?”. 

At the end of 2 months, I realized that I loved both writing and teaching, so I decided to have the best of both worlds instead of sacrificing one for the other! Within a month, I was able to get my first clients in writing and coaching. The amount of happiness, freedom and fulfillment I felt after my career change was unbelievable. I knew that I had to share this hybrid process with everyone: inner-self first + direct learning experiments = career success. 

I wasn’t always so unconventional. The need to take responsibility for my life actually came from getting rejected from the business school in college.

I had to learn to take initiative, and come up with alternative ways to get into classes that I wanted. This experience also taught me that there’s not one right way to do things. There’s so many possibilities for a fulfilling career and the traditional way isn’t necessarily the best way. 

Like how others are on a journey to re-define their purposes in life, I’m on a mission to re-define what success means for an Asian. I want to normalize enjoyment and mental health in work, turn the ‘starving artist’ story upside down, and help people live their own definitions of success. 

Currently, I’m a business coach for Asian Americans who want to leave the corporate world, and start something of their own. Most of my clients are Asian American women whose creative spirits have been walled off and whose voices have been silenced. It’s been an honor to see them shed their people-pleasing identities, revel in their innate self-worth and confidently step into their fullest potential and boldest dreams. 

To me, this is what entrepreneurship means - the journey of starting a business is a process of unlearning and self-discovery. Your business is an extension of yourself. 

Never in a million years would I have dreamed that the shy girl from a small town in Virginia would become a global coach, speaker and traveler. But here I am, thanks to taking the leap to explore what’s outside of the traditional box.

And I’d love for others to know that for them too, what feels impossible now, can absolutely be possible when they step outside the lines of their self-set limits. 

?? If this story inspired or resonated with you, please reach out and connect with me! I'd love to hear about your biggest and boldest dreams.