The Immigrant's Drive: Why I Always Knew I'd Be an Entrepreneur

My story begins not with business school or venture capital, but with the fundamental understanding that comes from arriving in America at age 5 as an immigrant with parents who didn't have much money. Growing up without financial advantages taught me the most valuable lesson in business: no one was going to hand me success. I would have to create it myself, one decision at a time, one day at a time.

"Growing up as an immigrant without money teaches you the most valuable lesson in business: no one owes you success. You must create it yourself, one decision at a time, one day at a time."

This immigrant experience shaped everything that followed. When you've been creating your own path since age 5, when you understand that traditional routes don't guarantee success, pursuing strategies that others consider "crazy" isn't crazy—it's just another day of controlling your own destiny.

I always knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur. Not because I had grand visions of wealth or fame, but because entrepreneurship represented the ultimate form of self-determination. For someone who grew up without money, this might seem risky. But for me, it was the logical next step in controlling my own destiny.

The Early Work Ethic: Building Character Through Labor

At age 12, I started working at a baseball card store. This wasn't a summer job or a way to earn pocket money—it was my introduction to the world of business, customer service, and the satisfaction that comes from earning your own way. I learned about sales, customer relationships, and the simple but profound truth that work, when approached with the right mindset, can be deeply fulfilling.

At 15, I made a decision that many considered reckless: I dropped out of high school. For me, work wasn't just a job—it was my escape, my passion, and my education. I really enjoyed working at a young age, and I discovered something about myself that remains true today:

"I'm always thinking about my business, and even when I’m not at work, I’m still working – on ideas, on vision, on the next move.”

This obsession with work and business thinking has never left me. It's not a burden—it's a source of energy and fulfillment. The same drive that made me choose work over traditional education at 15 is the same drive that fuels our dual-engine strategy today.

I became a telemarketer, spending hours on the phone learning the fundamentals of communication, persistence, and resilience in the face of rejection. Every "no" was a lesson in perseverance. Every successful call was validation that with the right approach and enough determination, you could convince people to see value in what you were offering.

"Every entrepreneur's journey begins with understanding that there is no substitute for hard work. You can have the best ideas in the world, but without the discipline to execute them consistently, they remain just dreams."

At 18, I joined Keynote Systems in a full-time role, where I gained exposure to the technology industry and learned about operational scaling in a start-up environment. This experience provided crucial insights into how businesses operate at scale, lessons that would prove invaluable in every subsequent venture.

The Entrepreneurial Leap: Franchising Success

At 25, I took my first major entrepreneurial leap by franchising Hui Lau Shan, a dessert chain concept from Hong Kong to the United States. For about four years, I learned the fundamentals of systematic business growth, operational consistency, and the challenges of maintaining quality and brand standards.

This experience taught me that successful business building isn't just about having a good product or service—it's about creating systems that can deliver consistent value at scale. The lessons learned from my first business, dealing with supply chain complexities, and maintaining operational excellence would prove essential in every subsequent venture.

After four grueling years with Hui Lau Shan, I ventured into the hospitality furniture business, importing and exporting from China to the USA. This business eventually led to working on the MGM City Center project in Las Vegas in which I provided the furniture for 4,000 rooms, providing exposure to large-scale commercial projects and international supply chain management.

"The difference between successful entrepreneurs and everyone else isn't intelligence or luck—it's the willingness to start working toward your vision before you feel ready, and to keep working long after others would have given up."

The immigrant experience had taught me that traditional paths don't guarantee success—only relentless effort and smart execution do. When people ask me why I'm comfortable pursuing such an unconventional strategy with our dual-engine approach, the answer lies in this foundation. When you've been creating your own path since age 5, when you've chosen work over traditional education, when you've built businesses from scratch multiple times, pursuing strategies that others consider "crazy" isn't crazy—it's just another day of controlling your own destiny.

The Boxing Match: When CEOs Think Outside the Ring

In 2022, I had what most people would consider a completely insane idea for our annual company dinner: I would fight our CFO Stephen Lo in a boxing match. Not a friendly sparring session or a publicity stunt—a real boxing match, with proper training, rules, and an audience of over 250 people including investors, partners, and our entire team at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong.

When I proposed this to Stephen, most people thought I had lost my mind. CEOs don't fight their CFOs in boxing rings. Public company executives don't risk injury for entertainment. Serious business leaders don't turn annual dinners into sporting events.

But that's exactly why I knew we had to do it.

For four months, Stephen and I trained seriously. We worked with professional boxing coaches, followed strict training regimens, and prepared as if this were a professional bout. This wasn't about showing off or creating a spectacle—it was about demonstrating that leadership sometimes means doing things that others consider impossible or inappropriate.

"When you’ve been making unconventional decisions your entire career, boxing your CFO at the company dinner isn’t crazy – it’s just another Saturday night.”

The night of the fight, the Grand Hyatt ballroom was electric. Investors who had seen countless corporate presentations watched their CEO and CFO step into a boxing ring. Partners who were used to boardroom negotiations witnessed something they had never seen in business: authentic, unscripted leadership that couldn't be found in any MBA textbook.

And yes, I won. But the real victory wasn't in the ring—it was in demonstrating to everyone present that this company was led by someone willing to do whatever it takes, even if it means stepping completely outside conventional business norms.

The Deeper Message:

The boxing match wasn't about ego or entertainment—it was about culture and leadership philosophy. In a world where most CEOs play it safe, follow conventional wisdom, and avoid any risk of looking foolish, I was demonstrating that our company would always be different.

If I'm willing to step into a boxing ring with my CFO in front of investors and partners, imagine what I'm willing to do when it comes to business strategy. If I'm comfortable being unconventional in something as visible as our company dinner, why wouldn't I be comfortable pursuing unconventional strategies like the dual-engine approach?

The boxing match became legendary within our company culture. It demonstrated that we weren't just another healthcare company following predictable playbooks—we were a company led by someone who had been making unconventional decisions since age 15 and wasn't about to start playing it safe now. And of course, I had to shave my head with a “PRE” on it. ☺