1992 年我國一還沒讀完時,就舉家移民到紐約求學。高中開始就朝著設計的路線打著各種零工。大二時,隨著網路的興起,和幾位好友與哥哥一起在朋友的車庫,開了個網站設計工作室。2003 年從 School of Visual Arts 畢業回台後,由於不喜歡上班的人生,又再度與哥哥開了網站設計公司,專注於打造 Flash 企業官網。
在這期間,我們做過 Shiseido、Shu Uemura、Hearts On Fire、大元建築、安通國際、ATCC 等企業官網,還有台灣第一個全 Flash 購物網站。接案的過程中,很幸運的認識我們客戶安通國際的 Anne 願意投資我們,並開發家庭社群網。很可惜,兩年後並沒有如期獲利便解散了,但至今都還是很感謝 Anne 當年的信任與支持。
在 AppWorks Accelerator #12 期間,發現同學們都是厲害的創業者。如 WeMo Scooter 的 Jeffrey 吳昕霈、AsiaYo 的 CK 鄭兆剛、Mr. Living 的 Victor 楊大成與 Derrick 楊大侑、Fugle 的 Anyway 葉力維等。想當初我們創業的時候,幾乎都是低著頭埋頭苦幹,努力做,很少會跟不同領域的創業者接觸,比較多是跟同行的互相較勁。但發現有了加速器這樣的環境,同儕可以互相學習與討教,相當的幸福!這時,讓我覺得跟一群創業者一起學習實在太精實了!原本一直都以為自己會創業做下去,但我想就是這原因讓我覺得,待在這裡的生活實在太迷人了。每次看到團隊有聰明的解法解一個大問題,總是會令我相當讚嘆!
回頭來看,我很幸運的從事設計這一行將近 20 多年了。經歷了 Web1、Web2 到 Web3,從 Skeuomorphism 到 Flat Design。說來慚愧,我並沒有 Long Term Thinking,我是個跟著感覺走的人,也深深的被我那年代的偶像 Steve Jobs 影響著 ”Follow your heart! Do what you love, love what you do. “ 在 AppWorks,我主導視覺的部分,簡單的說,就是眼睛看得到的東西就是我要負責的。原本我一直以為自己是喜歡做設計,但慢慢發現我只是熱愛用設計來解決問題。另外,我也負責 AppWorks 加速器創業者、校友的設計方面輔導,同時定期推薦設計工具給他們參考。
Sophie is an Associate in the investment team. Before joining AppWorks in 2020, Sophie had 10 years of experience covering public equities. She was part of the portfolio management team at Neuberger Berman, focusing on emerging market opportunities. Prior to that she served as a research analyst at Credit Suisse, JPMorgan, and London-based Autonomous Research. Sophie holds a Master of Finance with distinction from Warwick Business School and BS Finance from National Taiwan University. Her passion and expertise, however, extend far beyond just researching companies and industries. She is also an author of two published poetry books and holds a keen interest in human psychology and human behavior.
It may seem odd to some, but in my spare time I write poetry and have published two poetry books before joining AppWorks. One particular story to share as a prelude to introducing myself: The title I gave my second book is inspired by the migratory swarm of the Common Mormon Butterfly, a swallowtail butterfly widely distributed across Taiwan and Asia. Every three-to-six years, an unusually large number of caterpillars will hatch and transform. Then this major swarm of migrating butterflies will soar above the ocean. However, almost all of them will perish on the journey, as if death is the only purpose of this migration. That three-to-year period can mean tens of generations for a butterfly with a fleeting longevity of merely two months. Reincarnated again, they still choose to embrace the high possibility of death and failure. There must be some kind of ecstasy behind this action, this natural impulse to challenge. Something that’s deeply written into their DNA.
This thought permeated into my mind. I started to reflect on the nature and meaning of my work. Before joining AppWorks, I had a 10-year career in the equity stock market. I graduated and then worked in London for a year. I moved back to Asia, spending three years in Hong Kong and six years in Taiwan. I was a research analyst working through a full cycle of jobs from a sell-side analyst to the buy-side portfolio manager team. As a researcher, the nature of my work was to observe and predict. However, the objective itself was trading and profiting. Was this the natural instinct coded into my DNA??
Around the time I published my second book of poems. I met a founder, a young fellow who had worked on a startup for five years. He was totally different from most of the senior executives and chairpersons I met in the equity market. He reminded me of a founder I always admired – Qi Ji, the founder of Nasdaq-listed H World Group. Ji is also the co-founder of Trip.com, a China-based OTA with a market cap on par with Expedia. Ji is one of only few founders that still runs the company among all leading hotel groups in China. In his early days, he aimed to make H World Group an international brand in parallel to those hotel giants. H World Group was founded in 2005, listed in 2010, and reached a major milestone in 2016, building an alliance and mutual shareholding structure with Accor, a French hotel group and the largest hospitality group in Europe. From the outside, the evolvement is remarkable. Financially, it’s extraordinary: H World’s average room rate, margin, growth, and valuation have grown leaps and bounds above its peers. Not to forget, this is a business that involves high operational complexity, high similarities in products, and extremely high competition. Ji’s success is ultimately built upon his ambition, leadership, persistence for quality, and aggressive attack.
Are founders all so crazy? Like butterflies that are determined to challenge the sea? The young startup founder I met in 2018 certainly seemed so. He ended up becoming my husband, currently, hopefully always. Founders’ passion and grit are contagious. I wished to stay closer to this community. Therefore I made a career change, seemingly suicidal to many of my ex-colleagues, to join AppWorks in 2020. I prefer the analogy of a phoenix though. I have become a venture capitalist yet am still a researcher. The nature of my work is still to observe and predict. But the objective is not trading but rather contributing my brain and heart to the founders’ life work of creating value for the world.
The world, in physics or thermodynamics precisely, is always in the direction of chaos until no energy is left. Conceptually, founders are the creatures/aliens that bring this world a new stream of stimulus, alternatives, and energy. Therefore the world will always be revived with new possibilities. However, it is not easy; it is incomparably tough. (Note: Trust a founder’s wife’s intuition here.) Just like a butterfly fluttering across the sea. Yet, there are still those very few that reached the promised land – a biologist, one of my readers, told me so after reading my book. Any movement of your wing eventually contributes to the world’s evolution.
I’m closing my article here with best wishes to all founders around the world. I’m Sophie. I have a decade of experience in research and financial analysis. I am particularly intrigued by consumer, e-commerce, and IOT industries, as well as the overall digital economy in Southeast Asia. You’re welcome to reach out to me at AppWorks.
就是在這一連串的因緣際會下,讓 AppWorks 在尋覓 Space Director 人選時,透過我在三創服務過的新創團隊推薦下聯絡上我,很幸運能從 2018 年 8 月加入 AppWorks 這個精實又充滿新鮮挑戰的地方,更重要的是知道自己每天處理的行政庶務,都是在服務創業者們,讓校友們產生更大的影響力 Make Taiwan & Southeast Asia Better!
Shirney Huang, Head of AppWorks School (黃琇琳 / 之初學校校長)
負責 AppWorks School 校務規劃及營運。在加入 AppWorks 之前,有 8 年軟體研發相關工作經驗。除了曾在 IBM、Digital River 等跨國軟體公司任職,奠定軟體研發的基礎之外,也曾擔任台灣 FinTech 新創團隊的早期成員,建立及帶領工程團隊,也就此喜愛上創業中那股為目標勇往直前的衝勁。畢業於台大資管所,曾至瑞典皇家理工學院擔任交換學生,喜愛旅遊與美食。
「最近還好嗎?」這是我與 AppWorks School 學員間一對一聊天時通常的起手式,大約有九成的學員,回答會帶著苦笑的說「還好..」,那一絲的苦味代表了在 School 的辛苦,那一點的笑卻也代表著他們享受著這個辛苦。我是 AppWorks School 校長 Shirney,透過這個「補」自我介紹的機會,消化接手 School 三年來的點點滴滴,分享在目前職位的所見所得。
這三年來進入教育領域進行人才培訓,對從出社會就當軟體工程師的我來說,也是一條轉職之路。我的職涯前五年,在上市外商公司擔任軟體工程師,因為大公司環境分工細,工程師比較少接觸到使用者,一方面也希望給予自己更大的挑戰,所以轉換跑道進入約五人的小新創公司打拼,從一人工程師到帶領工程團隊,逐漸累積對市場、產品敏銳度以及團隊管理的經驗和能力。而後因緣際會得知有接手 AppWorks School 的機會,因為對教育一直有一定程度的興趣,以及更重要的,教育更有機會發揮對於社會的正面影響力,便轉身投入了科技教育的領域。
回首工作的這段時間,從軟體服務的開發工作到以人為本的教育業、從程式架構到課程規劃、從閱讀程式碼到閱讀人的狀態與動機,工作轉變為大量以人為核心,與 School 的同仁一起陪伴許多學員度過這段學習之旅。
當動機強烈,視目標為唯一選項時,就算是以前從來沒學過的新手,過程中一路落後,還是會一步一步堅持去完成目標;反之,對於許多起步能力不錯但表現卻平庸的學員,當我們去深究原因時,常常發現是因為早有其他規劃或是選項。也因為在 School 的學程,就如同魔鬼訓練營,在辛苦與高壓的環境中,就更會一再挑戰自我動機的堅定程度,學員們常常需要自省「這真的是我想要的嗎?」只要確認過自己心之所向,不選擇放棄,最後都會通過考驗。
2. 一定的要求是成長的必須
在與學員一對一的聊天中,常有學員會問到為什麼 AppWorks School 的學習步調要設計的這麼快,短時間要吸收的學習內容很多。老實說,在當初剛接手 School 時,我心中也有一樣的疑惑,同學們學得很辛苦,每每好像都快被逼到極限,這樣真的好嗎?但這個問題在隨著學員們一屆屆的完成學程後迎刃而解:一定程度的要求與挑戰,雖然讓過程更辛苦,但也成長更多,在最後完成的那一刻成就感與快樂也就更大。
總結來說,這三年在教育領域打滾,不僅僅是面對 School 本身快速規模化的成長挑戰,更多的是在經營 School 的過程中,學員們教會我的許多,在學員們感到困惑時,了解他們的狀態、輔助他們找尋解答,看似是我在擔任協助的角色,但其實在給予指導的同時,也都是在自我檢視,我有沒有真的從他們的角度出發?有沒有在對的時間、給對的人,最能真正幫助到他們變強的建議?在這條路上,我有沒有一樣的強烈動機?同時之間我也更了解自己,明確的知道我的動力來源,是來自於看著學員成長的驕傲,對我自己而言,也是一種成長。
我是 AppWorks School 校長 Shirney,很高興認識大家。未來,也希望可以繼續協助許多人成長。
Candice Su, Investor Relations Manager (蘇郁茹 / 投資人關係經理)
Candice keeps AppWorks Funds investors (LPs) up-to-date on how their investments are performing as well as making sure they derive the most strategic synergies out of the AppWorks Ecosystem. Prior to joining AppWorks, she was a deputy manager at Fubon Securities’ Investment Banking Department where she primarily focused on equity financing, IPO, and SPO related transactions and helped many companies gain better access to the capital markets by providing both financial and operational solutions. Candice received her B.A. in Accounting from Fu Jen Catholic University. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling and experiencing different cultures through their cuisines and wine.
Before joining AppWorks, I worked at Fubon Securities’ investment banking department to assist companies with IPOs (Initial Public Offerings) and SPOs (Secondary Public Offerings). To recognize the true value of the company and act as the bridge between founders and the regulators , I was blessed to have the chance to learn directly from the founders and be inspired by them.
Why AppWorks
Generally speaking, companies that are preparing for an IPO have a relatively mature business model, so I wouldn’t be able to witness the 0 to 1 founder journey. This made me start to think about possible ways to observe founders from a different angle. That’s when I came across Jamie’s Post. Out of curiosity, I looked up more about AppWorks, and realized that AppWorks adhered to a spirit of “By founders, for founders.” While capital markets care more about the profitability of a company, AppWorks cares more about the delta of a founder and the problem they are trying to solve, which really resonated with me.
Why investor relations?
In contrast to investment associates or analysts that work directly with founders, IR engages more with investors in the fund, such as keeping AppWorks Funds investors (LPs) up-to-date on fund performance as well as making sure they enjoy strategic synergies from the AppWorks Ecosystem. Through synergies, I believe this is also a way to help founders from a different angle. Just like you need all supply chains to form an industry, I hope to help our founders succeed while unlocking advantages for AppWorks LPs.
Last but not least
There’s still a lot to learn and discover along the way, please don’t hesitate to share your story with me and inspire me with your founder journey!