Entrepreneurs Around the Globe: Zac Yang, Founder and CEO of Yundi Consulting
"ESADE taught me to evaluate business in a wider scope, with different perspectives and a longer time horizon"
Describe your start-up in three sentences.
Yundi Consulting designs and develops web/mobile applications with a strong business-administration mindset. The user experience and functionality of corporate apps should be as nice as those of consumer apps. Turning mundane tasks into pleasant processes is our passion.
What inspires you as an entrepreneur in Taipei?
In Taipei, 3G/4G coverage and wi-fi are accessible almost every where. We also have a very modern metro and bus network.The city, has also gained a reputation for culture, design and sustainability in recent years. This made me wonder to what extent a business can be administrated "on-the-go" and how this mindful life concept could lead to new business models.
What’s your greatest fear as a global entrepreneur?
Not being agile enough. Fast iterations of learning and adaptation are crucial to modern entrepreneurs.
What do you wish you had known before founding your company?
You need to have a clear vision in order to attract talent, funds and partners and their loyalty can't be taken for granted. In the end, your persistence and craft to support the vision are the only things you own in the business jungle.
What systems have you set up in your business to help it grow?
Evernote for knowledge management (paperless!), Basecamp for project management, Highrise for CRM, Pulse for cash flow, Google Drive for documents, Invoicera for billing and invoices, and a Treehouse subscription for internal training material. I am addicted to "apping" all of our business process, so that everything is accessible on our tablets and mobile devices.
What do you do on a daily basis to grow as a global entrepreneur?
I follow my heroes' on Twitter to keep up with their thoughts. I have a reading list. I keep some books about shaping what you are and what your business will be. I get to know other entrepreneurs and learn about their approaches to business.
What should a global entrepreneur never forget?
We are on a global battlefield. Threats come from everywhere, and so do opportunities. Nowadays, business starters must not limit themselves, due to the abundance of know-how, resources and talent all over the world. Even though you're working on a local programme, most of your problems have probably been solved somewhere by someone. Find them in order to speed up your venture.
What impact has ESADE had on your career as a global entrepreneur?
ESADE taught me to evaluate business in a wider scope, with different perspectives and a longer time horizon. There are tons of optimised and efficient ways to do business, but people don't realise that, by doing this, they lose the chance to develop their team's sustainability. Respect the life and career experience of people in other functions or industries. Find gems from them. Well-scaled success always comes from successfully moving a messy crowd in one direction. It's never about the hero, but a heroic team.
What makes being an entrepreneur worthwhile?
Proving that I can set my own terms and course is enough. The bonus is the chance to help employees develop themselves and the chance to contribute our knowledge and passion to the world. For me, there is no more profound way of living than being an entrepreneur.
