47: Christina Chen Co-Founder of Scalized: Don't Be Afraid To Be Different And Dream Big to Achieve More
Christina Chen is Advisor & Co-Founder of Scalized - A Boutique advisory firm for companies with unique IP (technology or brand) to fundraise and launch businesses in China.
Free Resource: "Soul Why: Soul Rich Woman Blueprint" and "How to Delegate 80% of your to-do list" ---> https://be.soulrichwoman.com
FWEP00047 Christina Chen
Today we have a really special guest of us. Her name is Christina Chen and she’s the co-founder of Scalized which is focusing on investments.
Technology alone is not enough.
Scalized used technology to unite people on becoming entrepreneurs and they wanted this to help people globally. Ms. Christina shared further what does Scalized do.
(01:01-01:24) Hello everybody! My name is Christina Chen. I was born in China, grew up in China and went to the UK. My background is in Computer Science and have been doing tech investments as a venture capitalist for 10 years and recently I come out to co found Scalized which is a new generation technology investment fund.
(01:32-01:46) We actually focus a lot interest and capital in Tip top technology so robotics, artificial intelligence, cloud technology etc.
(01:50-02:19) We want to be the new generation investment fund. Funds that are really powerful for new generation entrepreneurs. What I mean by that is not only the new technologies that cutting edge technology, we are talking about the AI, artificial technology etc. but the new global wave of entrepreneurs who are looking at not only their home markets but looking at going abroad, going global, want to build even more global business.
(02:25-03:04) So we have already a pretty broad venture partner network and what that means is really a network of advice and different key markets although we have courses in London. We have partners in Silicon Valley and San Francisco. We have partners in Asia, mostly in China, Beijing, Shanghai, Hongkong. We also have partners in Continental Europe in Geneva etc. so this is really the key word here is really global. I think for every entrepreneur who has seen the idea there’s a potential to have a global impact.
What makes you different, makes you amazing!
Each and every one of us is different from the way we express ourselves and what we believe. Embrace these differences and be unique. Ms. Christina shared:
(03:17-03:58) So I mean it’s been a long time. I’ve been doing an investment for 10 years. You start from nobody. You start from being nobody. I’m at rise and even today really almost giving my knowledge to the next generation and all those experiences. Being a female in very male dominance in finance industry is different, is challenging sometimes. It is just not the norm so it comes on a daily basis as how entrepreneurs interact with you, how other financial investors interact with you etc.
(04:05-04:42) Although we work in a very cutting edge, new generation technology trend in the technology world, our industry the finance industry is quite old fashioned in some ways. And there’s certain, I guess traditions that in set in the expectations. To give a very memorable experience of mine is that I’ve been told about how I look and how I dress etc. not to wear black all the time and how I look different to, you know, I work in New York. I’ve also in a very white environment.
(04:47-04:59) I think one message out there for a lot of great women out there is do not be afraid to be different. In fact, you will be remembered because you’re different and do not try to fit in.
(05:30-06:01) You don’t look like us. You’re not dressing enough colors. You’re doing too many colors. You should look as so x,y,z someone else in the office who is more, you know, conformed to their standard black suit. Also, in fact, I was told that you shouldn’t look like a 3rd party who’s already made it and she’s you know, already at the top of the food chain so she can dress the way she is.
(06:03-06:22) I think I mean, this is one of the, it really hit me because that was really something very personal for me, obviously. Addressing something very personal directly at me but only then, I realized that you know what? I’m different.
Where and how did you start?
It is not how you start. It is how you going to end it. Ms. Christina started from nowhere but she worked hard and met people who helped her to become who she is today.
(06:31-07:02) I realize that in this stand age, you very often you come across doing business or in a social environment across somebody, people who have completed background of me because the word is so global, so international and the ability for you actually to accept differences. Actually, it can set you apart in the sense that it can make you more successful, can make you do more business, can do better business and actually doing good business for example.
(07:28-08:02) You know I start from nowhere. When are you going to the business in the finance business, in investments business you got no work which you see, you meet. You meet investors who have been in the industry for how many years. You meet investors who have invested in Google, in Facebook. You want to be one of them, you must also convince that entrepreneurs I can be and I will be and be part of the journey to become the next successful.
(08:11-08:45) I’ve been to many networking events. I start form met a panel here. I start with very small panels with evening events, on Tuesday evenings with handful of entrepreneurs want to share that ideas and then the word grow and then you say stupid things, you make mistakes but you kind of learn from that and then you get better and better and hopefully your stage gets bigger and bigger so that your ideas can reach out to more entrepreneurs.
(08:55-09:48) I really want to empower entrepreneurs. Empower entrepreneurs who have a game changing ideaWe have in this technology world, there are a lot of game changers so just making life a little bit easier, a little bit better but looking for disruptions, looking for things that change the game, change the landscape and you know using artificial intelligence some of the latest technology will do that. And that takes time, patience, knowledge, money and I want to be the person who did the brand behind doing all of that so that we can actually make this world a better place.
What is your business advice?
Ms. Christina shared some business advice and tools that she uses every day to organize everything.
(10:04-10:43) No, actually, this is a very big thing for me is the mentor network, mentorships. It plays a huge part especially upcoming business person, whatever field you’re doing. Having a mentor is so important. I am still, myself, still looking for one. It does not have to be generally specific or the same gender or same origin but someone you’d look up to. I’m still looking for someone that I could look up to and willing to share their life experiences with me so far.
(10:55-12:23) Know you staff. Know your share so you definitely need to know whatever industry, sector, it doesn’t mean to be tact, whatever business you are in, you have to know, not only what you’re doing but how you position different from the others. Sustainable competitive advantage is very important for any business to be successful, that's one thing, that’s more of a general sort of business advice.
(13:16-13:25) Yes so I’m in Hongkong for less than 24 hours from London today. Yes so I landed this morning and I’m going back tonight.
(13:45-14:07) So my phone, I can’t live without my phone. My calendar, my emails obviously. They are so very good. If you’re looking for a good to-do-list of things like that, Trello, is a good to-do-list not only for yourself but also for the team, happiness planner if you heard of that.
Make your dreams happen.
Our dreams are valid. Our dreams can be our reality when we work hard to achieve it. Nothing is impossible as what happened to Ms. Christina.
(15:16-15:59) One thing I quite like to ask, I really like to ask is Where do you see yourself 5 -10 years from now? Especially for the very young start-ups. It is a very uncertain time for them and it’s hard to even see what the business are becoming more years time or 6 months time but having a peek into the entrepreneurs, the founders so the vision can really give you a sense of the kind of people they are whether they are long term or short term, their commercial or more mission driven and more technical more people. It’s really quite interesting.
(16:05-16:17) The other one is about comparison advantage. For anybody who wants to raise funding about your business, whatever that business is, make sure you have that nailed when you talk to investors why you’re different.
(16:25-16:35) If you can successfully say why you are different in one or two lines very compellingly that’s already have the journey I think.
(17:18-17:45) One thing that really inspired me was this quote may be also form Sharon Sambag is Who would you do if you’re not afraid? It can only, if you dream big, you can achieve big. Everyday I’m challenging myself to dream big so that I can achieve more.
Key Takeaways:
- To achieve big things, you have to dream big.
- The time we are not afraid of is the time life begins.
- Do not be afraid of being different.
- The world is changing with technology.
- Dream for success and work hard for it.
Key Resources:
Subscribe to Genecia’s Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/SoulRichWoman
Visit SRW’s website: https://www.soulrichwoman.com
Follow Genecia on Instagram : (@Geneciaalluora)
Follow Genecia on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/geneciaalluora/
Check Genecia’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/genecia/
Free Resource: "Soul Why: Soul Rich Woman Blueprint" and "How to Delegate 80% of your to-do list" ---> https://be.soulrichwoman.com
Secrets of Manifesting Money Quickly Online Course ---> https://shor.by/moneymindset