What matters most to you, and why?

My mom and I immigrated to America when I was just a child, escaping my abusive father

and our trials in China behind us. Armed with a PhD in mechanical engineering, my mom

succeeded as the only female engineer in her male-dominated division while rebuilding a life for

her son as an immigrant single mother. My mom always grounded her success in a gratitude

towards technology, which empowered her independence in our Southern and entirely Caucasian

community. This gratitude serves as the cornerstone of my belief that technology is the greatest

agent for positive change.

Technology has profoundly shaped my opportunities as a first-generation American. Every

day after elementary school, I would race to my local library, booting up the computer as it

screeched and dialed into the World Wide Web. Landing on Google’s home page, I felt like a kid

in a candy store. How could it be that I had the entire world’s information at my fingertips?

Through Google, I learned all the things I imagine a father could have taught me: building my

first computer, shooting a basketball, and even going on my first date. Later in life, the Internet’s

open access to learning resources enabled me to attend university at sixteen while working

twenty hours per week to pay for what my student loans did not cover.

Through technology, I first felt a sense of independence and agency at thirteen. In order to

make ends meet, my mom and I pursued the American dream of starting a small business. Set on

filling the void in construction hardware that the Great Recession had created, my mom and I

sourced our supply chain via global marketplaces like Alibaba. Thanks to the distribution of

Amazon and eBay, we built Olympia Hardware into a thriving ecommerce business that has

garnered over eight thousand five-star customer reviews. Without technology, I (and millions of

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other small business owners) would have lacked the ability to distribute our products to millions

of people with the click of a button.

Fifty years ago, it would have been unheard of for a nineteen-year-old immigrant to work on

Wall Street out of a public North Carolina university. With zero connections and little

understanding of the nuances that underlie finance culture, I landed a job in investment banking

thanks to the connecting power of the Internet. Today’s digital tools enabled me to build

authentic relationships with mentors who championed my recruiting process. With their gracious

guidance as my compass, I found my dream job at Goldman Sachs.

I have also been fortunate enough to witness that same technological empowerment in others.

Twice a week, I teach the ‘Intro to Hustle’ class at East Palo Alto’s StreetCode Academy.

Working with twenty low-income adults to build the business of their dreams, I leverage

technology to accelerate their success. By empowering my students with the basics that so many

of us take for granted (like learning how to use email) and the complex (like building a financial

model in Excel), technology has enabled over sixty ‘Hustle’ graduates to embark on their dreams

of financial independence.

On a more personal level, I am grateful for technology’s support in my six-year battle with

clinical depression. I have found that, if used properly, technology can serve as a conduit for the

authentic and meaningful connection that heals deep mental wounds. Through apps like

FaceTime and Talkspace, I am just a tap away from my loved ones and my therapist. Having

previously struggled to maintain a daily practice of meditation, I now use the Calm app to refresh

amidst a hectic workweek. Though I am still far from full recovery, I know that technology has

accelerated my path towards inner peace. As society struggles to find a healthy relationship with

technology, I feel certain that, if channeled consciously, technology can strengthen our

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connection with our universe, our community and ourselves. This belief has deeply influenced

my future aspirations.

Technology has served as the critical connector in my life, and I aspire to share that blessing

with others. I plan to build a technology business that fosters authentic human connection in a

world scarred by social media’s effects on mental health and political polarization. Rather than

monetize off attention-grabbing headlines and invasive ads, I aim to reinvent social media in a

way that cultivates empathy and compassion on a global scale. As a grateful benefactor of

technology’s capabilities, I know that we can utilize its connecting power to collectively achieve

our dreams.

Why Stanford?

Three twisted ankles, two black eyes, and one busted lip later, I find myself laughing as I

strap on my basketball shoes at Arrillaga. Something about this place keeps me coming back,

and it’s definitely not my jump shot. In every pickup game, a sense of community unites a

diverse mix of students and locals as a team. Every play transforms into a learning opportunity,

where strangers come together as teammates, coaching each other in a constant push for

improvement. On this court streaked with Cardinal red, I have learned that diversity of talent and

mentorship are the keys to success.

As I reflect on my dreams of building a transformative technology company, I know that the

Stanford Graduate School of Business is the critical next step in my entrepreneurial journey.

Having spent the past three years honing my analytical and execution skills through a rigorous

career in finance, I am ready to strengthen my managerial dexterity through unique courses like

Managing Growing Enterprises. Through my access to the broader Stanford ecosystem, classes

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like Wellness 160: Radically Human Technology / Enhancing Connection and Wellbeing will

augment my appreciation for the problem my startup seeks to solve. By actively contributing my

perspectives as a media creator, engineer and investor during classroom discussions, I will

broaden my worldview as I respond to and learn from the diverse experiences of my classmates.

In addition, through CES’ initiatives like the Startup Venture Studio, I know that I will be well

equipped with the resources that Tony Xu (DoorDash – ’13) and Robyn Sue Fisher (Smitten –

’07) have quoted as essential to their successes.

There is also no better place to build a championship team than Stanford. Reaching across

campus, I can recruit a deep bench of sharpshooting engineers and nimble policy advisors to join

my journey. Furthermore, through the GSB’s unparalleled alumni network, I will find the

coaches my team and I need to bring our game to an elite level.

As I step onto the entrepreneurial court, I know that the Stanford Graduate School of

Business will prepare me with the resources, network and experiences I need to succeed on the

founder’s journey.