[Founder Feature@TC] September 2020
Name: Megan Meng, Co-Founder, 32yo, Singaporean
Technopreneur Circle member: Since April 2018
Company: 86Links (InfoTech)
Website: www.86links.com
Fun facts about me:
These are the top three things I enjoy doing:
- Implementing an idea. I love ideas – big or small, completely out-of-the-box or practical. To me, ideas and execution are like bread and kaya; they come as a pair. Without execution, an idea has no value. Without an idea, the execution drives no outcome. I derive energy from translating broad directions into actionable steps and coming up with a set of metrics to track the deliverables.
- Whether it is a new theory in astrophysics, a unique business model, a short-cut to prepare a recipe, or anything in between, I have a huge appetite when it comes to new knowledge.
- Having a cup of bubble tea. It is my daily dose of happiness.
The company under 20 words:
86Links = B2B AirBnB + business services marketplace. We specialize in helping companies enter and settle in the Chinese market.
What my company name & logo means:
“+86” is the China’s country code, and links means to connect. Our logo not just embeds the digits “8” and “6”, it is also shaped like a wind-up key because we serve as an enabler to help companies create market access.
Why I started the company & my journey so far:
I have always been quite passionate about increasing business transparency and creating more effective market access to China. It is a huge market not to be missed, but it is also so mysterious that people are wary of entering. On a side note, my team and I have started a newsletter, 86insider (www.86insider.com), which focuses on highlighting topics on China’s rise as an economic giant and decoding its complex guanxi network. Examples of topics that we cover include China’s digital economy, business etiquette and internal political hierarchy.
I am going to paint a realistic picture of running a start-up. Many times, it is over-glorified. The journey of building a company is extremely, immensely, too god**** difficult. It is full of ups and downs, and sometimes, multiple ups and downs in a day. Some people want to join a start-up thinking that they will become rich and/or famous overnight. This is simply not true. A start-up’s journey takes years, and during this process, many talents come and go, very few stayed on. And people out there, even close friends and family members, though supportive at first, may eventually question what you are doing and why you are doing this. And the truth is, you do not have a good answer. Because going by logic and rational thinking, the decision to start your own company is too risky, too demanding and too troublesome.
On the brighter side, each episode of euphoria you feel is probably one that you will remember for life. The first deal, first customer, first piece of good feedback – each “first” will feel refreshingly fulfilling and make all the time and effort spent worthwhile.
90{6f3b5ca5ace692369bf4704a1330bfd533e2599dde4b418ebc2aa913bbe9723c} of start-ups fail. Whatever the outcome is, have courage and be genuine.
My lightbulb advice:
Career and life (e.g. time for family, friends and hobbies). Choose one.
I am looking for:
Partners
You can reach me @
meganm@86links.com
** This article first appeared on TechCircle’s Medium page **