"Before starting up a business, you should analyze the status of your competitors and rivals."
Meet Jonathan Tian, Co-Founder of Mobitrix, a US-based smartphone solution provider for data transfer and iOS system errors, etc.
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Table of Contents
Thank you for joining us today. Please introduce yourself to our readers. They want to know you, some of the background story to bring some context to your interview.
Jonathan Tian: Thanks for giving me this marvelous opportunity to have me interviewed. And yes, I am Jonathan Tian, the co-founder of a project titled “Mobitrix”. The motive of the project is basically to introduce and launch a system that the users can imply to transfer their WhatsApp data to another device at ease. And, I am honored to say that our project has reached more than 99 Million users and is still growing in numbers
You are a successful entrepreneur, so we’d like your viewpoint, do you believe entrepreneurs are born or made? Explain.
Jonathan Tian: No, I do not think that entrepreneurs or anyone who excels in their profession is born that way. We all might have had different aims and goals in the past and some changes might have occurred that have brought you to the place that you currently hold. So, in short, entrepreneurs are inspired by others in society and so they choose this profession
If you were asked to describe yourself as an entrepreneur in a few words, what would you say?
Jonathan Tian: If I were asked to do so, I would say that I am a person who wants to bring effective and beneficial changes to society by designing and releasing some products that would help me do so. Entrepreneurship is all about enhancing the quality of people’s lives and is a developing sector that inspires many to become professionals.
Tell us about what your company does and how did it change over the years?
Jonathan Tian: Our company has a feature that would allow its users to transfer the data stored on their WhatsApps to another device, which people find as a very beneficial amenity. It also offers privacy to the data stored in the user’s devices. And, sometimes, the users might forget the passwords of their iPhones and it requires a code-cracker to boot their devices and use them again. There is also a feature in our project that aids people in doing so.
We have been successfully running the project for more than 10 years now and new changes are brought in the user interface whenever possible so that the users will find it more impressive.
Thank you for all that. Now for the main focus of this interview. With close to 11.000 new businesses registered daily in the US, what must an entrepreneur assume when starting a business?
Jonathan Tian: There’s a saying that goes as “Well begun is half done”, so making the best one is very essential to lead a perfect start.
Before starting up a business, you should analyze the status of your competitors and rivals. Unless you know their capabilities and functionalities, you might not survive in the market. If the product you propose is a monopoly, then there’s no need to do so. If not, you have to make up a high-yielding strategy that you could apply so that people will prefer your product over others.
Did you make any wrong assumptions before starting a business that you ended up paying dearly for?
Jonathan Tian: Yes, I did make a series of mistakes while starting the business that I regretted very soon and I had to pay for it. One such mistake is me thinking that being first in the market would make me win in the race. But, this is not true. Mega companies like Facebook, Google, and Apple were not first yet they succeeded more than their predecessors and competitors. This is because of the efficiency in their workforce. I realized it later and found some plans to make my company efficient and effective.
If you could go back in time to when you first started your business, what advice would you give yourself and why? Explain.
Jonathan Tian: If I could go back in time and meet my old self, I would tell myself that designing the highest quality products does not mean that it will be the first in the market. There are multiple strategies like promoting the sales, distribution, and many such that have to be implemented to get me up. During those days, I wasn’t aware of this strategy and so I would tell this.
What is the worst advice you received regarding running a business and what lesson would you like others to learn from your experience?
Jonathan Tian: The worst advice I have ever received while starting my business is “Don’t risk yourself by trying new things”. I always wanted to establish myself as an aspiring entrepreneur, not like a usual one, but an innovative one. To be innovative, you have to try new things and review the journey and its experience. I have never regretted trying new things. Even though the results might not be the same all the time, I get satisfied given that I have tried something new. So, I would insist the young entrepreneurs make use of their opportunities rather than listen to others. So, do not listen to what they say, go find what’s there.
In your opinion, how has COVID-19 changed what entrepreneurs should assume before starting a business? What hasn’t changed?
Jonathan Tian: Yes, I think that some norms have changed as a result of the pandemic situation but a majority of them remain the same. Full-time employee contracts are going down as a result of the pandemic. Many of my peers have reduced the options available for this. Literally, every Marketing strategy that has to be well-prepared before starting up a business has not changed yet.
What is a common myth about entrepreneurship that aspiring entrepreneurs and would-be business owners believe in? What advice would you give them?
Jonathan Tian: A common myth that entrepreneurs and would-be owners believe in is that entrepreneurs are born rich. More than half of the American billionaires are self-made and the aforementioned statement is not true. Many of the millionaires have started their journey from absolute zero and have reached favorable outcomes. I would suggest them not to lose hope in themselves. Believing that you can do what you want to, is the first thing in achieving the goal. You should believe that you don’t want to be rich to be successful. Just because you are broke, doesn’t mean that you are not capable of succeeding in your life.
What traits, qualities, and assumptions do you believe are most important to have before starting a business?
Jonathan Tian: New opportunities can be sought only if a person is curious about it. These new opportunities are very essential for the success of the entrepreneurs and they have to find many such to write history. Entrepreneurship is also sometimes described as the process of discovery and exploration.
Secondly, they should know to learn from their mistakes and not take them too seriously. Almost 75% of the business start-ups fail initially and it’s all about how they make out to come out of the crisis. Although many of the risks can be avoided, many are impossible to avoid.
How can aspiring leaders prepare themselves for the future challenges of entrepreneurship? Are there any books, websites, or even movies to learn from?
Jonathan Tian: To prepare for the future challenges in entrepreneurship, individuals must learn to challenge themselves by taking risks, because entrepreneurship is everything about exploring new ideologies and policies. They must believe in themselves and be fearless regardless of the consequences. They should take action at the earliest to prevent the situation from turning into a bigger crisis.
Of course, there are lots of books and websites available for entrepreneurs to look into. Some of the books include How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie, The Psychology of Selling by Brian Tracy, Who Moved My Cheese? An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and Your Life by Spencer Johnson, Rich Woman by Kim Kiyosaki, and Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman. They could also make use of some websites like Code Academy, HubSpot Academy, Moz, Learnvest, and edX to excel themselves in entrepreneurship.
You have shared quite a bit of your wisdom and our readers thank you for your generosity but would also love to know: If you could choose any job other than being an entrepreneur, what would it be?
Jonathan Tian: If I had to choose any profession, other than entrepreneurship, it would be singing and songwriting. I had a great passion for it and have also taken lessons in the Guitar and the Piano. Though I started it out initially because of the pressure from my school, I eventually liked doing it. Whenever I am free, I would spend time with my Guitar and come up with some lyrics. But, I would not write them at most anywhere for some strange reasons, maybe just because I am not a singer now. So, that would be the profession that I’d choose.
Thank you so much for your time, I believe I speak for all of our readers when I say that this has been incredibly insightful. We do have one more question: If you could add anyone to Mount Rushmore, but not a politician, who would it be; why?
Jonathan Tian: Thanks for saying that. It was so sweet to hear this from you. That is actually a fascinating question. I would answer the question without even thinking about it. I am a huge, die-hard fan of Taylor Swift and to me, she is the best in the world. I have been a fan of hers for more than a decade now and I would connect my life with her music often. Moreover, she is a symbol of feminism, equality, and kindness. So, I would love to add her sculpture onto Mount Rushmore.
Jed Morley, VIP Contributor to ValiantCEO and the host of this interview would like to thank Jonathan Tian for taking the time to do this interview and share his knowledge and experience with our readers.
If you would like to get in touch with Jonathan Tian or his company, you can do it through his – Linkedin Page
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