"Life and business are marathons, not sprints."
Welcome to ValiantCEO Magazine’s exclusive interview with Yan Liang, the illuminating founder orchestrating the enchanting symphony of Hey Happiness.
In the corridors of entrepreneurship, Yan Liang’s narrative unfolds as a testament to the transformative power of literature. Drawing inspiration from seminal works like “Losing My Virginity” and “The 4-Hour Work Week,” Yan Liang found the spark that ignited her entrepreneurial spirit and set her on a path less traveled.
With a passion for personal growth books and a fervent desire to infuse meaning into her life, Yan Liang departed from the corporate world in 2013, embracing the untrodden road of entrepreneurship. As the founder of Hey Happiness, Yan Liang doesn’t merely craft jewelry; she weaves tales of values learned from extensive travels and the pages of impactful books.
This exclusive interview unveils the layers of her journey, providing a glimpse into the philosophy that underpins Hey Happiness—a brand not only synonymous with elegance but a beacon of purpose and fulfillment.
In the backdrop of the dynamic business landscape, Yan Liang’s reflections extend beyond personal anecdotes to encompass the broader themes of employee happiness, online business trends, and the profound impact of literature on her life.
Join us as we navigate through the wisdom, challenges, and triumphs that characterize Yan Liang’s entrepreneurial voyage—a voyage where every transaction is not just a business exchange but a contribution to a greater, socially impactful narrative.
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Table of Contents
We are thrilled to have you join us today, welcome to ValiantCEO Magazine’s exclusive interview! Let’s start off with a little introduction. Tell our readers a bit about yourself and your company.
Yan Liang: My journey into entrepreneurship and the creation of Hey Happiness has been deeply influenced by my passion for reading and my desire to find meaning and purpose in life.
From a young age, I was an avid reader, particularly drawn to autobiographies and personal growth books. Two books in particular played a pivotal role in changing the trajectory of my life: “Losing My Virginity” by Richard Branson and “The 4-Hour Work Week” by Tim Ferris.
These books lit a spark in me and instilled in me the belief that it was possible to become an entrepreneur and build a successful, fulfilling business while living the life I wanted. While working in the corporate world, I came to the realization that I wouldn’t achieve the freedom and fulfillment I craved if I continued down the corporate path. At that point, I made a decision and left my job in 2013 to embark on my entrepreneurial journey.
The jewelry brand I’m building stands for my values, and I’m incorporating the lessons I’ve learned from my extensive travels and the personal growth books I devour.
What advice do you wish you had received when you started your business journey and what do you intend on improving in the next quarter?
Yan Liang: Life and business are marathons, not sprints. I always remind myself what the long-term goal is and how we can get there through reverse engineering. Focusing on the long term gives us clarity in business as well as in our personal lives.
We have a very generous customer service policy at Hey Happiness, we are less concerned about losing money by going out of our way to help a customer because we are sure that if we do it right, the customer will be happy to buy from us again and again.
As a result, we have a high percentage of loyal repeat customers. In the next quarter, I will continue to find good people to grow the business. This is a journey, and as I continue to grow and become a better leader, it will create more benefits for the company and the team.
Here is a two-fold question: What is the book that influenced you the most and how? Please share some life lessons you learned. Now what book have you gifted the most and why?
Yan Liang: My favorite book is The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. Her lesson that “if we want something, the whole universe will conspire to make it happen” is very powerful. The lessons of the novel resonated with me.
The Alchemist is also the book I give away the most because I love the philosophical aspect of the novel as it makes people think about their own lives, beliefs, and desires.
It raises questions about the nature of happiness, the importance of following one’s dreams, and the importance of listening to one’s heart.
Business is all about overcoming obstacles and creating opportunities for growth. What do you see as THE real challenge right now?
Yan Liang: In a competitive market and a fragile economy and world, an entrepreneur’s mindset is the greatest leverage and most important asset.
I think the ability to think in the customer’s shoes, to understand how to create more value for your customers, and to be willing to be creative and innovative in finding solutions to solve customer problems will always pay off.
In your experience, what tends to be the most underestimated part of running a company? Can you share an example?
Yan Liang: The courage it takes to run a business can be underestimated.
I have an “out of comfort zone” list for myself and I push it to develop more courage. Early in my entrepreneurial career, I played an “out of comfort zone” challenge with a good friend.
We would write a list of challenges for each other that would take courage to complete. For example, ask a stranger to buy you a cup of coffee, share your dream and passion with a stranger.
It has helped me so much in my business journey because I feel much more confident introducing myself to people I want to get to know and learn from.
On a lighter note, if you had the ability to pick any business superpower, what would it be and how would you put it into practice?
Yan Liang: A business superpower for me is social impact. Not only do I work on the business for myself, my family and my team, but with every sale we directly support our partner nonprofits.
For me, the ability to automatically do good with every transaction of my business is the ultimate superpower.
Jed Morley, VIP Contributor to ValiantCEO and the host of this interview would like to thank Yan Liang for taking the time to do this interview and share her knowledge and experience with our readers.
If you would like to get in touch with Yan Liang or her company, you can do it through her – Linkedin Page
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