Most investors put money into start-ups in the hope that they will make big returns. Some successful entrepreneurs, want to invest and provide advice so that they can help other budding entrepreneurs follow in their footsteps. Other people simply want to help friends pursue their passion. And still others are enthralled with learning about new technology.
In today’s article, we look at how Shao-Ning Huang co-founded AngelCentral (linking investors to start-up opportunities) and the challenges she faced.
Who is she?
Shao-Ning is the chief angel and co-founder of AngelCentral, a Singapore-based community that manages and facilitates angel investments across Southeast Asia.
She is said to be “anal” about processes and particular about doing things for the right reasons. Since her exit, her life focus has been to be relevant and pay it forward. Shao-Ning has been actively advising deep tech startups and also some social entrepreneurs. She is a peer-mentor to many women but most importantly she is a wife and mom to four boys. (Source: AngelCentral)
AngelCentral
AngelCentral is one of the fastest growing community of angel investors in Southeast Asia. We organize regular curated pitch sessions, angel education workshops and provide syndication services.
How AngelCentral started
Shao-Ning started her first business JobsCentral as a fresh graduate back in 2000. She grew and exited the business in 2011 to the US market leader, CareerBuilder.
The idea for AngelCentral started in late 2016 as a community initiative by the Partners to share their personal experiences and lessons learnt on angel investing. As they meet hundreds of startups annually, they decided to further value add via pitch sessions, where promising startups present and pitch to interested angels.
With the initial success and validation of their efforts in 2017, AngelCentral incorporated officially in February 2018 with the mission to build a community of effective angel investors in Southeast Asia. In 2018, AngelCentral trained more than 200 angels and raised more than S$6m for the startups that they featured.
Challenges she faced
In an interview, Shao-Ning shares the challenges she faced. “I had questions, especially when I started at 24. I had no idea how to do sales. The school never teach you how to sell things, so I had no idea how to sell, but you figure it out along the way.”, said Shao-Ning.
She spoke about one of her biggest struggle or fear. “In the past, my struggles every month was the sales number. Whether I’d be able to pay salaries at the end of each month. I mean I know the cash flow was positive, but still. I guess it’s because I’m a woman. So the thing is, I would say then my biggest struggle was always about sales number.”, said Shao-Ning. (Source: The New Savvy)
The most important the key thing she wants to promote now, is women having confidence in themselves and going on to entrepreneurship because she believes being an entrepreneur is a career choice.
To all women who are entrepreneurs and those who aspire to be one, Shao-Ning’s says, “Learn to realize that we cannot be a 100% in everything.”
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