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Awaken* newsletter

June 13, 2024

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Tracy Young is a founder who has been on my radar for a long time. Beyond the fact that she is a successful exited founder, having sold PlanGrid to Autodesk for just under $900 million, Tracy’s family–like my own father–immigrated to the United States following the Vietnam war. With one major success under her belt, Tracy is going for a second, having recently founded a new startup named TigerEye, which focuses on AI-powered strategic planning. I sat down with Tracy to chat about lessons from PlanGrid, what she’s currently working on at TigerEye, and her identity as an Asian woman.

On Identity

I wasn’t the only one with a newsletter on the call! Tracy also recently started a LinkedIn newsletter titled Predictable Growth, a monthly Q&A with women leaders generating revenue for their businesses. I asked Tracy what the motivation behind starting it was, and what she hoped to see it accomplish:

Representation matters. In sales and go-to-market functions, women are underrepresented at the leadership level. However, many impressive, talented, and hardworking women have achieved the CRO/CMO level, and I wanted to hear their stories. So, it’s a way for us to showcase women and give them a platform to tell their stories and how they got to where they are. There are many great jobs in sales, but many women don’t realize that they’re available to them. Anyone can be good at sales, it’s not just men. Reaching the highest levels in sales gives women a lot of power to help out their families, help the economy, etc.

In previous interviews, Tracy has pointed out how women are especially underrepresented in enterprise SaaS. I asked Tracy if she had any ideas why this is the case, and how we can increase representation:

I’m not sure why that’s the case. But you can see it if you look at the stats or walk into any enterprise company. I would guess it’s systemic. I think it starts with the words we use for boys and girls, the way we treat them, and what is expected of them. This is part of our cultural history. One way to change that is to show what is possible. What Predictable Growth aims to achieve is to showcase all these women who are leaders at their companies. There’s no decision that the CEO is making without running it by them. We want to say: “This could be your future, if you want it”, for anyone reading, and hopefully, it’s a young woman reader.

Next, I wanted to get Tracy’s thoughts on how being an Asian woman has affected her experience as a founder:

My PlanGrid co-founder, Ryan, and I met in college. He’s been trying to convince me to start a company with him since I was 18. Being an Asian woman, I didn’t think it was possible. I brushed him off for many years. I thought, “I’m not a founder,” because I looked at all these other founders, and they didn’t look like me. That kept me from starting a company for a long time. Around 2007-2009, I remember Ryan really wanted me to apply for Y Combinator with him. And again, I told him, “I just don’t think it’s going to work.” I didn’t think other people would accept me, and I didn’t want to put myself through it. It wasn’t until Y Combinator put out a request for startups working on the exact problem we were working on that I felt comfortable applying. That request for startups almost gave me permission to apply to YC. But even when we got in, and we were making real revenue, and we fundraised, and we had real customers, and our product was getting better… even then, I still felt that founders should look a certain way. I don’t know how many years in we were before I finally realized how wrong I was.

In an interview eight years ago with Ron Miller at Techcrunch Disrupt, Tracy responded to a similar question very differently. I asked her what motivated her shift in perspective since then:

Back then, I really tried to separate myself from being a woman. I felt like that was not part of the equation. And again, it’s such a big part of me, I am a strong woman. For many years, I pretended that I wasn’t, down to how I dressed. What really woke me up was becoming a mom. Going through pregnancy and birth and postpartum recovery, and taking care of a baby, I think it was really at that point when I realized how strong women are, how strong our mothers and grandmothers are, and how strong my colleagues are. It was a disservice not to acknowledge that our journey is different. It’s not better or worse. It’s just different.

TigerEye

I asked Tracy how she came up with the idea for her new startup, TigerEye:

There’s no shortage of problems to solve in business software. If you talk to anyone who works for a public company, you’ll find a lot of outdated software still in use. After selling my last startup, I worked for a public company and got to use these expensive products that our company was paying for every year. I saw firsthand how they made us less productive and frustrated our team. Many areas need improvement, such as HR software, finance software, sales software, and everything in between, including development tools. 

A common strategy I hear from founders is that they want to start by selling to other startups, and then grow into an enterprise software company alongside their clients. I asked Tracy how she decided to skip that and go straight for enterprise customers:

I like to solve problems that I have experienced. TigerEye comes from my experience running a fast growth company for ten years. When we reflected on our PlanGrid journey, we asked ourselves a few questions: What would have accelerated growth? What would have made the difference between us still running PlanGrid today versus needing to sell? TigerEye is that product. This is a scientific tool that would have helped us grow more efficiently, be more profitable, and would’ve enabled us to be more courageous in our decision-making by providing extra validation. It’s an AI-powered business simulator. You can test out your plans before you make your team execute it. You can test out as many plans as you want and as many scenarios as you want before you bring it to the board for sign-off. Back at PlanGrid, we had a bunch of very smart people trying to generate the same thing that took months that TigerEye is outputting instantaneously now. This is the product that I wish I had to help grow PlanGrid. And this is why we are building for the enterprise. All I know to do is build things to help me with problems I’ve faced.

Starting a Company as a Second-time Founder

I asked Tracy what she thought about distribution at PlanGrid, and how that has changed for TigerEye:

PlanGrid was always mobile first. We really benefited from timing. Steve Jobs announced the first generation iPad, and we decided to start building construction software for that device soon after. We were one of the first enterprise apps to launch on all of the app stores. 

Let’s say you’re a construction person and you’ve got your new iPad or other tablet. You search for construction because that is your profession, and PlanGrid pops up as the top result. If it looks interesting, you might download it, and we had a freemium model so users could try us out. As a mobile-first company, having great SEO on the app stores was crucial for our inbound growth. That’s how we thought about distribution for PlanGrid, but that is totally irrelevant for TigerEye (although we do have a mobile version of our software). TigerEye is an enterprise-grade product, and you can’t just try it out as an individual. It is being deployed to whole departments, and that is a completely different distribution model. For many years, PlanGrid was sold on a per-seat basis. At TigerEye, we have an unlimited seat model, and it’s deployed to several teams at once, and the starting fee is five figures. It’s an enterprise-grade product. And so for us to get deployed and adopted usually takes a field sales team two or three conversations with the company, because it’s not just sales, it’s revenue operations, it’s strategic finance, and then it’s a champion at the C-suite level. It’s very different from PlanGrid’s model, where anyone with a credit card in a job site could swipe their credit card and buy PlanGrid today.

Next, I asked if she felt that being a second-time founder came with any benefits:

There are definitely benefits. For example, the first 15 people we recruited were people we had handpicked and worked with before. As a result, we were able to recruit a talented team with a strong track record and a strong work ethic. It’s difficult for first-time founders in their early 20s to attract talented individuals. The people who worked for us were our friends or recent college graduates. From our decade of experience, we’ve also seen what works and what doesn’t in terms of core values. This time, we made sure to have a set of values that we live by personally and professionally. These core values are non-negotiable and we share them with candidates we’re trying to recruit during our first phone call. We’re serious about it. Everyone says they care about their core values, but we actually hire and fire by them. 

Tracy’s emphasis on core values stood out because this was the first time I had heard a founder emphasize them to this degree. I asked Tracy why this mattered so much to her:

Through my experience growing PlanGrid to 450 employees and scaling the team to 1,300 employees post-acquisition, I got to see what slows down a team. I got to see how infighting can destroy a company. There are minor things that you can put in place to mitigate this, such as basic rules of engagement. We have a document called “Our commitments to working with each other,” which outlines how we work together at TigerEye. The document clarifies our five core values. It’s very simple, you cannot misinterpret what the core values mean. I’ll give you a couple of examples: 1) I will walk it like I talk it. 2) I will never speak destructively behind my teammate’s back. 3) If I have a problem, I will go to you and talk it out because we’re professionals and I can trust that we can have the hard conversations. If everyone follows these rules, then we’re in a really good place. That means that when there are problems, we can speak openly as a team and get through it together. We were very deliberate about the culture and work environment we were creating, especially as a remote company. I think our culture is especially important because we aren’t together every single day.  

Fostering a Culture of Authenticity

Throughout my research, a consistent theme Tracy touched on was being authentic as a leader. I asked her if she felt there are boundaries to authenticity and if it’s fine for CEOs to express fear or lack of confidence to their team.

There is definitely a line in terms of vulnerability and authenticity. It’s never acceptable to be disrespectful. Some might argue that they’re just being direct, but there’s a difference between being direct and being rude. It’s okay to question things and suggest new approaches. When I’m concerned about something related to the company, I share it with the team. I either present a potential solution or let them know that I’m working on one. This approach makes it easier to lead and get the team on board with the direction we’re heading. They may not always agree, but at least they understand why I’ve made certain decisions. If they understand, it’s easier for them to commit to the decision, even if they initially had reservations. 

To your second question, I think it is completely okay for a leader or anyone in the company to show that they are human, and as humans we experience fear and insecurity–they are natural emotions. As a leader and a productive teammate, it isn’t beneficial to dwell on these negative emotions. It’s challenging, if not impossible, to suppress these feelings because they will eventually surface. My approach is to allow myself to experience these emotions when things are tough, but also to take control and not let them linger. For instance, I might allow myself a day to experience these feelings, but the next day, it’s time to put on a game face and figure things out together. As long as there’s movement and progress, then it’s okay. Feelings like anger, insecurity, and sadness, when prolonged, are completely useless. They don’t serve anyone any good. They’re just there making everyone feel bad and that is absolutely not okay.

I asked Tracy what actions she takes to make sure everyone on her team is comfortable being authentic and vulnerable with each other:

We do this fun activity. We all take the Enneagram test. New teammates will take the test and present their enneagram results sometime within the first few weeks. The presentations are basically: “This is when I’m at my best. This is how I am at my worst. This is how I want to get feedback.” This helps us understand who we are as people because there are all kinds of different personalities, and conflict comes from two personalities at their worst coming together. If we can acknowledge and understand that might happen, it’s easier to get through it together. Essentially, it’s having self-awareness and giving your team a blueprint of being aware of who you are. 

For those who don’t know, Enneagram is a popular personality test that emphasizes how you interact with other personality types, making it a popular choice for teams. I am normally skeptical of these kinds of tests, but even I am a big fan of Enneagram, and I think it has helped me better understand myself and my interactions with others. For those curious, Tracy is Enneagram type 1, “The Reformer”. A fitting type for a person with such ambition and vision.

Shoutouts

If you are a leader in sales, RevOps, finance, or marketing, TigerEye has built a go-to-market planning tool to help you track, plan, and predict your go-to-market performance. The tool analyzes every change in your CRM using artificial intelligence to guide decisions and show you where you’re headed.

If you are interested in checking out what Tracy and TigerEye. have built, please drop her a note on LinkedIn or on X (f.k.a. Twitter) @Tracy_Young. Thank you Tracy for the interview!

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Stories

These Sisters Infuse Chinese Cultural Aesthetics in Designer Womenswear

SHUMINGYU is an esteemed designer womenswear brand that finds its roots in the poetic essence of Chinese art.

Alvina Ding and Laura Ding, the talented sister team behind the brand, have embarked on a remarkable venture to preserve and interpret the artistic lineages of China through the medium of fashion.

With their deep personal connection to their heritage as second-generation Chinese Americans, their brand serves as a heartfelt expression of their cultural journey and a platform to share the cultural memories passed down through generations. The name SHUMINGYU holds great significance, as it pays tribute to the profound Chinese saying “落叶归根”, which invokes the powerful imagery of autumn leaves falling towards their roots, returning to the soil that once nurtured it.

Throughout history, Chinese artists have expressed their poetic selves through various art forms such as painting and poetry. SHUMINGYU draws inspiration from this legacy. Alvina, as the designer, and Laura, in charge of marketing, collaborate to create a collection that captures the elegant beauty inherent in Chinese aesthetics.

In an exclusive interview with Asian Hustle Network, Alvina and Laura walked us through their journey of preserving Chinese artistic lineages through fashion.

WHAT INSPIRED THEM TO CREATE SHUMINGYU

Alvina and Laura: We always had a passion for Chinese culture. As Chinese Americans, we were fortunate to grow up in a household that gave us exposure to the beauty of the culture such as its poetry and the arts, despite not being able to visit that often.

The fact that we were physically removed from the country of our cultural heritage, in many ways enabled us to appreciate the culture even more. We spent the next decade in between the U.S. and China, completing our undergraduate degrees in Beijing, kickstarting our early professional careers, and finishing graduate school in the U.S. It was during this time that the idea for SHUMINGYU was conceptualized. 

Alvina: The idea for SHUMINGYU was first planted in my mind in college, where I was formally introduced to the canon of Chinese artistic lineages as a Chinese art history major. I thought it was odd that despite the breadth and nuances of Chinese aesthetics that were crystalized over thousands of years, it was rarely reflected in modern fashion products. To me, culture should not be relegated to a museum. It has meaning only when it is a part of one’s daily life. While I was studying fashion design at Parsons and Laura was in business school, we began to turn this idea into reality. I want this type of beauty to be seen, not only in rarified spaces such as classrooms and museums but by more people through a medium such as fashion that can be a part of our everyday lives. This fuels me as a fashion designer. 

HOW SELF-DISCOVERY INFLUENCED THEIR AESTHETIC AND VISION

During our young adult years living between China and the U.S., we came to understand that identity is multifaceted.

There isn’t one way to be American, Chinese, or Chinese American. Cultural identity and heritage are not limited by where you were born or what period you are living in. It is something that is constantly evolving, passed down through generations, and shaped by the people who are currently living and breathing it.

This motivated us to combine the cultural fluency we gained over the years with design as a universal language to create SHUMINGYU. This is our way of sharing our perspectives on the beauty of Chinese aesthetics and the artistic lineages that have come before us with a global audience.

THE CREATIVE PROCESS

Alvina: I first decide on a particular theme, which is either a genre of Chinese art or a type of craft. Then I dive into research on the theme for a month or two. I read academic papers and art history books to understand the significance of this kind of genre, the elements that influenced its formation, what type of art it had an impact on later, its philosophical underpinnings, where the colors come from, and literary references. I look at the most representative pieces of art from the genre and identify the most distinctive characteristics that will define the overall feel of the collection.

During this process, I am looking at art objects that have graced the courts of emperors, the gaze of connoisseurs, and the hands of skilled artisans. From the free-spirited brushwork of ink paintings, the rhythmic flow of poetry, and the delicate luster of ceramics, all of this informs my final design decisions.

As I do the research, I see designs in my head. I visualize the images and colors and capture what I see into sketches, which I then translate into prints. Once I finish my prints, I think about what silhouettes they would work best on. From then on, it’s about deciding what fabrics work best for each design and seeing how different designs fit together into an overall collection.

SHOWCASING CULTURAL HERITAGE INTO THEIR DESIGNS

Each of our collections has a specific theme, and then we incorporate that theme into the custom prints that we develop, as well as the silhouettes of our designs. For example, our first collection ‘Of Blue Mountain and Verdant Forests’ was designed around the theme of Chinese landscape paintings. Therefore, each custom print that we developed is rooted in a piece of artwork, literature, or philosophy that is connected to landscape paintings. Our hope is that with each piece a customer wears, they can discover a new piece of culture.

Example 1:

The print of our Brushwork Dress is inspired by a brush stroke technique from the Southern Song Dynasty landscape painting The Joy of Harvest. Developed by the painter Li Tang from the Northern Song dynasty, the technique is called the “axe-cut stroke” and uses angular, staccato brushstrokes to depict the rocky surfaces of mountain peaks. The brush stroke derives its name from its visual resemblance to chopped wood and is one of two major brush strokes used to depict the texture of rocks in landscape paintings. The color of the dress is inspired by the golden brown hue of the painting scroll and the style lines are outlined in the shape of mountain ranges. The skirt hem shape is symbolic of the reflection of mountains in the water.

The Joy of Harvest is a masterpiece by Song Dynasty artist Ma Yuan (1160 – 1225), one of the most influential landscape painters of his time.

Example 2:

The print of our Spring Mountains Set is inspired by the mountain ranges from the Sui Dynasty painting Spring Excursion, widely cited as the earliest surviving work of Chinese landscape painting. The print traces the delicate, twisting brush strokes that outline the rise and fall of spring mountains in the distance. The colors are inspired by the luxurious powdered gold, malachite green, and azurite blue pigments used in the painting.

Painted by artist Zhan Ziqian, Spring Excursion was one of the first paintings to give prominence to mountains and rivers over human figures. It is considered a seminal work that marks the genesis of the most influential category of Chinese art for thousands of years to come.

FOSTERING A DEEPER APPRECIATION OF CHINESE AESTHETICS AMONG A GLOBAL AUDIENCE

We want to share the breadth, depth, and nuances of Chinese aesthetics with a global audience through our clothing. By offering an alternative aesthetic view to the exotified and caricatured version of Chinese fashion that has been perpetuated throughout the past century, we want to move beyond the set of narrow motifs that have defined what Chinese fashion can look like and open the door into a world where design is created by those who live and breathe the culture and comes from an informed and nuanced perspective.

Perhaps one of our prints will spark someone’s interest in understanding a particular artistic movement in history or thinking about how Chinese aesthetics is perceived today. If our pieces can inspire people to value culture more and spark conversations, then we’d consider that a success. 

WHAT LIES AHEAD FOR SHUMINGYU

We already have a lineup of themes for our future collections, and some designs are already in the works for our second and third collections. We also want to integrate more types of fabrics, silhouettes, and crafts into our designs.

In addition to clothing, we have future plans to expand into accessories, including handbags and fragrances. We are excited to bring our vision to life, step by step, and hope that others are excited to come along on this journey as well!

CONNECT WITH SHUMINGYU

Instagram: @shumingyuofficial

Website: shumingyu.co

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How This Entrepreneur Shares the Richness of Asian Cuisine and Culture in Tampa

Born in Indonesia, Ferdian Jap’s upbringing in a Chinese restaurant fostered his passion for culinary arts and his desire to share the richness of Asian cuisine.

As the owner of Zukku Sushi and Astro Craft Ice Cream, Ferdian is not only continuing his family’s legacy of running restaurants but is also on a mission to showcase the diverse cultures and flavors of Asia to the local community.

With his entrepreneurial spirit, Ferdian is set to revolutionize the dining experience in Tampa. In addition to his current ventures, he is working on a Korean BBQ concept that promises to be a unique and upscale establishment. He envisions a dining environment that goes beyond Tampa’s expectations, immersing guests in an extraordinary atmosphere while savoring delectable Korean dishes.

Beyond his influence in the culinary world, Ferdian has actively participated in initiatives to revitalize downtown Tampa, demonstrating his dedication to the community. As the former project manager for Friends of the Riverwalk, he played a crucial role in fundraising efforts that contributed to the development of downtown Tampa. Inspired by his involvement, Ferdian launched “Big City Events,” an organization that focuses on organizing festivals and concerts in Tampa.

Ferdian has also established a subsidiary called “Pier Events,” which aims to bring the same dynamic energy to St. Petersburg. Notably, he is the event manager for the iconic St. Pete Pier, overseeing a diverse range of engaging activities.

Ferdian Jap is eager to introduce new concepts and plans to expand his restaurant empire both locally and nationally. Through his endeavors, he continues to celebrate the diverse cultures of Asia while leaving a lasting impact on the dynamic landscape of Tampa’s restaurant and entertainment industries.

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Indian Designer’s Iconic Lehengas Make Mark in Sustainable Fashion

Renowned fashion designer Rahul Mishra has emerged as a leading advocate of ‘slow fashion’ in the industry, redefining bridal wear with his unique ethos.

Since his debut in 2017, Mishra has seen a remarkable rise in demand for his bridal lehengas. Today, eager customers face an almost five-month wait to own one of his coveted designs. Mishra’s talent has also caught the attention of international celebrities. He recently made headlines for dressing Zendaya in a stunning blue sari at the opening of the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Center in Mumbai.

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Mishra’s accomplishments include being the first Indian designer to showcase his collection at Paris Haute Couture Week in 2020, a feat he continues to achieve year after year.

Drawing inspiration from ancient Indian designs that utilized calico textile, an unbleached fabric made from cotton fibers, Mishra creates lehengas that embody an off-white, ecru aesthetic. The brides who choose Rahul Mishra lehengas appreciate the uniqueness of his designs, characterized by intricate embroidery and unparalleled craftsmanship.

The surge in wedding attire sales, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, has helped Mishra support and provide employment to over 1,200 embroiderers from rural communities in India. The impact of his creations extends beyond fashion, creating meaningful opportunities for artisans and their families.

Rahul Mishra’s journey started from a small village in Uttar Pradesh. Although his initial aspirations to become a cinematographer were met with rejection, his decision to enroll in an apparel design program opened doors to a fulfilling career in fashion.

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Former Pharmacist Opens Cafe While Competing on Gordon Ramsay’s Show

While preparing to open a new cafe in Chicago’s vibrant Uptown neighborhood, pharmacist-turned-entrepreneur Lan Ho is also competing on Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars, a reality show featuring aspiring chefs and culinary innovators.

The cafe will showcase her own brand Fat Miilk and will pay homage to Vietnamese culture through its space and food offerings.

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Vietnamese coffee holds a significant place in Vietnamese culture, and Lan Ho is determined to offer an elevated coffee experience that truly captures the essence of this rich tradition. By working closely with local farmers throughout Vietnam, Fat Miilk ensures that only the highest quality Robusta beans are sourced for their coffee. 

According to TimeOut, these organic green beans, renowned for their sweet and fruity flavor, are cultivated at different elevations and roasted using the traditional Vietnamese slow drip method. By focusing on Robusta beans, Fat Miilk stands out from other coffee brands, striving to serve the most authentic and flavorsome Vietnamese coffee.

Ho’s Vietnamese heritage and her family’s entrepreneurial spirit have been influential in her journey. As the child of Vietnamese refugees, she witnessed the determination and resilience of her family members who started businesses to provide for their loved ones. This upbringing instilled in Ho a strong sense of purpose and resilience, which helped her in starting her own business.

Participating in Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars has been a transformative experience for Ho, teaching her valuable lessons in self-advocacy and self-care. 

As the opening of Fat Miilk’s flagship cafe approaches, Lan Ho remains committed to creating a space that authentically represents Vietnamese coffee culture. The cafe will not only serve an array of Vietnamese coffee options but will also feature Vietnamese meat pies and other delicacies.

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