Contact
  • HOME
  • / MEDIA /
  • Tracy Young Returns to Lead TigerEye After $875 million PlanGrid Exit, Reflects on Innovation and Identity

Awaken* newsletter

June 13, 2024

SHARE:

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!

Related Articles

{"ARInfo":{"IsUseAR":false},"Version":"1.0.0","MakeupInfo":{"IsUseMakeup":false},"FaceliftInfo":{"IsChangeEyeLift":false,"IsChangeFacelift":false,"IsChangePostureLift":false,"IsChangeNose":false,"IsChangeFaceChin":false,"IsChangeMouth":false,"IsChangeThinFace":true},"BeautyInfo":{"SwitchMedicatedAcne":false,"IsAIBeauty":false,"IsBrightEyes":false,"IsSharpen":false,"IsOldBeauty":false,"IsReduceBlackEyes":false},"HandlerInfo":{"AppName":2},"FilterInfo":{"IsUseFilter":false}}

Stories

Building Meraki: How Vivian Kwan Turned Passion into Purpose

The first time Vivian Kwan realized she could build something on her own terms was during her college years in the U.S. — a time that completely shifted her perspective on what a career could be.

She found herself surrounded by students who were running side hustles, freelancing, and starting companies before graduation. It was a stark contrast to her upbringing in Hong Kong.

“Back home in Hong Kong, the path was pretty clear: study hard, land a stable job, and climb the corporate ladder,” she recalls. “But in the U.S., I met people who were building something entirely their own. That inspired me to think differently.”

Curious and driven, Vivian began experimenting — running a small photography business and creating content for fun. That experiment grew into Meraki Group, a boutique talent management agency representing a diverse roster of lifestyle creators — and now a 7-figure business built entirely from the ground up.

Redefining Success as a First-Generation Founder

When Vivian launched Meraki Group in 2021, she had no network, no outside funding, and no PR machine behind her, just the belief that creators deserved better representation.

As a first-generation Asian immigrant, Vivian was raised to stay quiet and keep her head down. “But entrepreneurship requires something different,” she says. “I had to learn to advocate for myself and my talents loudly and unapologetically.”

Without big teams or resources, she leaned into what she could control: being hands-on, transparent, and relationship-driven. That boutique approach became Meraki’s unique selling point: brands and creators know they can reach Vivian directly, and that trust has allowed Meraki to thrive against the odds. Today, Meraki has closed 300+ brand campaigns with brand partners like HOKA, REI, Shark, Columbia Sportswear, Libman, Google, and UGG.

The Challenge of Balance

Motherhood has always run parallel to Vivian’s entrepreneurial journey — two worlds that demand her heart in equal measure. In the early years of Meraki, she often found herself caught between deadlines and bedtime stories, client calls and school drop-offs. The guilt was relentless: every hour spent growing the business felt like time borrowed from her children.

But over time, her perspective shifted. She began to see that showing her kids what fulfillment looked like was one of the greatest gifts she could give them. Building Meraki wasn’t just about proving something to the industry — it was about showing her children what resilience, purpose, and self-belief looked like in real life.

“My kids deserve a mother who’s confident and happy,” she says simply. “That thought keeps me grounded when things get hard.”

A Year of Growth and Gratitude

In October, the Meraki community came to life in a way that no Zoom call ever could. Vivian and her team hosted their annual NYC dinner — an intimate gathering of creators, brand partners, and friends who had helped shape the agency’s journey. The room buzzed with laughter, warm reunions, and stories that stretched back to Meraki’s earliest days.

For Vivian, it was a full-circle moment. Many of the guests were creators she had signed during the uncertainty of the pandemic — people she had championed from afar before ever shaking their hands in person. Watching them share a table, swapping stories and ideas, felt like witnessing the agency’s spirit materialise in real life.

It wasn’t a night of flashy sponsors or curated photo ops, but of genuine connection — the kind that has quietly fueled Meraki’s success from day one. “What I’m most proud of isn’t the growth,” Vivian reflects. “It’s loyalty. Many of my creators have been with me for three or four years. In an industry where talent often comes and goes, that kind of long-term commitment means everything.”

What Comes Next

As Meraki continues to grow, Vivian is laying the groundwork for a new chapter — one that strengthens the agency’s foundation while amplifying its impact. She’s focused on expanding her team and refining systems to preserve Meraki’s signature boutique quality, even as it scales.

“I’m being intentional with this next chapter,” she says. “Before stepping deeper into consulting and mentorship, I want to make sure the agency continues to run with the same care and creative integrity it was built on.”

With that foundation in place, Vivian plans to open limited consulting slots and launch educational programs for creators and emerging talent managers. Her goal is to nurture the next generation of creative leaders — empowering them to build with heart, purpose, and the courage to redefine what success can look like.

Follow Vivian’s journey:
 📍 LinkedIn | Instagram

  • 4 min read
Color - Anise Health 27710_2 (1)-jpg

Stories

The Founders Behind Anise Health: How Two Women Are Reimagining Mental Health for the Asian Community

When Nisha Desai and Alice Zhang met at Harvard Business School, neither of them expected that a casual conversation about their frustrations with therapy would spark the idea for something much bigger.

As they juggled graduate school and their own mental health, they often felt therapy wasn’t built for people like them – they spent more time explaining their background to their therapists than actually healing. 

They realized it wasn’t just them – there’s a gap in mental healthcare that left many in the Asian and multicultural community feeling unseen and misunderstood.

That shared realization became the seed for Anise Health: a platform built to make therapy culturally attuned, accessible, and truly effective for the AAPI community.

A Problem They Both Knew Too Well

Before their paths crossed, both founders had already seen the same issue from different directions.

Nisha, who grew up in Florida in a family of healthcare entrepreneurs, had always been drawn to questions of access and equity in care. After studying finance and marketing at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and earning her MBA from Harvard, she worked in healthcare investing and later in digital product management at Humana. It was there, while helping build a mental health app, that she started hearing a troubling pattern from thousands of users – the same barriers she had personally faced.

Nisha recalls that people weren’t saying therapy didn’t work. They were saying it didn’t fit, that they didn’t feel understood.

Alice, meanwhile, came to the same conclusion through her own deeply personal experiences. Born in China, raised across Japan and Canada, and now based in New York, she calls herself a “third culture kid.” Her multicultural background gave her adaptability, but also a sense of never fully belonging anywhere.

That feeling resurfaced when she sought therapy during business school. Despite being fluent in English, she found herself translating her own emotions for her therapist – explaining why criticism from parents felt like love, or why pursuing excellence felt non-negotiable.

Alice remembers feeling exhausted after each session, explaining her background again and again, and leaving each time feeling unseen.

Alice Zhang (left) and Nisha Desai (right)

Building a Culturally Grounded Model of Care

After that pivotal conversation at Harvard, the two women began mapping out what culturally attuned mental health care could look like. They spoke to clinicians, patients, payors and community leaders, testing how cultural nuance could be integrated into evidence-based therapy and coaching.

They envisioned a new kind of care model: one that didn’t require clients to educate their therapists or set aside their cultural identity at the door. Instead, therapy would start from a place of understanding.

“Alice and I really built Anise to be what we believe our community has needed during our upbringing. What we kind of wished for ourselves through our own personal journeys with therapy.”

But building what didn’t yet exist came with challenges. They had to prove — to investors, clinicians, and even the broader healthcare system — that cultural context wasn’t just a “nice to have,” but essential to effective care. Many mental health professionals hadn’t been trained to deliver culturally adaptive therapy, so Anise Health had to design that framework from the ground up: provider training programs, accurate diagnostic tools, tailored care plans, curated resources and a scalable model for personalized, culturally attuned care.

Their persistence paid off. What started as late-night brainstorming sessions between classes evolved into a fully fledged mental health platform that blends clinical rigor with cultural empathy.

Growing the Movement

Since its founding, Anise Health has facilitated over 10,000 paid appointments and built a network of 60+ licensed providers across multiple states. The company is now expanding through insurance partnerships that make culturally attuned care more affordable and accessible.

Behind the scenes, Nisha leads operations and product design, while Alice drives partnerships and provider training.

Their complementary strengths, coupled with a shared sense of purpose, have helped Anise Health raise $6.4 million in funding and gain recognition as one of the top 10 most innovative Asian Pacific-led companies to watch by NYSE, Y Combinator, and Gold House.

Redefining the Future of Mental Health for Asian Communities

For both founders, Anise Health’s success goes beyond numbers. It’s about shifting how mental health is understood and delivered, starting with a community that has long been underserved and stigmatized.

“Our goal isn’t just to make care available,” Nisha says. “It’s to make it effective, culturally relevant, and sustainable within the healthcare system.”

By creating a new gold standard of culturally attuned care, Nisha and Alice aren’t just helping Asian Americans access therapy that finally feels like it speaks their language – they’re reimagining what inclusive mental health care can look like for everyone.

Learn more about Anise Health at anisehealth.co

  • 5 min read
Angel Zhen Built a $500K Solo CPA Firm and Redefined Success

Stories

Angel Zhen Built a $500K Solo CPA Firm and Redefined Success

From Public Accounting to Personal Freedom

For most people in the accounting world, success looks like a corner office, a big team, and an endless stream of clients. For Angel Zhen, CPA, MST, success meant something entirely different — independence.

“I wanted to build something that valued freedom, quality, and impact,” he says. “After years in public accounting, I saw how the system rewarded long hours over real results. I knew there had to be a better way — to build a high-performing firm without sacrificing your life.”

That clarity led Angel to found Pasadena Tax CPA, a one-person practice that now generates over $500,000 in annual revenue and serves more than 300 clients nationwide. Angel’s work has earned national recognition from both CPA.com and the AICPA, including being named a 2025 Innovative Practitioner Award Finalist and 2025 Leadership Academy Selectee.

From Public Accounting to Personal Freedom

Turning Loss into Leadership

Angel’s story didn’t begin with business success. It began with loss.

“In April 2020, my dad passed away unexpectedly,” he recalls. “Because COVID hit and I was deep in tax season, I didn’t get to see him one last time. That moment changed everything — life, time, and purpose.”

Like many in Asian families, Angel describes his father as the pillar — the provider and decision-maker everyone looked up to. When he passed, Angel knew it was his turn to step up.

He moved back home to Rosemead, California, to take care of his mom and rebuild his life. What began as a moment of grief became a defining transformation. “Starting over during a pandemic forced me to innovate to survive,” he says. “I turned loss into fuel and fear into focus.”

Five years later, that focus became a thriving solo CPA firm built on innovation, strategy, and heart.

“There’s a Chinese saying, 苦尽甘来 — after bitterness comes sweetness,” Angel says softly. “Every struggle built the clarity, strength, and mindset that led me here today.”

Challenging the Traditional CPA Model

Angel’s biggest challenge wasn’t the market — it was his own mindset. As an Asian CPA, he grew up with messages about safety and stability: work hard, follow the rules, don’t take risks. But entrepreneurship demanded something different.

“I had to unlearn the belief that success required a big team, long hours, or a corporate ladder,” he explains. “I built systems, automations, and pricing models that gave me confidence and time back.”

Those systems didn’t just make him efficient — they made him exceptional. Today, Pasadena Tax CPA is recognized as one of the most efficient solo CPA firms in the nation, a model of what’s possible when technology meets intention.
His book, The Profitable Solopreneur Playbook, expands on that mission — teaching other CPAs and solo business owners how to build practices that generate both profit and freedom.

Challenging the Traditional CPA Model

Redefining Success in the Modern Asian American Dream

Angel’s success challenges a long-held cultural narrative — that stability and ambition are mutually exclusive. His mission is to show Asian professionals that they can have both.

“For the Asian community, I want to normalize the idea that you don’t have to choose between stability and ambition,” he says. “You can honor your roots while building your own path.”

Through mentorship, education, and storytelling, he’s helping others reclaim the idea of financial independence — not as a luxury, but as a form of empowerment. His philosophy is simple but powerful: “Build with intention, clarity, and courage.”

A Beacon of Innovation and Leadership

Angel’s recognitions from CPA.com and the AICPA are more than professional honors — they’re milestones in a larger movement to modernize the accounting industry.

“Being recognized by CPA.com as one of the most innovative practitioners isn’t just about accounting,” he says. “It’s about leadership, legacy, and resilience.”

His nomination for the 2025 Innovative Practitioner Award celebrates his ability to merge technology and empathy — running a fully remote, tech-driven practice that still feels deeply personal.
🗳️Vote for Angel Zhen, CPA → cpa.com/innovative-practitioner

Rooted in Legacy, Driven by Purpose

What drives Angel today isn’t just revenue or recognition — it’s the promise he made to himself after his father’s passing: to live with intention.

“I’m proud of building a $500K+ one-person CPA firm from scratch — without a team, referrals, or outside funding,” he reflects. “It’s proof that with clarity, systems, and consistency, one person can do extraordinary things.”

Beyond his business, he continues to inspire thousands of professionals across CalCPA, Asian Hustle Network, and beyond — showing that even in an industry built on rules, creativity and freedom can lead the way.

Rooted in Legacy, Driven by Purpose

About Angel Zhen, CPA, MST

Angel Zhen is the founder of Pasadena Tax CPA, a one-person firm serving clients nationwide with a focus on tax strategy, clarity, and efficiency. He has been recognized by CPA.com as a 2025 Innovative Practitioner Award Finalist and by the AICPA as a 2025 Leadership Academy Selectee. Angel is also the author of The Profitable Solopreneur Playbook, helping others design businesses that create both wealth and freedom.

🗳️Vote for Angel Zhen, CPA as the 2025 Innovative Practitioner

https://www.cpa.com/innovative-practitioner

Connect with Angel Zhen

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/angelzhencpa 

Website: www.pasadenatax.cpa

  • 5 min read
Founder-Images_3-2-scaled-jpg

Stories

Singapore’s Snack Revolution: How The Golden Duck Turned Salted Egg Yolk Into a Premium Global Phenomenon

Chris Hwang (left) and Jonathan Shen (right) – founders of The Golden Duck
Chris Hwang (left) and Jonathan Shen (right) – founders of The Golden Duck

Growing up with Asian snacks like salted egg yolk chips meant savoring flavors that felt both comforting and unforgettable. Yet when Jonathan Shen and Chris Hwang turned their eyes to the global market, they saw a different reality: these beloved treats were undervalued, underpriced, and largely overlooked by international consumers.

Back in 2015, Singapore’s FMCG market was crowded, dominated by established Western brands. Asian flavors were largely seen as niche, affordable snacks rather than premium products you’d gift or showcase in events.

Jonathan and Chris quickly recognized a gap: millennial consumers craved adventurous, culturally rooted flavors, but no brand was presenting them in a way that made people proud to share them.

They founded The Golden Duck with a vision to elevate Asian snacking to a globally aspirational experience.

Today, The Golden Duck has sold over 20 million packs worldwide, and is stocked in 650+ Woolworths and Metro stores.

How It Began: Inspiration from a Familiar, Unlikely Flavor

Jonathan Shen and Chris Hwang didn’t start with a massive budget or fancy offices. What they had was complementary expertise, and a shared passion for snacks. 

Jonathan, with a keen eye for branding and marketing, looked at salted egg yolk and asked: what if salted egg yolk could feel luxurious? 

While ubiquitous in Asia, it was rarely found outside hawker stalls or home-cooked dishes.

Chris, a stickler for quality and craftsmanship, understood that getting the recipe and packaging right could make all the difference.

When it launched, crowds queued for hours, wanting to get their hands on chips that tasted like home but looked like luxury. The Golden Duck’s Salted Egg Yolk later earned Jonathan & Chris recognition on Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia.

How It Went: Bold Flavors, Relentless Hustle

Entering a competitive FMCG market without big funding meant bootstrapping everything—from sourcing ingredients to hand-packing orders. They had to balance daring flavors with high-quality production, ensuring every snack met premium standards.

It wasn’t just about product innovation. Breaking into a market dominated by Western brands meant shifting perceptions: convincing consumers that Asian snacks could be modern and premium. Every unconventional pairing, every new flavor, was a calculated risk.

Chris ensured every ingredient and recipe exceeded expectations, while Jonathan told the story in a way that resonated with millennial snack enthusiasts.

They launched pop-ups, engaged directly with customers, and refined details one by one. Salted egg yolk became their signature flavor, but it was only the beginning. The Golden Duck now offers a growing range of gourmet Asian-inspired snacks, from Chilli Crab Seaweed to Tom Yum Goong and Spicy Mala Hot Pot.

What’s Next For The Golden Duck?

The Golden Duck isn’t slowing down. In 2025, the brand launched a new line of canister chips for Western markets including Australia, the United States, and Canada, with bold flavours like bold flavours like Truffle Wagyu, Kombu Seaweed Butter, and Sour Cream & Sriracha. At the same time, the company is actively entering new markets such as the UK, Europe, and China.

Innovation and sustainability remain at the heart of The Golden Duck’s strategy. The company continues to explore new flavors and formats while sourcing real ingredients to deliver premium, authentic taste experiences.

With every new flavor and product, Jonathan Shen and Chris Hwang are proving that Asian snacks can be premium and globally celebrated. Every bite is a story of heritage, innovation, and taste waiting to be told.

Connect With The Golden Duck

Website: https://www.thegoldenduck.co/

IG: @thegoldenduck.sg

@thegoldenduck.au

  • 3 min read