{"id":2734,"date":"2014-07-29T18:08:53","date_gmt":"2014-07-29T11:08:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/yup.edu.vn\/?p=2734"},"modified":"2026-10-01T01:16:12","modified_gmt":"2026-09-30T18:16:12","slug":"khoi-dau-gian-nan-cua-cac-ceo-thanh-dat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yup.edu.vn\/en\/khoi-dau-gian-nan-cua-cac-ceo-thanh-dat\/","title":{"rendered":"The difficult beginnings of successful CEOs"},"content":{"rendered":"

A tour guide, a bartender, a dishwasher, and a boy helping out at a racetrack. Today, they run global companies worth many millions of USD.<\/h3>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"The<\/div>\n
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A tour guide, a bartender, a dishwasher, and a boy helping out at a racetrack. What do these 4 people have in common? Today, they run global companies worth many millions of USD.<\/p>\n

What did they do before taking the top positions at their corporations? These 4 CEOs shared their mistakes and told us interesting stories from their experiences.<\/p>\n

Improvise in your own way<\/strong>What must you do to get ahead of others? You need to step outside your comfort zone, says Fred Cook, CEO of public relations company GolinHarris. Cook has faced personal challenges. He now heads a company with 50 offices around the world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"The<\/a><\/em>Fred Cook, GolinHarris's public relations CEO, as a young hotel doorman (left) and today<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

In the past, Cook held countless jobs, including bookkeeper, imitation-leather salesperson, secondary school teacher, tour guide, cabin boy on a Norwegian oil tanker, and even doorman at a 4-star hotel.<\/p>\n

In the book \u201cImprovising: Career Advice from an Unexpected CEO,\u201d Cook wrote: \u201cWhen you reach the top, everything you say and do comes under close scrutiny from the press and public. Fortunately, on the way up, nobody pays much attention, inadvertently allowing us imperfect people the opportunity to improvise.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Cook, his knowledge helped him enter his first career as a tour guide. He initially taught himself to write a truly compelling r\u00e9sum\u00e9 based on his experience in odd jobs as a room attendant, doorman and driver.\u2019<\/p>\n

Cook explained: \u2018I packed dozens of guidebooks in a suitcase, describing destinations I had never visited. I discovered that with a little preparation and a great deal of creativity, I could confidently lead tourists into unfamiliar places.\u2019<\/p>\n

For Cook, improvisation means \u2018creating extraordinary things from ordinary things already available somewhere.\u2019 It is an essential business skill.<\/p>\n

Cook insisted: \u2018When technology, economics, and politics change as constantly as Facebook profiles, both company presidents and national presidents need improvisational skills, just like a tour guide who is not quite sure where he is heading.\u2019<\/p>\n

Small things lead to big rewards<\/strong><\/p>\n

Between business and marketing classes at Harvard University, Katherine Yip washed dishes at Boston's renowned Faneuil Hall restaurant to support herself.<\/p>\n

Some of Yip's colleagues never worked overtime, but she stayed to wash every dish thoroughly. Katherine Yip's diligence, patience, and willingness to work hard were eventually rewarded.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\"The<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ms. Katherine Yip, Chair of KYG International<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

One afternoon, the restaurant manager said he needed someone trustworthy and hardworking to fill the cashier position. He chose Yip. Yip's pay did not increase in the new position, but the new role showed that he had earned his boss's trust and gave him the opportunity to learn new skills, such as accounting. The accounting position also helped Yip better understand how his boss made money.<\/p>\n

Yip, now an accomplished CEO, said: \u201cI think the most important thing for an employee is not what you want to receive first, but how to become better. Sometimes small things bring great rewards.\u201d<\/p>\n

Today, Katherine Yip is chairwoman of KYG International, a global consulting and investment company based in Hong Kong. She is also the first and only female founder of Pacific Alliance Group (PAG) and VinaCapital (VCG), 2 leading Asian investment funds. Before reaching these heights, however, Katherine Yip pursued \u2018edutainment,\u2019 a form of entertainment using videos or shows to educate viewers.<\/p>\n

In 1987, Katherine Yip founded AMW Hong Kong, a company specializing in design, contract manufacturing, production, and distribution. AMW Hong Kong partnered with another company to distribute Disney products in China. Yip\u2019s career took a leap forward when she received a call from Pleasant Rowland, founder of toy company American Girl, who needed someone to help manufacture doll accessories.<\/p>\n

According to Yip, Ms. Rowland called her after seeing her photograph alongside Tommy Thompson, who later became Governor of Wisconsin. Yip recalled: \u201cMs. Rowland said she wanted to approach me because I had a sweet face.\u201d Yip knew that Rowland's company needed \u201ca precise craftsperson who could work with many small parts.\u201d<\/p>\n

First, Yip approached premium lingerie manufacturers, believing they could make small handcrafted, high-quality garments. Unable to find a suitable manufacturer, she took the risk of making the products herself. In 1997, she established her own factory and became American Girl's exclusive supplier, quality controller and contract manufacturing agent.<\/p>\n

In 2012, Yip sold AMW HK Ltd. She explained: \u2018My work with American Girl inspired my career and taught me to believe in myself. It allowed me to broaden my expertise, strengthen my business skills, and develop my passion. It also helped me identify the equation for success: passion plus talent will overcome every difficulty.\u2019<\/p>\n

Everything is an adventure<\/strong><\/p>\n

Richard Earl once did hard labor in a fruit-packing factory in southern France. He also spent time earning a living as a bartender toward the end of his university studies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\"The<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Mr. Richard Earl, CEO of Talent International<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

When Earl arrived in Perth, Australia, in 1991, he had exactly 320 AUD (equivalent to 300 USD) in his pocket. Eral had promised his girlfriend (now his wife) that they would vacation in Perth for a few months, even though the city was in recession. Today, Earl is the founder and CEO of Talent International, a recruitment company specializing in telecommunications, technology and information, headquartered in Sydney, Australia. Recalling his difficult circumstances, he said: \u201cI was stuck there, but persevered little by little, and eventually it paid off.\u201d 4 years after arriving in Perth, Richard Earl, who had worked as a software developer, began thinking about establishing himself. The company he worked for was generally good, but rather conservative.<\/p>\n

Earl recalls: I always sought to work in my own way. I always led with ideas for improving the business, but my managers at the time told me \u201cnot to rock the boat.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even while his wife was pregnant, Earl still made the leap. He recalled: \u201cBack then, in the mid-1990s, when technology was poised to transform people's lives, the opportunity was quite clear. I finally felt I was on the right track and that it was time to implement my ideas. I founded Talent in 1995 and have never regretted it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Never pass up an opportunity<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\"The<\/em><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Mr. Stephen Waldis, CEO of Synchronoss, a multinational cloud storage and software provider headquartered in Bethlehem (Pennsylvania, USA)<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

A former baseball player at Seton Hall University in New Jersey, Stephen Waldis was fortunate to obtain a summer internship at the New Jersey State Racing Commission (NJSRC), with flexible hours that allowed him to alternate work with his baseball schedule. He performed administrative tasks such as delivering documents to offices, washing cars, and filling vehicles with fuel. Today, he is CEO of Synchronoss, a multinational cloud-storage and software provider headquartered in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, United States.<\/p>\n

Waldis recalled: \u201cThe job looked boring, but it was tactical. It taught me the value of hard work, building relationships, punctuality, and meeting deadlines.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even while swamped with odd jobs, Waldis set new challenges for himself. When the NJSRC information technology manager needed someone to test new software for use at racetracks, Waldis seized the opportunity. It changed his career.<\/p>\n

Waldis reflected: \u201cI was really excited about it. It showed me that technology could do anything and changed my path in the information industry. My message is: never pass up an opportunity. Instead of following an established path, follow your instincts and bet on yourself. Over time, you will prove yourself right.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

According to\u00a0Nguy\u1ec5n Thanh H\u1ea3i<\/strong><\/p>\n

Doanh nh\u00e2n S\u00e0i G\u00f2n\/BBC<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Ch\u01b0\u01a1ng tr\u00ecnh li\u00ean quan t\u1ea1i YUP Education:<\/strong> The Journey \u2013 l\u1ed9 tr\u00ecnh ph\u00e1t tri\u1ec3n doanh nh\u00e2n<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

M\u1ed9t h\u01b0\u1edbng d\u1eabn vi\u00ean du l\u1ecbch, m\u1ed9t ng\u01b0\u1eddi ph\u1ee5c v\u1ee5 qu\u00e1n r\u01b0\u1ee3u, m\u1ed9t ng\u01b0\u1eddi r\u1eeda b\u00e1t \u0111\u0129a v\u00e0 m\u1ed9t ch\u00fa b\u00e9 ph\u1ee5 vi\u1ec7c \u1edf \u0111\u01b0\u1eddng \u0111ua. Ng\u00e0y nay h\u1ecd \u0111ang \u0111i\u1ec1u h\u00e0nh nh\u1eefng c\u00f4ng ty to\u00e0n c\u1ea7u tr\u1ecb gi\u00e1 nhi\u1ec1u tri\u1ec7u USD.   M\u1ed9t h\u01b0\u1edbng d\u1eabn vi\u00ean du l\u1ecbch, m\u1ed9t ng\u01b0\u1eddi ph\u1ee5c v\u1ee5 qu\u00e1n r\u01b0\u1ee3u, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[134,16,22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2734","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","category-bao-chi","category-tin-tuc-bao-chi"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/yup.edu.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2734","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/yup.edu.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/yup.edu.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yup.edu.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yup.edu.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2734"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/yup.edu.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2734\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17919,"href":"https:\/\/yup.edu.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2734\/revisions\/17919"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/yup.edu.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2734"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yup.edu.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2734"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yup.edu.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2734"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}