2324T2 Silicon Valley/Participant Information/Tan Chi Yong
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About Chi Yong
SMU email: chiyong.tan.2021@scis.smu.edu.sg
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chiyongtan/
Academic Year: Year 3 (2021)
Degree: BSc Information Systems (Major in Digitalisation and Cloud Solutions & Fintech)
Why Virtual TSM
- What motivates you to join TSM?
I believe that this program offers a great opportunity for me to gain a unique perspective of Silicon Valley’s diverse and innovative environment, having won renown as a central hub of technology and entrepreneurship. I would be able to experience firsthand how ideas are transformed into startups through a culture that drives innovation.
What particularly intrigues me is the startup ecosystem of Silicon Valley. It aligns closely with my personal aspirations of managing a technology startup in the near future. Through this program, I hope to gain inspiration and insights from the giants of the tech industry, by closely observing their corporate culture and operational strategies that have propelled them to their current status. This program, TSM, also offers excellent networking opportunities. It brings together like-minded individuals and professionals who share a keen interest in the tech startup culture, something I'm genuinely passionate about. I look forward to the possibility of forming collaborations with individuals who share my enthusiasm and goals.
Furthermore, being able to meet people from different cultures allows me to expand my horizons. I believe that being adaptable and communicative to people from all backgrounds is an important skill that would be highly beneficial to both my personal and professional development. Having heard about the great experiences from seniors who have went for TSM, I am certain that TSM would be a very enriching experience, and I will surely keep an open mind to gain as much knowledge as I can if given the opportunity to embark on this trip.
My interest in the start-up culture is because I feel that I would not want to do a typical 9-5 office job, hence I would like to do my own start-up with flexible working hours and TSM will allow me to have a greater exposure to it. Being able to see how they operate serves as a great motivation for me to push myself in this field. Also, how often would you go to the US and furthermore Silicon Valley? With it being so far from Singapore, This would provide me with many stories to share with my peers when I get back. This is a really great opportunity provided by SMU and I would be really excited to be a part of it.
- Where would you like to visit?
I would like to visit Apple park, Google, and Meta. Known for their modern open-style offices, I believe that their unique working environments contribute to the stable growth of the company by manifesting a culture that drives creativity and innovation, and it would be a delight to experience all this first-hand.
I am also particularly interested in visiting eBay, one of the pioneers of e-commerce. As someone with a keen interest in the e-commerce market, I wish to establish a start-up in the said field, and I highly admire how eBay has digitally transformed the traditional brick and mortar market in order to gain a competitive edge. The field of e-commerce is a lot about connecting buyers with sellers and I feel that there is potential in this market. I would love to be given the opportunity to take reference from their business strategies, goals and vision that would polish my leadership skills and boost my knowledge in what is required to run a business.
Starting a Business
- What types of business interest you?
I am drawn to technology businesses that have the power to disrupt existing markets and significantly enhance the user experience. My particular focus lies in e-commerce and marketing, where I see tremendous potential for innovation and growth. My ultimate goal is to gain comprehensive insights into these fields and identify unmet needs and opportunities that I can target in the future. What fascinates me the most is the idea that technology can propel individuals and businesses to rapid success due to its fast-paced nature and the immense value it can create. The ever-changing landscape of technology forces traditional businesses to adapt and remain competitive, compelling them to continually refine their processes to stay relevant. Being able to help traditional businesses digitally transform is what I really am interested in and is one of my goals in the future.
I view technology as a catalyst that can not only disrupt established industries but also empower them to evolve and become more competitive. Hence, I am very enthusiastic about contributing to this transformative journey for such traditional businesses.
- What plans do you have in starting a business?
I am currently working on a small project, Mailbean together with a friend where we're building a library of screenshots of real emails to help them with designing their emails for marketing material. I believe that there is potential in this market and we are just trying things out to see how it goes! This project could help marketers in companies with their email templates and provide them with inspiration. Some future improvements would be to collaborate with enterprises or other companies where they can use it to create emails such as onboarding emails or custom emails for their users. I feel that if this project is successful at the early stages, we could even improve it in several ways in terms of functionality and the services provided.
I would also like to start a business which can help to digitally transform traditional companies in Singapore to help them stay relevant through ways such as asset management or sourcing for suppliers which can eliminate the middle man. I feel that there are some gaps in the market which can be used to streamline certain processes and it would be valuable for the parties. My primary goal for this business venture is to establish a platform that offers me the flexibility to work on my own terms while ensuring that I consistently meet the business's requirements and deliver on its objectives. This flexibility in working hours is of paramount importance to me as it aligns with my vision of a work-life balance that allows for personal freedom and creativity. I aim to create an environment where my work schedule can be adapted to accommodate my personal needs and preferences.
Past Experiences
Internships:
- WerkSG – UI/UX intern May ’23 – July ‘23
- DareToFinance – Product Manager Intern Jan ’23 – Apr ‘23
CCA:
- Ellipsis – Operations Executive: Years Jan '22 - Dec '22
- Coders Assembly – Python Mentor: Years Aug ’22 – Dec ‘22
- Product Club – Honorary Finance Secretary: Years Jan ’23 – Present
Others:
- Web Application Development 2 Teaching Assistant: Years Aug’23 – present
- Better.sg kidsplaysafer – React Developer: Years Apr ’22 – Aug ‘22
Competitions:
- Finalists for Ellipsis x Goldman Sachs Hackathon 2022
