ZAOZAO Exclusive: Girl's Guide to Startup Survival

Many have asked me how life has changed since I started ZAO'ing rather than reporting to the (G) Man. Besides the obvious, what exactly does this mean? How one goes from expensed Mandarin grille lunches to eating 7-11 microwave spaghetti bolognese? Or learning to shove aside sweaty passengers on the bus instead of enjoying sweet a/c in the comfort of a taxi?

This entry is a partial response to that question. I had anticipated the sharp income drop (to zilch) a while ago, so preparations were already in place. Even so, pretending to be poor is different from actually being poor. That's right; you're not fooling anyone into thinking you're one with the 99% just because you take the tram to the office job that pays you that six-figure salary.

All in all, it's been manageable: like other things, prioritization is key. Below is a summary of 5 salient points/tips/observations Ling and I have tried to live by since making the transition. We call it the girl's guide, but it could be applicable more broadly minus a few specifics here and there.

Read on for more if you dare...



1) Don't compromise on the important things. 

This primarily references health/safety. Buy medical insurance. It's as cheap as it'll ever be cuz you ain't gettin any younger! Here's incentive not to smoke: it increases your premium. Sick? Get it checked out. Exercise: there are ways to do it for free, or cheaply (TRX - $500HKD for a package of 10seshs. 8/9.30am on weekends. Group deals for Yoga. Running on Bowen Road. Hiking...so I hear). Eat fresh: Subway lunch specials, $21HKD, 'nuff said. Like my mother reminds me daily: you are nothing without your health.

In the same vein, don't do stupid things to your body if you can help it. You're taking enough risk as it is pursuing a startup, let's be real...it would be a shame to fuck it up by putting yourself in a bad situation. Girls, you know exactly what I mean. You can afford to be a bit more risk-averse on this front even if it means people think you're "less fun". Save that bender for later.

This also applies to maintaining relationships with friends & family. Your time is precious, and at this point also the commodity worth most to you. People who care about you know this. If you put in that extra time and effort, they will appreciate it!

2) Judge but don't judge. 




I thought firm handshakes and awkward public kissing were over once I left the gilded hallways of investment banking. False. Startup world is 10x worse, but in a different way.  Networking is no longer limited to the workplace or designated events, because every setting in your life now constitutes "work". Hence, the importance of filtering.

When I say judge, I don't mean discriminate someone by their race, religion, pedigree etc. What I mean is, ask yourself: "does this person add any value whatsoever?" A friend of mine who became very successful in the management world at a young age once advised me: if a person adds positive value to your life, that's great - try to keep them. If they add zero value, that's fine - don't go out of your way to cut them out.  If they subtract value, that's when you should actively take measures to distance yourself. This may sound harsh, but what's the point of wasting your time with someone who brings you down? Value is assessed differently for each person, just as heuristics for judgment vary. You are bound to make mistakes in the process, so just try to be gracious and tactful when you get called out. Be kind, be considerate, but also look out for yourself.

3) Try to care less. 




Don't think others aren't making snap judgments about you, too. Most of the time they are just as if not more vicious. To this end, avoid dwelling. It subtracts value. Ling is the golden example of this point. She may seem cold at times but she doesn't let any he-said/she-said shenanigans distract her from the important matters at hand. Drama is of zero interest, and anything with a slight hint of negativity can't faze her. "My care factor? Zero"- patented by the no-nonsense queen and my business partner, Xiangling Cai.

4) Look and feel awesome.

No doubt you're working hard if you're running a startup but no need to always look the part. There are things that can be helped with simple remedies/practices that will do far greater good than you can imagine. Preserve youth - use SPF, moisturize, exfoliate. Hydrate - tea doesn't count, warm water is great (and it's free). Smile - frowning causes wrinkles. Laugh, a lot - it's contagious. If single, hook up with hot dudes - just don't expect anything beyond that O in order to avoid disappointment. If committed, keep communication channels clear to avoid conflict. Catch ZZ's when possible. The goal: minimal time expenditure, maximal utility.

5) Carefully assess the value of your time. 

Before, I extolled the virtues of being frugal like taking the MTR/bus instead of taxi, but sometimes it's useful to do a quick little calculation. Does that $5HKD MTR ride + walk lasting 1 hour make sense, if it costs $40HKD to cab it in 10 minutes? $40 minus $5 is $35, the cost of that 50 minute differential, time you could've been productive or resting or doing something else of value. Is it worth it? Similarly, if you show up to an event that turns out to be a gigantic waste of time, don't try to salvage it by staying because the snacks and drinks are free (we'll provide a guide for that in a later post). Cut your losses, exit gracefully. Your time is money.

As mentioned above, these are ideals we feel we ought to live by but don't necessarily adhere to all the time. Til next time, as we get back to work nursing our hangovers with our fifth cup of coffee while running on three hours of sleep....