Every aspiring beautician needs the right skills and hands-on experience to be successful. That’s why Linda Tsang, Founder and Director of the Elite College of Business & Healthcare, is committed to providing such education and training. The college offers relevant, cutting-edge courses and programs delivered by respected industry specialists. Alongside this, their curriculum also ensures a hands-on, accessible, and supportive learning environment for every student.
What does Asian Heritage Month mean to you?
“People across the globe carry their culture, traditions, and practices close to their heart since these cultural, traditional, and similar practices are a vital part of individual life that shape one’s childhood as well as adulthood. Similarly, my own childhood and life was strongly influenced by colours of Asian heritage and culture. Perceived differently by many people, I think Asian heritage incites different emotions; however, for me, Asian Heritage Month represents the individual and collective efforts of Asians.
I believe that prioritizing Asian culture using Asian Heritage Month gives a sound platform from which people can be made aware about Asian cultural and traditional practices. It is a prime opportunity for cultural and traditional practices to transition from the elderly to the new generation. In essence, Asian Heritage Month is a time of reminiscence, remembrance, and celebration.”
Why and how did you start your business?
“I started my business after I got promoted to a first grade diamond grader. Prior to this occurrence, I never knew that the idea of promotion behind diamond grader was proportional with the idea of age and/or experience rather than talent. The promotion, generally a cause of celebration, had a detrimental impact on me since I lost the handful of friends I had. The extent of change in my life could be identified by the fact that my friends refused to spend time with me and eat with me. Every day would be spent debating a subject rather than doing actual work. The extent of the argument could be identified by the fact that when I said the diamond is ‘G color’, they would say that it is ‘H.’ Au contraire, my insistence on the letter ‘I’ would generate a counterargument that the letter was actually ‘H.’
The constant cold-shoulder and debates tired me to the point that I lost the motivation to work. At that time, my partner convince me to quit but after I quit, then what? What am I good at? I was good at diamond grading and spa services (as I worked at the spa while I was in university). The respective events ultimately encouraged me to open my own business. Although the underlying events were disheartening, I later found that the events themselves had a long-term positive impact on my life.”
What role does your heritage play as an entrepreneur?
“As an entrepreneur, I believe in the idea of working harder, complaining less, and focusing on work. I also believe that it is not prudent to talk about compensation without learning on the job and using the experience to better one’s skills. Finally, I believe that my heritage has taught me to focus more becoming a single unit and think by standing in someone else’s shoes.”
What’s one of your most proudest moments as an entrepreneur?
“Be prepared to fail, numerous times. Fail, get up and try another path and fail again. The respective statement has long been a motivation behind my actions and practices. I believe that my ability to navigate the business to this length has only been because I faced many failures and chose to overcome them to the best of my ability. I also believe that these moments of failure were my proudest moments since they have always taught me a valuable lesson about managing personal and professional life.”
What is one of the biggest and/or most difficult lesson you’ve had to learn as an entrepreneur?
“Remaining positive in the face of betrayal. Throughout my past 20 years being an entrepreneur, I’ve encountered numerous betrayals and failures; however, the success of my business can be attributed to the fact that I never gave up and stayed positive. The respective betrayals and experiences, as mentioned before, are a source of solace just as much anguish they have brought me in the past. I believe that I was exposed to these situations for a particular reason and that I’ve learned so much from my mistakes. I believe I can now educate my students not to go through these experiences by ignoring them or considering them a difficulty. Rather, I wish to teach them the importance of learning from every difficulty since it is these difficulties that manage to set the smoothest course of action in the coming years.”
What’s one piece of advice that you would give to yourself when you were first starting your business?
“When you’re working for someone, it is most likely from Monday to Friday and a 9 to 5 job. Comparatively, a business demands that the owner invest their entire lifetime in it if it is to become successful. Even when you’re off, you need to think of how to promote your business and gain loyal customer. Furthermore, the dynamics of business demand that if the campaign is not working, one ought to study the patterns to identify the errors and engage change as a means to improve the business. Budget, expenses, the lists goes on and on. Not every business idea will be a guaranteed earn and win, but stay positive and learn from your mistakes.”
This piece is part of Startup Canada’s wider campaign to celebrate and honour Asian Heritage Month. Find more entrepreneur stories such as Linda’s in our full list of Asian entrepreneurs who are shaking up Canada.