We had a campus tour in UC, Berkeley where is kind of dreaming campus to students all over the world. And it was breathtaking to see grand buildings and the students walking around the campus.
 After having a campus tour, we had a meeting, had a nice lecture from Jeff Wallace, who is co-founder of ‘Silicon Valley In Your Pocket’, also known as an advisor of International Startup advisor.

 He introduced one type of business models which is successful in bay area – ‘Disruptive company’. Such as ‘Uber’, ‘Amazon’, ‘Airbnb’ etc. Those companies are disruptive because they collapsed the traditional way in their market. For example, Airbnb, they have never owned their own hotel or accommodation but they have earned so much money with this business. Also, when it comes to Uber, they have earned tons of money with taxi – business, but they have never owned their own driver or car. So, how can we achieve disruption in the business? It’s all about our RULES. There are several RULES in there, and the most important factor among them was ‘willingness & desire to break the rules’ that we need to reset our mind to creative and should pursue the mindset of breaking the rules.
He also introduced several facts which are widespread to people’s mind over silicon valley. And among them, there were few factors that I think Asian people should cultivate. Those are the facts.

 First, expect something and fail and learn something from that. He told us about his story about failure, and he emphasized that it is crucial to have failure and learn something from that and become better person. But, mostly for Asians, we get scared of being failed thereby hesitate to challenge something new. It makes people get retarded and staying at the same state.

 Second, he mentioned about importance of working with team. Not being a solo-preneur, make a team with talented people who pursues similar goals with me. However, he had an inviolable rule, which is having team members who have different thinking style with him. He stated that there is already one who thinks similar with him, himself. Thereby, he does not need for member who has similar thinking with him. Apparently, in Bay Area, diversity is taken as a most significant factor to achieve success in the area.

 Last, people should grab their compelling story with their business. When it comes to persuading others with my business, it should be impressive. Telling a story could be stronger when I have presentation. It could be just good sounding, but if you change position, either one will you choose, a presentation having a mind-blowing story or a presentation without any interesting story.
Actually, there were more facts he mentioned that people should cultivate as their mindset in bay area, but I introduced the facts that especially weaknesses for Asians.

 It was so good time having his lecture, It was sort of depressive impact than pleasing. However, it was still good experience to me because I found myself that I was living in the restricted boundary and having small dream, should change my mindset. It is massively difficult for Koreans to be brave in front of failure, we have culture that criticize others failure and look down on them. People tend to focus on ‘others’ than ‘themselves’. Even though I do not have something to do with startups right now, I could take a look back at my mindset personally. Plus, Koreans, and I also do, tend to make a barrier who has different thinking with us. It is the best way to restrict my diversity of thinking, at the same time, stay at the same state, not growing person. Sometimes culture is dangerous enough to hold people back not to grow. To break down that wall, we have to see the big world and try to get out of the safe zone.