Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in business services but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Guanxi Yi, Founder of Metis Themis Insights, located in Lake Forest, CA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Metis Themis Insights provides consulting (including market research, data analysis, investment research, business solutions, etc.) and investment services (VC or wealth management) to businesses, especially startups. As a startup ourselves, we would like to contribute to this community.
Tell us about yourself
I am an Economics Ph.D. focused on microeconomics theory and data analysis for most of my research. After I graduated from university, rather than stay in academia, I chose to go into industry to be closer to the real economy. So I started my career in a financial institution to do investment strategy and economic analysis. After years, I still felt not close enough to the real economy, so I want to run a startup. Rather than choose some specific area, I provide solutions to their businesses. For these years, I have kept learning new trends and ideas and solving different problems which are more realistic and helpful to other entrepreneurs, and I feel I add value and stay close to innovations.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Having the chance to get in touch with different resources and people, learning the things you want to and like to learn. I feel I am more of a "handy" man and resourceful man rather than a technician in some specific area.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Challenges are everywhere. You need to worry about revenue and take care of your own team. You start to care about things such as payroll, legal stuff, taxes, and HR yourself, which are usually taken care of by a big team in big companies. But it feels rewarding—kind of like DIY something yourself. Sure, you can buy it from others, but it cannot give you that much fun.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Be prepared. It is never an easy thing to run a business. You will need a lot of resources, time, money, talent, and more.
- Have a plan. Ideas cannot be executed with a careful business plan, and you will need to adjust them from time to time.
- Be passionate. As it is not an easy thing, choose something you are passionate about. It can carry you over the hard times before success.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.metisthemis.cc/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shufekidd/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/guanxiyi/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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