I started studying accounting because I did not major in a specialised field, so I was anxious about my future career. I thought that accounting would be useful no matter what I decided to do, as it acts as the language of business.
When I was preparing to take the ACCA Qualification, many people tried to dissuade me and told me it would be difficult. I took this to mean that the qualification would be valuable, so I went for it.
I am currently running a startup company, which runs incubator projects for independent brands. Although it is not a direct part of the accounting industry, I have needed to apply the business knowledge I learnt to different cases and reflect on the development direction and project feasibility.
I thought that accounting would be useful no matter what I decided to do, as it acts as the language of business
The most challenging part is the uncertainty when facing risks at the startup’s nascent stage. I cannot solve these issues via conventional management methods so must use trial and error instead. This has improved my leadership skills as I must cooperate with others; it’s challenging but the level of satisfaction is that much higher.
I think that the need for professionals with a background in financial and business knowledge will increase. From being a big manufacturer, China is actively shifting to industrial upgrading. For professionals, this opportunity should not be wasted as they will play a key role in running a sustainable business.
Since the projects I work on are incubator ones, the outcome is not guaranteed. However, we can only do the best we can to work towards a logical, feasible business solution. I have also met many positive and optimistic entrepreneurs in this process, and this continues to motivate me.
A term that I keep hearing is ‘involution’, which means that more people are competing for limited resources. Apart from improving our competitiveness, I hope we can also increase the ‘social pie’ as well as create more productivity and value.
Everyone has the potential to reach higher. I encourage those looking to enter this field to have a keen sense of vocation and social responsibility.
