Who or what is your inspiration in business?

My mom. A formidable Asian mother who went through a divorce and still built an entire career in finance on her own. When her last company relocated, the severance package effectively gave her an early retirement. Yet even now, she’s still the CFO type — the woman negotiating leases with companies like Marriott, TikTok, and Tencent. When I was growing up, she used to drive me to school while simultaneously yelling at HSBC managers on the phone.

How do you stay motivated?

My mom taught me to stay positive in life. I’ve failed at many things, but I always try to find at least a small bit of positivity, even in difficult situations. At one point, I went from having more than $1 million in the bank to nearly going bankrupt within 12 months. Even then, I kept telling myself: I went to engineering school—I can always find a good engineering job and rebuild.

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would invest in myself by slowing down on contract work and focusing on building my own business.