Defying Confucius: Tales of Risk Taking from Asian Entrepreneurs

Kira M. Newman Oct 23, 2012 Tweet

To many young Asian entrepreneurs, starting a company is an act of rebellion. It means defying the lessons of parents, teachers, and culture, who say: Be proper. Find a stable job. Risk taking is foolish. It means – in many cases – feeling uncertainty, shame, and fear of failure. It’s a struggle they will continue as they gun to compete with US companies, get funding from US investors, and partner with US corporations.

Today, Tech Cocktail is releasing a special report about their journey. For American entrepreneurs and investors, it’s a peek into the culture of potential competitors and portfolio companies. For Asian entrepreneurs, it’s a discussion of issues that can hobble the growth of startup communities. And for anyone, it’s an inspiring story about overcoming the fear of failure with risk taking, determination, and passion.

Defying Confucius: Tales of Risk Taking from Asian Entrepreneurs is based on over 100 interviews that I conducted over six months in Asia, across Hong Kong, China, Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia. It includes:

• Real-life stories about the struggles, risk taking, and successes of bold Asian entrepreneurs.
• How organizations in Korea, China, Malaysia, and Singapore are trying to change the culture and kickstart entrepreneurship.
• Why risk aversion in the United States is different.
• Why excitement about Asian entrepreneurship is at an all-time high.

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