If you’re a startup enthusiast, you may already know the story of Hillary Yip, Founder and CEO of MinorMynas. MinorMynas is a social language-learning app with the goal of creating a safe place for children to communicate, chat, and make friends across borders.

But most surprising of all? Yip started her own business when she was only 10 years old!

After four years of entrepreneurial journeying, Hillary Yip became the voice of a new global generation. Kids and teens around her age are eager to tackle some of the biggest problems of the modern world. Hillary was the speaker at EIA Hong Kong 2019, where she inspired participants by sharing valuable insights on entrepreneurship, innovation, and startup life. 

Today, we include some great entrepreneurship development tips from Yip’s Hong Kong speech. After you read the article, don’t forget to hit play and watch the video!

Take the First Step

Many entrepreneurs struggle to take the first step of the entrepreneurial journey. It’s really common to stay stuck on the “if only” and wait for that “perfect” moment. According to Hillary Yip, you need just to get started. “You can spend hours thinking about your brilliant, world-changing idea. But nothing will happen if you don’t act on it.” 

Connections

According to Hillary Yip, creating connections is extremely important for entrepreneurs. And it’s not just about networking–it’s about empathy too.  As Yip puts it, “It’s important to humanize other people, to know there’s no ‘us’ or ‘other,’ but that everyone has something in common. It’s important to pay attention to our connections and not our differences.”

Teaching/Learning

In any work environment, young entrepreneurs and professionals will deal with people from different backgrounds. Knowing how to get the best from each individual is key to success for any business, but it’s also a challenge. It’s important to keep in mind that everyone always has something to teach and to learn. According to Yip, “Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. It’s up to you to prove your strengths and to look for help with your weaknesses.” 

Role Models

Inspiration is something every entrepreneur should prioritize. Having role models can inspire a professional at any stage of their career. Inspiration can push entrepreneurs to learn new things and overcome new challenges. 

Hillary Yip - 14 year-old CEo
Hillary Yip at EIA Hong Kong

When asked about her role models, Yip gave two great names: Sherryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook; and Malala Yousafzai, an activist for female education. 

What about you? Who are your entrepreneurial role models? For more inspiration, check out EIA’s blog.