Entrepreneurs we love: Get to know David Zhang, the founding father of Interlunar

Entrepreneurs we love: Get to know David Zhang, the founding father of Interlunar

We love entrepreneurs and small enterprise homeowners at Honeycombers, which is why we’ve created Launchpad, a digital networking platform (with IRL advantages) that encourages connection, enterprise assist and neighborhood. It’s a privilege and pleasure to be taught from so many gifted people! Looking for inspiration? Check out how David Zhang, the founding father of Interlunar, will get it carried out like a boss.

Tell us the story behind your enterprise.

I’m David, the founding father of Interlunar, a digital transformation/innovation consultancy and design company hybrid geared in direction of serving small enterprise homeowners. I’m a proud Canadian (and by advantage, a hockey-lover: Go, Canucks, go!) and the pawrent of Barley, a Singapore Special canine who additionally occurs to be the Chief Wellness Officer at our boutique.

What are some milestones or achievements you’re most happy with?

Bootstrapping Interlunar in 2021 meant forsaking a cushty company job and getting into the huge unknown simply two years after graduating from college. While incomes our first shoppers’ belief, I pursued a FlexiMasters in Technopreneurship and Innovation at Nanyang Technological University. Nine months after incorporation and a handful of engagements operating concurrently, I might lastly afford to begin paying myself a wage and produce on two full-time workers.

In November 2023, Interlunar received the Spirit of Enterprise Neo-Startup Award. This accolade elevated our publicity and helped us acquire the belief of extra potential shoppers. By Q1 of 2024, we had served 50 regional shoppers, together with startups, multinational firms, non-profits, and authorities companies.

I’m extremely proud to have reworked Interlunar from a ‘one-person generalist’ to a staff of interdisciplinary specialists throughout Southeast Asia. I’m tremendous stoked to see the place this journey takes us.

Share with us a setback that taught you a invaluable lesson about operating a enterprise.

Initially, I struggled with our product-market match and messaging, skilled consumer cost points, lacked sources, and wanted to construct a monitor file. I needed to determine the place our goal clients have been, perceive their ache factors, learn how they favored to speak, and decide their willingness to spend. I developed a pricing mannequin to suit new shoppers higher and permit us to work longer-term with them. I additionally used freemium expertise options (together with automation and AI instruments) to handle our shoppers’ wants.

As a end result, our staff has elevated engagement, bettering our fame, referral community, and skill to draw new enterprise.

I’m presently exploring methods to successfully handle a distant staff by constructing deeper relationships and belief, and implementing a extra strong suggestions system. I’m additionally honing my expertise to create extra impactful and pleasant consumer experiences which are sustainable in the long term.

Describe a typical day in your life and what you’re keen on most about it.

My typical morning routine entails two pictures of espresso, strolling my canine, getting ready assembly notes, and main convention calls. My first ‘full’ meal is lunch, as I comply with intermittent fasting. In the afternoon, I proceed with extra calls, full administrative duties, and tick off objects on my each day to-do listing. In the evenings, I attend offline occasions, create undertaking proposals, switch my bodily Post-it notes to my digital planner, schedule emails, ship out DMs, make a guidelines for the subsequent day, stroll my canine once more, and eventually wind down with a couple of articles, weblog posts, or a e-book.

My ardour is connecting with folks on a deep degree. I assist others overcome private {and professional} challenges each day, drawing from my expertise operating Interlunar and dealing with different shoppers. I can relaxation simple understanding shoppers are in a greater place than earlier than.

What’s your favorite e-book, film, or TV present that has influenced your entrepreneurial mindset?

Earlier this yr, I reread James Clear’s Atomic Habits. In it, he argues that small, constructive adjustments in habits can result in exceptional enhancements over time. This philosophy jogs my memory that self-improvement works like compound curiosity.

I simply completed Timothy Gallwey’s The Inner Game of Tennis. The e-book focuses on overcoming psychological obstacles like self-doubt to attain peak efficiency in any exercise, not simply on the tennis court docket.

I exploit sports activities administration rules for Interlunar’s operations and like listening to enterprise and self-improvement books audibly whereas commuting between conferences and settling family duties.

I’m an enormous fan of Monocle for inspiration (I’m nonetheless unhappy the Monocle retailer at Holland Village closed!). I’m additionally an avid supporter of impartial zines (take a look at our listing of favourites on our weblog).

Life professional tip: Use Libby. It’s free for everybody with a library card, and also you’ll have entry to limitless e-books and audiobooks.

Any recommendation for aspiring entrepreneurs?

Here are seven off the highest of my head:

1. Plan, plan, plan! Write a marketing strategy, create month-to-month and quarterly targets, hold your self accountable, and at all times be able to pivot as you check the market.

2. Set clear objectives and decide boundaries (with members of the family, enterprise companions, and collaborators).

3. Contact attainable mentors, angel buyers, and clients early. Be able to ask clear, focused inquiries to solicit good suggestions.

4. If you’re bootstrapping and functioning as a staff of 1, reap the benefits of expertise, significantly generative AI.

5. Find your tribe and construct a neighborhood. The founder’s journey may be lonely, however it doesn’t should be. Participate in or organise bi-weekly lunch or dinner periods. Attend community-building occasions for small companies or your trade (or be a part of Launchpad!).

6. Invest in a second and third monitor to reinforce your productiveness.

7. Lastly, take a look at Interlunar’s helpful hyperlinks for our advisable applied sciences and providers.

Top tip for sustaining an excellent work-life steadiness?

I mix work, life, and play. I’ve not too long ago begun to take a agency curiosity in climbing and tennis. On particular workdays, I co-work at my favorite bouldering health club. I play night tennis with buddies all through the week. This apply helps me keep bodily lively and socialise regardless of a busy schedule.

Favourite factor to do on weekends?

I like island-hopping! Exploring completely different components of Singapore with my canine helps me really feel rejuvenated and broaden my social circle. I’m additionally a patron of the humanities, repeatedly attending model launches, exhibitions, and theatrical performances.

Tell us one enjoyable truth about your self that not many individuals know.

I’m an enormous foodie – I’ve obtained over 3,000 pins on my Google Maps, primarily meals institutions. I wish to broaden my sensible information of gastronomy, significantly espresso, wine, and sake. I additionally love amassing vinyl records and discovering hidden gems at markets and classic shops.

Get in contact with David Zhang on-line.

Want to affix a neighborhood of entrepreneurs with weekly masterclasses, member networking, small-business mentoring and extra? Check out Launchpad and be a part of us! 

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April 22, 2024 at 04:45AM