The Dramatic Pause That Exposed Me
In the latest episode of The Power Within, I sit down with Fred Ng, co-founder and CEO of Beyond Border.
Fred was working in venture capital at 22. At 23, in the middle of COVID, he bought a one-way ticket to Taiwan to launch a business on a shoestring budget. He then spent two and a half years at SquarePeg, investing in AI and SaaS companies, before walking away from a seat most people chase for their whole career.
Then came the twist. Having resigned, he found out he had also lost his right to stay in the country, and was told he could stay anywhere from 30 days to 12 months. That frantic, confusing moment became the idea for Beyond Border, which now helps founders, tech leaders and innovators move to the US. The company has been profitable since day one, and built without outside funding.
We talk about:
The embarrassing board meeting that sent him off to earn some battle scars
Why his team in Taiwan never pushed back, and the tattoo he got to change that
His biggest leadership mistake: leading from the front
The three questions he asks himself every day (his “shower thoughts”)
Why impatience can be a weakness in VC and a superpower when you’re running a company
Starting a business with your best friend, and still being friends
Staying bootstrapped, and when it makes sense to take VC money
There’s a lot here for anyone leading a team, not just founders. The moment Fred realised his team never pushed back will feel familiar to any leader who has mistaken silence for agreement.
The opportunities that matter are rarely found in someone else’s pitch deck. They are found in the problems you have lived.
Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/6jREzprjK9o
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