Chi Kang Pai
From startup to BCG: SCAP Bonus Session Notes
January 25, 2023 · Personal Experience
Written in January 2023 in Hawaii.
SCAP was a course I took in college to learn about management consulting methods. Our instructor was JT, the Managing Director & Senior Partner at BCG. It was only in the last class that I learned JT started consulting at the age of 32, having been an entrepreneur before that. Back in the days at Stanford, there was a scene in the dining hall where everyone discussed business models using napkins.
First day of the class
JT admitted that he valued his career greatly when he was younger. I've also deeply felt recently that to achieve significant success in any field, investing a considerable amount of time is almost a necessity. Recently hearing from Stock Cancer about the time commitment strong individuals in his circle invest in stocks, and the shock of a good friend interviewing for a PhD at Caltech, all reinforce this point.
So, it would be extremely fortunate to find a career you truly love!
Regardless, those who choose to take this course generally have some ambition in their careers, and JT, as a highly successful mentor, has much to offer that is worth learning from the students!
Where to compete
JT’s advice on choosing a path was: if following a traditional path, choosing the right company and boss is important. But choosing an atypical path is also justifiable. I think JT noticed that, compared to SCAP alumni from years ago, we seem to have less of the traditional aggressive drive, but more interest in technology. I personally am also more interested in exploring unconventional paths. As for whether a path is suitable, JT added: whether a path suits you can be decided by whether you are willing to get up and fight again after being knocked down.
The advice on choosing paths aligns with many ideas mentioned by Paul Graham in “How to do great work,” though the difference lies in Paul Graham, as a startup mogul, encouraging young people to explore seemingly non-mainstream issues.
For me, past choices like physics competitions and scientific research weren’t typical paths, and I’ve had my share of falls. I think my next path will be even more obscure, and that’s something I look forward to.
How to win
Pay attention to the rules, especially the unspoken ones.
Making friends is essential, as friends will expose you to different games. Besides the rules of work and industry, this includes the laws that govern the world. I think this is why Paul Graham also mentioned: Meet a lot of people and Read a lot of books/Do a lot of things. Without understanding people, just relying on your own reading and research, it’s hard to grasp the full picture of a field.
Life and career are marathons, learn to pace yourself.
Being impatient by nature, I often find myself on a runaway train. Fortunately, through my exchange student experience, I've gradually learned the art and importance of resting.
Be Strategic! Three steps: Clarify the Baseline, set the To Be, and find the path between them. Continuously revise hypotheses during the process.
This is exactly the strategic thinking we practiced continuously in the course. Business thinking for consultants, like life’s strategic thinking, is not simple. Consulting requires not only logic but also long-term accumulated people skills and networks, developed business sense, and industry knowledge. Life strategy is even more challenging because defining goals becomes even harder. Sometimes, we don’t even know what we are fighting for.
Why join the game?
JT also emphasized that success in life is for one to define. Just like some of JT's classmates chose to be stay-at-home dads and genuinely felt joy from their families. So why discuss how to compete and win? I think JT understands: those who attend this class have some expectations for the future, even if everyone's goals may not be so singular. I remember once JT casually asked everyone what they wanted to do by the time they were thirty; one classmate answered: a mother! I think this is a surprising and interesting idea. Perhaps our generation will set our priorities in more diverse ways. Many want to invest, many others want to start businesses, and even more seek work-life balance. And these are all great goals.
And me? Currently on vacation in Hawaii, I seem to be having the best time. Yet, I still find myself drinking beer at midnight, listening to JT’s lectures. Because I know, I'm eager to get back on the track, whatever that may be. Just like Walter White couldn't stop producing drugs and working with chemistry, I'm eager to find a path where I can contribute. For me, JT's lectures are not to direct my future, but to inspire me to continue exploring.
I was the only one attending the bonus session online; others who went out didn't show up, which shows I'm a true fan!
Just me on the screen! Too bad I couldn’t visit BCG in person!
Being able to toast JT remotely in Hawaii and getting cued crazily during the session, all while my travel companions were asleep and I dared not ask questions, is an unforgettable experience. Thanks to JT, and thanks to my amazing team members, for giving me a whole new perspective.