Uncategorized Archives - Foundation for Shared Impact

FSI x Linklaters: Equipping HK Youth with Work Readiness, Intercultural Competence, and Essential Human Skills

Editor FSI — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 00:10:49 +0000

Life cannot be easy for someone who, despite claiming to be happy in their place of birth, don’t envision themselves living in that place in 10 years’ time. In fact, this is the story of half of Hong Kong’s ethnically diverse youth, who struggle with gainful employment and social exclusion due to language barriers.

With the population of ethnically diverse youth increasing significantly by 37% from 2011 to 2021, and Hong Kong facing an impending talent shortage of 180,000 workers by 2028, it is no longer just a moral obligation but an economic and social imperative to nurture this invaluable pool of homegrown talents.

Realizing that equitable access to resources, knowledge, information, and networks is key to unlocking the potential of Hong Kong’s ethnically diverse youths, we inaugurated our Community Business Internship (CBI) Program in 2023 to empower ethnically diverse youth, aged 16-24 years, coming from disadvantaged backgrounds, to become future leaders and business consultants.

The beauty and sustainability of this program lie in its mutually beneficial nature: while under-resourced youths gain equitable access to hands-on training in entrepreneurship, skills building, and career development, they are also providing valuable business consultations and solutions to grassroots and socially impactful businesses in Hong Kong.

With the dedicated support of Linklaters Asia for the second year, we launched the 2025 CBI Program from October to December for five ethnically diverse youths. To enhance the effectiveness of the engagements between the youth and the business owners/entrepreneurs, we matched them based on an alignment of skill-sets and business challenges, so that youths skilled in marketing and storytelling could support business owners looking to increase their business’ visibility and reach, for example.

Meet the 2025 October-December Cohort of CBI Interns

Each representing a unique cultural background, the five CBI interns brought with them respective skills and multidisciplinary knowledge, ranging from Social Policy and Social Governance to English Literature, Business Management, and Sociology, to support under-resourced grassroots businesses through community-led entrepreneurship.

Before reading about the youths’ internship experience and the impact they created, meet them here:

Richelle Gabucan

Ethnicity: Filipino
Education: Currently studying English Literature at the City University of Hong Kong (CityU).
Self-intro: An “open book” and passionate about social impact. She brought strong technical skills in photography, videography, and Canva to the team. With a prior background in creating zines, she specialized in storytelling and leadership, often taking the lead in group presentations.

Rafida Naqiyatur Rahmah

Ethnicity: Indonesian
Education: Currently a Year 2 student at The University of Hong Kong (HKU), majoring in Social Policy and Social Governance.
Self-intro: Originally motivated by “top-down” social change, she sought to explore “bottom-up” community impact. She is highly proficient in organizational tools like Notion and has a keen interest in urban planning and graphic design.

Richelle Gabucan

Rafida Naqiyatur Rahmah

Imama Dawood

Ethnicity: Pakistani
Education: Recently graduated from Islamic Kasim Tuet Memorial College (HKDSE); currently a Year 1 student at The University of Hong Kong.
Self-intro: Having arrived in Hong Kong in 2018, she has a deep understanding of the Yau Tsim Mong community. She is skilled in content creation via CapCut and Canva. Though she describes herself as appearing introverted, she is highly communicative and extroverted in professional outreach settings.

Angeela Gurung

Ethnicity: Nepali
Education: Currently a Year 2 student pursuing a degree in Business Management.
Self-intro: A polyglot who speaks six languages. She has a strong creative background in music, painting, and design, which she applied to her branding projects for grassroots shops.

Gurneev Maria Singh

Ethnicity: Indian (Punjabi)
Education: Currently a Year 1 student at The University of Hong Kong (HKU), planning to major in Psychology and Sociology.
Self-into: Gurneev is fluent in six languages. His background in social sciences makes him particularly interested in human interaction and the sociological challenges faced by marginalized entrepreneurs in Hong Kong.

Imama Dawood

Angeela Gurung

CBI Program: Where Disadvantaged Youth Build Confidence, Clarify Career Pathways, and Create Social Impact through Small Business Support

Describing themselves as beginners in their professional journeys in communications, marketing, research, and project coordination, the five CBI interns were selected amongst dozens of applicants for their unequivocal desire to support Hong Kong’s ethnically diverse small businesses as well as their interest in learning more about creating positive social impact.

It was also through the CBI Program that the interns hoped to clarify their career direction and pathways, and hone their respective skills and become workplace-ready through the support and deliverables they were going to provide to under-resourced entrepreneurs.

Our CBI Program, now in its fifth iteration, is designed precisely to respond to common challenges facing Hong Kong’s disadvantaged youth and empower them to resolve those challenges through experiential learning, critical thinking, collaboration, and building self-awareness.

Throughout the two-month internship, we led multiple GuideFong Tours and community outreach sessions to connect the interns with ethnically diverse entrepreneurs who run micro and small businesses in Hong Kong. The interns were tasked with identifying lesser-known ethnically diverse-owned businesses in target districts, building trust and collecting stories through in-person interviews with the business owners, and co-designing practical marketing and branding solutions with the business owners.

Across the cohort, the interns worked individually and collaborated as a team to contribute dozens of hours of work toward:

35+ new ethnically diverse-owned businesses listed on FSI’s GuideFong Directory;
Five “Meet the Entrepreneur” stories published on GuideFong’s website;
Multiple newly designed or refreshed menus, logos, banners, and business cards; and
Tailored marketing strategies, Google profile optimization, and other “light consulting” outputs.

A Mutually Beneficial Program Empowering Youth and Ethnically Diverse Entrepreneurs

The 2025 October-December CBI Program’s success was encapsulated in the interns’ ratings: 9 out of 10 stars for career relevance, 8 stars for skill gains, and 10 stars for gaining an in-depth understanding of the challenges facing ethnically diverse business owners, such as digital invisibility, language barriers, high rental fees, market saturation and domination by local franchises.

“I observed two main challenges facing ethnically diverse entrepreneurs: a lack of foundational support and a reliance on informal labor,” said Richelle Gabucan. “Many owners exit their businesses prematurely because they lack the resources to navigate failures. Additionally, relying on family members for technical tasks like menu and logo design often leads to bottlenecks, as these ‘helpers’ have other commitments.”

Notably, the interns said the program enabled them to gain and hone their skills in stakeholder communication, adaptability, cultural competence, graphic design, and copywriting.

Said Richelle Gabucan: “The most significant takeaway from my internship was the necessity of adaptability. While I began with an ambitious plan, I learned that external variables can shift outcomes despite my best efforts. This experience taught me to pivot gracefully, seek help when needed, and maintain productivity independently even when leadership was occupied. Ultimately, it deepened my connection to my community and strengthened my ability to communicate through professional uncertainty.”

Rating the CBI Program a 10 out of 10 for the autonomy it gives them, the interns felt an immense sense of accomplishment from the business projects and solutions that they took ownership of, collectively adding 35+ new business listings to the GuideFong Directory, curating five comprehensive branding kits, five narrative case studies, and a series of targeted social media reels.

Said Imama Dawood: “Seeing firsthand how practical, tangible support like a well-designed menu can immediately boost a small business owner’s confidence and professionalism was incredibly rewarding.”

The sentiment is echoed by Rafida Naqiyatur Rahmah: “My objective was to bridge the gap between social policy theory and grassroots reality. In addition to adding seven business listings to the GuideFong Directory and producing a series of ‘Meet the Entrepreneur’ case stories and reels, I also focused on storytelling to help business owners combat the ‘saturation’ of the market and stand out through their personal histories. Through this, I provided these entrepreneurs with a digital platform they previously lacked the time or technical expertise to manage.”

In addition to gaining sharpened professional aspirations, the interns also expressed a stronger commitment to supporting under-resourced entrepreneurs and building a more inclusive Hong Kong business community. In particular, they described feeling more confident in client communication, stakeholder management, and independent project work, and they reported a stronger sense of agency in driving positive change.

“Coming from a social policy and governance background, I used to think that change only happens from top down,” said Rafida Naqiyatur Rahmah. “This internship proved me wrong. My takeaway is that community-level support is the most direct way to foster social inclusion.”

Said Angeela Gurung: “My work had a meaningful impact by equipping two local businesses, Maiti Ghar and Hamro Fancy, with effective marketing strategies and professional branding. I shared insights on digital audience engagement, crafted targeted approaches for the owners, and designed logos, banners, and business cards, which I believe have helped them to establish a stronger online presence and professional identity, enhancing visibility and customer appeal.”

Expressing utmost satisfaction about the CBI Program, all interns agree that they would recommend the program to their peers as a highly valuable youth development experience.

“This internship is perfect for someone who wants to get out of the office, connect directly with the community, and see the very concrete results of their work,” said Imama Dawood. “You gain real skills in communication, content creation, and design while making a visible difference for local businesses.”

“I would highly recommend this internship, particularly for students or those early in their careers,” said Richelle Gabucan. “The freedom to choose from a diverse range of projects allows interns to customize the experience to their interests, helping to build a versatile skill set while making a meaningful impact on the community.”

The impact we create to empower disadvantaged youth would not have been possible without the dedicated support of funders and skilled volunteers. If you would like to support our youth empowerment initiatives by engaging your employees or leveraging your professional skills and expertise, get in touch with us at info@shared-impact.com!

The post FSI x Linklaters: Equipping HK Youth with Work Readiness, Intercultural Competence, and Essential Human Skills appeared first on Foundation for Shared Impact.

FSI Celebrates Fourth Year of Mentorship Program Empowering Ethnically Diverse Entrepreneurs

FSI Intern — Tue, 21 Oct 2025 00:36:56 +0000

On 20 September, we were thrilled to welcome the mentees, mentors, coaches, and partners of our 2025–26 Mentorship Program for Ethnically Diverse Entrepreneur s at the first cohort-wide meeting.

This opening session marked the beginning of a six-month journey of learning, connection, and hands-on support for 10 mentee entrepreneurs, who are paired with 10 mentors and 10 ICF Hon g Kong Chapter coaches. True to the name of our program, the ethnically diverse cohort brings together people from Pakistan, Nigeria, India, Lebanon, Canada, the Philippines, Hong Kong, and African countries like Nigeria — a wonderful mix of perspectives and lived experiences that will enrich the meaningful connections made possible by the program.

All Gathered at the Hive Poho

As with the 2024-25 Mentorship Program, our meeting took place at our venue partner, the Hive’s Poho sp ace. We are thankful to the Hive Hong Kong for providing us with an open and friendly space conducive to networking and collaboration, not only for this meet-and-greet session, but for many more business workshops and networking events to come in the next six months.

Joining us at the event was Carla Acepcion, Events Specialist at the Hive, who talked about the company’s ethos of supporting ethnically diverse entrepreneurs in Hong Kong, and announced the discounts that Mentorship Program participants and FSI community members are entitled to for the Hive’s membership and support services, as a result of the Hive Hong Kong’s partnership with FSI.

Said Carla: “the Hiv e team and I are deeply passionate about supporting growing businesses. We love witnessing the learning, growth, and relationships that flourish at events and in our spaces. Having been a startup ourselves, we know how vital support is for success. Our goal is to inspire individuals to build meaningful connections, regardless of their industry or background. We want FSI’s diverse entrepreneurs to see the Hive as their home for growth – an inclusive space for developing new ideas, hosting important meetings, and trying new things. Ultimately, we aim to create a community where ambition can thrive.”

Meet the 10 Aspiring and Early-stage Entrepreneurs

A signature characteristic of our Mentorship Program is the diversity of our mentee entrepreneurs, hailing from different cultural backgrounds and industries, looking to start and grow their businesses to serve a variety of causes and clientele.

Nisreen Muchhala, an early-years Waldorf teacher, brings her deep appreciation for natural living into handcrafted creations together with her partner Taher. What began as making products for family and friends has grown into Nourish Scrubs, with a mission to foster mindful skincare with all-natural, sustainable, and made-to-order products.

Also committed to sustainability is Kaylini Naidoo, Founder of Upeeling, a snack brand aiming to reduce Hong Kong’s food waste problem by transforming surplus and imperfect fruit into healthy treats with Asian-inspired flavors.

Muhammad Fahad Tanveer, a Hong Kong-born Pakistani studying Environmental Conservation and formerly a Community Business Intern at FSI, is passionate about marine conservation and sustainable development. Through Okyanus, he aims to create sustainable clothing while incentivizing marine conservation efforts.

Jerome Bautista, the Filipino-American Co-founder of Sacred Space Therapy and Wellness, draws from his own journey of burnout and depression to create the space and opportunity for others to carve out a life of mindfulness through yoga, sound healing, forest therapy, and life coaching. He is dedicated to creating a kinder, more compassionate world where holistic wellness is accessible to all.

Rabia Asla m, Lead Medical AI Engineer at Koln 3D Technology (Medical) Ltd. and visionary STEM educator, is passionate about blending AI, EduTech, and innovation, aspiring to transform learning, spark curiosity, and empower tomorrow’s changemakers through cutting-edge education and technology.

Equally dedicated to changing education for good, Latha Chandrakant, Founder of Minmini Early Learning Solutions, believes children learn through play. Guided by the question, “What are children learning?”, Latha is passionate about helping parents understand their child’s learning journey while also supporting caregivers in finding calm through simple, real-life strategies.

Shamsa Bibi, a trainee solicitor, is also deeply passionate about child development and empowering young minds, envisioning a learning center dedicated to soft skills training, believing these competencies are crucial in shaping a child’s future and in creating an inspiring space where children can flourish.

Junimay Cortes, a Filipina born in Hong Kong, turned her passion for sustainable and circular fashion into Revamp, to encourage people to choose secondhand first, extending the life of clothing and inspiring conscious choices.

Helena Cho is the Founder of Chomad e, featuring handmade creations such as scrunchies, pouches, keychains, and bags, with each piece highlighting craftsmanship, unique quality, and a personal touch that celebrates creativity in everyday items.

Founder and CEO of Afrika Kitchen HK, Anita Obodehian Jaho is on a mission to promote cultural awareness through African food, event management, and multicultural relationship building, with her work celebrating Africa’s heritage while fostering meaningful connections across communities in Hong Kong and beyond.

Meet the Mentors — Familiar Faces and New Energy

The seasoned entrepreneurs who serve as mentors are integral to the growth of mentee entrepreneurs and the effectiveness of our program. In addition to encouragement, mentor entrepreneurs also offer practical, hands-on support derived from their respective experiences of similar startup challenges.

In the past years of our Mentorship Program, mentor entrepreneurs have helped mentee entrepreneurs get out of their comfort zone, connected mentee entrepreneurs with the right contacts to accelerate their business’ growth, and validated their needs for emotional support.

At FSI, we are indebted to the seasoned entrepreneurs who return to the Mentorship Program year after year to nurture aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs by generously sharing their knowledge, expertise, and networks, such as Naman Tekriwal, Wilson Tai, and Innocent Mutanga. We are also delighted to see former mentees such as Jerwine Bonafe Que and Maryam Khan giving back to the FSI community by becoming mentors of the program, joining other new individuals who are equally passionate about supporting impact-driven startup founders.

This year’s mentor cohort includes:

Naman Tekriwal, Co-Founder and COO of Breer
Wilson Tai, Co-founder and COO of FundFluent
Innocent MutangaFounder of Africa Center Hong Kong
Karim El-Chami, Founder and Director of Joho TeK
Maryam Khan, Founder of Foodie Explorerz
Jerwine Bonafe Que, Co-founder and Managing Director of The Blomstre
Punam Chopra, Founder and CEO of Spicebox Organics Limited
Ruth Benny, Director of Top Schools Ltd
James Cunningham, Director of Speed Sourcing Ltd;
Amanda Yik, Founder of Shinrin Yoku Hong Kong

Professional Coaching Support from ICF Hong Kong Chapter

We are grateful to ICF Hong Kong Chapter‘s long-time support since our inaugural program, and the coaches who have been returning to our program in the past years to provide our mentee entrepreneurs with invaluable coaching support, such as Philbert Chin, Magdalene Wong, Cynthia Lai, and Hamid Naseem.

We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to John Azzo and Pam Birkett, who previously uplifted our mentee entrepreneurs as coaches and are returning this year with different roles. John is now the Social Impact Director, who helped with coach recruitment and established this partnership between FSI and ICF Hong Kong Chapter, while Pam Birkett is now the Lead Coach of the program, helping to coordinate communication and organization between ICF and FSI throughout the six-month journey.

Alongside John and Pam, we are also grateful to the dedicated coaches who continue to bring their expertise and passion to this year’s program: Philbert Chin, Sam Yu, Magdalene Wong, Cynthia Lai, Christine Simms, Hamid Naseem, Deepti Mehra, Amy Fung, Flore Cassin, and Iris Kloth. Their guidance and commitment will play a vital role in supporting our mentee entrepreneurs as they pursue their goals.

Empowering Youth to Empower Under-resourced Entrepreneurs

The kick-off of the Mentorship Program coincides with the beginning of the Fall 2025 semester of the Impact Lab Course, an award-winning experiential learning course managed by FSI at The University of Hong Kong to give youth a safe space to work directly with social ventures under the guidance of faculty instructors and professional mentors.

Equipped with diverse skills and a passion to drive positive change, these interns will be given the opportunities to hone and acquire new skills to support the mentees as needed. Not only will the interns be able to gain real work experiences and essential human skills, but they will also uplift under-resourced entrepreneurs by helping them sharpen their pitches, refine brand assets, or build stronger business strategies.

As members of FSI’s Community Business Support team, the Impact Lab interns working with the team play a key role in empowering the mentees throughout the program.

Sarita Chung Man Chan will be leveraging her knowledge in AI, automation, and finance to help mentees build efficient operation systems. “Moss” Nattaphat Chotananwut will bring his creative expertise to support mentees with graphic design, branding, and pitch preparation. Sylvie Tao Wu will contribute her skills in content creation, video production, and social media strategy, ensuring that mentees’ stories are told in an engaging and impactful way.

The Communications and Marketing team also add significant value to telling the stories of the program participants. While Candy Tan recaps the happenings at the workshops and networking events through social media content, Toshiya Oh helps draft blog posts and provides photography support to capture the highlights of the Mentorship Program.

Join FSI to Uplift Under-resourced Ethnically Diverse Entrepreneurs in Hong Kong

We are truly grateful to all our supporters and partners who make this program possible with their generous contribution of resources, skills, time, and connections. The 2025-26 Mentorship Program is funded by the Hong Kong Club Foundation and the Drs Richard Charles and Esther Yewpick Lee Charitable Foundation.

Learn more about our impactful Mentorship Program for Ethnically Diverse Entrepreneurs on our website here. On 27 September, the mentees and mentors will gather at the Hive Poho for the ideation, brainstorming, and goal-setting workshop to set SMART goals for the mentees’ six-month journey. Stay tuned to this space or subscribe to our newsletter to witness the growth of this cohort’s mentee entrepreneurs. If you would like to join us to uplift under-resourced ethnically diverse entrepreneurs in Hong Kong, find out more about the various initiatives under our Community Business Support Program, and get in touch with us at cbs@shared-impact.com to explore meaningful opportunities for yourself and your colleagues.

*This blog post was written by Toshiya Oh, Communications and Marketing intern at the Foundation for Shared Impact (FSI) during the Fall 2025 semester of the Impact Lab Course.

The post FSI Celebrates Fourth Year of Mentorship Program Empowering Ethnically Diverse Entrepreneurs appeared first on Foundation for Shared Impact.

Supporting Mohammad Isaac to Enhance ISKI Hokkah’s Social Media Brand Awareness

Editor FSI — Wed, 31 Jul 2024 02:59:42 +0000

About the Entrepreneur

Mohammad Isaac Sidique is a Hong Kong-born and raised Pakistani who has dedicated much of his life to supporting the local community. With a background that includes working in community centers, the labor department, and as a security supervisor, Isaac embodies a spirit of selflessness and kindness. His deep passion for shisha led him to start his own venture during the COVID-19 pandemic.

When Issac found out that the prices for shisha in the local market were very expensive, he started doing his research and engaged with suppliers from China, Dubai, Turkey, and India. It was then that Issac realized he could bring suitable and viable products and supply them to the F&B industry of Hong Kong, especially bars and restaurants with shisha offerings. Soon, he got acquainted with many business owners who couldn’t resist his offer, which was the best competitive price package for restaurants to purchase shisha-related supplies.

About the Business

ISKI Hokkah is a unique business in Hong Kong that specializes in selling shisha products and flavors at highly competitive wholesale prices. As the cheapest supplier in the market, ISKI Hokkah imports its products from various countries, including Turkey, Russia, India, and Dubai.

ISKI Hokkah differentiates itself by offering a wide range of shisha products and flavors, catering to the diverse needs and preferences of its customers. The business maintains a comprehensive inventory of shishas, flavors, and related accessories, ensuring that its B2B clients have access to a vast selection of high-quality options.

Challenges Faced by the Entrepreneur

Lack of Time and Expertise in Managing Social Media

Isaac struggled to find the time and expertise needed to manage ISKI Hokkah’s social media presence. Although he understood the importance of an online presence, his busy schedule with his other full-time commitments made it difficult to regularly update and engage with customers on social media platforms.

Lack of Product Shots and Visual Content

Another challenge was the lack of professional product shots and visual content to showcase his products. Without high-quality images and engaging content, it was hard for Isaac to attract and retain customers.

Direct Business Support Provided by FSI and CBI Intern

Through FSI’s Community Business Internship Program, ISKI Hokkah received valuable support in addressing its challenges. With the dedicated efforts of FSI and our Community Business Intern, Yusuf Mohideen, who contributed a total of 23 hours of work from May to June 2024, the following objectives were accomplished:

Created Branded Invoice Template
- To enhance ISKI Hookah’s professional image and streamline its billing process, we developed a customized branded invoice, while ensuring the invoice template is user-friendly and easy to fill out, with clear instructions and placeholders for all required information.
Conducted Product Photography
- Organized a professional product photography session to produce high-quality images and videos of ISKI Hokkah’s extensive range of shisha products and flavors. These images and short clips were crucial for enhancing the business’ online presence.

Content Creation Plan for Social Media Posts and Reels
- Enhanced content engagement, content management, and content creation to reach a wider audience and increase awareness of ISKI Hokkah’s brand. The success of this social media campaign will be measured by comparing Instagram dashboard metrics before and after posting reels regularly over a month, scheduled every other day, three times per week.
- Developed 10 engaging social media posts or reels highlighting the user-friendliness of the hookah equipment and the multitude of flavors. These posts were designed to be eye-catching and appealing to audiences of all ages and backgrounds. Understanding that the hookah – the instrument used for smoking shisha – is not commonly understood by everyone, efforts were made to simplify the concept through posts and reels, showcasing non-nicotine options, various flavors, and international varieties.
- The long-term objectives of this plan are to ensure that once the foundation for the business and brand image of the company is built, it will be easier to take off from there. Subsequently, Yusuf will demonstrate to Isaac ways to create the desired style of Instagram reels.

From the Entrepreneur

“The team at FSI has been incredibly supportive of my business. As a busy entrepreneur, I don’t have much experience with social media and engaging with customers online. FSI and Yusuf have stepped in to assist me in taking professional shots of my products and teaching me how to manage our Instagram account, which has been a huge help. I’ve noticed more inquiries and interest from customers, which is fantastic. I’m grateful for the hands-on support from FSI, allowing me to focus on providing the best shisha products to my clients.” – Mohammad Isaac Sidique

From the Youth

“I definitely felt super pumped to help Isaac’s business, as I was also developing my own content creation account on the side and was using my newfound editing and filming skills to support ISKI Hokkah. I love using my creative vision in designing posters and reels to solidify ISKI’s brand image, as personal branding is what makes the product more marketable to the clients. I understand how crucial it is for businesses to really put themselves out there and I’m glad I could help ISKI Hokkah do so.” – Yusuf Mohideen

Interested in learning more about ISKI Hokkah? Visit ISKI Hokkah’s listing on GuideFong here!

Get Involved

Here’s how you can help FSI support more grassroots businesses in mutually beneficial ways:

Join our Community Business Support Internship to equip yourself or your students with business consultation skills and help under-resourced entrepreneurs;
Sponsor and/or volunteer for our Community Business Support Internship, Impact Jams, Mentorship Program for Ethnically Diverse Entrepreneurs, Entrepreneur’s Toolkit etc. to channel private-sector resources towards positive social impact;

Check out GuideFong to find more grassroots businesses, try them out, leave reviews, and tell others about Hong Kong’s first online directory for ethnically diverse businesses!

The post Supporting Mohammad Isaac to Enhance ISKI Hokkah’s Social Media Brand Awareness appeared first on Foundation for Shared Impact.

Supporting and Encouraging Employees: Claudia Anticona

FSI Intern — Tue, 21 Jun 2022 14:00:00 +0000

Employee engagement and satisfaction should be of utmost importance to companies. Read our interview with FSI Community Connections Manager, Claudia Anticona, where she discusses her personal experiences in her career and how companies should provide for their employees.

Where did you grow up? How and when did you come to Hong Kong?
I grew up in Peru and the US. I moved to Florida when I was 11. After living in Florida, California, and New York, I moved to Singapore. I came to Hong Kong for a holiday and I absolutely loved it. I decided this is the place where I wanted to live. Shortly after in 2009, I moved to Hong Kong.

Can you tell me more about the work you’ve done as an operations manager and consultant?

I started my career as an environmental consultant. As an environmental consultant, I prepared various environmental impact reports for real estate development projects. After a few years there, I decided to join one of our clients, a real estate development company, to manage its projects, in particular, schools. From there, I moved to being a general operations manager for several companies, building on my skills each time. From job to job, I was building on the additional experience. That’s how I ended up being an operations manager.

I read that you were a Chief Operating Officer at Urban Hatch. What do you think were your biggest challenges as a COO of Urban Hatch? What were some of the things you learned that have proved indispensable in your life?

I think the biggest challenges were that I managed several projects competing for the same resources. I had to prioritize these projects and get the team to complete a project before moving on to the next.

I learned that it is important for the entire team to have transparency of goals and milestones for each project. It is very important to establish a good communication pattern so that any changes or issues are brought to life and resolved quickly.

What is your take on shared impact? What do you think companies should do in order to increase their impact?

Meaningful impact can be only achieved when all parties are committed to working together towards long-lasting change. There’s a saying: it takes a village. If you’re going to help out long-term, all the parties need to be committed and not just involved.

It’s essential for companies to provide and encourage short-term and long-term volunteering opportunities for employees. It’s important for employees to focus on issues that are relevant and important to them, not just have the opportunity to work on causes that they are not invested in. When employees are provided the opportunities to volunteer and they are committed, they will go the extra mile.

A company’s culture should encourage and reward giving. Giving could be giving of time, or skills-based volunteering. It could be donations. Any initiative that makes it clear to employees that it is part of the company culture; to give.

What do you think can and should be done to create more diverse and inclusive, and healthier workplaces?

There are three things I think are most important. I think a lot of companies try to do these things but there is a lot of work that still needs to be done.

Firstly, companies should provide a culture of work-life balance through a variety of wellness programs. Having a healthy number of options for wellness programs for employees is important because what works for one employee may not work for another. Offering that variety makes a difference.

Second, companies should support parental leave and transition back to work for both birth-giving and non-birth-giving parents. The reason I say that is because nowadays we have parents and couples that have different meanings and options. So it’s important to involve both.

Lastly, companies should provide support for employees and managers journeying through the mid-life shift: perimenopause and menopause. It’s not just for the employees themselves but also for the managers. People who are managers and leading employees, going through perimenopause and menopause today, grew up in a time when this topic was not discussed at all. In my experience, managers find it very difficult to have that conversation. It is a taboo. Having that support for managers is also really important.

Women are often doubted for their leadership abilities. Having led several teams, what has been your experience? What did you do to overcome these doubts?

Leadership in the organization sets the tone for how women managers are viewed in the organization. I have been lucky enough in my career to have had the opportunity to work under the leadership of strong women that support all their employees regardless of gender.

In my first role as an environmental consultant, the owner of the company was a very strong woman so I was lucky to have had her as my first management experience. I learned to really believe in myself and to understand that it’s not always going to be easy.

I have worked in larger organizations as well. Because of the size of these companies, there were many leaders and not all of them were supportive of women and in those cases, I had to work extra hard and let my work speak for my abilities. I’ll be honest, it wasn’t always easy to work extra hard. I’ve doubted myself. The most helpful thing I found was to bond with other women managers. Talk about our pain points and talk them through, to come up with ideas to help each other out. Having that bond was really key for me.

On a more personal and light-hearted note, what are your hobbies and what are some personal goals you’d like to get into?

I love playing tennis. I love laughing on the court. I love being competitive. I love the endless opportunities that tennis provides to improve my game. As soon as I achieve something, there’s always something new to learn. Tennis has it all for me: the joy, the laughter, the tears, the motivation.

My personal goal is to make the most of the present. One of my favorite quotes is from Kung Fu Panda. As you can tell, I have children so I’ve watched it a million times and I still love it. One of the characters is the main master, Master Oogway, and he tells his apprentice: “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the present.” I just love that quote. I feel like I should tell myself this every morning, especially with everything that’s going on, to focus on the present and make the most of today.

*Acknowledgement: This interview was conducted and written by Samiya Sainur, an Impact Lab intern of the FSI Communications and Marketing team.

The post Supporting and Encouraging Employees: Claudia Anticona appeared first on Foundation for Shared Impact.

Types of Business Entities in Hong Kong

Foundation for Shared Impact — Sat, 21 May 2022 10:43:47 +0000