Sylvia Huang is the founder of bMightie, a platform for founders, operators, and investors worldwide. Founders get matched for a video call on the portal based on their connection objective such as co-founding, mentoring, partnerships, fundraising, and more.
Are you ready to rewrite the stories you tell yourself about success? Sign up for Balance the Grind’s newsletter and get inspired by stories from people in all walks of life!
Let’s start with your background! Can you share with us your career journey and what you’re currently up to?
As a kid, I always wanted to travel and see the world and I couldn’t be more grateful that I got to do just that plus build a career and amazing experiences out of it!
My first stop from Singapore was Japan. I landed in Blackrock as a fund performance analyst – a role that sparked my inner nerd’s passion for all things data and algorithms. I also got a taste of life as an entrepreneur through my first business venture – an online store selling Japanese fashion to international customers.
Next stop was France where I did my MBA with INSEAD and learned from bright minds from everywhere. Third destination was Malaysia where as an EiR with Rocket Internet, I helped launch and grow a furniture e-commerce marketplace.
While visiting my brother in Sydney, I fell in love with the city and once again packed up my life into two suitcases and found my way to a new country. I was hired by Deutsche Asset Management as an AVP covering investment reporting, pitch creation, and due diligence for the APAC region.
A few years on, I decided to take the leap and start my own digital marketing agency. Having caught the startup bug since my Rocket Internet days, I consulted at various startups and co-founded a fintech company which we started and scaled in two years.
My latest venture is bMightie – a platform for founders, operators, and investors worldwide. Founders get matched for a video call on the portal based on their connection objective such as co-founding, mentoring, partnerships, fundraising, and more.
We’d love to know what a typical day is like for you. Could you describe a recent workday?
Listening to something motivational or educational while making coffee and breakfast is how I start most days.
My work days are often packed with meetings with founders, partners, and investors. Being an introvert, I savour my quiet days and dedicate 1-2 meeting-free days each week to projects and staying on top of things.
No two days are the same, but I generally end each day reviewing my to-dos for the next day and giving thanks for the things that went well and the lessons learned.
Can you define work-life balance for yourself and share with us your approach in maintaining it?
For me, balance is creating days of high performance and feeling great – some days that means pausing to refuel or going slower, other days, it could mean riding the highs of being a maker.
During the day, I try to weave in activities that energises or relaxes me such as walks in the park, meditation, cooking, yoga, pilates, listening to music, and so on.
In the evenings or on weekends, I catch up with friends, go for longer walks, check out new festivals, exhibitions or places, or watch movies to unwind and get inspired.
Sign up for Balance the Grind’s newsletter to receive weekly stories about work-life balance and inspiration from people all over the world!
Change is constant, and it’s essential for growth. Have you made any lifestyle changes in the past year to improve your work-life balance?
During the early days, founders are the visionary, team leader, and ultimate doer rolled into one. Preventing burnout is not only necessary but also good for business.
I’ve learned in the past year to make fun, movement, and social connection a priority. An avid learner, I love trying out new recipes from Instagram and listening to audiobooks on my walks. I also meet with founders regularly to swap war stories and cheer one another on.
Another lifestyle change I’ve made is to be more flexible. For instance, I try to eat well most of the time but 20% (more on rough days!) of my meals would be guilty treats. The dream is to have Rivareno’s pistachio gelato every day!
We’re always on the lookout for new resources! Can you recommend any books, podcasts, or newsletters that have helped you in your journey towards balance?
I’m a huge fan of online content by Mel Robbins, Gabby Bernstein, Marie Forleo, Brené Brown, Gary Vee, Eckhart Tolle, Dr Joe Dispenza, Dr Benjamin Hardy, Brendon Burchard, and Zen Habits by Leo Babauta. That said, I’m working on swapping screen time with paperback these days.
For fellow bookworms, some helpful and inspiring books include: Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown, Big Magic, Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert, Stillness is the Key by Ryan Holiday, The Invisible Load by Dr Libby Weaver, Risk and Resilience by Lisa Messenger, Comfort Book by Matt Haig, Atomic Habits by James Clear, Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success by Arianna Huffington.
Before we wrap up, do you have any final words of wisdom or insights on work, life, or balance that you’d like to share with our readers?
Thank you for the opportunity to connect with Balance the Grind readers! I would love to wrap up by sharing the three values that guide my days.
Success is never achieved alone. Treasure those who stood by you through thick and thin, and uplift others however you can – no kind gesture is ever too small.
How we show up each day matters. Stay curious, studious, and open – what worked before may not work again, and not taking risk is a risk itself.
Make your comebacks bigger than your setbacks, and never let a challenge go wasted – there are always opportunities and lessons to unearth.
Before you go…
If you’d like to sponsor or advertise with Balance the Grind, let’s talk here
