Founders’ Stories: Resilience, Pivots & Bold Moves
What a powerhouse session at AWE Hong Kong 2024/25 back in March! Huge thanks to Joanna Hotung (education pioneer, women’s advocate & serial changemaker) and Marianne O (finance trailblazer, InvestTech leader & mentor) for raw, real talk on scaling, stumbling, and soaring as female founders.
From Joanna’s 20+year journey growing—and eventually selling—her education empire to Marianne’s sharp insights on global investing while championing women in finance, their stories were masterclasses in resilience.
Key takeaways?
🔥 Pivot with purpose: Both shared moments when their initial plans hit walls—Joanna starting her career in retails then adapting her education model to parent needs, Marianne navigating male-dominated finance—and how listening to customers (or data!) led to bold shifts.
💡 Barriers are breakable: "The biggest limits are often the ones we set for ourselves," Joanna reminded us, while Marianne stressed strategic partnerships: "You don’t scale alone."
🤝 Mentorship = momentum: Their shoutouts to fellow women who lifted them up? Proof that networks aren’t just nice—they’re necessary.
Fellows left fired up:
“Nothing is impossible!”
“Their vulnerabilities made my own hurdles feel smaller.”
“Strategic planning + flexibility = game-changer.”
To every founder out there: Your stumbles are part of the story. Keep pivoting, keep pushing. 🚀
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