Zhao: Business owner, student and more
Photo by Zhao Dexin
PROFILE by Audrey Ang
It wasn’t an easy decision to carry the huge weight of Singapore’s largest group of young entrepreneurs – the NUS Entrepreneurship Society – upon his shoulders. But ever since Zhao Dexin took it up, he has never looked back.
Zhao was born in China but travelled to Singapore with his migrant parents at the age of five and settled in more than comfortably. Since his teenage years, Zhao has held great expectations of himself. His burning passion for entrepreneurship provides him a strong drive to take on challenges in life.
At the age of 22, Zhao has outdone many of his peers and even started his own company doing international trade and printing. Despite being a greenhorn in the business world, he dug into his minimal savings and established his own company. “I haven’t taken a single cent from my parents since I was 18,” Zhao said.
Many think that entrepreneurs do what they do just for the money. This does not apply to Zhao. “Entrepreneurship is about doing your parents proud, working on what you’re passionate about and paving a way for your future generation, all at the same time.” Behind the facade of this emerging business man is a filial child of a pair of very fortunate parents.
It wasn’t without sweat, tears and extreme diligence before he got the company up and running. “I don’t see myself doing this forever, but right now, it provides me the experience of running a business and enough to pay for my school fees and bills,” he said.
Zhao was first roped in by a friend to perform a short stint in the printing industry but quickly figured out how he could value-add to customers and left shortly to start a separate business on his own.
Upon entering his first year in university, he joined the NUS Entrepreneurship Society. His evident fervor towards entrepreneurship propelled him to leadership positions and he was offered the presidential position soon after. Claiming it to be the hardest decision of his life thus far, he chose to take up presidency rather than expanding on his flourishing business. The bonds and networks made in the society, as well as constant influx of quality business ideas from members, is what keeps him rooted to the club. Furthermore, helping fellow members work towards their aspirations gives him indescribable fulfillment. He believes that this position will provide him the best entrepreneurial journey as a student.
Zhao’s greatest aspiration is to become a technopreneur, to create products that add value to manufacturing processes. This ambition was first sparked after he was featured on Channel News Asia for an award winning invention in the prestigious Tan Kah Kee Inventors Award in 2003. He expresses utmost respect and admiration for the company 3M, which specializes in innovation technology. “3M is amazing because the company’s products are not built upon rocket science and yet revolutionizes the way we live our lives—this is ultimately what I wish to achieve.”
Traces of the entrepreneurship spirit are evident in everything that Zhao does. “Isn’t this the dream? I just can’t help but feel fortunate.”
It wasn’t an easy decision to carry the huge weight of Singapore’s largest group of young entrepreneurs – the NUS Entrepreneurship Society – upon his shoulders. But ever since Zhao Dexin took it up, he has never looked back.
Zhao was born in China but travelled to Singapore with his migrant parents at the age of five and settled in more than comfortably. Since his teenage years, Zhao has held great expectations of himself. His burning passion for entrepreneurship provides him a strong drive to take on challenges in life.
At the age of 22, Zhao has outdone many of his peers and even started his own company doing international trade and printing. Despite being a greenhorn in the business world, he dug into his minimal savings and established his own company. “I haven’t taken a single cent from my parents since I was 18,” Zhao said.
Many think that entrepreneurs do what they do just for the money. This does not apply to Zhao. “Entrepreneurship is about doing your parents proud, working on what you’re passionate about and paving a way for your future generation, all at the same time.” Behind the facade of this emerging business man is a filial child of a pair of very fortunate parents.
It wasn’t without sweat, tears and extreme diligence before he got the company up and running. “I don’t see myself doing this forever, but right now, it provides me the experience of running a business and enough to pay for my school fees and bills,” he said.
Zhao was first roped in by a friend to perform a short stint in the printing industry but quickly figured out how he could value-add to customers and left shortly to start a separate business on his own.
Upon entering his first year in university, he joined the NUS Entrepreneurship Society. His evident fervor towards entrepreneurship propelled him to leadership positions and he was offered the presidential position soon after. Claiming it to be the hardest decision of his life thus far, he chose to take up presidency rather than expanding on his flourishing business. The bonds and networks made in the society, as well as constant influx of quality business ideas from members, is what keeps him rooted to the club. Furthermore, helping fellow members work towards their aspirations gives him indescribable fulfillment. He believes that this position will provide him the best entrepreneurial journey as a student.
Zhao’s greatest aspiration is to become a technopreneur, to create products that add value to manufacturing processes. This ambition was first sparked after he was featured on Channel News Asia for an award winning invention in the prestigious Tan Kah Kee Inventors Award in 2003. He expresses utmost respect and admiration for the company 3M, which specializes in innovation technology. “3M is amazing because the company’s products are not built upon rocket science and yet revolutionizes the way we live our lives—this is ultimately what I wish to achieve.”
Traces of the entrepreneurship spirit are evident in everything that Zhao does. “Isn’t this the dream? I just can’t help but feel fortunate.”