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Youths,
seize the day!
4
IT enthusiasts: People in their 20s should grasp the chance to
try different things & balance their lives
By Timothy Ser
Four talented young men in their 20s
joined together to establish a company specialising in multimedia
development with a start -up capital of $50,000 in 1998.
With their hard work and professionalism,
they soon earned a good reputation in the IT industry.
Their izzue.com even brought them the
prestigious Platinum Award. It was among the first Hong Kong e-Awards
granted by the Hong Kong Productivity Council.
Later, their abilities
and enthusiasm were further recognised when a listed company chaired
by a media celebrity, William Lo Wing Yan, invested a 51 percent
stake in the company. This raised their company value to over
$10 million.
Andy Hui, 24, is a graduate of the Hong
Kong University of Science and Technology. He is now the executive
director of the company.
Question: What is
unique about being in your 20s when compared with other stages
in life?
Answer: I once heard Westerners saying that Hong Kong people do
not act without reason. I think it might not be applied to those
who are in their 20s. I believe people in their 20s can always
do whatever they want since young people are energetic enough
to pursue their dreams without many worries. But those who are
over 30 always have a lot of burdens. That’s why they always have
reasons behind their actions.
Q: By the age of
30, what do you wish to achieve?
A: I wish I could do well in every aspect of my life. I believe
that everyone has a score for every aspect such as family, career,
love, etc. I would like to lead a balanced life in order to elevate
my average score. I hope I can settle everything before 30.
Alvin Lam, 24, is a university classmate
of Mr. Hui. He majored in finance at HKUST and he is now managing
director of the company.
Q: What do you think about your achievements
in your early 20s?
A: Actually, I am not too surprised about that. I think we are
still far from successful and we should take a few more steps
forward. However, I do have a great belief that the more you pay,
the more you gain.
Q: What do you think
you have missed out on at this stage?
A: Being the founder of a company right after graduation, I think
I have missed the experience of working Four young men, (from
left to right) Andy Hui, Alvin Lam, Alex Lo and Lennon Ho, share
their views on being in their 20s.as a hired hand. I always think
that fresh graduates can experience sincere friendships with their
colleagues in their first and second jobs. That is what we, as
employers, can hardly experience.
Alex Lo, 27, is now the creative director
of the company. He is a graduate of the Art and Design Foundation
at Milton Keynes College. He later went to Nene College, University
of Leicester, to further his education in graphic communications.
Q: What is the meaning
of being in your 20s to you?
A: Being in your 20s is about exploring and discovering new things.
People in their 20s should try more new things regardless of their
nature. Only if you have really engaged in the activities, you
can gain more life experiences. Living with the traditional Chinese
belief that studying hard is the only way to success, I was restricted
to explore the world in my early 20s. I pity myself for it.
Q: Had you ever
imagined life in your 20s before?
A: Of course I had, but I must admit that it came out to be very
different from what I had imagined. While my childhood dream was
to be a policeman like my father, I turned out to be a designer.
During my adolescence, I thought I would get married at 25 and
give birth to children soon. My plans were idealistic. But reality
caused me to think practically when I reached my 20s. Reality
has stopped me from realising those dreams.
Lennon Ho, 23, graduated from HKUST,
majoring in industrial engineering and engineering management.
He is now the assistant creative director of the company.
Q: If you were given a second chance, would
you still choose the same path as you did?
A: When I reached my 20s, I devoted myself to extra-curricular
activities at university and enjoyed it very much. I engaged in
all sorts of activities and skipped a lot of classes. Yet, I will
not regret what I have done and what I am doing now. But if I
could choose again, I would play more before starting my career.
I believe people in their 20s are carefree and therefore they
should have the courage to try new things.
Q: What kind of
advice will you give to those who are approaching or being in
their 20s?
A: Again, I think they should play more since studying and working
is very different. You should have more fun and enjoy more of
your school life before you have to worry about family and financial
situations when out at work. It is really difficult to put down
your work once you have started.
Take me myself as an example. I always
want to travel around, but my work does not allow me to do so.
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