ex-chief of staff builds her startup with no coding experience?!

Listen now:
Spotify // Apple // YouTube

Alison Yeung is an entrepreneurial generalist, with a background in business operations. She’s worked for 10 years in tech, through all stages (pre-seed to IPO), across multiple markets (Asia, Europe, US) and industries (Marketplaces, fintech, HR tech and e-commerce). Ally is London Based, born and raised in Hong Kong and is vibe coding her startup as a solo-founder (though is on the lookout for a co-founder! If this episode resonates, why not say hi? 😉 )

What you'll learn:

• How to make faster decisions by trying things instead of overthinking them

• How to lead teams by taking care of everyone while still getting work done

• Why joining professional groups helps you learn and contribute right away

• How people with many different skills can succeed in startups

• How to build your first product without knowing how to code

• How to help others in your network from the very beginning

• How to use communities to feel more confident about your career choices

• How people with varied backgrounds can start their own companies

Some takeaways:

Stop overthinking, start trying Instead of spending weeks analyzing every decision, try the approach of "I'll know if I like it after I try it once." This stops you from getting stuck in endless research and helps you learn faster through actual experience.

Be a leader who takes care of everyone Good leadership is like hosting a BBQ - you make sure everyone else is fed and having fun, but you also get to eat and enjoy yourself. Leaders should support their team while still focusing on the main goals, and they shouldn't burn themselves out in the process.

Jump into professional communities right away Groups like Generalist World show that you don't need to lurk for months before participating. Within just two weeks, you can both get help and help others. This creates valuable relationships that benefit everyone involved.

There's no single "right" career path Professional communities reveal that people with diverse skills can build successful careers in many different ways. This takes pressure off finding the "perfect" path and gives you permission to follow your actual interests.

You can build products without coding skills Modern tools let non-technical people create real, working products. If you're good at understanding systems and user needs, you can build a business without hiring programmers or spending tons of money on development.

Your diverse background is actually an advantage People with experience in different areas can spot opportunities that specialists might miss. Your ability to connect ideas from different fields helps you find gaps in the market and create innovative solutions.

Find your people to feel less alone Career uncertainty feels much worse when you're dealing with it alone. Connecting with others who have similar experiences turns your struggles into shared learning opportunities and gives you both emotional support and practical advice.

Your existing skills transfer to entrepreneurship If you're good at seeing the big picture, building relationships, and solving different types of problems, you already have many of the skills needed to start a company. Early-stage businesses need people who can handle multiple responsibilities at once.

Create your own opportunities As traditional jobs change, people who are comfortable with uncertainty and have multiple interests will be better positioned to create their own work rather than waiting for the perfect job to appear. This entrepreneurial mindset becomes more valuable as the economy keeps evolving.

Links:

Where to find Alison

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ally-syeung/

• Aly’s startup: https://www.whyslab.io/

Where to find Milly

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/milly-tamati/

• Website: http://www.millytamati.com/

Generalist World resources:

• Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0qbGzMUMDCK5v3XbvRANmD?si=b1d7af51c24e43ee

• Podcast on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-generalist-world-pod/id1814092399

• Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3rNaj9NhcU&feature=youtu.be

• The Generalist Quiz: https://www.generalistquiz.com/

• Essays: https://www.generalistcareer.com/

• Upcoming events: https://lu.ma/generalist.events

• Positioning Guidebook: https://www.generalist.world/positioning

🙏 Special thanks to our podcast producer James McKinven! (get in touch for all your podcast needs, he’s really great!)