TRUE GRIT
As the baby in the family, it was either get teased and left behind or fight twice as hard to keep up. I didn’t have the size or the maturity, but I had the grit and stubbornness that really only a youngest sibling could perfect.
IN GOOD COMPANY
What really drew me to VMG are the types of companies we get to work with and invest in: high-growth, founder-led businesses that are tackling interesting opportunities and shaping the future of the consumer.
Consumer businesses are so diverse and the landscape is constantly evolving, so there’s always something new to learn, which makes the job both challenging and exciting.
SO WHAT WAS YOUNG ALLEN LIKE?
Well, I remember my elementary school report card had a note from a teacher that said, “Allen is a great student but talks too much in class,” which is funny to me because I didn’t even know English until I was about six years old.
REALLY?
Once I caught on though, I went all in, learning the language, picking up playground slang and talking anyone’s ear off who would listen. I ended up speaking so much English that I basically forgot most of my native Mandarin language.
DO YOU HAVE SIBLINGS?
I have four older brothers, so it was definitely fun growing up in my family, but also quite competitive. Whether it was who could win the tennis match or build the biggest snow fort or get the best grades, pretty much everything was a competition.
AH, SO YOU HAD TO KEEP UP.
I was definitely a hyper, overly enthusiastic kid, with the grit and stubbornness that only a youngest sibling could perfect. Looking back now, I think that dynamic led to some of my greatest strengths: setting high expectations for myself and being willing to put in the work to realize them.
IS THAT SOMETHING YOU BRING TO YOUR WORK, TOO?
For sure. Consumer businesses are so diverse and the landscape is constantly evolving, so there’s always something new to learn, which makes the job both challenging and exciting.
WHAT’S YOUR PROCESS?
I’d describe my approach as big-picture first, details second. With any project, there are a million ways to cut the data or build a model, so I like to start by stepping back to really understand the problem, the thesis, and what we need to prove it out. And then from there, I’ll map the framework, dig into the details, and execute.
YOU SOUND PASSIONATE ABOUT YOUR WORK.
I am! I love working side by side with founders and management teams to help unlock their next stage of growth.
FROM BUILDING SNOW FORTS TO SHAPING THE FUTURE OF THE CONSUMER. YOUR BROTHERS MUST BE IMPRESSED!
Yeah, not too bad for the runt of the litter 😊
