Build the right incentives, w/VIPKid’s Cindy Mi

Early Challenges

Cindy Mi's journey into entrepreneurship was sparked by the challenges she faced in the education sector. In 2012, despite the technological advancements in China, traditional teaching methods were still prevalent, creating a gap in content delivery 1. Cindy identified the need for native English-speaking teachers in China but struggled to recruit them due to the daunting prospect of relocating 1. Her love for science fiction fueled her curiosity and self-learning, leading her to teach English alongside her uncle, where she learned the importance of engaging teaching methods 2.

The bigger problem is the teacher supply problem, because apparently parents all believe it. Not only in China, but Asia. Anywhere people want to learn English, you should learn from teachers from the US or Canada.

--- Cindy Mi

Cindy's early experiences highlighted the need for innovative solutions in education, setting the stage for her future endeavors.

   

Starting Anew

Faced with the limitations of her existing business model, Cindy Mi decided to pivot and start anew. She realized that to attract the right talent and create effective incentive structures, she needed to dismantle her existing company and build from scratch 3. This bold move was driven by her understanding that the old methods were no longer sufficient to meet the evolving demands of students and teachers 4. Her approach to teaching, inspired by storytelling and engagement, became a cornerstone of her new venture, ABC English 5.

You can always dream big, but you got to start small. So the first year, trying to get from zero students in Beijing, where nobody knows about us, to 100 students is such a struggle.

--- Cindy Mi

Cindy's determination to innovate and adapt was crucial in overcoming the challenges of starting a new business.