O wasn’t always this eloquent as a child; her communication skills were developed through persistent encouragement from her father.

“When I was a kid, I was so quiet that my kindergarten teachers asked my dad to take me to the doctor for a checkup to see if I had any special needs. He did, but he also helped me build my confidence in other ways. He enrolled me in storytelling competitions, and I read passages to him at home. Eventually, I transformed into a more outgoing child who loved to talk,” she recalls.

O has always been passionate about teaching: even at a young age, she would teach kids how to swim. Not only did she find fulfilment in uplifting her students, but she also discovered her knack for communicating with their parents.

Later, while studying at the City University of Hong Kong, she worked part-time at an educational institution and became a private English tutor. After graduating, she continued her career in education as a school marketer, but she felt a strong desire to effect positive change in society through her own venture.

“I wanted to start my own company by 28,” she says. “We only live once, and I reflected on the risks associated with entrepreneurship—like unstable income and whether I could handle the challenges. In the end, they were risks I felt I could take.”

Read more: School of Concepts founder Mint Lim envisions a world that leaves no child behind

In 2017, O launched her first company, I Can Education Group, which specialises in education consultation and study tours. “The beginning was quite tough. I had limited support and connections. I spent a lot of time making cold calls and sending emails to expand my network. Then, the pandemic hit,” she recounts.

With travel restrictions in place, her business suffered a significant downturn as organising study tours became impossible. O felt stressed, but as one door closed, another opened: e-learning. Capitalising on the surge in remote learning during Covid-19, she developed an online platform that allowed students to take English classes with overseas tutors.

After navigating through that challenging period, O set her sights on her second initiative in the education sector, GloStudy. Leveraging over ten years of industry experience, she identified a gap for a platform that could centralise information on higher education programmes and provide school matching services.

When she first applied for the Cyberport Creative Micro Fund—a HK$100,000 grant designed to support early-stage startups from one of Hong Kong’s leading incubators—her proposal fell short. Due to a lack of understanding of the pitching process, she prepared a lengthy 30-page deck that she couldn’t fully present in the allotted five minutes, and her business plan was too broad and complex for the judging panel to grasp.

“If I truly believe in something, I can persevere. Failure is part of the journey, but I need to learn from it,” O says. After her initial setback, she turned to her mentors for feedback to help refine her presentation. Her efforts paid off: her second application was successful, and her startup was later accepted into the organisation’s incubation programme.

Read more: How Peggy Yeoh and Eva To Cheah are shaking up the education system with Dalton School Hong Kong

O, who became a mother this year, had never envisioned herself as a parent during her early entrepreneurial journey. “I used to think my career was my top priority, and I didn’t want anything to interfere with it,” she says. Several questions weighed on her mind: Would she lose her identity as a mother? How might her role as a business leader be perceived? Would motherhood limit her time for her business?

Her perspective began to shift after she heard the story of Azalea Ayuningtyas, co-founder and CEO of the social enterprise Du Anyam in Indonesia. They met in 2022 through the Google for Startups’ Founders Academy, a 12-week programme that brought together ten female founders from the APAC region for panels and online training, including a four-day event in Seoul.

“Azalea’s business isn’t just about making money; it’s about the positive impact she wants on society. She is driven by her mission and maintains a professional demeanour, all while balancing her commitments to her child. With the support of her family, she could join us in Korea. I saw a real example of how it’s possible to be both a mother and an entrepreneur,” she says. 

O continued to work throughout her pregnancy, meeting deadlines and attending in-person meetings. Many people she met at work suggested she rest more and stay home once they learned she was expecting. “But I was just pregnant. I was not sick,” she says.

By October, one month before the expected delivery date, this mother-to-be was calm, thanks to her careful planning and delegation of tasks for her businesses. She eventually welcomed her son slightly earlier than anticipated in the same month. With a supportive partner by her side, she started working on her laptop in bed the very next day.

“I now have an additional identity, but that doesn’t mean I’ll lose myself. I want to positively impact the education sector, with GloStudy as one of my tools. Moreover, I aspire to be a role model for my son—someone who is happy, uplifts others and brings about positive societal changes,” O says.

Read more: Wati co-founder Bianca Ho on how her grandmother inspired her startup dreams

Here, we learn more about O by asking her a series of quick-fire questions. 

What’s the first thing you do when you wake up?

Fiona O (FO): I always drink a glass of water to hydrate my body, cook myself a nice healthy breakfast and take a moment to outline my goals and priorities for the day ahead.  

What piece of advice would you give your 18-year-old self?

FO: Invest in yourself: time, knowledge, skills and personal growth.

What is one thing that all female entrepreneurs should talk more about?

FO: All female entrepreneurs should talk more about embracing ambition and the belief that they can achieve their goals. Ambition isn’t just about career success; it can also encompass personal growth, community impact and pursuing passions. Don’t be afraid to walk a different road.

Who is someone you genuinely admire?

FO: My father. He is the one who taught me perseverance and to never be scared of challenges. His tough love helped me grow and shaped who I am today.

Share a mantra that you live by.

FO: No one’s you and that’s your superpower.

This article is part of Founder Stories, a series dedicated to discovering the untold stories and challenges of today’s entrepreneurs on their climb to the top.

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