At e27, we have kickstarted a new articles series called work-life balance to learn more about tech enablers and executives and their lives beyond working hours.
Bernadette Cho oversees the Singapore office and cohort at Entrepreneur First in Singapore, enabling the most ambitious and talented people to build startups from scratch.
Before Entrepreneur First, Cho served as the Chief of Staff at Funding Societies and Chief of Staff to the Co-Founder at Grab. She was the first product marketing hire at Grab and was previously the Head of Product Marketing for APAC Talent Solutions at Linkedin.
You can read Cho’s thought leadership articles here.
In this candid interview, Cho talks about her personal and professional life.
How would you explain what you do to a five-year-old?
Entrepreneur First builds companies through talent investing, which means we identify brilliant people with the potential to become founders even before they’ve decided on a startup idea and set them up with the best platform to succeed.
What has been the biggest highlight/challenge of your career so far?
The biggest highlight (and challenge!) was starting my role at Entrepreneur First a few months before COVID-19 struck, and we had to pivot to a fully-remote model. It was inspiring to see the team pull together to serve our founders and reimagine how we ran and recruited our cohorts.
Similarly, it was equally exciting to see founders reinvent their business models, work around a lack of lab access, and still continue to drive outsized outcomes!
How do you envision the next five years of your career?
Hopefully, similar to the last five — working with driven, curious people who are looking to make things better than when they found them!
Also Read: What makes Desmond Yong thrive in ambiguous situations
What’s something about you or your job that would surprise us?
Early-stage professionals make for some of the strongest founders. They have fewer fixed beliefs and are willing to challenge existing ways of working and thinking, which enables them to design more future-focused and customer-centric solutions.
Do you prefer WFH or WFO, or hybrid?
I enjoy hybrid! Maybe it’s a result of the past few years, but I find a balance of home and office work is more fulfilling than only one or the other.
What would you tell your younger self?
Don’t chase titles; chase curiosity and let that lead you instead.
Can you describe yourself in three words?
Idealistic, impatient, learning.
What are you most likely to be doing if not working?
Exploring, but specifically places that are friendly for dogs and newborns!
What are you currently reading/listening to/ watching?
Crossroads by Jonathan Franzen (late to the party!) and Drop the Ball by Tiffany Dufu.
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The post ‘Don’t chase titles; chase curiosity and let it lead you’: Bernadette Cho of Entrepreneur First appeared first on e27.