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Sasha Tan
Chief Cereal Officer @ C.riously
Sasha Tan is a renowned entrepreneur and achiever who has been recognized in prestigious lists such as Forbes 30 under 30 Asia, Tech in Asia 12 under 30 Promising SEA Entrepreneur, The Golden Globe Tigers Award, and MalaysianBusiness Top 40 under 40 Inspiring Young Malaysians.
With a passion for building, Sasha has played a pivotal role in launching multimillion-dollar international tech startups from the ground up. Outside of work, Sasha enjoys outdoor activities and is an avid plant enthusiast.
Sasha Tan completed her education at Dasein Academy Of Art, equipping her with a creative foundation that complements her entrepreneurial spirit.
Throughout her career, Sasha has been actively involved in various key roles such as being a mentor at 500 Global, serving as the Chief Cereal Officer at C.riously, leading as the Founder & CEO at Favful, managing as the Vice President Product at HappyFresh, working as a Product Manager at Booster LLC, and establishing herself as the Founder And Principal at Stoone Pte.Ltd.
Highlights
8 years ago, I quit my job to start my startup, and my boss told me I wasn't ready.
I was 24 years old when I resigned.
He was 24 years old when he sold his company successfully.
I've always admired and been inspired by his drive and success, thinking he was going to give me advice or encouragement, and having him said that instead is like hearing:
"You are smaller than you think" ...from your idol.
You can imagine the huge blow to my confidence.
Because I respected his experience so much, I accepted that I was not ready and ended up staying for three more months.
Within that 3 months,
👉 he brought in a replacement 👉 I managed to raise funds for my startup idea
It was a win-win situation for both of us, but it's also really ironic that it seems,
- he knew I'd still go for it
- and I knew I should try anyhow, and I succeeded
Since then:
🎯 No trust fund -> raised fund 🎯 Being a timid Asian introvert -> Forbes 30under30, active speakers 🎯 Being told to stick to a job -> experience startup to exit, and now helping brands scale.
I'm telling this story now for 3 reasons:
-
No matter how good you are, nobody thinks you're going to win until you've won. I was the youngest (& the only local) VP in the company back then. But I was still told that I was not enough.
-
Your words weigh the same as your net worth. What you say to other people matters, and the more successful you are, the more it matters.
-
You will never be ready. To be ready, you need to start. Just like you never get the practice swings right, but the more you swing, the more ready you are.
So get it out, be your true self, and do not let "what others think " define or limit your journey to success.
#entrepreneurship #founder #startup #journey
I spent my birthday on a farm on a hill last weekend. Finally had time to reflect on the 5 big lessons I wish the younger Sasha knew➡
#1. Happiness is a reaction; positivity is a skill: The latter controls the former, master it
#2. Money is only going to amplify who you already are: Be who you like yourself to be right now
#3. You can admire someone, but you don't need them to admire you: Validate without needing validation to return from the same place
#4. Sleep deprivation is the beginning of every negative, mentally and physically: Choose to show up at 6 a.m. over 2 a.m.
#5. Ambition is meaningful only if it fulfils you: Prioritize joy over destination during the journey. You'll discover even better destinations than you imagined!
I used to dislike birthdays due to the pressure to focus on me.
But now I've accepted that having a day about me is ok!
It is a reminder to be grateful for just being Sasha—the journey, the growth, and the people who come around.
And indeed, I'm so very grateful. Thank you for another year.
What's the one thing you would go back and tell your younger self?
#growth #entrepreneurship #motivation

