Xavier Tan, 23, is the founder of Ünik Studio, a platform for young designers to express themselves through fashion. By bringing together e-commerce and youth creativity, the studio has discovered the artistic talents of young people around the world and shared them with other newfound young creatives.
Through this platform, Xavier hopes to provide a safe space for emerging young talents in the world to showcase their work, giving them the opportunity to grow as designers.
Today, he shares some lessons that he has learnt throughout his journey.
Knowing what you do best is great, but over time, it becomes mundane and stagnant, which is the last thing you want to experience as an entrepreneur. Exercising your talents in areas you are weak at is even more rewarding. Take advantage of every opportunity to learn and grow, so that you are constantly improving. It may even provide you with new perspectives or open doors to new opportunities. This is how you stay ahead of the race, and you will gain a more meaningful life instead of just earning money or joining the rat race.
You need to be hungry and desperate enough to seek out opportunities and pursue your dreams. Some opportunities come naturally, but this doesn’t always happen, so make use of every single moment to pursue what you are passionate about and take ownership of your own destiny.
Within the next few years, you will be placed in different positions at different times – whether it’s being the boss, temporarily filling in a position in the company, or taking on another job. Adaptability is key to surviving in these situations. Master the skill of adaptability and you will also start to empathise with other people’s job scopes, which will make you a great boss because you understand them.
There are more than a million ideas that could potentially be better than yours, but the one thing that will set you apart is the passion you have for your business. Passion can not only inspire you but others around you, such as your employees, clients and investors. As a result, you gain a certain amount of credibility because if you have genuine passion, others are more inclined to trust you and your ideas. They are also more likely to invest their time and money in you.
As long as you set a goal for yourself, there are many ways you can achieve it. Plan A might not always work, so never be afraid to try anything and everything, and keep trying until you succeed. It is always about the consistency of your hard work.
Keep an open mind when advice is given, but learn to omit those that aren’t healthy or useful for you. Keeping an open mind to other’s opinions is one way to save yourself from a lot of trouble. At times, it can also be a great way to learn more about yourself or your business.
There are times when entrepreneurs fail to succeed because they lack the actions required to live up to their words. It’s good to talk to others and allow an idea to grow, but don’t forget to execute it. The more you talk about something, the more you have to act on it, or the idea would be as good as never having existed in the first place.
If you’ve decided to go for Plan A, focus on it and give it your 110 per cent. When you focus all your time and energy on something, you can see the road ahead more clearly, and you will always be prepared for what lies ahead. Stay focused on your target and strive for the best.
Being respected by the people who mean a lot to you will give you a chance to grow. Respecting others gives you the chance to be more understanding and open-minded. There is always a gain from respecting others and choosing kindness. While the world is big, the industry is small, so always be cautious and genuine.
By constantly learning, you are empowering yourself to be better. You are also widening your perspectives, which leads to better decision making. Never feel that you are too good,be open and listen to the advice of others.
