Ying’s Blog

As an entrepreneur of a start up, it is a challenge to balance a mother’s role and an entrepreneur’s. So far, I must say I’m proud of what I have done as a mother to a wonderful seven year old girl.

As a daughter myself, I had not always been fully appreciative of my mother’s anguish over a far way daughter until the day when I became a mother myself.

Here is one of the most moving tribute articles I’ve read to mothers and I want to share with my audience.

Letter from a Mother to a Daughter: “My dear girl, the day you see I’m getting old, I ask you to please be patient, but most of all, try to understand what I’m going through. If when we talk, I repeat the same thing a thousand times, don’t interrupt to say: “You said the same thing a minute ago”… Just listen, please. Try to remember the times when you were little and I would read the same story night after night until you would fall asleep. When I don’t want to take a bath, don’t be mad and don’t embarrass me. Remember when I had to run after you making excuses and trying to get you to take a shower when you were just a girl? When you see how ignorant I am when it comes to new technology, give me the time to learn and don’t look at me that way… remember, honey, I patiently taught you how to do many things like eating appropriately, getting dressed, combing your hair and dealing with life’s issues every day… the day you see I’m getting old, I ask you to please be patient, but most of all, try to understand what I’m going through. If I occasionally lose track of what we’re talking about, give me the time to remember, and if I can’t, don’t be nervous, impatient or arrogant. Just know in your heart that the most important thing for me is to be with you. And when my old, tired legs don’t let me move as quickly as before, give me your hand the same way that I offered mine to you when you first walked. When those days come, don’t feel sad… just be with me, and understand me while I get to the end of my life with love. I’ll cherish and thank you for the gift of time and joy we shared. With a big smile and the huge love I’ve always had for you, I just want to say, I love you… my darling daughter. “

Source: http://www.facebook.com/springintheair

Watching the iCloud launch speech yesterday. It looked like a game changing thing. I used the MobileMe earlier and was pretty disappointed. But this iCloud looks promising. Can’t wait to use it!

It’s always inspiring to see Steve Jobs gets on the stage and talks about his Apple stuff.

What a wonderful spring we’ve got in Stockholm. I just can’t stop smiling to myself. Life is just beautiful!

Thanks to my six year old daughter who reminded me it is earth hour day today! We’ll definitely turn off all the lights and e powers for one hour. I wish I could do more in our business to contribute to sustainability and green environment. Anyone out there has any ideas? Making a viable business effort is much more difficult than paying lip services!

The exponential explosion of Apple market in China is unbelievable! As part of the unstoppable wave, the MacWorld launched its Chinese version last Sunday. I was invited to the launch that took place in a very cool place in SOHO Beijing. Most of the audience are in their 20s. Everyone has at least one Apple gadget on hand. I enjoyed the event enormously in particular a few fun moments, e.g. a beautiful young girl showed her interesting experiment of mixing otherwise boring sounds from real life into incredible stream of music. Apparently, she has become a sensation in Apple Music arena in China.

Wherever I go, I enjoy most meeting interesting people!! See picture, left to right: my dear friend Peng - a successful, ambitious young man who drives many key initiatives behind Apple and other accessories in China; Xiang - a new friend I made, who is EVP of IDG communications China, was a chief editor for some major international business journals. IDG owns MacWorld magazine; Weiwei - a beautiful and ambitious young woman, LA YIN China’s marketing manager. I was very happy LA YIN was able to attract such an incredible talent to the team. I hope more and more such wonderful young women will join LA YIN.

my friend Peng of ECS CHina, Xiang IDG CHINA and Weiwei of LA YIN

Just to have some fun, I started my Chinese twitter at below, a good to connect and to beef up my rusty Chinese:

Ying-of-LA-YIN, http://t.sina.com.cn/2036973295

Wish everyone a happy Chinese New Year. I hope all the good things are being realized as fast as rabbit runs and hope this rabbit will not fall sleep!

How time flies. It was two months ago when I set to fly to China to launch LA YIN in more cities.

Upon my arrival in China, I decided to set up some meetings down the road with Professor Kristina Köök who has been doing exciting researches in the mobile life. And I got an email back and said she’d be in Hangzhou the next day!

I don’t remember how many times I’ve been amazed by how small the world is!

So, in a raining afternoon, I sit down with Kia and her dear husband in a rustic cafe at the west lake shore. We discussed China and mobile life and etc. Everytime I discuss with Kia about her researches I get excited and inspired. Hope one day we get to work together!

A few weeks ago, I met with my dear friend Richard Von Essen and wonderful artist Helena Sellergren (who is a Swedish native but has been living in France for many years) to appreciate some of Helena’s artistic creations. I felt simultaneously the Scandinavians simplicity, french seduction and a hint of Japanese expression. And I loved this exquisite fusion! Aren’t they beautiful!

Environment is one of the issues that are close to my heart! Many LA YIN panel members share the same concerns and some asked me when LA YIN will come out with Eco-friendly stuff.

I have been paying attention to ECO friendly materials: recycled, bio-degradable and etc.

We are now working with engineers in China on some good environment friendly materials and I hope we can launch an ECO-friendly collection in not too distant future. Stay tuned!

The excitement was so contagious as I was listening to all the changes my dear friend Anki is making in her career path.

Anki has provided her leadership in many organizations including her very early HR director assignment with Apple Sweden, and her most recent one as HR director at one of the largest insurance companies in the Europe (Trygg-Hansa). It was a highly challenging leadership assignment of transforming an old and conservative establishment into a modern one. In my impression, Anki is always calm and elegantly presented. The glitters in her eyes give away her fondness for next level of challenges. She recently decided to leave her latest executive role and pursue her next adventure! Much to my delight, we’ll soon see another outstanding woman entrepreneur among us. I’ll keep it secret as for what her business will be about, but stay tuned!

For many of us, boredom is not an option. Anki and I very much share this philosophy.