Shou Chew: Career Milestones, Early Work History, And Strategy Advice For Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Shou Chew is a name that regularly features in international headlines. But how he went from nothing to the top isn’t always clear to young professionals. 

However, I wanted to get to the bottom of how Shou Chew actually got to where he is today. In doing so, I discovered that his career provides a great template to follow – joining the ranks of high-impact leaders like Derek Jeter and Hans Vestberg, who mastered transitions from specialized fields into hyper-scale operations.

Whether you want to progress within a corporate setting, generate extra income or start your own business in India. 

Shou Chew didn’t get to where he is through luck and taking risks, but through compounding skills, selecting the right industry, and scaling his business internationally. 

Let’s talk about what aspiring entrepreneurs can learn from him: 

Shou Chew

Understanding the fundamentals of building a career or startup. Shou Chew was born in Singapore in 1983. He began by completing his military service. 

Then went on to receive a higher education at some of the best academic institutions, following a global educational pedigree similar to corporate leaders like Robin Li and Bruce Broussard. 

Then, in 2010, achieved an MBA from Harvard Business School.

• The Early Finance Foundation: An analyst at Goldman Sachs in London for 2 years. Gained valuable experience in data processing, finance modelling, and company structure. 

• The Venture Capital Transition: 5 years leading key investments at DST Global, including providing early-stage investment to ByteDance in 2013. 

• The Hardware Operating Experience: Chief Financial Officer and President of International Business at Xiaomi. Led the company’s massive IPO in 2018 in Hong Kong. 

• The Technology Executive Top Tier: Joined ByteDance as their Chief Financial Officer in March 2021 and quickly became Chief Executive Officer of TikTok just 2 months later. 

Transitioning From Service Based To Tech Based Enterprises 

Something I noticed about Shou Chew’s career is that he made an intentional move from traditional investment banks to investing in technology startups at an early stage. Something that isn’t mentioned in any standard biographies. 

He recognized there was a huge opportunity within technology platforms – contrasting sharply with traditional finance paths like Andy Cecere and John Paulson. 

Whereas providing financial services locally led to linear growth. He spoke about this recently during his speech at the NTU Singapore PhD Ceremony. 

Technology helps to unlock the potential of humans. Ideas can be scaled to a huge degree. There are no geographical limitations.  

• Move from linear work: Investment banking is a very ‘time-for-money’ based career. 

• Embrace the Platform Economy: He transitioned into VC and hardware. This meant he had the opportunity to influence hundreds of millions of people with one decision. 

• Returning to Technology: He explained how he loved playing on his basic 286 computer as a child. His finance background helped him to bridge the gap between him and tech founders. 

Freelancing Or Consulting? 

If you are currently freelancing or consulting in India, then your income will be limited due to how much time you are working – even if your daily rates match the highest-paying jobs. To scale your business, you need to create products, software, or platforms that can be reused. 

Managing International Businesses

Something fascinating about Shou Chew’s approach to his career is his ability to manage international businesses. 

He is fluent in both English and Mandarin and has experience in very different cultures. His career has taken him from Western financial markets to some key Asian tech hubs. He advocates for a strategy focused on global compliance but with strong local execution. 

Managing Different Regulations 

Managing international businesses requires some great skill. You need to understand global data regulations, consumer protection in different regions, and local policies. 

India’s Strategic Position 

Modern-day markets require Indian Entrepreneurs and remote professionals to have global skills. You need to know how to win clients in the US or Europe but manage your operations well in India. This requires high-level cross-cultural skills. 

Revenue Diversification 

Placing all of your focus in one location can be risky. You’re vulnerable to changes in regulation or a slowdown in the economy. 

Flexibility Within Your Career 

If you want to be resilient in your career, then you need to be flexible. Get comfortable working in a boardroom in New York, a regional hub in Singapore, or tech accelerators in Bengaluru. Speak the language of each. 

Power Sharing Within Modern Businesses 

You need to understand how power is shared within modern businesses. 

Whilst Shou Chew has a high profile as the Chief Executive Officer of TikTok, he doesn’t work alone. 

Reports show that major decisions such as optimising products, R&D, and long-term algorithm changes are done collaboratively. He works closely with the main strategic team and founders of the parent company. 

This is a huge lesson for young professionals. No one person can run a business. 

No One Person Can Run A Business 

Even the most high profile CEO’s have strict rules to follow. They have to answer to their board of directors, institutional investors, and parent company. 

Collaboration = Power 

To become a powerful executive, you have to be good at collaborating with technical leads, product heads, and operations experts. 

Create An Advisory Team 

Don’t try to be the ‘boss’ when starting your own small business. You simply won’t have the expertise in operations, legal, marketing, and finance. 

Create An Informal Advisory Team 

Create an advisory team or co-founders. Look for people with in-depth technical skills to complement your strengths.