Interviewing Miss Natalie Chan

Miss Natalie Chan is an outstanding entrepreneur in the education field. After I had the privilege of getting to know her through the Innovation Academy, I was impressed by her nomadic lifestyle and original mission. Miss Chan graduated from the University of Hong Kong with a degree in engineering but decided to create a business called OWN Academy, as well as pursue her passion for film-making. OWN Academy seeks to give graduates equal access to the workforce by providing the tools to set up their users for success. Learn more about the company and founder Natalie Chan through this short interview.

Lifestyle

1. Can you briefly describe your nomadic lifestyle? 

“For the past three years, my husband and I have embraced a nomadic lifestyle where we move to a different city each month. We've made our temporary homes in places like Bangkok, Manila, Dubai, and Berlin. What makes our approach unique is that we don't travel just for the sake of traveling - we move with purpose, specifically focusing on making professional connections in each location.”

2. Why did you decide to live like this? 

“This lifestyle choice stems from my long-standing desire for location independence. Even during my time in Hong Kong, I worked without a traditional office, which gave me a taste of this freedom. I fundamentally believe in work-life integration rather than work-life balance, and this nomadic approach allows me to seamlessly blend both aspects.”

3. What are some pros and cons of this lifestyle? 

“The beauty of this lifestyle lies in its daily adventures - experiencing new restaurants, meeting new people, and immersing ourselves in different cultures. In Bangkok, we enjoyed authentic Thai cuisine; in Dubai, we experienced the Middle Eastern culture. However, it does come with its challenges. Living out of a suitcase means limited possessions, and there's a constant state of flux without a permanent base. Yet, this has taught me valuable lessons about minimalism - you realize you need far less than you think. While the lack of stability can be challenging, you begin to understand that change itself becomes your constant.”

Education/Business

1. What is your mission for your business?

“At OWN Academy, our mission is to build a new paradigm of learning that bridges the gap between education and industry. We're working to transform employers into educators and educators into facilitators. Our goal is to help young people explore their purpose through learning and exposure to real-life opportunities, understanding that meaningful work is fundamentally about solving problems.”

2. What are your thoughts on the current education system? (In your country, Peru, or worldwide)

“The current education system feels meaningless in many ways. Learning is confined to a small box that doesn't represent the real world. There's an overemphasis on intellectual knowledge and critical thinking while neglecting the importance in application of knowledge and heart. Education needs to integrate more with the complexity of the real world, incorporating professional networks and providing broader exposure to different possibilities.”

3. What advice would you give someone who wants to start a business?

“My advice for aspiring entrepreneurs is straightforward: talk to as many people as possible within your target industry. While online research provides valuable information, it's often static. The real insights come from engaging directly with potential users and customers. You need to truly understand their pain points and validate whether they would actually use and pay for your solution.”

Personal

1. How do you deal with pressure/disapproval from family and friends?

“Three years after graduating and working at Deloitte consulting, I realized I was living someone else's life, following others' expectations. Choosing my own path meant disappointing my parents and their investment in me. It meant becoming someone they couldn't fully understand. However, I've learned that while you can't choose your family, you can create a chosen family of like-minded individuals who support your vision. When you decide to deviate from others' expectations, you must be prepared for disapproval - but these conflicts often signal that you're becoming more authentic.”

2. What is your biggest motivation to keep going?

“What keeps me going is seeing glimpses of hope through student testimonials and personal messages of gratitude. I've learned to view impact on a 15-30 year timeline, rather than the typical 1-3 years the media often portrays. When I first started OWN Academy, I felt pressured to achieve quick success, but I've realized that meaningful change takes time. Being surrounded by an awesome team of kind-hearted individuals who share my vision also provides daily motivation.”

3. Can you describe your biggest life goal? 

 “My biggest life goal is to leave this world better than when I entered it by creating systemic impact on fairness in education. Coming from a position of privilege, I feel responsible for helping those with less access to opportunities. Specifically, I aim to develop a new education model that makes quality education accessible to all by connecting learning to the real world. This includes building a co-op program for high school students and creating a system that can be adopted globally. I want to establish our own schools and make work experiences an integral part of high school education.”