Everyone has heard of billionaire entrepreneurs who have never completed college, but does it mean that formal education hinders success? While no one can prove if this is fact or fiction, each individual would definitely have their own story to tell.
“Education can help shorten the process and reduce unnecessary risks taken,” Tang Shiuh Huei puts it.
A graduate of the Master of Science Technopreneurship & Innovation Programme offered by Nanyang Technological University (NTU), he shares with us that a formal education has allowed him to learn from not just the instructors but also from amongst peers. “It helped me pick up things pretty quickly, as well as realise that teamwork is so crucial in such environments”, he added.
It’s also about trusting your gut
For Shiuh Huei, Managing partner of S H Tang & Associates LLP, Chartered Accountants, this formal education has definitely paid off.
In 2003, three years into his business, Shiuh Huei needed to revive his stagnating business. He decided to take a leap of faith and join this Master’s programme at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU). “It was 11 years ago, at a time when there was not much information or publicity available about this course. I simply trusted my gut feel.”
This bold move is something that he revels in even till this day.
As to whether or not entrepreneurship is something that can be packaged and taught through formal education, Shiuh Huei feels that it depends on the individual and what he or she makes out of the programme.
“Things like teambuilding experiences coupled with experiential learning made me learn many things about myself and about working with others. I went into the course with an open mind and tolerance for uncertainty, and my willingness to learn has also helped me benefit a lot from the programme,” he explained.
On struggles and challenges
Shiuh Huei believes in taking thing in his own stride. All entrepreneurs will face challenges everyday, but he insists these are more of learning opportunities instead of obstacles.
“I can’t recall having faced any major failures. Probably I had but have forgotten. There is no point looking back into the ‘what ifs’. Ultimately, entrepreneurs carry on because we enjoy what we do every single day. It’s all about connecting the dots and adding value to your clients, customers and the society.”
There is no point looking back into the ‘What ifs’.
Shiuh Huei is the managing partner of S H Tang & Associates LLP, a chartered accountant and business consultancy firm. He graduated from Nanyang Business School, Nanyang Technological University with a Bachelor of Accountancy and from London School of Economics, University of London with a Bachelor of Laws, and went on to further his studies and was conferred with Master of Science in Technopreneurship & Innovation in NTU.