My full name is Danqing Ye, but everyone calls me Dan, and I am a first-generation immigrant who moved to the US alone at an early age.

My parents are both small business owners, so growing up I dreamed of becoming a successful entrepreneur. With their encouragement, I started my first business venture at the age of 11, selling flowers and at 12, my friend and I launched an online forum to help young writers publish their work. 

My first job in the US was as an outside sales rep at the local newspaper, where I learned to be persistent and deal with people frequently saying “no.” Through this, I built deep bonds with local small business owners, and I saw them struggle in a world constantly disrupted by technologies. So, I joined a consulting firm that helped small businesses create online sales and marketing channels. It was such a rewarding experience seeing business owners grow their revenue 30-60% with my help. 

For the next 10 years, I held corporate leadership roles in retail, healthcare, education, and business services industries, leading teams, launching products, and scaling them to millions of customers. Outside of my corporate work, I ran a real estate company investing in value-added deals in the Midwest, and I co-founded an event & travel business and an IT consulting firm providing specialized IT services nationwide.

Now it is time for me to go back to entrepreneurship and run a business full-time. I also look forward to settling down and being an active member of a thriving community. I have been waiting for this day to come for the last 15 years.