How I Built This with Guy Raz Zola: Shan-Lyn Ma
Apr 18, 2022
Shan-Lyn Ma, Co-founder and CEO of Zola, reflects on her early entrepreneurial spirit sparked by childhood competitions and experiences at Yahoo and Gilt Groupe. She discusses the challenges of convincing investors of the need for a modern wedding registry and shares the humorous origins of Zola’s name. Ma highlights her journey through the pandemic, emphasizing resilience in adapting to the wedding industry's shifts and the personal growth that stemmed from her struggles, including a transformative recovery experience.
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Childhood Inspirations
- Shan-Lyn Ma's childhood bedroom featured posters of Kylie Minogue, Michael J. Fox, and Jerry Yang.
- She admired Fox's entrepreneurial character and Yang's impact as Yahoo's founder.
First Business Venture
- Shan-Lyn Ma's entrepreneurial journey started with a business plan competition at age 11.
- By selling stress balls door-to-door, her team achieved the highest sales in the state, igniting her passion for business.
Yahoo Internship
- Shan-Lyn Ma interned at Yahoo during her MBA, fulfilling a childhood dream inspired by Jerry Yang.
- Her eagerness to work there was evident, even though she didn't mention the poster on her bedroom wall.