10-year-old CEO Hillary Yip is from Hong Kong, China. Because of her age, she is known as the youngest CEO in the world. She started a company to help other children her age who struggle with learning Mandarin. Like many fabulous entrepreneurs before her, Hillary Yip saw a problem, and decided that she was going to fix it. Hillary is exemplary because most ten-year-olds who noticed the problem she discovered would have just complained to their parents. Or perhaps if they were ambitious, they would have started tutoring their close friends. Most children her age are consumed by themselves, but Hillary was interested in so much more than that. She founded MinorMynas, a company that helps students learn languages.
Although platforms like this exist already, what sets MinorMynas apart from the competition, is that the students help each other learn the new language. She saw her peers struggle with learning a second language, but also with learning the culture that goes along with that language. When it comes to learning a language, sometimes the best practice is simply diving into conversations with someone who is fluent. Hillary’s online platform focuses on educating children, however she doesn’t want to stop there. Not only has she reached students from more than 60 countries, but she is also interested in educating the older generations.
Hillary has been very successful throughout this process, being recognized as a stellar young entrepreneur by the AIA in 2015 when she was given the Emerging Entrepreneur Award. Her company has gotten successful media coverage, as she was seen on programs such as BBC and South China Morning Post. She is clearly interested in the growth of her business and the education of those surrounding her. Even at her young age she has been very successful and inspirational with her business venture.
I love this platform that she created! It is so cool that she not only created a way for students needing a language tutoring service to get that, but she created it in a way that it’s not adults doing the tutoring but other peers. I can imagine it must be so much less intimidating learning about another language and culture from a peer rather than an adult.
Wow! I cannot believe someone so young was able to find a need in the market, especially for something that’s not a normal need for a child to be thinking about. And then, on top of that, she went and started a successful business too! I wouldn’t have even thought a 10-year-old could do something like this, it’s absolutely amazing!!
I love Hillary Yip’s idea. As someone who is trying to learn Mandarin, I know how difficult it is to learn. Many of my language teachers also say one of the most effective ways to learn is through conversation.
Her idea is only possible because more kids are using technology at a young age. I don’t think this would have been such a big success 20 years ago.