In a sea of entrepreneurial stories, the story of Taiwanese businesswoman Lin Meijun stands out as particularly unique and vibrant. Despite not having a prestigious academic background, she has demonstrated remarkable initiative and a keen grasp of opportunities. Starting at the age of 22, she ventured into clothing retail, lighting manufacturing, and public telephone business before establishing her presence in the United States for 25 years, now owning three chain restaurants. Lin Meijun’s four exciting entrepreneurial journeys prove that life’s freedom is worth more than a bank balance.
Lin Meijun openly admits that she did not come from an academic background and had modest educational qualifications, which actually served as a catalyst for her to venture into entrepreneurship at an early age. “Many highly educated individuals are immediately recruited by big companies upon graduation, the high salary making it hard for them to give up their current lifestyle. On the other hand, people like us with average qualifications can only rely on entrepreneurship to create more opportunities,” she said with a smile, highlighting how not being burdened by a “high salary baggage” allowed her to venture forth bravely.
Lin Meijun’s entrepreneurial journey began in South America. At 22, she moved to Santa Cruz, Bolivia, with her husband and opened her first department store specializing in clothing and underwear products, garnering local popularity and laying the foundation for her entrepreneurial career.
In the 1980s, Lin Meijun returned to Taiwan and transitioned to operating a lighting factory. Her products mainly sold in the United States, successfully penetrating major retail channels. She proudly reminisces, “At that time, nearly every household in the United States had a ‘green pillow table lamp,’ with half of them coming from our factory.” In order to expedite production, Lin Meijun often worked late nights with her workers in sweltering metal sheds, expanding her sales network to all continents except Africa.
Carrying her products, Lin Meijun would pick up the yellow pages in a hotel in unfamiliar cities, calling companies one by one to secure orders and customers. While the method may seem arduous, her success rate was remarkably high.
When it comes to the key to entrepreneurship, Lin Meijun believes that apart from initiative, seizing the right timing is crucial. “Life is about migration and choices; you have to seize that moment.”
In the 1990s, Lin Meijun expanded her business ventures to the United States. She first entered the public telephone business, peaking at owning over 400 coin-operated public telephone booths and making a profit of over 800,000 US dollars upon successfully selling the business. Subsequently, she opted for the relatively stable chain restaurant industry, investing in the franchise operation of Farmer Boys, a journey that has now surpassed 25 years.
Reflecting on transitioning from manufacturing to Western fast food, Lin Meijun recalls how seeing friends running chain fast-food restaurants, not only yielding good financial returns but also allowing time for family, led her to give it a try.
However, the high wages and strict policies in California have placed immense pressure on restaurant owners. “Now the minimum wage is over $20, every cent has to be calculated precisely.” Faced with challenges, she chose to introduce self-service ordering machines to save on labor costs. Lin Meijun emphasizes that entrepreneurship requires daring to experiment and not fearing failure.
Collaboration and sharing hold a central position in Lin Meijun’s business philosophy. She admits to rarely going it alone along the way. “Many fear that partnerships will lead to conflicts, but I believe that as long as you have an open mindset and don’t dwell on momentary gains and losses, you can go far. Investment is essentially a fifty-fifty chance; if someone is willing to invest in you, you should know how to share and not just think about your own profits.” She reminds all entrepreneurs not to nitpick as bosses, but to share risks with partners to sustain long-term success.
When discussing leadership, Lin Meijun values leading by example the most. “I have never just sat in the office looking at reports. When employees see me ordering food at the counter and sweeping the floor, they feel that we are all united.” She carries this attitude into all her ventures; while rushing orders at her Taiwan factory, she stayed up late with workers; at her American restaurant, she personally stands at the counter. For Lin Meijun, this is not a management skill but a way of being. Because the entrepreneurial path is not a solitary battle.
Lin Meijun talks about her two children taking different paths: her eldest with a high education level, entering a big company and earning a decent salary; her youngest choosing to venture into entrepreneurship with her, albeit earning less than his brother, he can balance life and family.
“Money is important, but not the only criterion. Entrepreneurship is about choosing the life you want; sometimes, the mental freedom is worth more than a bank balance.” Lin Meijun speaks calmly yet firmly. This female entrepreneur, who has transitioned four times from South America to Taiwan and then to the United States, is also a theater director! Lin Meijun, with her dynamic entrepreneurial experiences, provides valuable life lessons for all “adventurers” who wish to forge their own paths.