Much is similar between gaming and making a business thrive. Both need skills and perseverance.
“Success is not accidental but requires wisdom and action to forge,” said Johnny Jan, a gamer who self-learnt programming and later founded art outsourcing and game development firm WINKING Corporation.
A student in the NUS Executive MBA (Chinese) programme, Johnny is also the recipient of the programme’s Go Overseas Entrepreneurship Scholarship.
Born and bred in Taiwan, Johnny moved to Shanghai in 2003 to start his gaming firm. It was the year of the SARS outbreak, and Johnny found himself the only passenger on the flight from Hong Kong to Shanghai.
It was a move that turned out well, as the value of the Chinese gaming industry would grow by about 300 times in the next 20 years. Today, the industry is about 300 billion yuan (S$58 billion).
But the rapidly developing industry came with fierce competition. When Johnny first started, he did not know anyone. There were countless setbacks in the first 10 years. But he believed that what doesn’t kill you will make you stronger. “Moreover, in the fiercely competitive Shanghai business environment, failure is the stepping stone to success for every entrepreneur,” said Johnny.
He soon set up a branch in Nanjing, where the conditions were suitable to develop a large-scale art production team. After ten years, Nanjing began to develop rapidly and the firm gradually moved its focus there in the following decade.
In 20 years, WINKING Corporation has clinched prestigious clients, producing visuals for Switch, Xbox, PlayStation and more. Still, difficulties remained. The speed of technology developments in the gaming industry made it hard for firms to play catch up.
Johnny realised that the company needed to become more international in its future development.
Singapore was chosen as the company’s overseas headquarters due to its unique positioning as a city that connects the East and West. The country is close to the firm’s production bases in other parts of Southeast Asia and enjoys a global reputation.
Johnny also noted that Singapore is a popular destination for Taiwanese companies seeking to expand abroad. The country’s business opportunities and talent migration have made it an attractive location for investment.
It was also here where Johnny pursued a new endeavour—joining the NUS EMBA (Chinese) programme.
With 20 years of entrepreneurship under his belt, Johnny was ready to gain fresh perspectives and also share his experience.
“We hear the most cutting-edge business knowledge from the professors, and we hear varied perspectives from classmates who come from different fields. The environment makes you more receptive to new ideas. It has been a breath-taking learning experience,” said Johnny.
Beyond the classrooms, students initiate various study groups and bond over sporting events. “There is a camaraderie formed when we stayed up late to do assignments or jog together,” said Johnny. “The NUS EMBA (Chinese) programme is a platform where students acquire valuable knowledge, form lasting friendships and develop business opportunities.”
As the saying goes, teamwork makes dreams work. Supported by the NUS EMBA (Chinese) camaraderie, Johnny and his peers are levelling up, blazing trails in their pathways.