Meet Yiyang Liao

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Yiyang Liao. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Yiyang below.

Yiyang, thank you so much for making time for us. We’ve always admired your ability to take risks and so maybe we can kick things off with a discussion around how you developed your ability to take and bear risk?

To manage risk, I focus on doing my absolute best within my control, ensuring that I’ve taken all reasonable actions on my part. While many advocate for conducting a risk assessment and incorporating extensive preparations, I take a slightly different approach. Accidents, by their nature, involve an element of unpredictability. Rather than trying to anticipate every possible outcome, I believe the most effective way to manage risk is to remain calm, accept that unexpected events may happen, and respond to them thoughtfully and with resilience.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I am a freelance designer based in New York City, with experience working for firms of various sizes in both China and the U.S. My projects span architecture, interiors, installations, and textile art. Despite the current market downturn, the most exciting part of my work is still seeing my designs transition from concept to reality. I believe that both design and installation art should begin with the individual’s perspective, allowing creativity to evolve based on one’s mindset at any given moment.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Comprehension, interdisciplinary application skills, and keen observation are key to my approach in design. When I first started studying design, I was constantly absorbing influences from everywhere—horror films, prints, furniture design, and more. While my current work doesn’t directly create these artifacts, I integrate them into my spatial design process through drawing and analysis. My advice to beginners is simple: explore everything that sparks your interest, and allow it to fuel your creativity!

How would you describe your ideal client?

I enjoy working with clients who value open communication. It’s ideal when they actively share their feedback throughout the project, rather than waiting until it’s nearly complete to raise concerns. Timely input not only fosters a smoother process but also leads to better outcomes for everyone involved.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Yiyang Liao

Yiyang Liao, Xena Zhang

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems,
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Resilience
Where do you get your resilience from?

Resilience is often the x-factor that differentiates between mild and wild success. The stories of

Productivity
Beating Burnout

Often the key to having massive impact is the ability to keep going when others

Leadership Development
Finding Your Why

Not knowing why you are going wherever it is that you are going sounds silly,