Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Hein San. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hein, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?
I would like to credit the question to not only the looks but also my name “Hein” because my parents didn’t foresee that I would spend all eternity correcting the pronunciation to “Hane”. The word “Hein” means a loud noise, but it usually comes off as a joke when people can’t hear when I try to tell them. Though it is one of the more common names in Myanmar, it is seldom found on the tongues of my small town 4th grade peers when I first arrived to USA. Being the only Asian kid in school growing up, I get to be in the front seat of all the Asian references, jokes, and findings my peers discovered along the way. This essentially helped built my character, but the person I was becoming was being molded by others’ ignorance. Even when my family moved and I wasn’t the only Asian kid anymore, the feeling of being the only one in the room who looks like me still stuck. For one reason or the other, I am the black sheep who always has to correct his name.
Now, here’s the flip side of the story that you didn’t hear because I was too quiet. Much like every immigrant child story, I was thrown in the deep ends to assimilate to the culture but not the name. With every correction to “Hane”, I learned how to stand up for myself. The grit and resilience of making it in this country and improving the livelihood of my future generation were ingrained into me by my parents. It wasn’t just my looks that makes me feel like I am the only one in the room that looks like me. It was having to help out at my parents’ restaurant, learning to speak English at home with my sister, and so much more that immigrant children have to face which molded the look everyone perceives me with. It is those same challenges and obstacles which have quietly been the driving force behind pushing me to endure and keep moving forward. Maybe I’ll always have to correct my name, but it’s not so bad being the black sheep.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I currently work as a Materials Engineer at a space and defense company, so I control the parts, materials, and processes being used for the programs. Control is a general term that breaks down into contractual compliance and failure analysis. I have also recently started performing internal research and development for the company after receiving my Master’s degree with a focus on nanotechnology.
While working as an engineer, I have also started investing in real estate, and I have been running as the owner/property manager for university area housing. I took a chance in 2020 when the market crashed, and it has given me marketing and real estate agent experiences. Sometimes, I feel like I am also getting more hands-on engineering experience working on the houses than at my current job. All jokes aside, I plan to increase my portfolio and continue to upgrade my business operations.
During my time as an engineer and property owner, I have helped my parents open their new restaurant called, Big in Burma, which opened back in 2021. Beforehand, we were all sushi chefs, so shifting to a Myanmar restaurant serving hot food was an obstacle we all needed to put our heads together. From developing business plans and setting up the company structure to creating graphics and handling social media accounts, I worked in the background to sustain the company. Working for three completely different things at the same time is something of a black sheep nature, but helping out for my parents’ restaurant is not my first rodeo.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
1. Don’t be afraid to try new things! The hardest thing about that sentence is to try. There are a lot of obstacles but nothing is impossible in this information age. It is common to mess up but prior planning will mitigate the effects. It is best to go about this route with a clear goal of what you want to improve in your life such as finance, fitness, and education. No matter what it is, having that first-hand experience is the most valuable output you will receive.
2. Preparation 75% and Performance 25% rule is critical. When I need to do something, it is imperative to do research and plan the proper steps to move forward. It is also good to take notes on alternative steps/methods as well for Plan B, C, etc. The more buffers I can find in the preparation step will almost always lead to an easier time during performance.
3. Last but not least, finding out what’s important to you is the one key skill I use for decision-making and prioritizing. Time is very limited and choosing between infinite options is a common unsolvable issue unless you can quantize which route makes the most sense. This doesn’t have to mean a spreadsheet every time when making a decision, but a spreadsheet would definitely help with some of the bigger decisions. As long as you have the idea of rating the importance and seeing how each option satisfies the criteria will leave little room for regret later on.
Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
Aside from coming to USA to give me a better chance at life, the most impactful thing my parents did was give me the ability to not fear new challenges. They have always been supportive in letting me try new things, and it taught me how to be independent as well as 50+ ways to fail at one thing. Just like how they weren’t scared of challenges in a new country and language, they’ve also allowed me to explore that side myself.
Contact Info:
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heinsan/
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