Some people think that the key to success lies within their daily routines. Do you agree with this, and if so, what is your daily routine?
I do not agree that success lies in your daily routine since other things – luck, great ideas, serendipity, and innovation – seem to matter more. But I do agree that finding work/life balance and having healthy habits (sleep and exercise, especially) does enable you to be more creative, more disciplined, and more resilient to disappointments.
I wake up just about every morning at 7am, work out, shower and commute into the office. Starting my day with a run helps me to clear my head and jumpstart a creative workday. I also prefer to work in-person vs at home as it helps me stay focused and collaborate with colleagues.
In the evenings, around 6 or 7pm, I commute home or meet up with friends or family. On Wednesdays, I meet up with a regular running group. Some evenings, I attend tech community events.
Looking back at your teenage years, did you have any entrepreneurial interests?
My dad was an entrepreneur, so as a kid I aspired to grow up like him and own my own business. I always enjoyed hearing him talk about his day and his latest business challenges. That said, I wouldn’t say that I’ve been a lifelong entrepreneur. My aspirations as a teenager were more aligned with basic achievement: get good grades, go to a top university, get a job. I started student groups and publications, but not businesses. I also got experience with storytelling through high school debate, college journalism, and continuous tutoring in schools. Plus, I developed
Overall, I got a well-rounded education that helped me learn how to learn. That’s been essential to my startup journey.
Is there a specific time of day when you feel most productive?
I’m most productive in the mornings, between 8am and 10am.
Do you think there is one character trait/skill that is important to have in order to become a successful entrepreneur in today’s world?
Hard question! I think that there are diverse styles of leadership and many skills that give you an advantage as an entrepreneur. It’s challenging to single out just one as the most crucial. However, if I were to highlight one key trait, it would be adaptability.
The business landscape is constantly evolving, especially in the fast-paced tech industry where my startup operates. Entrepreneurs must be able to quickly adjust to changes, pivot their strategies, and embrace new opportunities and technologies. Whether it’s responding to market shifts, changing customer preferences, or unexpected challenges like the recent global pandemic, adaptability is the foundation for survival and growth.
One example of this is the rise of generative AI this year. With LLMs and new image generation technologies, the creative software industry moved rapidly in the first half of this year. One day in April, we completely shifted our product strategy to move faster on AI applications, dropping previous plans and priorities. This was scary and uncertain at the time, but has led to a lot of growth in the last six months.
Adaptability goes hand in hand with the ability to learn from failures and setbacks, another critical trait for entrepreneurs. I’m committed to continuously improving, seeing disappointments as an opportunity for learning, and maintaining a growth mindset.
Of course, entrepreneurship also demands a wide range of other skills, such as strategic thinking, problem-solving, leadership, and resilience. But adaptability stands out.
Has being a woman in the business world affected you positively or negatively, and how so?
Being a female founder and CEO has definitely had both positive and negative impacts on my journey. As a woman, I bring a unique perspective to the table, and I’ve also been able to connect with and inspire other women in tech and entrepreneurship. I find that incredibly rewarding.
However, it’s important to acknowledge that there have been challenges as well. Women in tech often face biases and stereotypes, and I’ve had self-doubt about whether others – job candidates, investors, board members, business partners – take me seriously. In some cases, I’ve struggled to act decisively on behalf of my business as that can come off as abrasive and unlikeable, and I believe that gender plays a role in my perception there.
For the most part, I don’t think too much about how my gender impacts others perception of me because it’s not something that I can change. It’s impossible to know if the startup journey would be easier or harder, because it’s not possible to live another life. Regardless, I hope that by breaking down barriers and succeeding in my role, I can contribute to a more equitable future for women in tech
What is one major goal that you wish to achieve by 2030?
I hope that Kapwing – a video editing platform – will have grown to more than 10 Million users and $100M in annual revenue. I hope that it reaches a point where I’m confident that it will outlive me. I hope that everyone feels comfortable using video as a storytelling medium, just like using powerpoint or word processors.
I also hope to start more businesses in the future! In addition, I want to have a family and continue to build a strong community in my personal life. My friends are a huge source of meaning and inspiration for me.
Who is your biggest influence, and why?
My family has had a huge influence on me, of course, as has my cofounder, Eric Lu. One person I can single out as especially impactful is my 4th-grade English teacher, Monica Bullock, who inspired me to believe in myself despite imperfections in my writing style, like bad handwriting and poor spelling skills. She laid the groundwork for me to be a life-long writer, reader, and student and gave me more academic confidence at a key time.
If you could pick one female entrepreneur, who would you say is your biggest inspiration?
Melanie Perkins at Canva has been a big inspiration to me. Also Diane Greene, whose career flourished at both startups and at Google. Melanie’s leadership style is full of conviction and centered around customers. Canva is also a company for creative talent, so there have been some parallels between Kapwing’s growth and Canva’s.
In both Melanie Perkins and Diane Greene, I see a reflection of my own aspirations as a female entrepreneur. They have demonstrated that women can not only succeed but also thrive in the startup sector without giving up an authentic feminine leadership style. Their stories motivate me to continue pushing boundaries, embracing innovation, and championing my own perspective even when others disagree.
What has been the most formative advice you have received and why?
I’ve gotten so much formative advice that it’s hard to pick! A friend of mine – Deon Nicholas – recommended a book to me called the 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership, and that book has been very valuable to me as a framework for growth. The two pieces of advice that this book stresses: view every opportunity as a chance for growth and learning, and take 100% responsibility for the conditions of your life. Those are two principles that I’ve carried into lots of other aspects of my life.
What has been the most impressive/memorable question anyone has ever asked you?
One that stands out is “Why would people follow you?” I was asked this in a course I took this year called Leaders in Tech. It was formative for me because I realized that each leader has their own approach and different kind of soft influence that persuades others to follow them.
If you have siblings, are they also entrepreneurs?
Yes, I do have siblings! I have three brothers. My oldest brother started his own company on the side while working a full time job, a website called OpenCritic. He bootstrapped the website and grew it organically, which was an inspiration to me. My other two brothers are not entrepreneurs, but they’re a software engineer and tech salesmen, so they have been advisors to me at various times in the startup journey.
Do you think the drive to become an entrepreneur is born with or is learned?
I think it’s all about how you tell the story 🙂 Entrepreneurship is learned, and it’s also random and lucky. I also wrote a whole blog post about this on the Kapwing blog.
CONTACT INFORMATION & SOCIAL MEDIA Founder and CEO of Kapwing website: https://www.kapwing.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/KapwingApp Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/KapwingApp YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR5GrKMeaZJxPKVMdEgKIKA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/kapwing LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliaenthoven/ TikTok: @Kapwing