Shao Hong is a longstanding member of the Sydney business community and most recently served as Assurance Partner and Head of China Assurance Practice at PwC Australia. With more than two decades of professional experience, she has played a significant role in strengthening commercial and investment ties between Australia and China.
Born and educated in mainland China before building her executive career in Australia, Ms. Shao brings a uniquely bicultural perspective to boardrooms and strategic decision making. She has advised Chinese enterprises establishing operations in Australia, as well as Australian boards expanding into Chinese markets, guiding them through governance frameworks, regulatory compliance, and capital market requirements.
She previously served as National Treasurer of the Australia China Business Council and has consistently championed cross-border dialogue, transparency, and high standards of corporate governance. At PwC, she led well-attended executive briefings and seminars designed to deepen understanding of regulatory expectations, market entry considerations, and international best practices.
Recognised as the first audit partner at PwC Australia with a mainland Chinese background , Shao Hong remains committed to advancing diversity and inclusion within the profession and mentoring the next generations of globally minded leaders.
Outside of her professional work, she seeks both beauty and challenge — drawing inspiration from the vast wilderness of Yellowstone National Park and embracing experiences such as the EdgeWalk at the CN Tower in Toronto. Her travels reflect a curiosity about the world and a willingness to step beyond her comfort zone — qualities that also define her leadership approach.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
A typical day in my role as an audit partner and head of the China Assurance Practice at PwC Australia is highly varied and requires balancing technical leadership, client engagement, people development and broader contributions to the business community.
My day often begins with reviewing engagement updates from audit teams and preparing for client discussions. A key part of my work involves attending audit close meetings with clients, where we discuss audit findings, proposed audit adjustments, internal control breakdowns and recommendations for improvement. These conversations are not just about compliance; they are opportunities to provide practical insights on governance, financial reporting and industry best practices.
As a signing partner and an ASIC Registered Company Auditor, I am responsible for ensuring that audit opinions are supported by robust evidence and that the highest standards of independence and professional judgement are maintained.
A significant portion of my time is also devoted to leading and supporting my teams. I regularly hold mentoring sessions with managers and younger staff, particularly Asian background staff who are navigating both professional and cultural challenges. Developing the next generation of leaders has always been one of the most rewarding parts of my career.
I also contribute to the firm’s diversity and inclusion initiatives. At PwC, I have participated in internal campaigns where I shared my own experiences as a female leader with an international background, including recording videos and speaking to colleagues about building confidence, embracing cultural identity and overcoming leadership barriers.
Beyond audit engagements, my role involves strengthening connections between the Australian and Chinese business communities. For example, PwC collaborated with the Hurun Report on high-profile business awards and gala events in Sydney that celebrate the achievements of Chinese entrepreneurs and business leaders. These events bring together senior executives, investors and community leaders to recognise contributions to business, culture and philanthropy, and they provide an important platform for building cross-border relationships. I held numerous meetings with representatives from Hurun to launch the inaugural event, also presented business award to category winners at the gala night. I also hosted the Australia China Investment Forum with senior government officer and business leaders.
I also participate in industry forums and professional events. I am often invited as a guest speaker at various forums (i.e. guest speaker at forums such as the joint forums organised by ACCA, Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand and the Aussie China Big 4 Alumni network), where we discuss trends in cross-border investment, audit governance and career development for globally minded professionals.
Another aspect of my work involves sharing insights with the broader public and business community. I have been interviewed by the “Australian Financial Review” about my personal and professional journey, including an article titled “Why Hong doesn’t call herself Julia anymore,” which explored cultural identity and the experience of building a career across different countries and cultures.
Overall, my days combine technical judgment, leadership, and relationship-building across clients, teams and the broader Australia–China business community.
How do I make it productive?
What makes my day productive is maintaining a clear focus on three priorities: delivering high-quality outcomes for clients, investing in people, and strengthening the bridges between Australia and China in business and professional communities. Every decision I make—whether meeting my client, reviewing an audit file, mentoring a team member or speaking at a forum—is measured against whether it advances one of these goals.
I start my day with focused preparation, reviewing time-sensitive priorities, then categorise other tasks based on importance and urgency:
• Reviewing key engagement updates before any client meeting so I can move from information-gathering to insight-sharing immediately. This turns compliance conversations into strategic advisory moments.
• I also protect time for people. Mentoring sessions and check-ins with managers—especially those navigating cultural or professional challenges—are non-negotiable. Investing in them early prevents bigger issues later and builds a resilient, confident team.
• I batch external commitments strategically. Media interviews, forum speaking slots and cross-border events like the Hurun gala or the Australia China Investment Forum are scheduled around audit peak periods, not during them. This ensures I give these relationships the attention they deserve without compromising my signing partner responsibilities.
Finally, I reflect briefly at the end of each day: did I move the needle on client quality, team growth or Australia-China connectivity? If yes on at least two, it was a productive day.
How do you bring ideas to life?
For me, every idea starts with a clear vision. I try to articulate exactly what the outcome should look like and why it matters. A strong vision creates direction and helps others understand the purpose behind the idea. Very often, the ideas that excite me most are the ones that have not been done before, so having the confidence to believe that something is achievable—even when there is no obvious precedent—is important. A genuine can-do mindset is essential.
Once the vision is clear, I move into a practical phase: understanding what resources are required to turn the idea into reality. That includes people, expertise, time, technology and sometimes funding. I also consider what resources are already available within my network or organisation and where the gaps are.
The next step is to break the idea into smaller, manageable components. Large ideas can easily feel overwhelming if approached all at once, so I focus on defining milestones and actionable steps. This approach allows progress to happen incrementally while keeping the bigger vision in sight.
Building the right team is also critical. No meaningful idea is realised by one person alone. I look for people who bring complementary skills, different perspectives and a shared belief in the objective. In my experience, the best teams combine technical expertise with curiosity and a willingness to challenge assumptions.
Communication plays a key role throughout the process. I make sure the team understands not only what we are doing, but also why we are doing it. When people connect with the purpose behind an idea, they are more motivated and more likely to contribute their own improvements and innovations.
As the project progresses, I believe strongly in continuous reflection and improvement. We regularly step back to assess what is working well and what needs to change. Sometimes the original plan needs to be adjusted as new information emerges and being open to refinement helps ensure the idea evolves in the right direction.
Finally, persistence matters. Bringing an idea to life rarely happens in a straight line. There are always challenges, competing priorities and unexpected obstacles. Maintaining focus on the vision while adapting the approach when needed is often what makes the difference between an idea remaining theoretical and becoming reality.
In short, my approach combines a clear vision, a strong belief that the idea is achievable, practical planning, the right team and a commitment to continuous improvement. When those elements come together, even ambitious ideas can become tangible outcomes.
What’s one trend that excites you?
The trend that excites me most right now is artificial intelligence. AI reminds me of the early days of the internet—a tool that will fundamentally reshape how we work, how we access information and how businesses operate.
In the context of the accounting and assurance profession, AI offers significant benefits. It can automate repetitive tasks such as data extraction, reconciliation or anomaly detection, which frees professionals to focus on higher-value activities, such as risk analysis, advisory services and interpreting complex business scenarios. AI also provides the ability to analyse large volumes of data far more efficiently, helping to identify patterns or potential issues that may not be obvious through traditional methods.
However, I also see AI as a complement rather than a replacement for professional judgment. In statutory audits, for example, responsibilities cannot be fully delegated to machines—an RCA must sign off and bear accountability for audit opinions. Critical thinking, ethical judgment, understanding context and interpreting nuances remain essential, and these are areas where human expertise is indispensable.
What excites me is the opportunity to integrate AI thoughtfully into our work—leveraging it to enhance efficiency, improve insights and deliver greater value to clients, while maintaining the rigorous professional standards and judgment that underpin our profession.
In the longer term, AI will continue to reshape how we operate and staying at the forefront of its application is both a challenge and an exciting opportunity for leaders in assurance.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
One habit that has helped me maintain productivity over the years is deliberately blocking out uninterrupted time for focused work.
In a professional services environment, particularly as a partner, the day can easily become fragmented with meetings, emails, calls and unexpected issues. While those interactions are important, they can quickly consume the entire day if I am not careful.
I therefore make it a habit to schedule dedicated blocks of time where I minimise distractions and focus on one priority task at a time.
During these periods, I turn off unnecessary notifications and avoid checking emails. This allows me to concentrate fully on work that requires deeper thinking—whether that is reviewing complex audit matters, preparing for important client discussions, analysing technical accounting issues or thinking through strategic decisions for the practice.
I have also found that protecting this focused time helps me work more thoughtfully rather than simply reacting to what comes across my desk. In a leadership role, it is important not only to be responsive but also to create space for reflection and careful judgement, particularly when dealing with complex professional or commercial decisions.
Another benefit of this habit is that it helps maintain a sense of control over a very busy schedule. By prioritising key tasks and dedicating uninterrupted time to them, I can ensure that the most important work is completed at a high standard rather than rushed between meetings.
Over time, I have realised that productivity is not about being busy every minute of the day. It is about protecting the time and mental space needed to focus on the work that truly matters.
What advice would you give your younger self?
I would tell my younger self: have faith in yourself and trust your abilities.
Believe that you are capable of achieving more than you can imagine and don’t let what others say limit your vision. Just because something has never been done before doesn’t mean it can’t be done—you have the skills, the determination and the resilience to make it happen.
For example, I did not have an Australian education background, and people told me it would be nearly impossible to find a meaningful role in accounting. I received several offers to join the Big 4 and other large accounting firms shortly after landing in Australia.
I was advised to aim for CPA instead of CA because they thought the Chartered Accountants path would be too hard for someone whose first language was not English, who was working full-time, and who didn’t have a local degree. But I trusted myself. I committed to the challenge, worked hard and not only qualified as a CA but excelled—earning several subjects with Pass with Merit, a recognition awarded to the top 5% of candidates. Notably, I achieved Pass with Merit in Taxation, widely regarded as the most difficult subject for auditors, since accountants typically struggle with tax. This demonstrated that I had exceptional skill in an area many consider particularly challenging and reinforced my confidence in taking on complex problems. I proved to myself that I could not only achieve what others thought impossible, I could achieve it exceptionally well.
Even during the most challenging times, faith in my own ability helped me push forward. During the Global Financial Crisis, when promotions were frozen across the firm, I was promoted to manager.
Later, I served as the national treasurer of the Australian Chinese Business Council, becoming the youngest person ever to hold the role, a position usually reserved for partners.
Eventually, I became a partner at PwC—the first person of native Chinese background to achieve this in PwC Australia’s over 150 years of history. At each step, trusting myself and my judgment allowed me to take bold steps when others hesitated.
So, my advice to my younger self would be: trust yourself, believe in your potential and go after what you truly want. Don’t be limited by what others think is possible. Your background, language or circumstances do not define your ability—they are challenges, not barriers. Have confidence in your vision, take action, and be willing to work hard, learn and persevere.
Remember, your achievements are proof that you are capable. Every milestone, every recognition, every challenge overcome is a reminder that if you trust yourself, you can accomplish far more than you ever imagined. So, dream boldly, act decisively and have faith in your abilities. You can achieve extraordinary things, and the journey itself will shape you into someone even stronger, wiser and more capable than you ever thought possible.
Tell us something you believe that almost nobody agrees with you on.
I believe that what many people see as disadvantages—cultural background, language or different experiences—can actually become powerful competitive advantages.
Many people thought it was impossible for me, as a Chinese female with no Australian education background, to ever become a partner at a Big 4 accounting firm in Australia.
Early in my career, I even felt pressure to have an English name to “fit in” and try to emulate the local culture just to be accepted. People told me that my goals were unrealistic, that I wouldn’t succeed in the Australian system, and that I should adjust my expectations.
But I trusted myself. I believed that my skills, dedication and perspective mattered, and I leaned into them rather than trying to fit a mold. I worked hard to learn the system, gain local experience and achieve professional qualifications. I not only became a Chartered Accountant, but I excelled—earning top marks and several modules with Pass with Merit, which placed me among the top performers.
I achieved milestones many thought impossible: promotion to manager during the Global Financial Crisis, serving as the youngest national treasurer of the Australian Chinese Business Council, and ultimately becoming the first native Chinese audit partner at PwC Australia.
Through this experience, I’ve come to believe something that many still disagree with: being different—culturally, linguistically or in background—is not a disadvantage. It can be your advantage. Your unique perspective allows you to see opportunities others may miss, navigate complex international markets and contribute insights that enhance business decisions. For example, understanding Chinese culture and markets has been invaluable in bridging relationships between Australian businesses and China, and I believe corporate Australia would benefit more if it embraced diverse perspectives rather than assuming conformity is the path to success.
So, while most people doubted that someone like me could achieve what I have in Australia, I’ve learned that trusting yourself, valuing your uniqueness and taking bold steps—even when it feels impossible—is often what leads to the greatest impact.
I believe that everyone has a perspective, a skillset, or an experience that is underestimated—and that embracing, rather than downplaying, these differences is one of the most powerful ways to succeed.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
The one thing I repeatedly do—and highly recommend—is actively seeking new experiences and embracing challenges.
For me, growth, learning and fulfillment come from stepping into situations that are unfamiliar, complex or even intimidating. I thrive on diversity in both professional and personal life. Even though I’ve stayed long in the accounting profession, no two days have ever been the same. I work with different clients, industries and teams, each presenting unique problems and opportunities.
Every role I’ve held—from senior accountant to manager, senior manager, director, and partner—has felt like stepping into an entirely new job. Each comes with its own responsibilities, expectations and pressures. Navigating these transitions has required me to adapt quickly, learn constantly and develop new skills while maintaining focus on delivering results. I’ve learned to embrace the pressure, stay curious and tackle difficult tasks with energy and determination.
I also combine this mindset with a strong sense of purpose: I seek to create value not just for myself, but for others. I enjoy helping clients solve complex challenges, mentoring my team and supporting friends or colleagues who need guidance.
Facing challenges with curiosity and a willingness to learn allows me to achieve outcomes I wouldn’t have imagined while also enabling those around me to grow and succeed.
I recommend this to everyone: don’t settle for comfort or routine.
Seek out opportunities that push your limits, expose you to new perspectives and challenge your skills. The process may be difficult, stressful and even uncomfortable at times—but it’s also deeply rewarding. By pursuing diverse experiences and embracing challenges, you gain resilience, broaden your perspective, discover your strengths and create meaningful achievements that enrich both your career and your life.
Over time, this mindset transforms uncertainty into opportunity.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
When I feel overwhelmed or unfocused, I’ve learned that the most effective approach is to step back, reset and recharge both mentally and physically.
In high-pressure roles like mine, it’s easy to get stuck in a cycle of overthinking or forcing progress, but I’ve found that this rarely produces the best outcomes.
Instead, I intentionally give myself space to relax and shift my mindset.
That could mean getting a good night’s sleep, enjoying my favourite foods or spending time with friends singing karaoke. These moments aren’t just indulgences—they help me reset my energy, release stress, and return to my work with clarity, focus and renewed motivation.
I don’t try to push through when I’m mentally blocked. I’ve realized that stubbornly powering through often leads to frustration and lower-quality outcomes. By consciously giving myself time to step away and do something that brings me joy, I can return to the task with a fresh perspective, new ideas and a calmer mindset. In fact, some of my best work has come after allowing myself to pause.
One of the most powerful examples of this was during my time working in EY US. Being away from my home office in Sydney, I initially faced a new and unfamiliar environment, different expectations and the pressure to perform internationally.
Rather than becoming tense or trying to force results, I allowed myself to fully immerse in the experience, be authentic and enjoy the challenge. I stayed relaxed, confident and curious—focusing on learning, building relationships and delivering value.
As a result, I delivered outstanding performance, so much so that EY US wanted me to stay longer and even offered me the opportunity to stay permanently, while my home office in Sydney also recognized me as a top performer. That experience reinforced an important lesson: when I am relaxed, engaged and authentic, I perform at my best.
Since then, I’ve made it a habit to actively manage my energy and mindset, particularly when facing stress or distraction. I intentionally create mental and physical space to reset, focus on what energizes me and approach tasks with curiosity and enthusiasm.
This approach allows me to tackle complex challenges creatively, make better decisions and deliver sustainable, high-quality results, even in high-pressure or unpredictable environments.
Over time, I’ve realized that stepping back isn’t avoiding work—it’s a strategy to achieve more, with clarity, focus and joy.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
One strategy that has consistently helped me advance in my career is setting very clear goals and making them public to the right people.
At every stage of my career, I have had explicit, measurable objectives, and I proactively communicate them—especially to those who can provide guidance, resources or support to help me achieve them.
For example, early in my career, I wanted an early promotion. Performance and promotion cycles were annual, but I made my ambitions clear: I shared my goal with my managers and mentors, explained why I was ready, and demonstrated how achieving this would benefit the team and the firm. I then worked diligently, exceeded expectations and achieved the promotion six months ahead of schedule.
I’ve also applied this principle to opportunities beyond promotions.
When office desks were being allocated, I expressed my desire for a window desk with a view to our managing partner, explaining that it would enhance my focus, productivity and engagement with work. That request was granted, and it provided more than just a comfortable workspace: it allowed me to sit among senior partners, gain better visibility and create opportunities to build relationships and showcase my work. This simple, proactive step directly contributed to better exposure, stronger networks and more impactful opportunities within the firm.
The core of this strategy is simple: clarity, communication and initiative. By being explicit about what I want, why it matters and how it aligns with broader goals, I am able to mobilize resources, secure support and accelerate results. It’s not just about asking for something—it’s about creating alignment, demonstrating readiness and showing how achieving the goal benefits both myself and the organization.
Over time, this approach has allowed me to consistently grow my career, expand my influence and seize opportunities that others might overlook. It’s a strategy I continue to apply in both professional and business contexts, and I strongly recommend it to anyone who wants to advance deliberately and strategically.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
One of the most significant failures in my career happened when I first moved to Australia. I had never practiced conversational English, I had no Australian education, and I had never interacted with colleagues in English. I joined EY Sydney as a senior accountant, coming from an office in mainland China with fewer than 20 staff to a Sydney office of over 2,000 people. The scale, the pace and the cultural differences were overwhelming, and I struggled tremendously at the beginning.
As a result, I was demoted back to accountant, which at the time felt like a huge personal and professional failure. It deeply hurt my confidence and pride. I questioned whether I could adapt, whether I belonged and whether I had made the right decision to move. It was one of the lowest points in my career.
But I chose not to let it define me. I decided to work harder than ever before, to learn, adapt and prove myself. I focused on understanding the systems, improving my English, and demonstrating value through results. Within six months, I became a star performer, regained my senior accountant title and continued to excel. My performance and determination led to a fast-track promotion to manager during the Global Financial Crisis, even when the firm had frozen promotions for most staff.
Looking back, I see that this failure was a turning point.
It ignited a determination and resilience I might not have discovered otherwise. That early struggle taught me the importance of perseverance, humility and adapting to new environments. It showed me that setbacks are not permanent and can become catalysts for growth if met with focus, courage and consistent effort.
Ultimately, this experience shaped my career trajectory.
It instilled the drive, discipline and resilience that carried me forward, eventually leading to my becoming a partner at one of the top Big 4 firms, PwC—a milestone I once thought impossible.
While it was incredibly difficult at the time, I am deeply grateful for that early failure because it forged the mindset and determination that have defined my professional success.
What is one business idea you’re willing to give away to our readers?
One business idea I would share is a highly specialised boutique accounting firm that combines deep expertise to solve complex client problems.
The core advantage of this model is direct access to senior, experienced professionals. Unlike large firms, where much of the client work is carried out by junior staff and graduates under supervision, or outsourced overseas team, a boutique firm allows clients to work hands-on with founding partners or senior experts. This creates immediate value—clients receive insight from people who have navigated similar challenges at the highest levels, rather than filtered through multiple layers of staff.
A small team operates efficiently, eliminating hierarchy, natural inefficiencies and communication costs, while maintaining this high-touch, partner-led approach. Technology, including AI and workflow automation tools, supports research, data analysis and scenario modelling, freeing senior experts to focus on strategic guidance and decision-making rather than routine tasks.
The broader lesson is that entrepreneurship today is about expertise, focus and impact. By specialising in a specific niche and combining senior-level experience with smart use of technology, a boutique accounting business can deliver outsized value, build strong trust and provide solutions that larger, more hierarchical firms cannot.
Takeaway: A boutique accounting firm, led by senior professionals actively engaged in every client interaction, delivers higher-value, hands-on advice compared to the standard large-firm operating model, offering clients both deep expertise and practical, actionable solutions.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
The piece of software that has been most effective in helping me stay productive is Clockify, a time-tracking tool.
I use it to track my time by minute throughout the day, which allows me to stay intensely focused on the task at hand. When I start a task, I start the timer and knowing that my time is being tracked helps me minimize distractions and fully commit to the work in front of me.
Beyond just focus, Clockify also serves as a reflection and improvement tool.
At the end of each day or week, I review how my time was allocated—how much went to client work, team management, strategic planning or administrative tasks. This reflection helps me identify inefficiencies, adjust priorities and make better decisions about where to invest my energy. Over time, this process has allowed me to improve my time management, balance competing priorities and consistently deliver high-impact work without burning out.
I also use Clockify to break large, complex projects into measurable blocks of time, which helps me plan realistic schedules and ensure progress on multiple fronts simultaneously. It gives me a clear sense of how long specific tasks take, which informs future planning and allows me to set achievable goals while staying accountable.
Ultimately, Clockify is not just a tracking tool—it’s a discipline enabler. It helps me maintain focus in a role full of unpredictable demands and interruptions, provides clarity on how I spend my time and encourages continuous improvement.
By using it consistently, I’ve been able to increase productivity, maintain energy for high-priority tasks and achieve better results both for my clients and my team.
What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?
One of the best $100 I recently spent was buying tickets to the Easter Show so I could take my son and join a few of his friends’ families for the day. For me, experiences like this are far more valuable than simply buying things. The Easter Show is not just about rides or food—it’s about spending time together, sharing laughter, and creating memories with family and friends.
As a parent with a demanding professional life, I’m very conscious that time with my son is precious. Opportunities to step away from work, be fully present and enjoy simple moments together are incredibly important to me. Events like this also allow him to connect with his friends and their families, which helps build a sense of community and belonging.
For me, the best spending decisions are often the ones that create meaningful experiences rather than material possessions. A relatively small amount of money can create lasting memories, strengthen relationships and bring genuine joy.
In the long run, those moments are far more valuable than anything I could simply buy.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?
One book that has stayed with me for many years is “The Secret.”
At first glance, its philosophy might seem very different from the way I approach life, because I strongly believe in discipline, persistence and hard work. However, the core idea of the book resonates deeply with my personal experience: having absolute clarity about what you want and believing that you can achieve it.
The book introduces what many people call the “law of attraction.” In simple terms, it suggests that when people focus clearly on their goals and truly believe those goals are possible, they begin to think and act in ways that make those outcomes more likely. To me, it’s not about simply wishing for things to happen—it’s about having a clear vision and then aligning your effort and actions with that vision over time.
That mindset has guided many of my decisions throughout my career.
For example, later in my career I decided to pursue the Chinese Institute of Certified Public Accountants (CICPA) Qualification even though I had already completed the Chartered Accountant (CA ANZ) program.
The CICPA exam is widely considered one of the most difficult professional accounting qualifications in China. The exams are closed book, extremely technical and the pass rates are very low. In many years, the pass rate for individual subjects is often only around 15% to 25%, and completing all seven subjects successfully is even more challenging.
From a purely practical perspective, I didn’t strictly need the CICPA qualification at that stage. I already had my CA and was progressing well in my career in Australia. However, I had a very clear long-term vision. Given my background, I believed that much of my future work would involve connecting Australia and China—helping businesses navigate opportunities between the two markets.
In China, the CICPA designation carries tremendous respect and credibility because of how difficult it is to obtain. I knew that earning the qualification would strengthen my ability to engage with Chinese clients and professionals and demonstrate that I truly understood both the Chinese and international professional environments.
So, I committed to pursuing it.
At the time, I was working full time as a manager and later senior manager in EY while also serving as the National Treasurer of the Australia China Business Council. Balancing demanding client work, leadership responsibilities and preparing for such a rigorous examination was extremely challenging.
But once I had the vision, I was determined to see it through.
Looking back, this is exactly why the philosophy of “The Secret” resonates with me. In my experience, success doesn’t come from wishful thinking alone—it comes from having a clear vision, believing it is possible, and then putting in the sustained effort required to make it real.
Many milestones in my career initially seemed unlikely to others: moving to Australia without strong conversational English skills, building a career in the Big Four, becoming the first native Chinese audit partner at PwC Australia and pursuing additional qualifications like CICPA while working full time.
But once I decide something is important, I commit to it fully.
For me, “The Secret” is not about magic. It is about the powerful combination of belief, clarity and action—and that combination has shaped many of the most important chapters of my career.
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
One series I really enjoyed is “The Good Wife.”
What I appreciate most about the show is its portrayal of a strong, intelligent woman rebuilding her professional identity while managing the complexities of family, reputation and personal growth.
The story follows Alicia Florrick, who returns to her legal career after a major personal crisis and has to rebuild her professional credibility from the ground up. Watching her navigate demanding cases, office politics and the expectations placed on her as a mother and public figure is both inspiring and very relatable.
What makes the series particularly compelling is that it doesn’t present success as something simple or effortless. Alicia faces constant challenges—balancing career ambition, ethical decisions, relationships and family responsibilities. Yet through resilience, intelligence and determination, she gradually builds her confidence and earns respect in a competitive professional environment.
As a woman who has built a career in a demanding profession while also managing family life, I find that journey very meaningful. The show highlights something many professional women experience: the need to continuously adapt, stay resilient and define success on your own terms.
It also reminds me that careers are rarely linear. Sometimes the most powerful growth happens after setbacks or moments of reinvention.
Stories like this resonate with me because they celebrate capability, resilience, and the idea that women can lead, succeed and shape their own paths—both professionally and personally.
Key learnings
- Clarity of vision matters. Defining ambitious goals early and communicating them openly can create opportunities, attract support and accelerate progress.
- Challenges can become catalysts. Early setbacks or perceived disadvantages—such as language barriers, cultural differences or career setbacks—can become powerful motivation for growth and long-term success.
- Confidence grows from sustained action, not just belief. Believing that a goal is achievable is important, but sustained effort, discipline and resilience are what ultimately turn vision into results.
- Diverse experiences build stronger leaders. Embracing new environments, cultures and challenges can create unique perspectives that become valuable in global business.
- Success is more meaningful when balanced with curiosity, community and relationships. Investing in people—whether colleagues, clients, friends or family—creates lasting impact beyond professional achievements.