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CHUCK 'C.K.' HONG
Netlist
Irvine
10 years in business
Type of company: “We manufacture custom, high-performance, very fast, very dense memory for servers and supercomputers.”
Starting capital: “About $3.5 million over the first couple of years”
Annual business:
“Because we are a public company now, I cannot talk about numbers.
We’re at about $100 million (in value). Our goal is to increase the
value of the business for our shareholders.”
Most significant challenge, and how you overcame it: “It’s
a high-tech business, and the environment is highly volatile. In 2001,
after 9/11, anybody in high-tech faced difficulty. And then there was
the financial collapse nationally that we are still working through.
Not starting out with much money, we had to learn to adapt with what we
had.”
Most useful resource: “Highly motivated, good people on our staff”
Advice to other minority entrepreneurs:
“In the more traditional professions, keep in mind that it’s an even
playing field. But minorities should take advantage of government
programs that are available to them. You might also remember that hard
work really pays off. All the traditional values that have held up this
country certainly apply to the new minority entrepreneur.”
One thing you might have done differently: “In
hiring, I put more emphasis on experience than I did on talent. What
we’re learning is to hire people with talent, who have potential, and
then we develop them.”
5 Minority Business Owners:
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Irvine 10 years in business Type of company: “We manufacture custom, high-performance, very fast, very dense memory for servers and supercomputers.” Starting capital: “About $3.5 million over the first couple of years” Annual business: “Because we are a public company now, I cannot talk about numbers. We’re at about $100 million (in value). Our goal is to increase the value of the business for our shareholders.” Most significant challenge, and how you overcame it: “It’s a high-tech business, and the environment is highly volatile. In 2001, after 9/11, anybody in high-tech faced difficulty. And then there was the financial collapse nationally that we are still working through. Not starting out with much money, we had to learn to adapt with what we had.” Most useful resource: “Highly motivated, good people on our staff” One thing you might have done differently: “In hiring, I put more emphasis on experience than I did on talent. What we’re learning is to hire people with talent, who have potential, and then we develop them.” 5 Minority Business Owners:
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