Success In The Backyard
An Interview with Cindy Wuu:
Entrepreneur
(July 10, 1998)
Meet Cindy Wuu:
Cindy Wuu, 23, grew up in Cleveland and went to college at Indiana University where she graduated with a liberal arts degree after deciding the business degree she originally had pursued was not for her. Upon graduation Cindy wasn't sure what she wanted to do. She knew she loved meeting people and thought she should work in service industry in some way. She went to work for a marketing company, and was eventually sent to work in their office in China. She used this opportunity to explore and try to find something she wanted to do.
After working in China for a year Cindy decided she wanted to come home, she felt her life was on hold and that she wasn't developing the way she wanted. So with the decision to head back to the USA, she first took six months off, purchased a round the word ticket and traveled. During her travels to Thailand she was joined by a close friend of hers Janet Jeng, who was at a similar cross roads in her life. The two spent afternoons on the beaches of Thailand reflecting on what they wanted to do with their lives. They thought about what their interests were, what they were really good at and decided they wanted to pursue their passions in bath products. Thus the idea of the Backyard, Inc. was born, and Cindy was on her way to setting up a bath and beauty supply shop in Seattle and becoming an entrepreneur. She is currently working to build the store in Seattle and is supporting herself by waiting tables and bartending.
If you're traveling through Seattle, be sure and check out Backyard, Inc. (2034 2nd Avenue, Tel: 206-956-0271) and tryout their many products, just tell them Quest-4 sent you.
Interview Excerpts
Making Your Own Happiness
Goal Oriented
Knowing Yourself
Process Of Elimination
The Backyard Philosophy
If I'm not happy doing something I think: what can I do to be more happy? 
Making Your Own Happiness
It doesn't feel good to not feel happy. I am very pro-active. If I'm not feeling happy - and this can take only 5 seconds in my head - I make myself feel happy. If I'm not happy doing something I think: what can I do to be more happy? Is it cutting out a shift or working less, and there are always little things, daily things that lead up to my long term goals.
I always have some goals in mind, the thing is to always have goals, to have some thing you are working for.
Goal Oriented
I'm goal oriented, so its not like once I reach a certain point I'm there. Its not "I want to make a million dollars". I always have some goals in mind, the thing is to always have goals, to have some thing you are working for. I'd like to reach the point where I am comfortable enough to have the time to do the things I'd like to do. I've always done a lot of volunteer work, and so to me success is being able to do something you want to do, to be able to reach the point where I can dictate what I want to do with my time.
Many of us fall into the trap of doing something because we don't know anything else we want to do.
Knowing Yourself
Its all about first being able to know yourself. Many of us fall into the trap of doing something because we don't know anything else we want to do. It comes down to not really taking the time to figure out who you are. A lot of it comes down to self-esteem. People who are not happy with their job or themselves, once you value yourself and you know what makes you happy, it naturally directs you. Most of the time I feel like I know myself very well. I reach a point where I reach a decision and I trust myself. It always works itself out. And if I care about myself I'm never going to want to put myself in a situation where I'm unhappy. Of course you can't control everything in your life but by having a positive outlook and caring about yourself and your happiness and well-being, you can make the difference. It sounds so basic but its a constant challenge. Success is just first having a purpose, knowing yourself.
I keep doing stuff where I think "I really don't want to do this," but I make something positive out of it.
Process Of Elimination
A lot of what I've done seems to be process of elimination, as I keep doing stuff where I think "I really don't want to do this," but I make something positive out of it and learn from it. And I don't want to sound like I'm always positive, but it doesn't feel good to not feel good about what you do or to be in a bad mood so I try to take the negative and see the positive.
Its nice to be a part of a product or service that gives value to someone.
The Backyard Philosophy
I want to have a really positive effect on someone. Its [Backyard, Inc.] all about comfort and relaxation and treating yourself. I want to help people enjoy that. In a lot of people's lives relaxation and pampering really has some value. Its nice to be able to do something that helps that. Its nice to be a part of a product or service that gives value to someone.
© Copyright Chris Moeller & Brian Ardinger, 1998
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