I just celebrated my birthday last week.

Marking yet another year of figuring it all out.

Constant learning, constant growth—and let me tell you, the last few years have been full of both.

Starting OCE, launching a property management business, and diving into investing have really made me reflect on the power of intentionality in everything I pursue.

Today, indulge me in a reflection on the career lessons I most wish I could pass on to 17-year-old Lena.

But FIRST

If you are new, welcome to OCE’s weekly newsletter curated for the ambitious youth…here are some articles you missed from previous weeks:

📈

3 Steps to market your passion project

Best tools for building your passion project

Ready for some real talk?

Your superpower starts when you stop trying to check boxes

From an early age, we’re programmed to focus on getting good grades, getting into top schools, and building a “respectable” career.

Check boxes for success.

It makes sense – our parents want us to have a comfortable and stable life.

In fact, my family was so proud that I worked in “Silicon Valley” a lauded place we thought was reserved for elites – not for us normal folk, children of immigrants.

But I quickly realized that you are still nothing but another cog in the machine, and there are tons of people who can do the same job 10x better than you.

Better at checking boxes.

What actually sets you apart? What makes you irreplaceable?

Read till the end to find out :)

Predictable does not equal safety

Speaking of a stable life.

Is a "predictable" career actually that safe?

Well, I bought into the steady corporate game myself. You climb the ladder and wait for your turn, what can go wrong?

And within the first week of my employment after graduation, I was in for a reckoning of the inherent risk. I saw the general manager and her entire team getting dissolved because the vertical wasn’t profitable enough.

It might be easy to give in to the "predictable" allure of a job, but when things go south, who gets the axe first…?

Only you can ensure the security over your future.

Always bet on yourself.

Your niche passion or localized knowledge pays

THIS…

is what sets you apart and makes you irreplaceable.

Case in point: I’ve spent the latter part of my 20s in ASEAN emerging markets as a researcher, witnessing the rapid growth and innovation that we often overlooked.

Yet, American corporations eager to expand their presence in these regions are hungry for deep, localized insights and connections.

This kind of specialized knowledge—earned through immersion, not textbooks—is invaluable and irreplaceable.

Now imagine the potential of bringing a unique product or service from an emerging market to America. You become a pioneer, that too, is irreplaceable.

A bit closer to home, I’ve been able to build and grow a profitable business, all thanks to my niche expertise and understanding of my own community—the possibilities are endless.

You may not be able to control the labor market, but what can you control? You.

Like what you read? Share with friends!

PS. This summer, we are going to tackle pressing global issues and drive innovation in regions (such as your own community) where it is needed the most. Want in?

We run a summer cohort for ambitious youth (high school and undergrads) to work directly with world-class founders while learning from Silicon Valley leaders.

OCE Summer Cohort

You can also explore purposeful opportunities through our Impact Internship Opportunities Database.

Get Curious.

Lena

https://www.openclassroomexperience.com/