Wen shares his career journey from a software engineer to becoming a coach. As an introvert, Wen struggled with believing he couldn't be a great leader. However, after challenging this limiting belief and gaining management experience, Wen realized introverts can make strong leaders. While Wen achieved a six-figure salary, he felt unfulfilled and longed for more meaning. After a gap year of travel, family, and career exploration, Wen discovered his passion for coaching. Coaching helped Wen transform his mindset and walk away from his corporate career to pursue his purpose of helping others through coaching.

1. The Journey to A Six
-Figure Income and
Walking Away From It
By Wen Hsu

2. About Me
● ICF Certified Coach @ Wen
Coaching
● 15+ years in tech with 7 years of
management experience leading
teams and delivering impacts
● Mission: Bring humanity back to
tech
● LinkedIn

3. What People Don’t Know About Me
● I’ve been fired. I’ve felt lonely. I’ve
lost loved ones
● I’ve had problem saying NOs to
others
● I often depend on constant
performance and achievement for
self-respect and self-validation

4. ● The learning in my journey to six figures
○ Climbing the corporate ladder
○ Career exploration
● The gut to walk away - being a coach
● Q&A
Outline

5. Typical Career Paths
Degree Senior SE
Lead SE Engineering
Manager
Software
Engineer
VP,
Engineering
Staff
Engineer
Management
Staff Software
Engineer II
Principal SE
Individual Contributor

7. Wen’s Career Choice
Degree Senior SE
Software
Engineer
？
My thought:
introverts can’t be a
great leaders

8. ● Different from Shy
○ Shyness is about fear of social judgment
● Definition：how you respond to stimulation
○ Extroverts really crave large amounts of stimulation
○ Introverts feel at their most alive and their most
switched-on and their most capable when they're in
quieter, more low-key environments
● The American dream is to be extroverted
Introvert

9. Leader
A leader is driven by deep rooted values that they are
urge to complete their goals. They understand their
strengths and weaknesses and have the confidence to
maximize and leverage all they have to give and learn.

10. Introverted Leaders

11. ● Deliver good results
● Build strong, trusting, and, meaningful
connections
● The best leaders for proactive employees
● Well-processed thoughts
● Strong-willed and humble
Introverted Leader’s Strengths

12. Wen’s Career Path
Degree Software
Engineer
Lead SE
Senior SE
Embrace my
introversion &
challenge my limiting
belief
Engineering
Manager

13. Wen’s Career Path
Degree Software
Engineer
Lead SE
Senior SE
Intentionally
transferred from
client-facing to a
R&D department to
get out of my
comfort zone
Engineering
Manager

14. What’s Next
Degree Software
Engineer
Lead
SE
Senior
SE
VP,
Engineering
EM
60k 100k 160k 200k+ 500k?
Can’t see where I
want to go. Luckily,
I encountered
coaching

15. Coaching Definition
International Coaching Federation (ICF) defines
coaching as partnering with clients in a
thought-provoking and creative process that
inspires them to maximize their personal and
professional potential.

16. Coaching in Practice
I hired a coach to help me to ...
● Work through my deepest fears
● See my blind spots
● Identify and challenge my limiting beliefs
● Discover my strongest desires
● Have the courage to change

17. When to Quit
Learned to say NOs (to others) to
enable a bigger YES (for myself)!
So I Quit!
To gift myself the time and space
to wonder

18. Gap Year - Travel

19. Gap Year - Family

20. Gap Year - Career Exploration
How to know if it’s right?
1. Be open and be
curious!
2. Test-dry the career
3. Information Interviews

21. Learnings in My Gap Year
Old beliefs / doubts:
● I am on my own
● My team would suffer without me
● Who am I without a job (being productive)?
● I’m giving up (a lot of) what I’ve established
● I am too old to ____

22. Learnings in My Gap Year
New beliefs:
● I am loved
● I belong when I show my authentic self
● I create my own identity and life
● I’m never too old to try new things
● Confidence is the result of taking actions and
facing unknown (not the other way around)

23. The Gut to Walk Away
● A layoff
○ Gifts - things are happening TO me
● My deep rooted values
○ People thrive only when they have psychological safety
○ Transform myself and others to live our purpose in life
○ Impact first, income will follow
FOR

24. Wen’s Career Path
Degree Software
Engineer
Lead
SE
Senior
SE
EM
Coach | Leader |
Advisor | Investor |
Chef | Entrepreneur
Coaching
transformed
chaos to
possibilities

25. 1. When do I need coaching?
Need - when you are stuck. Want - when you want to get to a better place. If you are unsure or if you
are looking for a change, I offer a complimentary coaching session. Book here.
2. How do I stop the constant need to perform to prove myself?
I’m still practicing everyday the act of self-compassion. I need to unlearn the old paradigm from my
parents and society and then build up the new muscle of unconditional self-love. It takes time and it’s
rewarding.
3. What’s the differences between a mentor and a coach?
Mentor - been there done that. Give advice/ideas on what worked for them (which might or might not
work for you)
Coach - belief clients have the answer because you are an expert of you. Coaching is a partnership.
Coach brings out the answers from you by asking thought-provoking questions so the solutions are
tailored to you.
Q&A

26. I’ve been a leader, a
coach, and an
trusted advisor to
transform people’s
life - even when they
can’t see their own
power.
Book a complimentary coaching session with me HERE.