A Look Inside My BHGAP Entrepreneurship Class
Editor's note: This originally appeared as a LinkedIn article. It's reprinted here with permission.
The journey of a VC-backed Entrepreneurship came to an unexpected close. My strongest memories are still from the first two classes—debates around startup “vision,” the stories of so-called "charismatic tricksters" and a sobering talk by the former CEO of SVB on how culture contributes to a company's downfall.
Arman Zand, our professor, spent years in China and understands both the language and context. He would occasionally make subtle references in class—like saying, “In the U.S., I can openly criticize Trump. Can you do the same with Xi in China?” (Wish we could.)
He banned phones and laptops during class, disliked lateness, but this exactly showed deep respect for all.
- He said, “There is no fair world."
- He said, “Never accept your first offer. Always negotiate."
- He said, “You might forget what was taught, but one day the slides might help you.” (However, his slides are simply a couple of pages—we learned through casework and real-time discussion.)
I appreciated how he started every session by recapping the previous one. I loved the moment he slammed his pen down while talking about old banks. I admired his sharp, well-paced speech. Today, he reminded us that public speaking is a trainable skill—and one we must learn.
Yesterday, we submitted our final investment memo. Today, we wrapped things up with a game of Jeopardy—a fun way to review the material. Arman even prepared physical buzzers for the game. Our Red Team came in second place, and at one point we were far ahead!
In his closing remarks, he drew a line chart. It began as a bumpy but upward path—just like our pasts—then added a straight line projecting a perfect future. Then he paused, erased the straight line and replaced it with another wavy upward path. That moment struck me deeply: Life was never smooth, and it won’t be in the future either. Let’s not pressure ourselves to be perfect or to rise in a straight line. Embrace uncertainty. Enjoy the present. And most of all—give first.
By the end, I felt tears welling up. This was my last in-person class at Haas. A classmate said she saw tears in Arman's eyes, too. What a deeply human teacher! He reminded me of a panda—rare, warm and unforgettable.
He’s also the only professor who created a LinkedIn group for the course to keep us connected for the long run.
As a startup CFO, Arman told us that he found the process full of “fun and interest”—a big contrast from the IPO-stage CFO role. Maybe that’s what we’re both searching for: meaning, growth and joy.
Our TA, Elaine Chung, is from Taiwan with a biology background. I asked her for advice on personal branding. She’s been actively posting and recently published a book called The Illusion of Authenticity. From her and several other women, I saw both the challenges we face—and the strength we carry.
