Transforming into a New Force, Mastery from Constant Renewal

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For more than three decades, this was how millions of Hongkongers called vans. Starting GoGoVan with four other young men, Steven Lam changed that in 2013. “Back then, I didn’t have the intention to create a logistics business; this platform was meant to help me deliver lunchboxes more efficiently!” Steven recalls.

GoGoVan was not Steven’s first entrepreneurial foray. As a university student in the United States, he sold first-generation iPhones on eBay and – prefiguring things to come – he provided lunch delivery services for an Asian restaurant. Reeve Kwan and Nick Tang, his previous business partners and two of his cofounders at GoGoVan. “We’ve battled in the trenches together, through the good and bad times, and that was how I know I can trust them,” Steven says. Together with James O and Chris Yuen, these five form GoGoVan’s ‘core’ leadership. Being the outgoing, confident type, Steven pitches the van-calling app company to investors and the media. Reeve, who can seemingly befriend anyone from 30-year-old office workers to 70-year-old van drivers, presents GoGoVan’s ‘human’ side. The details and analytical matters are left to Nick. 

Steven’s relationship with James goes back even further – they were secondary school friends, and have known each other for over a decade. Steven asserts, “James is still the best artist I have met, and he’s got a discerning eye for both creativity and branding.” Chris is a more recent acquaintance; they were introduced by a mutual friend, and based on their shared values, quickly forged a bond. Chris’ programming skills were evident from the beginning: All he needed was three months to write and implement the software that’s now at the heart of Hong Kong’s great start-up story.

Steven’s relationship with his cofounders makes us curious to ask him how entrepreneurs should choose their business partners. He says integrity comes first - “It doesn’t matter how smart or how much money they bring in; if you don’t trust them, there’s no point, no enduring foundation to build your working relationship on.” Steven says this trust grows by sharing triumphs and defeats – which explains the synergy between Reeve, Nick and himself.

“Hong Kong isn’t known for either technology or entrepreneurism; we hope GoGoVan is changing that,” Steven says. For decades, trade, finance and real estate formed the mainstay of the economy, and when tourists leave Hong Kong, they buy Chinese biscuits and teabags as souvenirs. In 2016 however, some things have changed: visitors now depart Hong Kong with blue vans as keepsakes – the model toy vans of Steven’s company. “It’s easily one of the most gratifying scenes I’ve ever witnessed in my life.”

The 30-year old is the last person who will tell you it’s not been an easy journey. Graduating from university in 2010, Steven never held a traditional full-time job; “My business management experience prior to GoGoVan? Zero.” Despite his youth, Steven’s mature perspective on the challenges ahead sets him apart from his peers. He asserts, “Nobody is born with the knowledge, skills and experience necessary to successfully run a business; if I waited until I knew ‘everything,’ there’d be no GoGoVan.”