My grandparents came to the US with a dream and a deep sense of purpose. It is to support the family and ensure a better future for their children. As a tech entrepreneur, I share the same dream. I want to create something meaningful not only for my clients and investors, but also for my family and the wider community through App Fud.

research shows that a variety of first-hand experiences, such as making difficult decisions, facing challenges, and taking responsibility for outcomes, build a founder's resilience. I had my share of these experiences early on in the years I spent working in our family restaurantwhich greatly influenced the way I now manage Fudi. And for that, I am forever grateful.

Descended from generations of chefs who captured the taste of home for many immigrants, my family opened a series of authentic Chinese restaurants in Georgia and Southern California in the 1970s. And like many children in family businesses, I grew up working in our restaurant. I filled in whenever help was needed, especially when we were understaffed or overwhelmed with clients.

Now that I'm building my own business, I've realized that growing up in a family-owned restaurant gave me one unique perspective in entrepreneurship, which has contributed to shaping me into the entrepreneur I am today. Here are some of the experiences that taught me valuable lessons in running a business.

Related: As a first-generation immigrant founder, my business is more than income—it's a legacy for my children. This is how I balance work and family.

Taking responsibility for my mistakes

When I was a teenager, I helped deliver food to customers. Once, my cousin and I accidentally tilted the bags causing the sauce to come out of the containers. Instead of taking it back to the restaurant and fixing it, we sent it as is. As expected, the customer complained about the erratic delivery and we had to redo the entire order.

This experience taught me that hiding and avoiding problems it would only make things worse. If we had been more responsible for our actions, we would have avoided upsetting the customer and damaging the restaurant's reputation.

As an entrepreneur, I know that mistakes are inevitable. It is important that problems are faced directly and take responsibility for your actions. Instead of dwelling on the failure, I try to focus on the lessons learned and the steps I can take to prevent the same mistake from happening again.

Experience is my best teacher

People learn best by doing. During my stint as a cashier in my elementary school years, I learned to do math in the real world and became good at handling money. The practical experience also increased my confidence in interacting with customers, teaching me how to communicate well to make sure they had a positive experience at the restaurant.

Spending time at the restaurant has shown me the bigger picture, how the entire team works together to provide quality service, handle customer complaints and still have fun. Even with my BA and MBA, I can say I learned the most from my experience working at our family's restaurant.

Related: I learned everything important to succeed as an entrepreneur by washing dishes for my first boss

Evaluating work

Working as a hostess and waiter instilled a depth in me respect for the hard work and dedication of our staff. They have to endure long hours on their feet, work in a fast-paced environment and perform thankless tasks. It is truly a demanding and underrated job.

Providing a fun and cool experience is no easy task. Beyond greeting guests with a smile and making sure their orders are accurate and on time, it takes sensitivity to anticipate and respond to customer needs, strong interpersonal skills to foster genuine relationships, and a commitment to make every interaction memorable.

This appreciation for any craft and craft form comes naturally to me and has become a core value within Community Food. I believe that any craft, side hustle, venture, or any effort someone makes to provide for themselves and pursue their goals should be appreciated and celebrated.

Embracing competition

I learned this from my family competition in the restaurant industry it can be a good thing. In fact, placing our restaurant together with other successful establishments created valuable synergies for all. It is not a zero sum game. The success of neighboring restaurants draws large crowds and increases the overall reputation of the area, which benefits everyone.

Knowing that customers could easily choose another place to eat kept us going, pushing us to innovate in our restaurant. We are always looking for ways to improve our customer service, diversify our food options and nurture our customer relationships.

I have kept this mindset until now. As an entrepreneur, I learn a lot from the competition and it pushes me to bring more to the table and be creative. I'd rather share a bigger pie with a few competitors than be the most successful business in a small market.

Related: Business doesn't need to be tough – Embrace this mindset and watch your business thrive

Building a business without an owner

My family introduced me to the concept of “building a clock” in business. The idea is to build a thriving and sustainable restaurant that can operate without depending on the owners alone. For this to work, there must be standard processes, systems and structures for employees to follow and support when making decisions .

Another key element to building a sustainable business is fostering long-term customer relationships. As a Chinese restaurant, our unique differentiation lies in serving authentic food that brings people and families together, keeping traditions alive. Our regulars are not just customers, we treat them as part of our family.

By focusing on forming strong bonds within the community rather than pursuing short-term gains, both business and customers benefit in the long run. As a founder, my goal is to work in business and not just in business. I believe in creating real connections and engaging a community that supports your business.