Storytelling. Memory. Reflection.
PROJECT SHOWCASE: I
I am the founder of a social enterprise called Florentino Design Studio. During my high school junior and senior years, I co-designed, produced, and managed the entire product line of SleepyCat and JollyPup based on the sole purpose of helping the visually impaired. In total, this project donated over 150,000 NTD to the Taiwan Guide Doc Association and facilitated the vaccination and training of service dogs.
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To view Florentino Design Studio's site, check out: http://quack.website/florentino/
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FLORENTINO DESIGN STUDIO
From Vision to Reality: A story of a high school entrepreneur
In 2016, my mother was diagnosed with diabetes and the high blood sugar levels led to damage of the retina. She was quickly losing her sight and I was horrified by my inability to intervene and make things better. As I cope with this dramatic change, I wonder how could I use my intellect and business acumen to achieve the mission of helping the visually impaired community.
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You might wonder, why a social enterprise? Well, to set out and help this often neglected community, fund raising, which is short term in nature, would not suffice. I decided to create a business model that would draw in capital sustainably, while bring in the much needed attention that is long overdue to this community.
More often than not, awareness and people's care play a much bigger part in building the momentum behind a social cause. Recognizing this fact, I have to pursue a project that goes beyond mere money making; it must be more ambitious. To a teenager, setting up a social enterprise from scratch was daunting, but I figured I have to aim high if I were to achieve anything at all.
Throughout the journey, I developed many preliminary forms of professional skills, including marketing, packaging, cost control, business and network development, project management, and a thing or two about executing a vision in a 10 people team. The thing I cherished the most was those moments when I was able to pull the heartstrings of the people I share my story with.
In life, there are always a few snippets of memory that continue to glow as bright as they can. To me, that moment came when I was in a buzzing and full-of-verve weekend market. It was my first encounter with my would-be plant supplier, I approached her and patiently waited for my turn to inquiry about her flowers and plants. Prior to going, I had been studying a botanical book and deducing which plants would have the best commercial appeal to my buyers. I guess my diligence paid off when she couldn't help but ask why am I so fixated on tiny succulents. As I vividly recite my project for the hundredth time, I could sense she was captivated and began to exhibit a wide smile on her face. She ended up giving me a huge discount on all the subsequent plants I buy from her and I was able to sell my products with zero commission on her weekend market stand.
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In the end, the lesson I took away from this project was that I could leverage my 20-page business plan, eloquence and passion, and a persistent can-do attitude and be confident in turning my vision into a reality.
PROJECT SHOWCASE: II
I was the PR of the NTU Racing Team, a collective of college students with adrenaline fueling their minds and bodies and a big dream of using their hand-build, full carbon fiber, electric-powered race car to compete in Formula SAE.
EPSILON 2
When Elon Musk Meets Lewis Hamilton: This might just be their brain child
Even though I am not a mechanical engineer by training, my obsession with cars was evident since day one. My parents used to tell me to shut up because I would be correctly yelling out the make and model of each car on the street every time we go out, and that was before I was in elementary school.
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Sometimes I question my unconditional love for cars might be due to a brain injury because I used to love the smell of internal combustion engine and the residue of gasoline. Jokes aside, I honestly cannot begin to describe how big of a car nut I am. My father and I used to build pretty big RC cars in our garage, we would tinker with the motors, build the chassis, and spray paint with our eyes closed to prevent the particles from getting in.
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So when I heard the rumor that there is a club at National Taiwan University that is entirely made up of brilliant engineers and car enthusiasts, I jumped on the opportunity to join as a PR.
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To help the team find sponsorship, I used my grant application expertise and found sponsorships in various forms. In just one semester, I was able to find Red Bull's sponsorship at our 2020 Electric Vehicle and Storage System Convention (though it didn't happen because of COVID and delays).
With the team comes first mentality, I tapped into my professional connections by reaching out to the CFO of XING Mobility (an electric hypercar and battery solution startup that I used to intern at) and asked if they are willing to attend our event as speakers. I also wrote emails to Porsche Taiwan and Audi Taiwan about exhibiting their newest electric vehicles at our convention. Sponsorships aside, for the actual car building and testing, I was responsible for negotiating some free test sessions for our racer at the Lihpao Racing Circuit, currently Taiwan's biggest internationally recognized raceway.
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This project at the NTU Racing Team was such a cool way to extend my passion. It provides a great sense of fulfillment because it perfectly blends my personal hobby with professionalism. Of course, the exhilarating feeling of seeing the secretive machine being unveiled in front of students, professors, and the public does not ever get old!
EPSILON 2
When Elon Musk Meets Lewis Hamilton: This might just be their brain child
Even though I am not a mechanical engineer by training, my obsession with cars was evident since day one. My parents used to tell me to shut up because I would be correctly yelling out the make and model of each car on the street every time we go out, and that was before I was in elementary school.
​
Sometimes I question my unconditional love for cars might be due to a brain injury because I used to love the smell of internal combustion engine and the residue of gasoline. Jokes aside, I honestly cannot begin to describe how big of a car nut I am. My father and I used to build pretty big RC cars in our garage, we would tinker with the motors, build the chassis, and spray paint with our eyes closed to prevent the particles from getting in.
​
So when I heard the rumor that there is a club at National Taiwan University that is entirely made up of brilliant engineers and car enthusiasts, I jumped on the opportunity to join as a PR.
​
To help the team find sponsorship, I used my grant application expertise and found sponsorships in various forms. In just one semester, I was able to find Red Bull's sponsorship at our 2020 Electric Vehicle and Storage System Convention (though it didn't happen because of COVID and delays).
With the team comes first mentality, I tapped into my professional connections by reaching out to the CFO of XING Mobility (an electric hypercar and battery solution startup that I used to intern at) and asked if they are willing to attend our event as speakers. I also wrote emails to Porsche Taiwan and Audi Taiwan about exhibiting their newest electric vehicles at our convention. Sponsorships aside, for the actual car building and testing, I was responsible for negotiating some free test sessions for our racer at the Lihpao Racing Circuit, currently Taiwan's biggest internationally recognized raceway.
​
This project at the NTU Racing Team was such a cool way to extend my passion. It provides a great sense of fulfillment because it perfectly blends my personal hobby with professionalism. Of course, the exhilarating feeling of seeing the secretive machine being unveiled in front of students, professors, and the public does not ever get old!
PROJECT SHOWCASE: II
As a major car enthusiast, I grew up building car models, racing RC cars, and reading car magazines. As this passion intensifies with age, I begin interning at automotive companies and conducting research about the industry, but in the end, my not-so-secret dream is to build my own car from the ground up. To serve as the PR of the NTU Racing Team was probably the closest form to my dream, as it encompasses a collective of college students with adrenaline fueling them and a grand vision of using their hand-build, full carbon fiber, electric-powered race car to compete in Formula SAE.
EPSILON 2
When Elon Musk Meets Lewis Hamilton: This might just be their brain child
Even though I am not a mechanical engineer by training, my obsession with cars was evident since day one. My parents used to tell me to shut up because I would be correctly yelling out the make and model of each car on the street every time we go out, and that was before I was in elementary school.
​
Sometimes I question my unconditional love for cars might be due to a brain injury because I used to love the smell of internal combustion engine and the residue of gasoline. Jokes aside, I honestly cannot begin to describe how big of a car nut I am. My father and I used to build pretty big RC cars in our garage, we would tinker with the motors, build the chassis, and spray paint with our eyes closed to prevent the particles from getting in.
​
So when I heard the rumor that there is a club at National Taiwan University that is entirely made up of brilliant engineers and car enthusiasts, I jumped on the opportunity to join as a PR.
​
To help the team find sponsorship, I used my grant application expertise and found sponsorships in various forms. In just one semester, I was able to find Red Bull's sponsorship at our 2020 Electric Vehicle and Storage System Convention (though it didn't happen because of COVID and delays).
With the team comes first mentality, I tapped into my professional connections by reaching out to the CFO of XING Mobility (an electric hypercar and battery solution startup that I used to intern at) and asked if they are willing to attend our event as speakers. I also wrote emails to Porsche Taiwan and Audi Taiwan about exhibiting their newest electric vehicles at our convention. Sponsorships aside, for the actual car building and testing, I was responsible for negotiating some free test sessions for our racer at the Lihpao Racing Circuit, currently Taiwan's biggest internationally recognized raceway.
​
This project at the NTU Racing Team was such a cool way to extend my passion. It provides a great sense of fulfillment because it perfectly blends my personal hobby with professionalism. Of course, the exhilarating feeling of seeing the secretive machine being unveiled in front of students, professors, and the public does not ever get old!
EPSILON 2
When Elon Musk Meets Lewis Hamilton: This might just be their brain child
Even though I am not a mechanical engineer by training, my obsession with cars was evident since day one. My parents used to tell me to shut up because I would be correctly yelling out the make and model of each car on the street every time we go out, and that was before I was in elementary school.
​
Sometimes I question my unconditional love for cars might be due to a brain injury because I used to love the smell of internal combustion engine and the residue of gasoline. Jokes aside, I honestly cannot begin to describe how big of a car nut I am. My father and I used to build pretty big RC cars in our garage, we would tinker with the motors, build the chassis, and spray paint with our eyes closed to prevent the particles from getting in.
​
So when I heard the rumor that there is a club at National Taiwan University that is entirely made up of brilliant engineers and car enthusiasts, I jumped on the opportunity to join as a PR.
​
To help the team find sponsorship, I used my grant application expertise and found sponsorships in various forms. In just one semester, I was able to find Red Bull's sponsorship at our 2020 Electric Vehicle and Storage System Convention (though it didn't happen because of COVID and delays).
With the team comes first mentality, I tapped into my professional connections by reaching out to the CFO of XING Mobility (an electric hypercar and battery solution startup that I used to intern at) and asked if they are willing to attend our event as speakers. I also wrote emails to Porsche Taiwan and Audi Taiwan about exhibiting their newest electric vehicles at our convention. Sponsorships aside, for the actual car building and testing, I was responsible for negotiating some free test sessions for our racer at the Lihpao Racing Circuit, currently Taiwan's biggest internationally recognized raceway.
​
This project at the NTU Racing Team was such a cool way to extend my passion. It provides a great sense of fulfillment because it perfectly blends my personal hobby with professionalism. Of course, the exhilarating feeling of seeing the secretive machine being unveiled in front of students, professors, and the public does not ever get old!
PROJECT SHOWCASE: III
I participated in the 19th ATCC Case Competition and finished 5th overall in the Shin Kong Life Insurance category. With a proposal firmly focused on delivering the best possible life insurance user experience, our team presented the concept of SKIM App (Shin Kong Insurance Money), which is an innovative proposal that retains the benefits of traditional term insurance, while adding the customizable convenience of fragmented insurance. ATCC is Taiwan's largest business-style competition, and this year there are 280 teams in fierce standoffs.
SKIM App
Digitalize the Life Insurance Landscape: Getting the Youngins Onboard
The life insurance industry was an old and stagnant space, but it is now brimming with opportunities since FinTech is on the horizon of every major player in this arena. In Taiwan, young people do not generally buy insurance plans for themselves because they perceive insurance sales as profit hungry sharks that do not give a damn about what they need.
So, the next-gen customers is a large business opportunity left untapped due to cumulated skepticism and lack of insurance need recognition. Our team figured with the right amount of customer education and a comprehensive insurance product, we can count on SKIM App to bridge the gap between young consumers' distrust in the insurance industry and increase deal conversions.
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SKIM App is a digital solution that achieves many goals, including education, customizable insurance plan, and engaging incentive program. First, it addresses the need to educate young consumers about the protection offered through insurance plans and the universal need for risk management. To achieve this end, SKIM app would present "A Question a Day" functionality and offer rewards to incentivize users to login daily. Users would then answer the insurance knowledge-based question to enrich themselves. After a period of educating, the app would offer users to fill out a detailed questionnaire that provides sufficient data to power an algorithm to generate a tailor-made insurance plan.
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After users review their comprehensive insurance plan, they will have access to customize the plan to their individual needs. The plan is thought out to be inclusive of both long-term and short-term insurance. The long-term insurance would encompass life/death, annual compensation, and medical insurance, for these things are under risk exposure indefinitely and should be protected continuously. However, to introduce the customizable element, the short-term insurance, like accident insurance, would be done in a fragmented fashion. For example, if you are going on a two-day trip to the Yellowstone National Park and want to be protected by a travel insurance plan, you can turn on the plan with a click of a button and turn it off just as easily. During the duration when the plan is turned on, insurance protection is in effect and users can enjoy the benefit with the least expense.
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Once the users have reviewed the comprehensive life insurance plan and deemed it satisfying, they can link the app with a payment method and begin enjoying the protection offered by the plan and activating short-term insurance whenever needed. This step would correlate directly to attractive incentive program as payments completed through partnered credit cards would yield SKIM points, which can then be used in exchange for shopping mall coupons or free drinks at selected cafes. In essence, this incentive program would truly realize the "spend more, get more" mantra.
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Ultimately our team's proposal of the SKIM app is a revolutionary concept that combines the traditional term insurance with the innovative approach to fragmented insurance in the life insurance realm. This pitch truly stands out among our competitors, as it embodies educational value, precision insurance offering, and cost-saving for the next-gen insurance buyers.
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