Dell for Startups: From Cowboy Boots to Startup Roots with YJ Lin

Timecoded Guide:

[00:00] Podcast begins - Dell for Startups: From Cowboy Boots to Startup Roots with YJ Lin

[01:09] YJ’s early life & his path to Senior Program Manager at Dell for Startups

[05:21] Genesis of Dell for Startups & the importance of corporate collaboration

[12:41] Mentorship for entrepreneurs & solving problems with community

[15:37] Building an innovation community as a personal and professional mission

[21:02] Dell’s involvement with The Cannon & Houston startups

[23:40] How startups get involved in Dell for Startups & the future of the program

What is Dell for Startups?

Dell for Startups isn’t just about business; it’s about passion, community, and making dreams come true. Providing next level tech mentorship and specialized corporate expertise, Dell’s program allows startups to grow and scale to meet the needs of their audience and the goals of their investors. While startups benefit from the resources Dell can provide as a corporation, innovators at Dell receive the benefit of gaining new perspectives on innovation and ever-changing tech.

“It also keeps our mind fresh. This is how startups are tackling problems. We’re learning how startups are adjusting when innovation is moving on almost a daily basis. It allows us to also think about if there are other business processes within our own corporation that we can help change and improve?”

Do you mentor startups yourself?

In his role as Senior Program Manager, YJ gets to work hand-in-hand with startups and corporate advisors to mentor innovators and help startups grow. From his previous time as a University of Houston entrepreneurship student, YJ understands the entrepreneurial mindset and is able to combine those thought processes with his corporate resources at Dell. For the startups YJ mentors, he wants to be a community builder and bring value to the unique problems entrepreneurs face, especially in terms of scaling and growth.

“One thing I share with startups is, how do we leverage communities in a way that allows for you to generate positive return on investment in the first three months, knowing that community is also there as a long term goal to build the type of people that will love your product or service.”

How are you trying to facilitate community building through your work?

The hearth and health of any startup thrives when entrepreneurs and their team connect with their community. Dell for Startups focuses a lot of energy on building a strong, connected community to help their startups thrive and survive in tumultuous industries. YJ believes that startups need to understand customers and make a community from those initial individuals. Staying connected helps a startup maintain an audience, leverage opportunities, and expand their impact to grow faster.

“Tactically, we are working with community leaders across the US, and aligning with them to figure out how we can support them with everything we have to offer. It's about building a connected community. Community is really the answer to a lot of problems that not only startups but everyone is having.”

How are you forging the future with Dell for Startups?

Looking ahead to the future, Dell for Startups wants to expand its impact globally, especially venturing into the Canadian market, while continuing to solidify their relationships in Houston. Houston is a hub for innovation already, but with Dell for Startups being in partnership with The Cannon, YJ is excited to leverage a diverse community of entrepreneurs and startups. Startups and corporations need to collaborate to expand their impact and to give wings to the dreams of entrepreneurs to help them soar.

“Dell's mission at the end of the day is to create technologies that enable human progress. That's my mission as well, through community and through partnerships. I'm looking forward to, especially in Houston, seeing how fast and how far innovation has grown in the past four years alone.”