By / Karen
Thank you to Linking Publishing for the invitation. I've long heard of CEO Tang's decisiveness and her ruthlessness with herself. Opening this book, I was immediately filled with "high energy" that resonated deeply within. I found myself finishing it without realizing, and I genuinely admired her decisiveness and how her persistence has earned her a place of prominence today.
About the Dentsu Group,
Taiwan Dentsu has many subsidiaries, including Carat Media, Dentsu Kuo Hwa, Dentsu Aegis, Ansopa, and New Extreme Advertising—all renowned advertising companies in the industry, with over 1,000 employees in total.
About CEO Tang Hsin-hui,
After graduating from New York University's Marketing program, she returned to Taiwan and joined Ogilvy Advertising, where she stayed for 20 years, starting from the most junior AE position and working her way up to become Executive Director of Ogilvy. At the peak of her career, she seized a new opportunity, switched to the Dentsu Group, and now oversees over 1,000 employees.
Since I also worked in the Ogilvy system after graduation, the stories in the book about working until late at night resonated deeply—without passion, you simply cannot persevere.
Recently, CEO Tang Hsin-hui (Jennifer) published a new book, "Life Has Meaning, Decisions Have No Fear," which illustrates her personality and each of her life decisions. Beyond decisiveness in work, she also discusses marriage and family, exploring how women can properly allocate their careers and lives.
One story left a particularly deep impression: at age 14, she flew to the United States to study with her 12-year-old brother, learning how to care for him while walking to school in freezing weather. Her English wasn't strong initially, but she improved and maintained top grades in school. Due to her English exam scores, she lacked confidence applying to Ivy League schools, and ultimately chose New York University.
When reading about this story, I thought: to have the ability to take care of yourself and the discernment to make thoughtful choices at that age is truly remarkable. Reflecting on my own 14-year-old self, I was preparing for the transition from junior high, helping with work at home while facing major exams with only the vague goal of having a school to attend—whether vocational or regular high school didn't matter; it was just part of the K12 progression. Later, I gave up the vocational program I preferred and chose a regular high school, simply because of the deeply ingrained stereotype that grades come first.
I didn't even know if that was suitable for me. As for life, I had no real thoughts about it then either. When applying to university, I just flipped through the prospectus, thought that the Media Studies department didn't require math, and decided to study it. Though I was fortunate to work in the media industry I loved after graduation, I still wandered around searching for my life direction throughout my career.
This golden quote truly moved me. Recently, I've been constantly reflecting: what kind of person do I want to become in the future? Even though others see me as having published books and launched online courses—seemingly self-sufficient—I still fall into worry and hesitate to make decisions for myself. The real reason is that I still don't understand myself well enough.
Fortunately, recently I've been gradually clarifying my own set of thoughts. Having made a decision, I resolve not to regret it, because "life doesn't have to be a single-choice question." Being honest with yourself and actively accumulating strength—this is the positive cycle and growth mindset that defines a fulfilling life.
Buy the book now:
