We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Yilong Liu. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Yilong below.

Yilong, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

Back in April 2022, I was introduced to a design course at Chai Art Studios taught by Bao Huang. It introduced me to the markets behind concept art and commercial art, which provided me with a profound insight into the potential impact of digital thinking on the industry. I chose to become a partner to explore how the teaching model could be refined and made more appealing to students. However, my enthusiasm led me to act hastily, and my limited experience in the market resulted in our initial attempts at reconstruction yielding less favorable results.

Upon reflection, I questioned where we had gone wrong. Taking a step back, I began to contemplate the future trajectory of the industrial chain, the impending industry shifts, and the evolving preferences of our clients. This contemplation prompted a reframing of our approach, ultimately leading to the development of a new model designed to address the imminent challenges.

This revised strategy has set us on an exciting path of business growth. The experience has taught me the importance of reviewing challenges from a broader perspective and keeping long-term objectives in sight when addressing business issues.

Yilong, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Hi, my name is Yilong, or you could also call me David. I am a college student in design and a partner at Chai Art Studios. We provide international art education, creative design services, and visual solutions to the entertainment and design industry. This includes visual worldbuilding production, commercial art & design education, and outsourced training. Currently, we are focused on developing our new models and expanding them according to our expectations. We want to focus on the future of our industry’s industrial chain and resources and clients outside our traditional path. Unfortunately, we are still unable to reveal our current specific endeavors, but we are excited to unveil them in the near future.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Although a pivot is usually not what we expect in life, sometimes we encounter it head-on. During my first one-and-a-half years in college, I immersed myself in concept art like a true enthusiast. I cut off many of my connections and worked from 6:45 AM to 11 PM throughout semesters and holidays. It wasn’t until I realized that something was amiss with my approach that I took a step back.

I had very little time to spend with my friends, and the more I invested in art, the less efficient I became. I recognized that I had fallen into an addictive cycle that was not contributing positively to my future. Consequently, I began to analyze my goals for the next five years, envision my potential role in the industrial chain, and project what the industrial chain might look like in the distant future. It was during this time that I encountered the person who introduced me to the business side of myself.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

The most significant lesson I had to unlearn was my old approach to my career. I was accustomed to stable job market expectations and viewed opportunities as something that would naturally arise as my skills improved. However, I later realized that this perspective isn’t always accurate. Across all industries, as technology and income dynamics shift, the trajectory of the industrial chain also changes. I found myself compelled to shift my focus from immediate challenges to the long-term.

While it might be challenging to predict tomorrow or even next month, looking at problems from a 5 to 10-year perspective makes predictions more feasible. Placing excessive emphasis on weekly goals and achievements can sometimes be detrimental to my future career, as it could easily lead me down an incorrect path, resulting in stagnation.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.artstation.com/bukkoro
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/david_liu2997/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yilong-liu-7929aa243/

Image Credits
Harry Pon, Bao Huang, Yanping Liao