I worked in personnel (human resources) at NBC as my first job out of college and came in contact with the people who developed and programmed the shows for prime time TV. I could not believe that these people actually got paid to do a job that brought so much joy to so many people. They developed the "taste" for the entire country.

Having grown up in a poor Chinese household, I credit television with not only helping me learn English, but also for being my passport to American society and the world. It was my great escape. I recognized that the opportunity to combine such a personal passion with one's professional life was very rare.

The president of NBC told me how he made his dream come true. He attended Harvard Business School. I wasn't certain how the dots connected, but I jumped at the chance and decided to get my MBA.

I really enjoy the development process-working with writers to help shape the story and characters. It can be a long, arduous and frustrating process. But it's very satisfying to beat the odds and help give a filmic life to an idea or concept.

I think the greatest challenge I faced was an internal struggle. I was conditioned to be an outsider, so I always questioned whether I fit in or belonged. I wasted so much time and energy with this neurotic process, but I'm sure it also fueled my desire to succeed and prove "others" or my inner self wrong. I think the truest challenge is the one everyone faces whether you are white, black, yellow or red and that is landing your first job and getting up the nerve to actually go for it.

My work is fun. It's amazing how much pleasure I get from engaging in my work. I'm lucky that I can expand my boundaries and consider so much of what exists in pop culture as part of my education, passion and profession.

It's got to be Shanghai. My parents are from Shanghai, so there is definitely that connection. I grew up speaking Shanghainese and eating the local cuisine. So it's just part of my DNA when I hear the sounds and smell the smells of Shanghai. It makes me feel like I belong. It's such a fabulous blend of East and West, old and new. The nightlife is just amazing, and the energy level there rivals any city in the world. It feels a lot like New York.