We had the good fortune of connecting with Lance Ding and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lance, what do you attribute your success to?
Having first-hand experience with the challenges of being a founder – and the necessity of community to support you and keep you going – has played a huge role in our success thus far.

I’ve been a founder for the past five years, and throughout that time, I’ve experienced a lot of ups and downs. When I first started out, I didn’t have any mentors or peers, and I realized how crucial community and real relationships are in the entrepreneurial journey.

In the summer of 2023, I started a community for UCLA alumni entrepreneurs with the goal of bringing people together into an ecosystem where they could form authentic and meaningful connections. Today, we have around 200 members, host in-person events twice a month, run co-working sessions, and offer a wealth of resources. We’ve even organized retreats, booking large houses in Big Bear and traveling to Kauai, creating incredible experiences for founders to build, connect, and learn in a way that feels fun and genuine—not just about grinding and suffering through the startup journey.

More recently we starting leasing amazing real estate for co-living/co-working spaces.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’ve been a founder for the past five years. My first startup was a tutor marketplace that served my hometown, and it was a tough journey.

Throughout the years, I made it a priority to surround myself with people who were more knowledgeable in different areas of business.

While at UCLA, I started a community for alumni entrepreneurs with the goal of bringing people together into an ecosystem where they could form authentic and meaningful connections. As we’ve grown and expanded, our focus has been on creating exceptional experiences and curating a vibrant community where members can interact genuinely and inspire each other. What sets us apart is our emphasis on relationships over transactions, fostering spaces for authentic and meaningful interactions. We create fun, non-pretentious environments that prioritize trust and intimacy.

I’m also actively working on building a product that automates warm, personalized, and relevant introductions between community members, a tool that can bring huge value to communities like ours that center connection.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would work and get coffee at these places.
– Mud-Water Venice
– Cafe Mak

I would go to malibu creek state park to rock climb, and probably join the venice run club.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to give a shoutout to my co-founder yassin who’s been helping me on a tech startup venture. I really respect his patience and willingness to lean in so far.

Website: https://www.joinstartupvillage.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startupvillagela/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lance-ding-152370195?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app

Other: https://medium.com/@lanceding

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