Meet Mike Chen | Chef turned Data Scientist | Founder of Cohere

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

Hi Mike, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
Coming from a small business owner and chef background, I deeply believe in the communities we serve. My co-founder, Lena, and I launched Cohere to empower independent retailers, with a clear mission: to foster a more sustainable and equitable retail ecosystem.

Our vision goes beyond profits; it’s about uplifting local economies, fostering entrepreneurship, and nurturing a sense of community. By building transparency and trust in the retail and wholesale industry, we enable every small business owner to make informed purchase decisions that lead to sustainable growth.

Cohere is not just a tech startup; it’s a movement dedicated to making a meaningful social impact, one community at a time.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I was a trained chef turned data scientist. Previously cooked at 2-star Michelin, Ritz-Carlton. Then went on to taught myself data science, coding from ground-up and became the Casino Analyst for Wynn Encore Resorts, where I built the founding data science team and oversaw all table games. But after working in casinos for years, I decided to leap out of the comfort zone again, and dive into entrepreneurship. Influenced by my cousin Yin Wu, who’s a serial founder and her latest startup is called Pulley. I wanted to building something great and make an impact in the world.

So we founded Cohere, the first platform for independent retailers to share authentic reviews on the latest consumer brands and help each other make informed stocking decisions. Our AI-powered backend also provides market insights and access to a highly engaged buyers community for emerging consumer brands.

Starting a business has never been easy, with new challenges cropping up almost every day. Acquiring initial users and conveying the value of our platform was a significant hurdle. We’ve persevered by actively engaging with potential users and continuously refining our acquisition strategies.

Expanding our user base and fostering an active community remained ongoing challenges. However, we persisted in prioritizing engagement, collaboration, and meeting evolving needs to create a robust network of retailers and brands benefiting from our platform.

Supported by friends and partners, we found joy in working with creative local businesses, and emerging consumer brands have offered perks to independent retailers.

Though obstacles abound, we remain committed to empowering local retailers and emerging brands. User feedback and market insights continually drive product improvements. Overcoming challenges has been instrumental to our progress, and Cohere is dedicated to continued growth and success.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
As a chef, I like places that makes great food with no fuss. Here are some of my favorites spots:

Morning — Breakfast at Otus Thai — Chef June is super nice and makes amazing Thai breakfast

Morning — Coffee at Mandarin Coffee Stand — Owner Sherry and I are friends since school days, she makes terrific coffee using beans carefully selected from Yunnan, roasted by small and local roasters.

Noon — Lunch at Borneo Kalimantan — Unassuming Indonesian noodles or Hamlet’s Kitchen — amazing kebab

Afternoon – I like to hangout at bookstores, Last Bookstore, Vroman’s, Now Serving and Lost Books are my favorites

Afternoon — Favorite Museum: Norton Simon Museum

Night — Dinner and arcade games at Poltergeist — Chaos menu at its best, and old school arcade games, who can say no to that!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
To my incredible wife and partner, Lena, who has been my rock from day one. Our journey began with humble beginnings, and together we’ve embarked on many ventures, reveling in the joy of growth and learning.

Lena’s unwavering optimism and guidance have led us through uncertainties, propelling our ventures to new heights. As my co-founder and life partner, she’s not just my confidant, but also my greatest inspiration.

Hand in hand, we’ll continue to innovate, empower, and make a difference in the world.

Website: https://www.thecohere.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mchen_5/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-j-chen/