Leon Ho is the founder and CEO of Lifehack. Ho began his career in 2001 as a software engineer at Red Hat, quickly becoming one of the youngest managers at the company. Raised in Brisbane, Australia, Ho attended Queensland University of Technology and currently lives in Hong Kong with his wife and 2 children.
How did you get started in this business?
To cope with the increasing complexity and workload of my job at Red Hat, I needed to find ways to go beyond my “fixed ability.” Through trial and error, I discovered techniques that actually worked. These “life hacks” were simple tricks and methods to increase productivity.
Though I was able to use these life hacks to successfully manage over 150 engineering projects at Red Hat, I started to think bigger. What if I could share these techniques with others? I thought. I soon decided to summarize my experiences and publish them online, and in 2005, Lifehack was born.
How do you make money?
Selling online courses mainly We also have some side products like our book – The Full Life Framework (The Essential Guide), and some Guidebooks
How long did it take for you to become profitable?
Almost immediately after launching our course because we have plenty of Lifehack followers – some of them have been following us for over 10 years.
When you were starting out, was there ever a time you doubted it would work? If so, how did you handle that?
Yes it happens often. I stepped back and looked at the whole situation. I visualized the problem first, then broke things down and created milestones. These steps do work and I actually have put these strategies into one of our online courses Make It Happen.
How did you get your first customer?
I promoted it to our readers on our site, and through our email newsletter. With millions of active monthly readers, and over 310K newsletter subscribers
What is one marketing strategy (other than referrals) that you’re using that works really well to generate new business?
Creating quality content that provides insights and practical tips that fit our audience needs (Content Marketing).
What is the toughest decision you’ve had to make in the last few months?
Transforming our teams from office-based to fully remote based Now we have opened up more opportunities to hire talents from all over the world And with the pandemic situation still being unstable, we’ve been experiencing plenty of benefits having a distributed team / fully remote team.
What do you think it is that makes you successful?
Success for me means identifying my intention or purpose, and then going for it!
What also helps me feel successful is inspiring others to do the same. As such, I hold a deep need to make a positive impact on others. This is why I want to put Lifehack out there to help people while being able to take good care of my family (2 kids and wife). This is what makes my life fulfilling.
I’ve never felt that success is about how much money you make or how famous you are.
What has been your most satisfying moment in business?
Creating something people see as valuable. Getting positive feedback from users / readers / students
What does the future hold for your business? What are you most excited about?
Believing that our online courses can make a positive impact to the world – to lots of people – helping them improve their lives
What business books have inspired you?
High Output Management by Andrew Grove Principles by Ray Dalio
What advice would you give to your younger self?
I was a workaholic, neglecting my own health and even sacrificed some quality time with my wife. I’d tell my younger self that: Business, career, and success are not everything. You have to live a full life.
Are you willing to be a mentor? If so, how should someone contact you?
Not at this time as I’m focusing on growing my business at the moment.