10 Things You Didn’t Know About Michael Shangkuan
Michael Shangkuan is an American businessman and entrepreneur. He is the CEO of the language company Lingoda. This is a company that specializes in providing technology for the education industry. Micheal is a unique character with an interesting career and personal history. If you’re not familiar with him, you’ll probably enjoy discovering what makes him so unique in the business world with these 10 things you didn’t know about Michael Shangkuan.
1. Michael is an avid bodybuilder
According to Mountain Partners, Michael is a healthy and fit CEO who brings physical and mental vitality to the job. He keeps his body in good condition. He’s been into bodybuilding for the past six years. Shangkuan adheres to a lifestyle regimen that includes a regular training schedule that he claims gives him grit. He is a competitive natural bodybuilder who does not use chemicals or synthetic supplements to build his muscle mass. He believes that the discipline of maintaining his physical training also helps him to be a better leader.
2. Shangkuan likes to use the word grit a lot
Michael Shangkuan is proud of his American heritage. He likes to use the word “grit”. After all, it is a term that is profoundly American because it describes what it takes to master any major undertaking whether it’s learning a new language, becoming a competitive bodybuilder, or running a new startup. He applies this term to gaining long-term power and endurance regardless of anything else that is happening at the time.
3. He knows how to prioritize
Shangkuan juggles a lot of different activities in his career and personal life. When asked how he manages to accomplish so many goals simultaneously, he explained that he first considers his long-term dreams. In his case, it is building a multi-million dollar company. He also considers the things in life that add enjoyment to his existence. He takes the two and sets his goals per the things that are the most important to him. he builds his schedule to include the most important things. For him, two of them are to enjoy success in business and good health.
4. Michael Shangkuan is an American businessman leading a German company
Shangkuan has an interesting backstory as it relates to his current work endeavors. He is a Chinese-American, who leads a multi-million dollar ed-tech company in Berlin, Germany. He describes Lingoda as n international organization that enjoys a richly diverse workforce. People are working with him at Lingoda for 30 different countries throughout the world representing 20 different languages. Even though it’s a German publicly listed company, there are people from all walks of life at Ligoda.
5. Michael has an Ivy League education
According to his LinkedIn page, Michael Shangkuan graduated from Princeton High School in 1993. He was accepted into the prestigious Yale University where he studied Economics in 1993. He graduated with his bachelor of arts degree in economics in 1997. He graduated Magna Cum Laude.
6. He was active in extra-curricular activities
While attending Yale, Michael was able to keep his grades high while being involved with outside interests. His entrepreneurial spirit shined through even while still in college. He founded a community service organization while at the school and ran it while keeping his studies current. He also served as an Aide to the Head Master while managing seven other student aides for Calhoun College. Mr. Shangkuan graduated in the top ten percent of his class.
7. Michael went to Harvard for his advanced degree
Shangkuan was accepted at yet another ivy-league school, but this time it was to pursue an advanced degree. In 2000, he began studies at the prestigious Harvard Business School. He studied business administration. He graduated with his master’s in business administration degree in 2002.
8. He started as a financial analyst
Michael Shangkuan had a strong academic background and he could pick and choose what he wanted to do with his professional life. He started his career after college, working for the Goldman Sachs investment firm in New York, New York. He accepted a position as a financial analyst in investment banking in July of 1997. His responsibilities including executing mergers and acquisitions along with conducting industry analysis and valuation. He also worked in high yield and IPO transactions that helped companies go public on the stock exchange. His main focus was on technology, media, and communications companies. Michael remained in the position for 2 years and 1 month, leaving in July of 1999 to pursue other career interests.
9. He left Goldman Sachs for an associate position
In August of 1999, Michael left Goldman Sachs to accept a position with Borden Capital Management Partners/KKR. His new position was as a strategic planning associate. His job was to evaluate food acquisitions and to work with divestitures as well as helping to build strategies and leveraged buyouts at the firm. He remained in the position for one year, leaving in July of 2000 to join Procter & Gamble. He became assistant brand manager working until October of 2005. He left Procter & Gamble to join the Clorox Company in a lateral move with the same title. he worked as the leader of a team at Clorox until November of 2008 in its San Francisco Bay location.
10. Michael worked at Terra Education, Inc. before joining Lingoda
Before joining Lingoda’s leadership team, Michael Shangkuan Worked t Terra Education, Inc. in 2010, he was hired as the head of marketing. He was successful in growing the business by 60 percent within the first year. During that time the company became profitable. This led to promotion in 2011 to CEO. He was also the director of the board of directors at Terra Education. He served the company until 2016 as CEO. He left to join Lingoda after five years, but he remains at Terra Education, Inc. as the director of the board of directors.
