Entrepreneur profile
Alexis Wong | President and CEO, AGI Capital Inc.
San Francisco Business Times
Written by Ilana Fried
December 7, 2007
- What it does
Real estate investment and development
- HQ
San Francisco
- 2006 revenue
$3.3 million
- 2007 revenue (estimated)
$3.5 million
- Employees
28
- Founded
1998
- Source of startup capital
Personal savings and credit cards
- Background
Asset manager, Welling & Woodard; broker in investment property transactions, Pacific Union
- Age
35
- Residence
San Francisco
- Web site
agicapital.com
- Reason for starting business
I had enough experience to believe my talents and knowledge could be used for my own endeavors or to my own benefit.
- Most difficult part of decision
Not having a business plan. The company was founded in a fairly unorthodox way. We didn't go through the channel of the traditional business model and didn't have the luxury of thinking methodically.
- Biggest plus of ownership
Seeing that you have a team of talented people around you that can make your vision a reality
- Biggest drawback
Spending a lot of time on the day-to-day management aspect
- Biggest misconception
That we don't have to work that hard because we actually work harder than everyone else
- Biggest strength
One is people skills. The other is the ability to motivate by articulating my vision.
- Biggest weakness
Managing my generally very high expectations so it doesn't become a deterrent for people to excel and rather to turn that into a motivation.
- Biggest risk
Building my first high rise in San Francisco - SOMA Grand, a 22-story high-rise
- Biggest mistake
Trusting the wrong people and not doing enough due diligence
- Smartest move
Bringing in really talented people to work side by side with me
- Biggest worry
Making sure that our company continues to sustain the growth and present opportunities for everyone in the long term
- Top sources of inspiration
Watching my grandmother raise nine kids by herself -- that's one. Two, I have very close friends who are both personally strong and professionally inspired ... and to watch them overcome challenges every day right by my side.
- Most challenging task
Having to call people more than once to follow up
- Favorite task
To execute on a concept and to see that it works
- Least favorite task
Working on accounting stuff
- Source of support
My partners
- Key goal yet to achieve
To put AGI on an international map
- First move with capital windfall
I would love to go around the world and build orphanages.
- Five-year plan
To continue the growth of our company domestically and also to create a channel to expand our company internationally.
- Inducement to sell
No. This is a platform that I am creating that I would like to sustain beyond me.
- Most-admired entrepreneur
Oprah Winfrey
- Most interested in meeting
Oprah Winfrey
- Favorite book
"Good to Great," by Jim Collins
- Favorite film
"Pursuit of Happyness"
- Favorite restaurant
Slanted Door
- Favorite destination
Hong Kong
- Favorite automobile
CLS 55 Mercedes
