Imagine this: the co-founder of Rotten Tomatoes, the head of International Operations at WeChat, and a key figure behind Disney’s web designs all walk into a bar. It might sound like the setup to a joke, but in reality, these three roles are embodied by a single remarkable individual — . His journey in the tech industry is nothing short of inspiring. And I am super lucky to have sat in his guest lecture for CS3216 where he shared his story with us all.
Photo by As a computer science student, I find Stephen’s story very relevant and insightful because he started with a similar aspiration to mine — using computers to solve problems, and then went on to create a lasting impact in our world. Here are some key lessons that I learned from his story.
1. Be flexible and resilient
Stephen’s career path shows that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all formula for success. He has worked with different startups, experienced both success and setbacks, and ventured into corporate environments.
After graduating from UC Berkeley with a computer science degree, Stephen founded a web design agency called Design Reactor. He and his colleagues then created Rotten Tomatoes as a project to help themselves and other movie fans find good movies to watch. The website became so popular with visitors doubling every month, that they decided to focus on it full-time.
Photo by However, things were not always smooth sailing for Stephen. He faced rejection by Yahoo when he applied for a graduate job there. He also had to deal with the dot-com crash in 2000, which led to a shrinking team size, that they had to recover from.
Stephen’s story teaches us that failure is a part of life, even for someone as accomplished as him. He also shows us that believing in our abilities and staying resilient can lead to remarkable achievements.
2. Solve real problems for real people
For computer science students, the lesson is not only about the technical aspects but also about solving “people problems.” Stephen’s shift from Design Reactor to Rotten Tomatoes emphasizes the importance of focusing on what people actually want. Instead of getting caught in a cycle of building products or services that no one needs or uses, he recognized the significance of addressing genuine user needs and also building something for himself. Rotten Tomatoes solved a real problem for movie fans — finding trustworthy reviews and ratings for movies.
Photo by 3. Have a clear vision and stay updated
It’s essential to have a clear purpose and not pivot too frequently (or too late). Stephen’s journey shows that having a long-term vision can lead to building lasting value, as he did with Rotten Tomatoes.
We also got insights on staying updated with the latest trends when building startups. Stephen took up creating websites, as it was one of the hot trends when he was in university. And while we are taking CS3216 today, there is growing excitement around generative AI. However, we should remain critical and consider whether these trends genuinely have the potential to solve everyday problems.
Photo by In conclusion, Stephen Wang’s journey is a valuable reminder that the tech world is full of opportunities, and there’s no single formula for success. His story resonates with us as computer science students, encouraging us to stay focused on our mission of using technology to make the world a better place and to be flexible in our pursuit of that goal.