“Legacy of Leaders” is an inspiring TV show featuring interviews with successful entrepreneurs and leaders around the world. The show focuses on business leadership, motivation, and success stories, with the goal of sparking inspiration and igniting success in the audience. Today our host, Morgan Allen, spoke with Michael Yang.
Michael Yang
Author, Founder, and CEO of Michael Yang Adventures
Website Address: www.michaelyang.com
Short company description:
Encourage, motivate, and inspire people of all ages to step out of their comfort zones and embrace adventure to become better versions of themselves. New book Coming Alive on the Ride: A Memoir of Motorcycle Travel, Self-Discovery, and Korean Heritage chronicles my journey from war-torn Korea to Silicon Valley to the open roads of North America.
Transcript:
Morgan:
Welcome back to another episode of Legacy of Leaders, where we highlight leaders who are making an impact. I’m Morgan Allen, joined today by Michael Yang with Michael Yang Adventures. Michael, thank you for being here.
Michael:
Well, thank you for having me.
Morgan:
You are a motorcycle guy, an author, and a speaker. Tell me more about you.
Michael:
I spent most of my career in the tech industry in Silicon Valley.
I started a tech startup called mySimon.com. It was an online price comparison shopping site in the late 90s when the internet was just booming.
Within a couple of years of starting, we sold the company to CNET at a pretty large valuation, so it was a very good exit.
After that experience, I started a couple more companies, but they didn’t work out as well, and my dream of running a public company as a CEO was dashed.
I had an itch to ride a motorcycle, which is something I loved doing as a 15-year-old teenager in San Jose, California.
I started riding again in the San Francisco Bay Area and later in Southern California.
I began taking longer and longer trips, eventually riding across North America from Los Angeles to Newfoundland, Canada, and solo from Los Angeles to Alaska and then down to Patagonia two years ago.
I decided to write a book to share my adventure stories from my motorcycle travels, but also my life experience as an immigrant from South Korea.
I was born in Seoul, South Korea when the country was very impoverished.
I came to the United States with my family as a 14-year-old, and we settled in San Jose, California when Silicon Valley was still developing.
I was inspired to start my own tech company, and although I faced hardships and failures, I eventually succeeded, which allowed me to pursue other passions like travel and storytelling.
Morgan:
That is incredible. What motorcycle do you ride?
Michael:
I ride a 2021 BMW R1250 GS Adventure.
It’s an adventure motorcycle that can handle both road and off-road conditions.
I’ve ridden it across North America, including Alaska, and have put about 43,000 miles on it over the past five years.
Previously, I rode a BMW K1600 touring bike, but it wasn’t suited for off-road travel.
Morgan:
Your book is already a bestseller on Amazon in the solo travel category. What can people expect from it?
Michael:
The book is a memoir of motorcycle travel across North America, but it’s also about self-discovery.
When I ride, I spend a lot of time thinking about who I am, why I’m here, and how I got here.
It reflects my journey from Korea to the United States, overcoming challenges, learning resilience, and ultimately finding success.
It’s a story of resilience, renewal, and embracing my heritage.
Morgan:
I love that. As a leader and speaker, how do you define leadership?
Michael:
Leadership is about having a vision of what the future could look like and inspiring others to share in that vision.
It involves motivating people to work together to achieve something meaningful that positively impacts others and creates a better future.
Morgan:
That’s inspiring. If people want to follow your journey, where can they find you?
Michael:
You can visit my website at michael yang dot com.
My book, Coming Alive on the Ride, is available on Amazon and other bookstores in the United States and Canada.
I’m also on Facebook and working on more content for YouTube as I plan future motorcycle travels.
Morgan:
Fantastic. Michael, thank you for joining us.
And viewers, thank you for tuning in to another episode. For more information on Michael Yang, visit Legacy of Leaders TV dot com. We’ll see you in the next episode.
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