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From Mongolia to Silicon Valley: Jun Liu made it happen

Writer's picture: Jeremy PengJeremy Peng

Updated: Apr 2, 2024

“A lot of people told me it was impossible,” Jun said. “How can a foreigner start a business with no networking, no resources, nothing? But I had faith. That’s the thing to make it happen.”



On a winter morning in Mongolia, a girl, all alone, forces her way through the frigid doors of her elementary school classroom. She lights the fireplace before she can cook her lunch for the day: two sweet potatoes. Outside, her horse shuffles in the snow, tied down to a post. But Jun Liu cannot be tied down. Jun was born to be wild.


Founder and CEO of the 7EDU Impact Academy, Jun learned to be an entrepreneur at an early age. Her life philosophy, “make it happen,” reflects every step of her journey from a half-Mongolian, half-Chinese girl with a dream to study abroad to an esteemed businesswoman and educator at the heart of Silicon Valley.


“Growing up in the middle of nowhere in very severe weather, you have to figure out everything every day,” Jun said. “When I had to ride my horse to school in the mornings, I met wolves, I lost books on the way, so a lot of my time I spent looking for the resources to make something happen.”


Jun first made it happen when she secured a prestigious job opportunity at New Oriental, China’s leading private education company, back in the early 2000s. After coming to the U.S. for her MBA, she set out to create the best education solution for high school students in the form of 7EDU.


“A lot of people told me it was impossible,” Jun said. “How can a foreigner start a business with no networking, no resources, nothing? But I had faith. That’s the thing to make it happen.”


Besides the academy, Jun also founded the K-12 Leadways School in 2020. Her goal: to harness children’s innate ability to perform by infusing her own enthusiasm and optimism into the curriculum.


“I feel like the kids naturally know ‘make it happen,’” Jun said. “You don’t want them to play video games, they will hide it and play it. You don’t want them to talk to their friends, they will manage to text them in the middle of the night. As long as we can redirect that kind of energy to something more positive, I say every single child can manage to do the things they want.”


As a counselor and life coach, Jun spends much of her time guiding students to want something—she explains to them what opportunities they have. As 7EDU approaches its 10th anniversary this year, it is clear this method did not fail.


“In my work with students over the years, a lot of miracles did happen,” Jun said. “For example, Cornell: my student’s afraid they can’t make it because they have a B, but they get in. Or with five Bs they get into MIT. So they are the miracles, and they are the peers helping other students understand that if you do believe, you can actually make it happen.”


Now, Jun wants to share her entrepreneurial spirit with her students through the Silicon Valley Youth Entrepreneur Program. She understands that experience is the most valuable tool for today’s aspiring entrepreneurs.


“I don’t think there is a lack of resources for learning about business anymore. What students really need is the opportunity to know the real business world and meet the real life entrepreneurs. That’s why we founded this program.”


Entrepreneurship is more than business, says Jun. Social impact is what ultimately gives her the faith to make it happen.


“Why will a person consistently do something, regardless of challenges, troubles, stress, all the hard work? Impact. The impact that I put into my community, into every student that I meet, gives me accomplishment. That's the only way to be an entrepreneur."



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