“Slowly, I realized that I would like to try new things,” says Hsieh. When a role came up at HP Star, a new recruitment program aimed at attracting the best and brightest graduate students in Asia, Hsieh jumped at the chance. Now, she’s helping to develop HP’s two-year program in mainland China.
What inspired you to start making your videos?
I started watching YouTube videos regularly when I was in high school. While I was discussing my obsession with a friend in college, he asked: “Do you have your own channel?” Simple as that, I decided to launch my YouTube channel. I immediately fell in love with it.
What kind of videos do you make?
My content can be very different based on the inspirations and ideas I have at that moment: skits, comedy, storytelling, songs, music video, parody, role-playing, travel vlog. There’s no limitation as long as I am happy with the result!
How did people know about your videos?
Originally, I kept them secret because I was afraid people wouldn’t understand what I was doing. For the first few years, I would openly talk about this hobby only with close friends — until my YouTube path crossed my HP path.
How did that happen?
When I was an intern at HP, I was selected as an #HPInsider to promote life at HP on social media. I decided to shoot a video to talk about it, and I uploaded it to my channel. Stuart Pann, HP’s Chief Supply Chain Officer, saw it. When he traveled to Taipei for an all-employee meeting, he decided to surprise me by inviting me on stage with him to talk about my experience.
Was that a shock?
I didn’t know any of this was going to happen until he called me up! There I was wearing comfy clothes, and the first thing I said when I got on stage was, “I’m trying not to pass out.” Then he played my whole video during the meeting. That has led to a lot of conversations at HP with people I don’t know that begin, “Are you that girl who makes videos?” — which I absolutely love!
What's the best thing about your job?
Working with people from different nationalities and backgrounds. I'm currently collaborating with a lot of people from India, Singapore, Australia, the UK and China. It's really interesting to see how these cultural backgrounds and nationalities can lead to different experiences while working with them.
What were you like when you were a child?
I was very shy. I only talked using hand gestures. Everyone knew that I barely talked to anyone.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
A writer. When I started writing when I was in elementary school, that’s probably when all of my words came. Not speaking yet, but writing them out. Now I write a lot. I write my video scripts. I write lyrics. I write novels.
What’s on your desk right now?
My watch — a traditional watch, not a smartwatch. I cannot go anywhere without my watch. Underneath my watch on my desk is a jewelry box with four different strands of Rafikis, these beaded strands you can use as a necklace or a bracelet. A Canadian nonprofit called ME to WE sells them. They’re handmade by women in Kenya to raise money to send Kenyan girls to school.
What’s on your wall?
It’s a work in progress. I make my videos in my room, and some viewers had complained about how blank my walls were. I have a friend who’s an artist, whom I collaborate with, so she came up with a world map that she customized for me with different colors. I put it up happily — and the response I got from my viewers was, “Meh — you have to do better”! So, I made four posters. Alas, they aren’t much better.
Visit Ann's YouTube channel to watch more videos.
