Throughout the trajectory of an average person’s career, initial forays into a particular field are often explored and quickly lead the way to the acquisition of vast experience within one particular field. Though young millennial professionals sometimes seem to bounce from one field to the next, the concept of being exceptionally successful within two vastly differing disciplines is somewhat foreign to the average professional. Succeeding within one professional discipline takes dedication, business savvy, persistence, and a thirst for knowledge and self-betterment. Thus, for an individual to successfully pivot an already blooming career into a completely different field is truly exceptional.
Some exceptional thinkers find it necessary to pursue a new field of professional employment, with the belief that this endeavor will bring long-term occupational success, meaningful employment, and a personal fulfillment only attainable by finding one’s true professional passion. One example of a wildly successful professional changing career trajectory with beaming results, Richard Liu’s resume boasts impressive feats within both the medical field and the financial sector.
Born in New Hampshire into a medically driven family, Liu gained firsthand insight about the impact that medical professionals have on their immediate communities. Liu’s father, a prominent otolaryngology specialist, was highly regarded as a specialist in dealing with ear, nose, and throat issues that envelop the specialty practice. His mother, a respected community dentist, was highly influential in Liu’s early career decision, as he often accompanied her to work. During his childhood, Liu was involved in several academic endeavors and independently pursued education opportunities for self-betterment. While many children enjoyed leisurely activities and somewhat disregarded the notion of the future, young Liu recognized the compounding nature of the choices of his early life and considered his studies a priority.
After excelling in his early education, Liu ultimately decided upon the Harvard School of Dentistry to hone his craft. Throughout his Ivy League education, Liu garnered the expertise needed to flourish within his initial endeavors in the realm of dentistry. After graduating, Liu set out to practice his newly fine-tuned craft at Evergreen Dental Care. During his time at the New Hampshire-based full-service dental practice, Liu performed various dental services, from simple fillings to specialized services, including dental implants, restorative dentistry, veneers, and crown restorations.
For the next five years, Liu continued to provide expert dental services for members of the community, honing his craft and developing a superb reputation as a medical provider. In addition to contributing to the oral well-being of the community, Liu also helped prepare the next generation of dentists as a part-time lecturer on the topic of restorative dentistry at Harvard University, his alma mater.
Though his career was flourishing, Liu couldn’t help but become enthralled by the prospect of capital investing, business development, and the integration of technology into new business ventures. Keeping up with trends within this industry throughout his entire adulthood, Liu felt a calling to the fast-paced world of venture capital. He was involved in various educational endeavors and even became a small-scale investor in the start-up phase of several consumer goods and technology companies. Independently involved in these ventures, Liu began to conceptualize ways to parlay his initial investments into a full-time career. Before long, this passion took over, and he recognized that his professional drive became fully invested in making this new path a reality.
In the realm of dentistry, Liu would not have been successful without appropriate and extensive education. Just as patients had placed their trust in him regarding their physical wellness, potential clients would have to place their trust in him regarding their fledgling businesses during his time as a venture capital investor. Thus, the same importance could be placed on the education needed to successfully transition into this type of role. Liu enrolled in MIT and eventually earned his master’s degree in business administration. He devoted his second round of university studies to mastering the skills that would impart long-term success in his carefully chosen field of professional passion and flourished in the notoriously difficult program.
Upon the completion of his MBA, he began his newly minted career change as an analyst for CRT Capital and, later, FTV Capital. These initial forays provided Liu with the internal infrastructure necessary to make sense of his long-term goals. Soon after, Liu’s entrepreneurial spirit intertwined with his great interest in private equity investment, and he launched his company, Morningside Venture Capital. As one of the earliest early-venture capital investment groups, the company focused on the acquisition of various startups in the realm of technology, media, consumer services, artificial intelligence, and forward-thinking companies that would shape the future of the global economy. Through collaboration with other industry peers, Liu secured coworkers with impressive backgrounds who provided immeasurable experience, value, and talent to the management at Morningside Venture Capital.
With such impressive personnel, the company began to acquire successful investments almost from inception, eventually controlling a resounding $1.7 billion in investments. At the helm of the company, Liu partakes in daily operations and spearheads many of the company’s acquisitions, leveraging his previously perfected skills to garner results. Though his position in this fast-paced field may appear vastly different from his previous professional work as a renowned dentist, many of the soft skills that allowed Liu to excel in his first role translated beautifully to business ownership.
For one, Liu has recounted the autonomy, self-motivation, and personal drive necessary to succeed within both roles. In essence, both roles require a take-charge attitude, where the individual is solely responsible for the outcome of their own successes and shortcomings. In that sense, Liu’s initial experiences were an asset in pivoting his career into a totally different arena. Due to this ability to revamp his career trajectory, Liu remains a prime example of an individual who changed careers in adulthood, following his professional passion without missing a beat. His story provides hope for many young adults who find themselves in similar situations, who may have entered a field only to find themselves longing for a change.
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Dil Bole Oberoi
