Vivian Lai, Partner at Adroit Trading Technologies
What’s one significant way coronavirus has affected your work?
As a partner of a fintech startup, one of the biggest impacts Covid-19 has had is on my ability to meet with clients and prospects. Prior to this pandemic, I was meeting with clients, prospects, and industry colleagues multiple times per week. Between the market volatility and the shelter-in-place orders, it's been impossible to meet face-to-face and despite all our technological advances, video calls just don't have the same impact.
What’s a typical day like for you right now as we “shelter in place”?
It's surprisingly similar to a typical day pre-Covid-19 -- except longer. I still get up in the mornings and work out, except that I now workout at home instead of at the gym. And then because there's no commute, I log in earlier and log off later than I had previously. It has been more difficult to manage the team remotely but we've compensated with additional touchpoints during the day. There's also been more business operations and employee health & safety concerns that I've had to deal with.
What’s something that has given you hope for the future after this pandemic?
There've been so many examples of compassion, support, and bravery throughout the response to this pandemic; it's inspiring. I'm not just referring to the doctors and nurses who put their lives on the line every day to care for the sick, but also the delivery drivers, factory and warehouse workers, utility workers, and countless others who have been keeping the engines of the country running while the rest of us shelter in place. And in stressful times such as this, these stories renew my overall faith in humankind.
