“Think Out of The Box”
Michael studied Sports and eSports Management for his second Bachelor's degree while developing his hockey career. As a hockey and ice hockey coach who runs his own business, he is keen on lifelong learning and making social changes through sports.

Q. What led you to take a Business degree at HKMU?
A. It's all about continuing to educate myself. I had completed my first Bachelor's degree in the United States and worked in the film industries in Canada and Hong Kong for a few years.

I have become a hockey and ice hockey coach promoting the sports in the United States and other countries for 12 years. Studying for my second degree in Sports and eSports Management at HKMU, I can choose from staying as a professional coach in the sports fields to transitioning to a management position in my hockey business or at sports associations or government.

Q. How do you see the skills or knowledge gained from MUBA?
A. The concepts learned are applicable to real life and help run my hockey business. When I first started my ice hockey school, I had no idea about marketing and social media. What I did was put it up there and see what we could receive in return. But with all the concepts learned, now I would ask: What are the key concerns Hong Kong parents and kids have in mind? How can we reach them? How can we provide them with something they want? These questions are important for growing my business. Ice hockey, unlike badminton and table tennis, provides specific services to a small demographic, and to grow that demographic, we have to put more effort into promotion.

I still remember the Hackathon we had in the summer of 2022. It was fun yet intense as we had to team with students we were not familiar with and come up with ideas from scratch and solve the problem within four days. We had to push our boundaries, learn from one another and achieve a good balance in decisions, and these are what we have to apply in the real world.

Q. What opportunities did you have at MUBA that helped you get where you are today?
A. HSBC/HKU Hong Kong Business Case Competition 2022
I had never done anything like that when I was studying in the United States. The experience was really eye-opening and helped me understand what it takes to run a business here in Hong Kong. The whole competition was done online. In the finale, my teammates and I had to come up with a business plan and complete a presentation in six hours. The whole process was intense but cool. I was so lucky to work with my teammates who showed me so much more than what I have seen. In the end, our team got the second runner-up.

Q. What would you want to achieve through your sports career?
A. I like pushing the envelope a little bit. From the building of the Kai Tak Sports Park and related facilities, we can see that the sports industry is growing in Hong Kong, and kids and parents have compounded their interests in them. It's important to let them know that doing sports can lead them to “something” – not just another certificate for their school application, but most importantly, a growth mindset. I would like to do more on parent education that sports help athletically their kids excel at what they will do later, not limited to being an athlete, as the skills from doing sports are transferable and practical in the workplace.

Q. What advice would you give to our freshmen to work towards their goals and ambitions?
A. To freshmen, take risks – that's what business is and it is a lesson that I learned a “little bit late” in life. If you don't dare to take risks in your youth, when will you take those risks? You will know more about yourselves and learn more about what you are trying to do by taking risks. We are not born to be perfect. You will probably fail, but it's a chance to learn something new which can carry you forward.