But that isn’t the case for Michelle Situ. This 25 year old not only graduated with a double Bachelors from Cal Poly Pomona in International Business and Marketing Management and now resides in Beverly Hills, she has recently quit as a two year veteran for Sony Pictures to start her own business making and selling small, Russian style nesting dolls that individuals can paint themselves.

And don’t think that it’s family connections or money that have gotten Situ to where she is now. The daughter of two immigrant parents from a southern provence in China, Situ has used nothing other than brains and tenacity to get her where she is now.

She has just returned from an International Hobby Expo in Chicago early last month when we sit down to talk about her new business venture. The I-Hobby Expo is one of the largest hobby and toy manufacturing Expositions in the nation with hundreds of participants each year.

“What did you do exactly at Sony?” I ask Michelle as we sit down for coffee.
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“I worked as a Senior Analyst for the Home Entertainment Division. We did a lot of Ad Hoc reports, as well as research for goal projections for New DVD releases using sales estimation tools. I worked a lot with large vendors, like Best Buy.”

Situ says the two years at Sony proved valuable, “I learned a lot of technical skills and how the retail side of business works. I learned the time frame for manufacturing to getting to the retailer. I met a lot of great people. They are a great company to work for.”

When asked what it is like to quit working for someone else at 25 and start working for yourself, Situ’s strong exterior waivers slightly. “The first few weeks are difficult. I don’t have a boss , don’t have a schedule. It’s just really random. If feels really strange. I’m always thinking about the business 24-7. You are constantly thinking, you never know who you are going to meet, this whole process has made me more open-minded to meeting more people.”

Her resolve quickly reappears when asked how she got the idea for her first toy, which she developed herself. “I got the idea after I came back from a networking trip to China. I did a trade show with friends and helped them sell some of their jewelry. I helped them sell some pre-painted dolls as well and the idea evolved from there.”

To hear Situ describe it, the ability to start one’s own business sounds markedly easy. One need simply save up six thousand dollars and work out a business plan.
Situ says it took about five months to develop the prototype for the first of many toys.

“I was really excited. I was envisioning that this will be a great product for kids and adults. Just something crafty for the Barnes & Noble set.”

And just how is the Barnes and Noble set taking this leap? “The feedback is great. Everyone thinks it is a really good new idea.” Situ has already sold dolls to stores such as The Los Angeles Public Library Gift Shop, the Orange County Museum, The Puzzle Zoo, and a half of a dozen other cool boutiques throughout Southern California. And at the International Hobby Expo, kids were lining up to paint and try out these new little artistic creations.