Vicky Tsai Is A Big Contributor to Small-Town Ways

本文附有中文视频，敬請觀賞。

Note: one of the video clips attached to the article is in Mandarin.

It sounds a little too good to be true that employees of a dry cleaning store get paid holidays, vacations and even bonuses rather than just an hourly wage. But this is how Vicky Tsai, owner of Dry Clean Pro, runs her small business—like a large corporation.

When was named Small Business of the Year by Cupertino Chamber of Commerce in 2005, Tsai shared the Star Award with her long-term employees by bringing all of them onto stage at the awards ceremony.

Tsai received another award, this time it was the CREST (Cupertino Recognizes Extra Steps Taken) Award for her contribution to not only the Chamber of Commerce but also the entire Cupertino community and beyond.

As Special Events Chair for the Chamber, Tsai organized community events including the State of the City, the Lunar New Year Luncheon, the Star Awards, Taste of Cupertino and Diwali Festival.

As a board member, she served as chair or vice chair in the Chamber's Asian American Business Council multiple times. She also co-founded the Connect Club, which provides frequent networking opportunities on a regular basis for Chamber members.

In 2009, Tsai initiated and personally conducted a buisness seminar in Mandarin, titled "Should I Start a Business?" for Chinese-speaking immigrants interested in starting their own businesses who might be intimidated by the language barrier.

The 2009 Mandarin seminar was a huge success, followed by another hit in the same format this past April, according to Alice Jacob, office manager of the Chamber.

Jacob described Tsai as an extraordinarily generous and giving person. According to Jacob, Tsai once retained a Chamber member who had financial trouble by paying the membership fee out of her own pocket for that person.

"I'm inspired by her generosity and energy," said Jacob, who nominated Tsai for the CREST Award on behalf of Paula Davis, president of the Chamber.

When the list of the CREST Award winners was announced, Tsai was on a trip accompanying Cupertino Mayor Gilbert Wong to visit Hsinchu, Cupertino's sister city in Taiwan, and two cities in China.

According to Tsai, one of the two Chinese cities, Zhaoqing (near Guangzhou) and Kuenshan (near Shanghai), may become Cupertino's sister city in China—but there will be a lengthy process before it happens.

Tsai's fluency in Mandarin made her a helpful advisor to the mayor on the recent tour.

Tsai was born in Peikong, Taiwan to a family that owned a gold and jewelry business.

"Growing up in an employer's family and then working as an employee before starting my own business helped me understand both sides," she said.

Tsai first came to America in 1969, when she graduated in the top three of her class from Ming-Chuang College, a reputable junior college in Taiwan, and transferred to University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, then Baylor College, in Belton, Texas.

After earning a Bachelor's degree in business administration and accounting. Tsai was hired by Miles Metal Corporation as an assistant to the controller, and worked in New York for seven years. Then a friend of hers persuaded her to move to California.

Tsai recalled her friend telling her, "In California, you will truly fulfill the American dream." She explained what the friend meant by "the American dream" was ownership of a car and a home, versus taking the subway and renting an apartment in New York.

Tsai became the controller for the San Jose Steel Company and worked there for eight years, in the meantime studying part-time for an MBA through the University of Pheonix.

In 1987, when the steel company went out of business, Tsai began thinking about starting a business.

"I always had an urge to be my own boss,"she said.

Tsai went to a trade show, where a representative from the chain store Dry Clean USA persuaded her to sign up as a new franchisee.

In 1988, Tsai opened a franchise of Dry Clean USA in Cupertino, and became a Chamber member, seeing the Chamber as a provider of great resources for small business owners.

Tsai's networking and management skills soon caught the attention of the Dry Clean USA headquarters. Her store was chosen as the training center for 15 other Dry Clean USA franchisees.  In 1992, Dry Clean USA asked Tsai to join the President's Advisory Council.

However, the chain left California in 1993, and that made Tsai rename her store Dry Clean Pro. Her business continued to thrive despite the abrupt change.

"Cupertino provides a great economic climate for my business," said Tsai. "So, in return, I'd like to serve the community and share my experience."

Tsai talked to Cupertino Patch in English and Mandarin about how she would like to contribute more to Cupertino in the semi-retired stage of her life. The recorded interviews are attached to this article.

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