Building an empire step by step
Li Shu-ying is a long-time resident of the US and started off as a dancer, opening her own dance school in Houston. When the American economy went into recession in 1988, she and her husband Steven Hsu seized the opportunity to invest cheaply in their first hotel, starting down their joint path as entrepreneurs.
Coming to the industry as an outsider, Li started at the bottom, working the front desk, doing cleaning and so on, learning from her staff as she went. In the early days, her husband continued with his day job to help make ends meet while Li handled hotel affairs, making the long commute there and back each day by herself.
The following year, an investor came in and paid a high price for their hotel, and so the couple took the money and used it to buy a second hotel, beginning to expand their business. When they invested in their third hotel, Li’s husband left his job and the two of them founded Allied Hospitality Inc., USA, with Li as vice president. Having majored in mathematics, Hsu put his skills in financial analysis to use heading up operations management, while the ever-smiling Li took responsibility for marketing and PR. Between the two of them, the couple have worked hard and now own a chain of several hotels.
In addition to buying existing hotels, Li and Hsu have also successfully started one of their own, the Hilton Garden Inn, from scratch, in a previously undeveloped part of Houston. The 2004 opening of the hotel helped spur development in the area, with several major retailers setting up nearby, transforming the once-barren district into a thriving center for international business.
The sizable investment in their hotel empire has not only created job opportunities, but also helped them develop good relations with local businesspeople. And as enthusiastic participants in overseas community affairs, the two have also become a powerful source of support for overseas missions.
The gentle and gracious Li Shu-ying (front center, in white) has not only built a successful hotel business, but also enthusiastically participates in overseas community affairs and charity activities, earning the Huakung Award for her efforts.