Meet psychology alum and serial entrepreneur Wilson Lee

What can you do with a psychology degree? Wilson Lee (BA ’09, Psychology) is a self-professed ‘serial entrepreneur’. He heads a marketing agency, an event production company, and an ice-cream chain. In May 2016 he was named a BC Business 30 under 30 for his efforts. 30 Under 30 celebrates future business leaders under 30 years of age who excel in their respective industries and give back to their community.
In this video and Q&A, Wilson shares his inspiration, the value of a psychology degree, and the skills he learned as a student. His key advice for psychology students? Be curious!
Why did you choose to study psychology at UBC?
I’d always wanted to learn more about why people do what they do. After some research I saw that UBC offers a very good comprehensive program and that was when I decided to enroll.
During your time at UBC, what did you like most?  
I love the fact that I got to interact with many people from different paths. Since Vancouver is such a diverse city, I got to learn about a lot of different cultures through my fellow classmates at UBC.
Was there anything or anyone who inspired you?
I was inspired by one of the talks from the alumni who traded his red paper clip to a house. I was inspired by him and hope that one day, I can come back to inspire fellow students as well.
What advice would you give to students considering studying psychology?
Keep an open mind and a positive attitude. Your focus and career may change in the future, however, the skillset and knowledge that you have acquired throughout the period would be invaluable for the rest of your lives.
In your experience, how does the value of a psychology degree translate into the real world?
I got to understand why people do what they do and the underlying principles behind them. It allowed me to become more empathetic and I’ve learnt to understand how to market better to consumers based on these different theories.
Are there any skills that you learned throughout your university career that you still use today?
I believe the most valuable skillset that I’ve learnt was how to handle with stress of juggling between full time school with exams/assignments and part time work. I came to realize that my customers don’t care if I am working on another project or if my dog was sick. All they care about is that they get their product/service. I realize that during my years in University, that has prepared me to time manage properly and to manage with my stress accordingly.
What’s been the most exciting part about launching your own businesses?
The most exciting part of launching a business is the building part. The part from bringing an idea that you were discussing with friends and family to paper. From paper to actualization to when your first customer tries out your service/product. The realization of how far you’ve come just from that one idea and that customers actually being able to benefit from it is truly amazing and satisfying.  
What are your future career plans?
I will continue to become a serial entrepreneur. One of my more ambitious plan is to bring my ice-cream chain from 0-100 franchise stores in 3 years. Currently we are at five stores. The ice-cream chain is called 720 Sweets & Etc.
Do you have a motto?
GSD – Get shit done.