From Mayor to Tech Founder: How True Leadership Drives Impact and Change

Richard Tran

Founder of Upward

Former 3-Term Mayor, City of Milpitas, California

*Upward : AI-powered HR platform for the manufacturing industry, enhancing hiring efficiency and optimizing workforce management.

🎤 What is the fundamental driving force behind your remarkable leadership journey?

📝Richard Tran : I didn’t know I would become the mayor of my city, but I always knew I loved my community. Leadership was never my goal—what truly mattered to me was making a difference, whether big or small.

Serving in the military was one way I made an impact. I wasn’t striving for leadership; I was focused on contributing and creating change. That mindset led me to the role of mayor, as I kept searching for ways to make the greatest difference.

Now, that same drive has led me to become a global tech startup founder, expanding my impact from leading change for 80,000 people as a mayor to empowering millions on a global scale.

🎤 What motivated you to transition from politics to entrepreneurship?

📝Richard Tran : I transitioned from politics to entrepreneurship because I wanted to make a broader impact beyond my city. I am developing a human resources recruiting technology—an AI-powered app and website designed to improve job opportunities for millions of manufacturing workers globally. My goal is to create meaningful change, ensuring blue-collar workers in every country have better access to jobs through this platform.

Shifting from politics to entrepreneurship over the past three years has been a challenge, especially coming from a non-business background. However, I believe in my vision and trust in God's plan, navigating both highs and lows with the conviction that making a difference is always possible.

Currently, I am in discussions with an angel investor in Vietnam and awaiting a response. If this opportunity doesn’t work out, I’ll explore others—because every country has its own tech ecosystem, and the world is full of possibilities.

🎤 What are the similarities and differences in leadership between your role in politics and as a tech startup CEO?

📝Richard Tran : There are many transferable leadership skills between government and business. As a city mayor, I worked closely with businesses, managed budgets, understood industry trends, and navigated economic shifts. Government leadership also required a deep understanding of people—how economic conditions influence decisions and how to create policies that address community needs.

However, transitioning into the tech industry introduced a new challenge—the pace of innovation. Unlike government, where decision-making is often slow and methodical, tech leadership requires rapid execution, constant iteration, and adaptability to new technologies.

While the core leadership principles remain the same—strategy, vision, and problem-solving—the speed of decision-making and implementation is the biggest difference between the two.

In many ways, this journey has come full circle, blending the wisdom gained from public service with the dynamic, fast-moving world of technology. Adapting to this accelerated pace has been one of the most exciting aspects of my transition.

🎤 What principles do you apply when making tough decisions?

📝Richard Tran : One saying I heard in college has always stuck with me: During difficult times, decision-making isn’t about who’s right, but about what’s right.

This principle applies to every aspect of life—whether in business, family, or leadership. When faced with tough choices, I always ask myself: Am I choosing based on what’s right, or am I choosing based on who’s right? The answer should always be to do what’s right.

Many successful CEOs, politicians, and even religious leaders have made poor decisions that ultimately led to their downfall. Often, this happens because they focus on defending their own position or yielding to external pressures instead of prioritizing what is truly right.

As a leader responsible for 80,000 people in my city, I always ensured that my decisions were based on principles and integrity rather than personal agendas or external influences. This mindset has guided my leadership and remains a fundamental principle in everything I do.

🎤 What made you realize the importance of raising your voice, and how did that realization shape your leadership and career?

📝Richard Tran : At some point in life—whether in careers, relationships, or business—we all have to sell ourselves. We need to make others believe in who we are and trust in our abilities. However, not everyone naturally possesses this skill. Some people are introverted or naturally quiet, making it harder for them to gain recognition or inspire confidence.

I was once a quiet person myself. But as I grew older, I came across a saying in the U.S.:

"A closed mouth doesn’t eat."

That resonated with me. I realized that if I wanted to be heard, I had to speak up. I had to overcome fear, be vocal, and make my presence known.

I truly found my voice when I ran for mayor. To convince thousands of people to vote for me, I had to be strong, clear, and outspoken. Leadership often requires being heard—many great leaders remain quiet, but their impact is limited because their voices are not amplified. On the other hand, some bad leaders dominate simply because they are loud.

Ultimately, raising your voice and being heard is a conscious effort. But long-term success isn’t just about being vocal—it requires a strong mission, a clear vision, and the right strategy. Without those, someone may be loud, but they won’t stay loud for long.

🎤 What strategies do you use to deliver impactful and engaging speeches?

📝Richard Tran : You always have to know your audience. There’s a saying: "Know your audience." No matter how well a speaker delivers their message, if it’s not tailored to the right audience, it won’t resonate.

A great example of this is stand-up comedy. Comedians read the audience, interact with them, and adjust their material accordingly. They ask questions—"Where are you from? Are you here with your spouse? Do you have kids? What do you do for work?"—and then build their jokes based on that. Without understanding their audience, their performance wouldn’t work.

The same principle applies to any speaker—whether you're a tech founder, a mayor, or a teacher. Effective communication starts with preparing content that aligns with the audience’s needs, desires, and interests. Only then can a message truly make an impact.

🎤 How did you find the right people and lead successfully in both business and politics?

📝Richard Tran : The key to recruiting the right people is finding those who share the vision, mission, and purpose. These individuals believe in the journey and are often willing to contribute before compensation is possible. While everyone should be paid, those who invest their efforts early on are the ones truly committed to the mission.

As mayor, I built a team of volunteers and staff who weren’t following me personally—they believed in the vision, policies, and changes we were working toward. These were the best people to work with, and once resources were available, we compensated them. However, the experience and skills they gained often became more valuable than the paycheck itself.

Building a strong team also requires making tough decisions. In business, there’s no room for wasted time—it’s about execution, not friendship or loyalty. If someone isn’t working, contributing, or willing to collaborate, they need to be replaced. As mayor, I made those decisions many times to keep my team aligned with the mission and ready to make an impact.

🎤 How do you consistently earn and maintain people's trust?

📝Richard Tran : Trust isn’t about success or failure—it’s about presence and consistency. When we are absent, trust begins to erode. If we have a meeting and I don’t show up, I lose your trust. But if I consistently show up and am on time, trust builds naturally.

Even if I attend 10 meetings with you and fail each time, you will still trust me—because I keep showing up. That’s the foundation of trust: reliability and presence. Success is great, but whether we succeed or fail, being there is what truly matters.

When I was mayor, I showed up every day for my city. Even when I made mistakes or faced challenges, people still trusted me because they knew I was always there, ready to face those challenges alongside them.

🎤 Can you tell me about your Generative AI HR solution for manufacturing workers and your vision for the business?

📝Richard Tran: My startup focuses on AI-powered human resources and recruiting technology for the manufacturing industry. We are developing a web and mobile platform that streamlines hiring and workforce management, helping factories optimize efficiency and reduce costs.

We specifically target factories producing goods for companies like Samsung, LG, Kia, and Hyundai, which rely on a large workforce. Our goal is to improve job placement and management, creating better opportunities for workers while enhancing productivity for employers.

To validate the need, I met with factories in Vietnam to understand their challenges. Their feedback confirmed that our solution addresses inefficiencies in hiring, cost management, and workforce shortages.

Right now, I’m integrating Generative AI models to enhance the platform’s capabilities. As we refine the technology, I’m excited to scale this solution globally, delivering real value to manufacturers while building a strong and sustainable business.

With entrepreneurs and mentors at the Founder Institute Vietnam 2024 graduation ceremony

🎤 How have your past startup experiences shaped your current business?

📝Richard Tran: I believe success in global business comes down to building trust. Regardless of where we come from—Korea, Vietnam, or the U.S.—we share common human experiences. In every country I’ve visited, I’ve found that people connect through shared values. We can sit together, share a meal, laugh, and understand each other, just as we are doing now on this Zoom call.

While language and cultural differences exist, they haven’t been a major barrier for me. The tech industry is inherently global, and that has made it easier to collaborate across borders. Whether I’m speaking with angel investors, startup CEOs, or tech professionals, we all speak the same language—technology. It’s like being a doctor; no matter the country, if we’re discussing the human heart, the fundamentals remain the same.

That’s why expanding into new markets hasn’t felt like a major challenge. Yesterday, I had a meeting in Vietnam, and although my Vietnamese isn’t fluent, the person I spoke with understood the technology. That shared understanding bridged the language gap.

Of course, challenges exist, but I see them as opportunities to connect, learn, and grow. It’s exciting to travel, build relationships, and discuss innovation, and I look forward to doing the same in other countries.

🎤 How does having a globally distributed team impact the way you operate and grow your startup?

📝Richard Tran: Right now, my tech startup has a core team of two or three full-time members and about a dozen part-time strategic advisors based in both Vietnam and the U.S., reflecting the global nature of my business.

Since the manufacturing industry operates worldwide, my startup was designed as a global company from the start. Many tech companies today function without a central headquarters—everything happens remotely over Zoom, allowing us to collaborate across different time zones and regions efficiently. This flexibility enables us to access diverse talent, expand into new markets faster, and operate with lower overhead costs.

Because of this distributed model, language and geography are not barriers—we work with team members from different countries as needed. In my previous tech company, we had team members from India, Colombia, Brazil, the U.S., and China. Most professionals speak English, but ultimately, what matters is expertise and contribution, not location.

Having lived in a multicultural environment in California, where over 100 languages are spoken, I’m used to working across different cultural backgrounds. This global perspective has helped shape my startup’s ability to scale and adapt to various markets.

🎤 What does failure mean to you, and how has it shaped your life and success?

📝Richard Tran: I believe failure is an essential part of success. That’s just how life works—you have to fail in order to succeed. The most successful people have failed countless times. Success isn’t about winning all the time; it’s about enduring setbacks and learning from them until you achieve small wins.

Success is never a straight path—it’s full of ups and downs. Many people avoid trying because they fear failure, believing success is out of reach. But those who accept failure as a normal part of the journey and keep pushing forward will always find new opportunities.

The worst part of failure? You might lose money or time, but you’ll always have more chances ahead. When I first ran for office, I lost my first campaign. But I didn’t stop—I ran again and again, and eventually, I won three times. Had I given up after that first failure, I would have never become the mayor of my city.

Every successful person—including millionaires and billionaires—has faced failure. The difference is, they kept going.

So my advice is simple: keep moving forward, because success is out there. If you have a vision for success in your mind and heart, it’s because you’re capable of achieving it. For those who believe in God—why would He place success in your heart if it wasn’t meant for you to pursue?

Key Insights from This Interview

Richard Tran's leadership is built on presence and authenticity. He showed up, took action, and earned trust—turning commitment into influence and rising to become mayor.
Raising your voice is a choice, but true leaders speak with mission, vision, and strategy. It’s not about being the loudest, but about moving hearts and driving change.
Success belongs to those who never stop. If you’re still pushing forward, your dream isn’t just possible—it’s inevitable.

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