The glass ceiling.

You've probably heard this term before, denoting a metaphorical invisible barrier that prevents women from rising through the upper levels of business as easily as men. While it is not completely impossible for women to reach the upper echelons in a corporation, it is much more improbable, statistically speaking. The glass ceiling is a widely known fact that every woman in the business world is well aware of, and this inequality is a constant source of frustration for many.

As a woman in the business world, I first encountered the glass ceiling in 1992 when I joined Microsoft's new office in China. I worked very hard and was eventually promoted to be the youngest department manager ever in Mainland China.

However, I also realized that my male colleagues received promotions much more quickly and easily than I did. I had to prove myself three or four times more than the men in the company and was passed over for a promotion many times during my first few years. It was very common for women to be treated this way at that time.

I do not regret those early days, however, for they taught me some very important life lessons. These formative years showed me what values I wanted to embrace when founding my own companies later on in my life — and also what I didn't want my companies to be. More than anything, I learned that even though I may........

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