11 Questions with BEZALEL CEO, Frank Wu

From Windy City Chicago, Erin LeeAnn Watson, host of IGC Podcast, has 11 questions for Frank Wu, CEO of wireless charging startup, BEZALEL. Erin interviews people with compelling stories and her podcast aims to help make people think, laugh, and be inspired.

1. Where are you from originally?

I'm originally from Taiwan.

2. How did being an immigrant influence your perspective on life? What was the adjustment like?

Actually, knowing that I'm an immigrant never really affected my perspective, especially in a negative way. And there wasn't too much adjustment needed or required because thankfully, Southern California is very diverse and full of immigrants. It was a pretty smooth transition from where I'm from in Taiwan, to Los Angeles. I feel very blessed about this.

3. How did you get into Technology? Were you always interested in Tech?

I was always in the field of Technology as a young student. I was an engineer major and I graduated University in this area of study.

4. What inspired you to found BEZALEL?

In 2012, I met with my friend inside a Starbucks. He brought a power bank to charge his phone, and during our time together, his phone battery died. He forgot to bring the cable that goes with the power bank, so he couldn't use this charger. The power bank was useless and his phone ended up dead. I thought it would be so much more convenient and helpful for my friend if his power bank offered wireless charging. So this inspired me to make a wireless charger.

I worked on a prototype, and once I put it up on Kickstarter, things started happening really fast. The prototype (now developed into Prelude) was a huge achievement on Kickstarter and it got exposure from big media like BuzzFeed & TechCrunch.

5. What keeps you going as an Entrepreneur?

Before I started BEZALEL, I wasn't a business person. But once I started running BEZALEL, I had to take care of all the different areas of a company: design, finance, business affairs, everything. So it's the business that keeps me going as an entrepreneur.

6. What stops you from being overly concerned with the competition?

In my opinion, making the best product is more important than being concerned with the competition. Competition is anywhere. We cannot remove it. Every market has its own competition, but I'm not focused on competition, I'm just focused on how I can make the best product.

7. How can BEZALEL's efforts help the disabled, elderly, and etc.?

Wireless charging can be extremely helpful for some people who are disabled or elderly and others who cannot use their hands, fingers, wrist and arms properly. Since they don't have to plug cables in and out of their phone’s USB port, it’ll help alleviate pain or discomfort in their joints, etc. They just need to put their phones on top of the pad and it will start charging.

8. What BEZALEL's aspirations in entertainment and film.

For now, our focus is only on technology. However, we were previously featured in a music video because our products are stylish and modern.

9. What is next for you and BEZALEL?

We want to be the best wireless charging supplier in the world. We are the only company that makes a wireless charging ecosystem, and we are the only company with the best design. This is why we got an exclusive coverage from Business Insider.

10. What do you hope to accomplish in the next few years?

BEZALEL will develop a long distance wireless charging system, and make ways for hotels and other businesses to embed wireless charging so people can go to many public areas without cables. We also want to partner with automotive companies, as many new car models have wireless charging pads built into them. BEZALEL will also help smart devices (IOT) work with wireless charging because wireless charging is the only solution that will help them.

11. What does your success mean to your family?

My family is, of course, very happy because I'm independent and am able to run a company. But my parents were never business people. I am the first in the family to go into business, so they were very surprised to see this. My family just wants me to be healthy and give glory to the Lord. My family is Christian and my parents always taught me to give glory to God. BEZALEL is from God and the name comes from the Bible. BEZALEL is someone in the Old Testament that helped build the first temple and helped Moses too.

Thank you host of IGC and SB Podcast, Erin LeeAnn Watson! Check out the recorded interview!