If you’ve not yet heard of Victoria App, here’s a very quick whistle-stop tour of what you can expect: a private global community of like-minded individuals all centred around curated experiences and events.

Therefore, as you can imagine, getting to know their founder Vicky was very high on my list.

What I found though, is that the powerful idea behind Victoria app, whilst originating as a result of a close friends suicide, has gone above and beyond to prioritise strong connections and promoting reciprocal relationships. Vicky is not only an inspirational woman, but someone whose core values (on just about everything) permeate all that she does for her business. Whether it is contributing to charity work, education, forging new communities, or creating a space for other people to collaborate, connect and create. She’s certainly someone I want to get to know more of!

Why did you originally decide to start Victoria app?

I am originally from Hong Kong and China. When I was 17, I moved to London and attended school and university there. When I was at LSE, many of my friends and classmates were interested in investment banking or consulting, but I was more interested in an issue that I was passionate about: HIV positive orphans in China. So, in my first year, I wrote a book to raise awareness for a charity that helps educate the orphans, and I organised a charity ball with eight other Hong Kong universities. I also volunteered for a month in Ghana on local projects. But it wasn't until I returned from Ghana that I realised I didn't really know the local language or have specialist knowledge, but I really wanted to work on something meaningful to me.

A friend of mine suffered from depression and committed suicide during my second year of university. That experience taught me that nothing is more important than being surrounded by people you care about and knowing they care about you in return. So I created the Victoria app to help people in becoming happier by providing them with the opportunity to be surrounded by people they can love and who can love them back.

I liked how dating apps connect people who aren't in existing friendship circles, but those relationships are usually short-lived, and you don't see them again after one or two dates. That was something I wanted to change with Victoria. I want people to make new friends and professional connections by doing something fun and attending events with others. That's why we're combining the matching algorithm with in-person, curated experiences so that our members can meet both online and in person.

You've created such a large community now of like-minded people. How does that feel?

I'd say knowing that what you're doing has an impact on other people's lives is what motivates me to keep working on the idea and keeps the fire burning.

It's critical to understand that every decision or action I take contributes to my vision of forging stronger bonds between my users and members. So hearing stories about people starting to collaborate at work because they met someone at a Victoria event or on the app makes it all worthwhile.

I believe it is in making a significant difference in people's lives, including mine, where I've made genuine friends thanks to the app.

Last week, I went to a fashion show organised by a girl I met at a Victoria event. I've also met a lot of female entrepreneurs with whom I frequently have brunch. I've also met a few founders, who have introduced me to a number of investors and helped me expand my professional network. So, I would argue that the value and impact cannot be measured in monetary terms; it is far more important and significant than that. Knowing that we are making a difference in the lives of others makes me feel like we are on the right track, and we should keep going to ensure that we are benefiting more people by having a larger community.

Other than the idea of creating a larger network, what made you choose to integrate networking events and dating into one app?

I am eager to assist our members in expanding both their professional and personal networks. One of the issues with dating apps, in my opinion, is that people have very negative experiences with them. I believe that the dating app concept may not work on its own, because people behave differently when they see a product as just a dating app.

What I'm attempting to do here is to fundamentally alter the narrative. What I want to create is a community app where people don't just see it as a place to go on dates. I want them to see this app as a place where they can meet new people, network, attend events, and date.

I also believe that the private members concept increases everyone's respect for others. So having all three elements would be about providing our users with a better experience. I believe they will respect other people on the app more, and they will treat others as they would in real life.

What does true connection mean to you?

There are a few components to that, in my opinion.

I recall an Aristotle quote. It is discussing virtue. It states that you are friends with someone because you value and share certain characteristics with them. That, I believe, is correct. If it's a genuine connection, it means that this person possesses qualities that you admire or value. They could be very hardworking or very honest, for example, and if I see something that shines through this person, I will be drawn to them. That's how I define a genuine connection. The person should also be willing or happy to assist you when you have a need without expecting anything in return. If someone is willing to do that, I consider them to be true friends.

I'd also say it's someone who will withstand the test of time. So if someone can be there for you emotionally, you know, over a certain period of time, that means this person really likes you. Your company is here to stay, for the long haul.

What advice would you give other young entrepreneurs looking to work into the same industry? 

1. Don’t listen to anyone that tells you no. That really is the biggest obstacle to becoming an entrepreneur. People will tell you not to quit what you're doing or not to quit your job because it’s too much of a risk, but ultimately risks pay off. You need to own your own decisions and you just need to have faith and confidence in yourself.

2. Cultivate relationships around you. Really decide who is someone around you that is worth investing your time and energy in. There will be people around you who will inspire you, such as other entrepreneurs who are a few years ahead of you and angel investors who are interested in your business and can provide constructive feedback. But ultimately, it's about you inspiring those around you with your vision. Make them a part of your team by getting them excited about what you're building. It is about putting in the time and effort to ensure that they are a part of your dream. There are no shortcuts; it all comes down to how much effort you put in. Sometimes it's not just a matter of time; it's also a matter of caring about another person.

3. Get used to feeling like a failure. The first few years is like a constant state of feeling like “this is not working”. That's just the nature of what you're doing. And it is really hard emotionally for everyone, even for the people that seem to be more successful than you are at that moment. I think firstly recognise this is normal, and you have to keep making it a priority to focus on your mental health and finding out different ways to keep yourself motivated and optimistic. So, check in with yourself on a regular basis and engage in activities such as exercising, socialising with friends, and engaging in hobbies outside of work; all of these can help with stress management.

What other women do you enjoy and take inspiration from?

Naomi Osaka.

She won the grand slam but she also dropped out of a match because of not wanting to give the press interview, all because she put her mental health first. I find that extremely courageous. It proves that doing something might seem abnormal to others at first, but in the end the press only said positive things and supported her taking time to prioritise her mental health. Women don't always need to do what men or what society wants us to do, we can write our own rules.

I also really love Lady Gaga. I think she is very hardworking and she’s not afraid to push the boundaries. She’s excelled in everything she’s put her mind to, from acting to singing. I also see that she speaks a lot about how important it is to work hard and I love that she doesn’t shy away from the reality of it.

I don't believe any list would be complete without Beyonce. She made it her business's mission to hire more people from ethnic minorities and different genders. This means she has not only built a successful business, but one that deviates from the norm. It provides opportunities to people who may not have had equal access growing up while also setting the new standard for businesses. 

What is something you can't live without?

BXR - I couldn't live without working out. I try to go to the gym every day, because not only does it help you to become stronger physically but also mentally.

You could also say it is like an analogy of life, you might find one exercise particularly hard but once you get through it you feel this unbelievable sense of achievement. It’s the same with life, even though a situation might be very hard right now, if you continue working through it will eventually be worth it. That’s what fitness taught me, keep trying because you can do it.

I also found that I really enjoy setting goals and working towards them, and this helped me with Victoria. Now I set smaller goals so that when I achieve them, I can push to the next one. At the end of the day, if you want to achieve your goal, you have to be disciplined. When you think about your goal in your company, you need to think about how to achieve it working with a team. Maybe you need to have some sort of structure like you have to meet once a week or once every two weeks. You need to constantly think about how you can get to the goal better and faster.

If you could partner with another brand, what would be your dream brand and why?

I really love Chanel as a brand. The story of the founder is just so inspiring. She is a brilliant example of an intelligent and independent woman. She built a whole brand by herself,   despite hardships in her background as an orphan. She really believed in herself and created something that will have an everlasting legacy. Chanel encompasses women’s independence and it teaches women that they shouldn't be obliged to follow the societal norms projected onto them.

I would say that if we could partner with them, it would be really great because Victoria is also a female founder-led team and our vision is to also inspire our members to pursue their passions and to maximise their potential. I think both brands have a similar brand story behind and I think lots of our members would enjoy if there was some sort of collaboration, like an experience of design by Chanel for our members.

What does the rest of 2022 hold?

So in 2022 we hope to finish our first round of funding. So far I guess you could say we have been self-funded and are still looking for external investors. Ideally an angel investor or a venture capital fund, because we’d be able to see a lot more growth and could spend more on curating events, or marketing to more members in London. We’d also love to be able to expand into the US market and grow our members globally.

Apart from that, our main focus will be continuing with our bi-monthly events. We recently had a panel discussion on the future of consumer tech with four incredible speakers. Pippa Lamb, partner at Sweet Capital, Alan Vey, Founder and CEO of Aventus Networks, Eleanor Warnock, Deputy Editor at Sifted, and Eshita Kabra-Davies, Founder of ByRotation. They not only gave our members their perspectives on the future of consumer tech, but they also shared some helpful tips on things to watch out for in the tech space.

The main goal of the events, is to provide opportunities for our members to get inspired and also to network and to meet each other. That’s definitely something we'll continue doing, as well as providing content that’s relevant and interesting to our community with our newsletters and Instagram.

Download the Victoria App here.

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Emily is currently living in London. She is passionate about art, travel, culture, cinema, fashion, sports, feminism and a whole lot more. She is currently working on her own podcast with a friend and also dabbles in graphic design, when not doing her day job. Find her on Instagram @emlrking or chatting on Confession Sessions, The C Word Mag’s own podcast.