"I want my people to participate," she says, "because it opens the lines of communication so we all can understand the goals of the company. I also make sure there are links between departments so the company circle is complete. I actually work hard on building closer relationships with my employees. We need close communication because there's no rank here, everybody has value.
"I learned a long time ago that people don't always work just for money. They also work to build relationships. I have a very special relationship with my employees. The more I trust them, the more I can delegate. That part takes sensitivity and creativity. I'm more of a planner. Things like that can be underestimated in business."
The biggest, most important management hurdle she faced was establishing a productive working relationship with husband and partner Mitchell Phan. Phan, Hwang feels, had a harder time working with her than she did with him.
"There was a time when Asian women had to hold their tongues," she says. "But no more, not in this country where there are so many opportunities. Asian men, for example, were taught to put their parents as Number One. On the other hand, I needed to be heard. That was a big conflict for us.
"Yes, I respected my husband's needs, but he also had to learn to respect mine. If we had disagreements, we always focused on the purpose. What was the purpose? To do good business.
"I was lucky, I guess," Hwang concludes. "My husband recognized how valuable I was. He had to learn to compromise, especially since I'm a dominant woman. Of course, there were things we disagreed on, but we didn't let our egos interfere with business. And he didn't let the old traditions destroy us."
Phan freely admits he was a "typical macho Asian man" who found it difficult to work with a woman. "I didn't feel as though she had the experience," he says, "but she learned very quickly. I had to adjust my way of thinking.
"When you pick a business partner," he continues, "it's hard to know whether it's going to be the right partner. When you pick your wife as your partner, at least you know you can trust her one hundred percent. If I couldn't work with her, I knew I could at least trust her.
"If there was a problem, before we'd even start a conversation, we'd remind ourselves that we both have the same goals. The moment we did that, there were no more conflicts. We also never brought our personal lives to work."
Nevertheless, Hwang's biggest heartache is not having more time to spend with her kids.
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"I have so much responsibility for them, and no one can be better than mom. It's hard, but I've had no choice. They know I love them, every minute I'm not working I'm thinking of them.
"But I have to make that sacrifice because our business is our baby, too. If people could learn to sacrifice, this world would be a much better place. It's very hard to do. Everybody wants everything for themselves. But you have to learn how to be considerate, thoughtful, and know how to sacrifice when you have to, whether it's in your personal life or business."
Hwang doesn't underestimate the amount of sacrifice that remains if ASL is to realize its potential. She has established distribution of ASL products through domestic and international distributors, dealers and manufacturer's reps of security systems. The future looks very bright, but in the hi-tech business, one mistake can cost a small company it's only shot at success. To succeed, she says, ASL must maintain its focus on selling products that are practical and economical enough for ordinary people in the real world. It must respond quickly to changing consumer expectations. That's one reason ASL develops and manufactures entirely in the U.S.
One day Hwang and Phan hope to do business in Vietnam which no longer faces a U.S. trade embargo. But they have no desire to move back. This is their home and their children are Americans with no ties to Vietnam.
"I have seen both sides," Hwang reflects as she prepares to run to her next meeting. "I was well-taken care of, wealthy. Then I left my country empty-handed. I know what I want, and where I'm going. I know how to appreciate and be grateful. Without gratitude you really have nowhere to go."
