My Global Inclusion Focus

I spent way too many years hiding who I truly was (all in the name of “success”).

Before going “all in” on my design business, I spent a decade working for tech startups and multinational conglomerates in Sweden, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and Singapore. 

As a tech startup founder with a mechanical engineering background, I worked in male-dominated spaces where I was repeatedly undervalued and underestimated based on my gender and age. 

And as I climbed the corporate ladder, I became more and more aware of how I was modifying my behavior to fit a white man’s definition of success. 

I spoke up in public and challenged coworkers and clients directly without considering their feelings. I diligently severed work life from home life. I even read up on medieval European history so I could carry “intelligent” conversations with influential people at super exclusive black tie events. (Cringe, much?)

In other words, I worked hard (often without realizing) to convey the message, “You don’t have to worry, I’m more like you and your white friends than I’m like the other Koreans.”

I realized I would never fulfill my potential unless I stopped trying to fit into someone else’s box.

As anyone who has ever felt the need to hide parts of their true self will understand, I came to realize that I was deeply unhappy at work — and it was starting to reflect my relationships, my home life, and my mental and physical health.

I desperately wanted to live the full expression of myself. And I started by changing the world I was working within.

I created more inclusive spaces within the walls of my employers. I started women’s networks and diversity initiatives to combat bias and discrimination. I took on the role of an American company’s Asia-based diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) ambassador and helped shape their global inclusion strategy.

Despite all of this progress, it didn’t take me long to realize how restrictive the corporate system was. And when a heartbreaking tragedy hit my family, instead of getting the support I needed to take care of myself and my family, I was left scrambling to tend to my team and clients. I felt like I couldn’t share how I felt or what I was going through with the people I worked with every day — it was one of the loneliest moments in my life.

I realized I was done working with and for people who judged me for speaking up and prioritizing people over profits. And a few months later, I left my corporate life behind for good.

Snapshots from a Diversity and inclusion leadership conference during my corporate life:

Things didn’t exactly change overnight. 

As a highly-trained, people-pleasing, straight-A student, growing my business wasn’t difficult. But after months of rapid growth, I stopped to take stock and realized my corporate career had come back to haunt me.

I was learning exclusively from white, US-based leaders, educators, and influencers, and doing everything possible to assimilate into a west-centric industry. Taking 3 am calls to accommodate clients. Glossing over microaggressions from strangers, like “I love Korean food,” or “Your name is so exotic.” Not correcting people when they assumed I was American. All in the hopes of getting noticed and being awarded a “She Belongs Here” gold star.

I eventually took a leap of faith and began to share my experiences. It all started with a story about an industry leader who scheduled their virtual event at an inaccessible time for a global audience, decided not to share a replay with its paying customers, and refused to reach a compromise with me when I explained how unfair and infuriating this was.

The community response was incredible. 

I quickly realized that many other non-white, non-American business owners had had similar experiences — and also that there was a huge community of entrepreneurs who wanted to make their online spaces more inclusive but weren’t sure how.

I started having more of these conversations — and it paid off tenfold.

The conversations that were started from that single story helped me realize that the way I approached business and design — with diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at the core of everything — was different.

As I started sharing more stories, experiences, and perspectives as a business owner with marginalized identities, I was given opportunities to share that message on bigger platforms and help more people make their businesses more globally inclusive.

Today, as a mentor and educator who leads with inclusion, I finally feel like I’m getting paid to be myself — all of myself.

By showing up as my full, multi-layered, authentic self, I have so much more energy to bring to my work. And (surprise surprise), my income has grown exponentially. Because, as you likely know, when you put people first, the profits often follow.

I love running a business where people can be themselves: one where my customers and mentees feel celebrated and appreciated for who they are, without having to modify their behavior for others.

It feels so good to run a business this way. And I’d love to work with you to create a business that makes you feel like you’re getting paid to be all of you.