When I reflect on how I came to do the work I do, I see that I was seeking freedom from outer expectations and inner pain. I was born and grew up in Korea and believed that success would make me feel loved.  This led me to get an Ivy League degree at Brown University and have roles in investment banking at Citigroup and Morgan Stanley in NYC, at a tech startup managing international partnerships, at a venture fund leading fundraising globally, and at banks providing banking and financing for startups in Silicon Valley. Even though I was having fun and kept unlocking what seemed to be the next level of success, I still felt something was missing.

In 2017, I lost my mother to cancer.  She was my closest friend and confidante.  And because she did not trust my father, I had to lead family affairs as an estate executor.  This created a tremendous uproar, especially given the cultural norms in Asia related to gender and age.  At the time, I only knew how to keep moving forward, guided by sheer will and resilience, while making many mistakes. 

The next five years have been an incredible journey of self-discovery, and immense transformation. I am deeply grateful for the gifts of the painful moments I endured.  My experiences of overwhelming confusion and pain taught me self-compassion and how to empathize with other people’s suffering, whatever job or role they have. I have gained a clear awareness of who I am and how I want to live my life. The challenges of life have inspired in me an ongoing commitment to my own self-exploration, growth, and service.  As I am present and grounded, I pave the path that is uniquely mine, being of service to others and to the world with a sense of surrender, compassion, and playfulness.  My life is enhanced by these relationships in a way that is priceless.

Today, my mission is to “Mediate, Serve, and Play.” I am committed to meditation as this practice awakens a true Self. Grounded in this truth, what matters most to me is to serve, where I dedicate my life to the healing of myself and others. That said, I appreciate all of the human experiences and believe that play is the spontaneous expression of joy, the essence of life. I am grateful that I have been able to align my life with this mission of serving and savoring.