It was my first day of school in second grade, and I could barely contain my excitement. I had gone shopping with my mom the week before to get new clothes, a backpack and school supplies including a brand new pencil box and Lisa Frank folders. Over the years ahead I would battle with a series of interactions that renforced this idea within me that I’m unwelcome. My teacher introduced me to the class and I walked to my seat. On the recess break a little boy came up to me and I smiled widely, appreciating that he wanted to say hi to me. He opened his mouth and said, “DId your face get run over by a bull dozer?” I was stunned. My 2nd grade self was now encapsulated in a core memory associated with the thought, “ I don’t belong here.”
Meanwhile, a resistance was building within, and I continued to experience instances of being discriminated against. My voice began to cry out as I reflected on what I would soon learn was a national epidemic of the sanctioned belittlement of Asians in America. By 9th grade, I cried out. And I was heard I won an oratorical contest with a speech I entitled, “Now is the Time to End Racism”. That was the beginning of a more bold, more fierce and determined self identity. I knew I wanted to make a difference and be a catalyst for change, but I wasn’t sure how I could do that. In college I wrote essays on my identity never ever feeling like I belonged in Korea nor America. I grappled with the idea that I never felt welcome wherever I went. It was in these formative years that I developed in me a desire to dedicate my life to everyone living equitably and fulfilled no matter who they were.
So, when I went to college the desire to create community and sense of belonging was so strong that I started a sorority chapter at the University of Cincinnati. I was committed to creating safe spaces where everyone could feel at home in a community filled with kindness and love. Much of that came from values that my father instilled in me. As a community organizer I understood the value of people being in community and the importance of creating that for others. Before long I found myself at the helm of the national sorority and over 7 years I led young women through a series of planning, building, and transformational exercises to create everlasting bonds, a culture of giving, and a national sense of belonging for all young women within it. I did this so that young women like me could have that experience of feeling welcome and included and knew that they belonged here.
In March of 2020, I walked into my Chicago office at a new job after leaving the health department in New York City where I had worked straight out of graduate school since 2008. I had ended a long-term relationship, and I felt alone. I applied and was accepted into the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business. One week later we received a message from our CEO that we were to work from home for the next 2 weeks. As you know, that 2 weeks turned into 2 years. The pandemic hit hard yet throughout it all I was able to find community in my MBA classmates.
Never before did I understand the value of an MBA network until I had to go through a pandemic. I decided that I was going to seize the opportunity and live my life to the fullest no matter what. Before I was even vaccinated I was on a flight to Chicago in the middle of February to meet up with some of them, and I continued to travel to different cities to meet my classmates for two years straight. I even transferred to our London campus to make memories with our European cohort. All the while I was creating a community and demanding that we enjoy each other despite life’s circumstances. It was also during my tenure at Booth that I joined a venture start-up team and won second place in the Global New Venture Challenge. In that moment, standing in front of a row of judges, a room filled with brilliant peers, and streaming worldwide, I realized this was it. I have what it takes to lead in my industry and change the trajectory of my life and my family for generations. I gained the confidence that I could run my own business, enroll and lead teams of talented people and make a difference – something that I had always wanted to do but was too burdened by the thought that I didn’t belong to acknowledge my own bold power.
It was my 41st birthday, and I wanted to treat myself to a lavish experience as this was the first birthday I would be spending alone in almost two decades. I researched the best hotel in Mexico City and made a reservation for myself in their Presidential Suite. After a destination hotel that I had wanted to be an unforgettable stay was a MAJOR miss it forced me to think about what I wanted out of a hotel and more importantly out of my life. I became obsessed with luxury, quality service, high end experiences, and boutique offers. I began to scour every city I visited for what that market called the best of the best. I wanted to see how the hotel industry was valuing, rating, and providing 5 star service and the people who traveled near and far to experience it. What I decided was that everyone deserves the opportunity to experience the warmth and acceptance of a destination when they book a luxury hotel stay.
After that I realized that I could transform hospitality – that I could create community and safety for all my guests so that everyone leaves feeling appreciated and valued. I also want to bring in my eastern roots and take a wholistic approach to looking at stays. As meridians flow through our bodies so do they through our lives. We are all connected to each other and everyone matters. I invite you to get connected by signing up through my investor portal or emailing me to discuss other ways to partner together.