Archive for Commentary

Everything Korea: May 25 Episode: Diverse Sub-cultures

May 27, 2015 Commentary, general, News Comments Off on Everything Korea: May 25 Episode: Diverse Sub-cultures

Coming off the Memorial Day Weekend Holiday here.  I use holidays as a time to write, read, recharge and re-focus. This means opting out perusing Facebook and Twitter, as well as checking emails.  I’m happy this year both the American holiday and Buddha’s Birthday (a legal holiday in Korea) fall together.
I was again asked what’s been on my reading list.  I recommend for starters, Brian Grazer’s (the Hollywood producer and with creative partner Ron Howard founded Imagine Entertainment) new book A Curious Mind
A second Book:  The start-up of YOU, by Reid Hoffman, co-founder and Chairman of Linkedin
And, Hatching Twitter, by Nick Bilton
All three give some great insights into the varying aspect of American business–behind the scenes and sub-cultures.
This brings us to today’s topic—these recognizing diverse sub-cultures.  To often like an iceberg what is seen on the surface only shares a potion of a business and in particular for that business model in a respective market or region.
What is truly deceptive is that on the surface business is business, and all can appear similar.  Where the challenge emerges is that each business sectors can vary considerably in the West, and the three books I mention highlight just how different.
For example Brian Grazer, as a Hollywood insider and successful TV and film producer talks about expectations within filmmaking and specifically Hollywood that require special mindset— which at the core is “creating ideas.”
Building on this, the other two books look at recent trends and sub-cultures that exist within…
As the Linkedin Chairman points out that in contrast to an old model embodied by the once great Detroit, we find the entrepreneurial mojo of Silicon Valley embracing a willingness to take bold risks and accept failure, coupled with a network of alliances to work in collective action.
More revealing to inner workings, we find in Hatching Twitter that can things vary lots even across startups.  Cited in the book one of the Twitter co-founders Biz Stone willingly went to a startup which would become Twitter from  “unlimited free meals, free snacks, free buses to work, and a free inexhaustible everything at Google  and replaced with a office where homeless people slept in stairway, the only free transportation was his two feet, and the only free food and drink was a beer after work if EV [his boss] picked up the tab.”
This said, the author notes, “ The cultural difference was incalculable. The sterile, robotic culture of Google, with its know-it –all engineers and bossy bosses, was now replaced with tattooed hackers with a do-what-you-want mentality.”
So what am I saying…
To my friends and clients in Korea, I’d share these are just several examples of the diversity in Western work culture and norms—a deep understanding required to be effective in the local market.
In contrast, although no two Korean Groups are entirely alike in their mindset and even Divisions and sister companies within a Group can vary some—workplace culture, norms and process are very relatively similar.  For example, hierarchical titles, role of Finance, a team focus, a junior’s deference to seniors, pressure to take action over considerable upfront critical thinking, as well as top down oversight and decision making.
All said, I am often asked about a pet project of mine over the past year Mad For Garlic.  My Korean friends and the expat community in Korea know the brand well. In short…. Mad For Garlic is known for its unique and innovative menu with garlic-specialized Italian cuisine.
I was asked to assist the team in US market entry. A rare and very smart move by the Korean team who recognized the need for local support. Our first round was getting the word out to the FSR industry.  This is summed up nice in a PDF study. Link below.
As if often the best case, our original strategy to find a master developer for the US market has evolved to now finding a VC or Angel to invest in the International development of the brand.  This makes considerable sense with a recent  $48 MM investment by Standard Chartered Private Equity (SCPE) in the now 40 plus domestic Korea Mad For Garlic operations. This new partnership with SCPE will accelerate Mad for Garlic’s Korea expansion.  Working with the Korean team we seek to accelerate the International development though a similar partnership.  Questions, thoughts or an interest, please contact me directly and we’d love to discuss more.
Oh and one more thing…. I am off to Nashville, Tenn. area this week and more specifically as speaker a panel on international development held in Clarksville-Montgomery County, soon be home to a $180MM Hankook Tire plant.
So until next time….
Links

 

Everything Korea: May 11 Episode, Startup Culture

May 13, 2015 Commentary, Education, general Comments Off on Everything Korea: May 11 Episode, Startup Culture

 

Summary and Links:
Just back from NYC, so I wanted to share the link to The Korea Society presentation. Nikita Desai and the team did a wonderful job hosting and then professionally producing and uploading the event. You’ll want to set aside some time to watch the recorded session. I have included the YouTube link in week’s copy.

The topic of Korean startups seemed to come up lots last week. We touched upon it in The Korea Society interview, but it was a subject of discussion in several of my high level meetings while in the City.

I feel it is a “talking point” that I will be elaborating more on in the next few weeks, but frankly Entrepreneurship and the roots of Korean style Entrepreneurship has long been a subject of my study, writing and work.

In fact, my first book was titled, The Filleys: 350 Years of American Entrepreneurial Spirit

A second book Intrepid Americans: Bold Koreans—Early Korean Trade, Concessions, and Entrepreneurship

As well as Chemulpo to Songdo IBD: Korea’s International Gateway, and Hyundai Way: Hyundai Speed all approach Entrepreneurship from different perspectives, historically and culturally.

So today, just as an introduction to the topic of Korean startups, I see the major challenge with Korean startup is culture. Let me explain, what has evolved in America regarding startups is they tend to hub in cities like Boulder, Colorado, San Francisco, Austin, TX, and NYC, although more and more scenes are emerging like here in Golden, CO…

Within these communities I have witnessed an amazing synergy not only in day-to-day interactions and dialogue, but also in resources. Actually spending an hour and listening to the chats and even pitches for funding in edgy Caffe Centro on a South Park Street in San Francisco (the couple of blocks once referred as Ground Zero of the dot.com, where concepts like Twitter were launched and scores of tech companies and startups now call home ) one quickly sees why locating in one of these scenes is key ….

Noting this, where the gap between US and Korea occurs is primarily in mindset. Today the entrepreneurs, angel investors and VC who launched Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin and Shopify continue to look for, invest and provide mentorship and guidance to what they hope will be the next success story…. In most cases they are investing resources in multiple ventures….

This said they know and accept that failure is part of the process…. As Biz Stone (Twitter, Square, Xanga, Medium…and a bunch more) said at SXSW… “the failure of one venture, Jelly, led to success at a venture, Super.”

So getting back to Korea the real challenge is not in lack of ideas, innovation, and talent, but in allowing and fostering a culture for an acceptance of failure. And this is where I will take up in the next episode of Everything Korea and share some an exciting developments, which may be the very answer…so stay tuned.

Until next time….

Link to The Korea Society
https://youtu.be/oDo6y1RD3s8

Link to Don’s Books
http://www.amazon.com/gp/search?field-author=Donald+Southerton&index=books

For some fun with your iPhone
https://super.me/

Questions? Go to questions@koreabcw.com
Korea Perspective

This Week’s Episode of Everything Korea – Watch Now!

May 6, 2015 Commentary, general, News Comments Off on This Week’s Episode of Everything Korea – Watch Now!

Two topics, first I’ll be working from NYC this week. I’ll be sharing the Korea Society presentation once their very professionally team produces the video series and uploads to YouTube. Please Stay tuned.

That said, much of my professional work is providing strategy and consulting to the top Korean brands globally.

This includes working with non-Korean firms, leadership and audiences to explain the dynamics and nuances in Korean business. During a long day that can often extend into the evening, I tackle client issues.

A common question both in media interview and by clients is “ Don, how did you get interested in Korean business?”

My Korea focus and experience are actually rooted in Korean martial arts. I began martial arts in the early 1970s, receiving my Cho Dan (1st Degree Black Belt) by the mid 1970s, opened my first school in 1976 and tested for Sabom Master Instructor in 1987. In 2013, I was inducted into the Taekwondo Hall of Fame.

Outside my public image today of business consultant, coach, trainer, strategist, social commentator, and author. I’ve continued to be a life-long student of traditional Korean martial arts– now for 43 years.

I have added several complex Chinese forms to my repertoire of over 35 hyung—the traditional sets of combative movements martial artists’ practice to hone their bodies and minds.

I have always seen martial arts as not only a way of staying in shape through a wide range of stretching, kicking, and hand movements, but also a demanding mental regiment.

All said, I attribute my success in Korean business much in part to the discipline, “meditation in motion,” self-control, patience, and focus sharpened over a lifetime in the martial arts—not to mention the strong rooting in the cultural dimension of a traditional Korea art.

Just one more thing, in addition to my Korean facing Facebook pages, I just added a new martial arts Page. It includes some articles I have written for both academic and the martial arts industry.

So until next time, this is Don Southerton wishing you all the best.

As in past Everything Korea, I will share links on topics discussed in the accompanying copy.

1. The Korea Society
http://www.koreasociety.org/corporate/korea_perspective.html

Please Follow and Like:
2. My Facebook Page ( lots of posts I see as timely and relevant)
https://www.facebook.com/dsoutherton

3. Bridging Culture Worldwide Facebook Page (Korea facing)
https://www.facebook.com/BridgingCultureWorldwide

4. My Martial Arts Page (cool videos and articles)
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Don-Southerton/846237712136423

Questions, Comments, Thoughts? Go to questions@koreabcw.com

‪#‎Koreasociety‬ ‪#‎NewYorkCity‬ ‪#‎strategy‬ ‪#‎Korea‬ ‪#‎Koreanbusiness‬‪#‎martialarts‬ ‪#‎personaldevelopment‬ ‪#‎mentaldiscipline‬ ‪#‎patience‬ ‪#‎focus‬‪#‎Koreanculture‬

Everything Korea – Korean Foreign Investment, Tennessee and Car Tires!

April 30, 2015 Commentary, general, News Comments Off on Everything Korea – Korean Foreign Investment, Tennessee and Car Tires!

In the week’s episode I recommend some books, as well as discuss Korean Foreign Investment, Tennessee and car tires.

A common question I get from Korean executives is “what books are you reading Don?” Two books stand out from my current bookshelf. [Both titles are listed in the video].

Before I share why these two books are on my reading list, I need to step back the past several months. Prior to my March trip to Seoul, I picked up a new iPhone 6 (and yes, I plan to get an iWatch Sport soon). Anyway, while in Korea and to take advance of the high speed Internet I planned to do the software update. Mid download, the phone locked up.

Luckily I was heading back to the US the next day, and would be in-flight for much of the next day, so I “survived” without phone, text and constant email updates. In the meantime, I was re-reading Tim Ferriss’ 4 Hour Workweek, and although cognitive to my addiction of constantly checking email, I finally came to recognize the time chewing up keeping an eye on emails, most all non-urgent, was impacting the quality of my work and life. In particular, my creative thought stream was disrupted with a mix of updates, alerts and promotions. I wouldn’t even mention how many times I would check emails during the night.

So what’s the relevancy, well, after now implementing some rather cool email filter processes, and earmarking times to follow up on emails, I have carved out noticeable blocks of time I am now devote to additional reading and research…. And I’ve found “Those who read, have something to share.”

Moving to my next topic, I’m in NYC at the Korea Society next week. I’d happy to say the presentation will be recorded, available on YouTube and I’ll be posting the links.

BTW I have some time still available while in New York, so let me know if you have some thoughts who I should meet with while in the City.

One more thing-
In late May I will be in Tennessee as part of a panel discussing local foreign investment. Specifically I was asked to discuss Korean foreign investment in regard to Hankook Tire’s new $800 million car tire plant. Frankly, I’ve supported Hyundai and then Kia Motors’ manufacturing plants in Alabama and Georgia as well as teams from their other plants globally. I have also worked with Hyosung, which in their diverse product lines manufactures tire cords—the key component in tires.
I’ve been followed news of the Hankook plant since last fall, and hope to learn more about their plans for the US plant as well as help the local government and community support the new plant.

In turn it’s these experiences that provide the insights I share with you and others—all of us benefitted from this work across and supporting the many legs of Korean business: Manufacturing, Sales and Marketing, research and design.

So until next time…

Quotes

“Those who Read, have something to share.”

Hankook Tire
http://www.hankooktireusa.com/compmed/News_View.aspx?pageNum=5&subNum=4&ChildNum=1&Seq=481

4 Hour Workweek (updated)
http://www.amazon.com/4-Hour-Workweek-Anywhere-Expanded-Updated/dp/0307465357

A Curious Mind
http://www.amazon.com/Curious-Mind-Secret-Bigger-Life/dp/147673075X/

Questions? Go to questions@koreabcw.com

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