I was chatting with someone recently, and one of our mutual connections came up — an LA-based businessperson who recently had a big financial exit. I asked if he was still in touch with that person. He said not really, because “he’s in a different echelon now and hard to reach.” Even worse, he said … Continue reading Stay Humble, Stay The Same
When I first came to America in the ’90s, to a small college town called Ann Arbor, Michigan, I was unmistakably foreign. I didn’t speak much English, and I looked different. I remember driving just 10 minutes outside of Ann Arbor, and some kids would see me and stare, mouths open, until their ice cream … Continue reading My Immigration Story
I’m a little pissed off that Altos Ventures didn’t make the Forbes Midas List (link in comment). I have zero affiliation with Altos and no interest whatsoever. I’m not even tagging them here. I just have admiration for what they’ve built and believe they deserve far more recognition. I honestly believe the Korean startup ecosystem … Continue reading Altos Ventures
I think it’s time we drop “TAM” in our pitch meetings. What often happens with TAM today: The real opportunities lie in markets that are not obviously big today but have potential to grow huge with the right product. I’m sure a lot of investors passed on Airbnb and Shopify, as their then-known TAM (ie. … Continue reading NBT^2
My current wishlist: In other words, time rich, commitment poor. Hopefully I’ll be able to do these one day – maybe two or so companies later? 🙂 Continue reading My Current Wishlist
Alright, I think it’s game over now: Continue reading AI Game As It Stands Now
It’s said that Evan Spiegel sketched the first concept of Snapchat — the key screens and core interactions — on a single piece of paper in one sitting. Today, Snapchat has 450 million daily active users. Not a bad outcome for something that started with one person’s simple sketch. 😀 It’s not the bells and … Continue reading Core Principles Of A Product
Korea has always been a densely packed, fast-moving country that offered a glimpse into the future. For instance, it was one of the first places where you could see the impact of a society fully connected by high-speed internet. Today, however, Korea reflects a more troubling global trend: a dramatically low fertility rate. At this … Continue reading Low Fertility Rate
It’s great to see some “old” founders getting back into building new companies. I won’t tag them here, but I know at least three of my close connections (all 45+ in age) who built companies in the Web 1.0 era, who are now starting new AI application companies. Why? Because they know how to build … Continue reading Old Founders Coming Back
A few quick thoughts about side projects: Continue reading About Side Projects