EPTWhat are your biggest tips for balancing a family life with making the jump into entrepreneurship?
Ask me anything about being a Man, Korean Style - Page 4
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_romantic
United States455 Posts
What are your biggest tips for balancing a family life with making the jump into entrepreneurship? | ||
MightyAtom
Korea (South)1897 Posts
On February 23 2011 02:18 Necosarius wrote: I'm short and I look like I'm 16 years old when I'm actually 20. How do I get more manly? -.^ Manly is not a look, it is being a good friend, strong in character and confident. If you have those things, then feel good that you still look young as time passes very quickly and I'm sure you're you 36 like me, you'll feel glad that you still look in your late 20s. In terms of being short, just don't concern about it, if you do, it will be a chip on your shoulder, just accept it that God gave you other gifts and seek to develop those to be exceptional. Again, in Korea, there are many short men, but there is a range (although I could see in Sweden it wouldn't be the norm), but our main concern with each each other is not who's dick longer or who is taller, but rather if we are good friends or not and can have a good time. Well at 16 you can still grow in many ways, and being more manly isn't probably your main priority, be a great athlete or scholar or whatever as long as you can be confident. Confidence and character is what ultimately defines a man, nothing else. | ||
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Xenocide_Knight
Korea (South)2625 Posts
I'm a sophomore in University right now and I feel so unmotivated. I regularly sleep through/skip classes and I always feel bad afterwards, but I keep doing it. I have to maintain a 3.5GPA to retain my scholarship and I'm slowly getting closer to it every semester. I know my parents would flip shit if I lost my scholarships and I would have to get a job but I still find myself making excuses everyday (Oh I'll study tomorrow.. I can start the paper later.. etc.) I didn't used to be like this, what's wrong with me/how do I get back on track? Thanks, All my irl hyungs moved back to korea -_- | ||
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The_LiNk
Canada863 Posts
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MightyAtom
Korea (South)1897 Posts
On February 23 2011 02:29 The_LiNk wrote: Tell us about your scar. Happened when I was 30; 17 stitches above my right eye, starting from the left part of my right eye brow (hair doesn't grow there anymore) to the middle of my forehead. Took about 18 months before all the nerves healed back. Got sucker punched by an American Black GI at the UN PLACE in Itaewon which is a foreign/US army dive in Itaewon and was the only Korea guy there, and another black GI jumped into fight me as well. Was there with my foreign international rugby team, as they suggested. After I got punched, my contacts stuck to the top of my eye lids (got punched that hard) and was kind fight a bit disoriented at first. Had I just fell over, the impact of the punch would have just grazed my forehead, but after he sucker punched me I was still standing and ready to go at it. So I guess it freaked him out a bit (had a sore neck for 2 weeks though as well, fucker sucker punched me hard); I had an umbrella, I jabbed him in the face with it a couple of times and front kicked him and tried to kick him down the stairs (entrance has 2 separate set of stairs going up and and down), then he was off balance, but then on my right, this other guy comes out swinging, I dodge three of his punches, then grab him and pull him outside. Its raining and I look at the concrete where I want to flip him and crush his shoulder into, but then I think...ah what the hell, I'm not hurt and these are just kids, so I let him go and he starts swing again and misses like 3 times. And then I get pissed and say to him,'Are you fucking kidding, do you want me to knock you out?' but then the MPs are coming so he runs away. I notice some blood drops from my forehead and the MPs ask me if I want to press charges, I say, no forget about it, but they my rugby mates say, that my forehead is gashed wide open; I go to the police station across from Hamilton hotel; I see the damage, the skin is ripped clean open as if I got head butted and its huge and I can see my skull bone and I'm like FUCK MY LIFE and then the police take me to the hospital where I pay 120 to get myself stitched up and now wishing that I had flipped the GI into the concrete; but I take a deep breath and the next day get my ass handed to me by the senior partner of my company. I think for about 3 weeks of seriously going back to the UN with a sashimi knife and finding them and stabbing them in the leg two or three times, but I remind myself that they are just kids. My rugby team of big powerful men are embarrassed more than anything else because I was the enforcer on my team, they are use to letting beat the shit out of the other player, so they assumed i'd beat the shit out of these guys as well, but I yell at them reminding them that we aren't on the fucking pitch, I'm slightly drunk and there were 2 who jumped me and fucking 6 of them and I'm still the fucking shortest guy. Thanks from bring up some great memories ^^ | ||
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mizU
United States12125 Posts
On February 23 2011 02:49 MightyAtom wrote: Happened when I was 30; 17 stitches above my right eye, starting from the left part of my right eye brow (hair doesn't grow there anymore) to the middle of my forehead. Took about 18 months before all the nerves healed back. Got sucker punched by an American Black GI at the UN PLACE in Itaewon which is a foreign/US army dive in Itaewon and was the only Korea guy there, and another black GI jumped into fight me as well. Was there with my foreign international rugby team, as they suggested. After I got punched, my contacts stuck to the top of my eye lids (got punched that hard) and was kind fight a bit disoriented at first. Had I just fell over, the impact of the punch would have just grazed my forehead, but after he sucker punched me I was still standing and ready to go at it. So I guess it freaked him out a bit (had a sore neck for 2 weeks though as well, fucker sucker punched me hard); I had an umbrella, I jabbed him in the face with it a couple of times and front kicked him and tried to kick him down the stairs (entrance has 2 separate set of stairs going up and and down), then he was off balance, but then on my right, this other guy comes out swinging, I dodge three of his punches, then grab him and pull him outside. Its raining and I look at the concrete where I want to flip him and crush his shoulder into, but then I think...ah what the hell, I'm not hurt and these are just kids, so I let him go and he starts swing again and misses like 3 times. And then I get pissed and say to him,'Are you fucking kidding, do you want me to knock you out?' but then the MPs are coming so he runs away. I notice some blood drops from my forehead and the MPs ask me if I want to press charges, I say, no forget about it, but they my rugby mates say, that my forehead is gashed wide open; I go to the police station across from Hamilton hotel; I see the damage, the skin is ripped clean open as if I got head butted and its huge and I can see my skull bone and I'm like FUCK MY LIFE and then the police take me to the hospital where I pay 120 to get myself stitched up and now wishing that I had flipped the GI into the concrete; but I take a deep breath and the next day get my ass handed to me by the senior partner of my company. I think for about 3 weeks of seriously going back to the UN with a sashimi knife and finding them and stabbing them in the leg two or three times, but I remind myself that they are just kids. My rugby team of big powerful men are embarrassed more than anything else because I was the enforcer on my team, they are use to letting beat the shit out of the other player, so they assumed i'd beat the shit out of these guys as well, but I yell at them reminding them that we aren't on the fucking pitch, I'm slightly drunk and there were 2 who jumped me and fucking 6 of them and I'm still the fucking shortest guy. Thanks from bring up some great memories ^^ Holy BAD-ASS | ||
thedeadhaji
39489 Posts
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Catch]22
Sweden2683 Posts
Edit: that is to say, how is it different from your regular western process? | ||
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thebteam
United States95 Posts
If you had 3 weeks to travel, would you rather spend all 3 weeks in Korea, or split the time between Korea and Japan? I have never been to either country, and I would be traveling solo. Part of me wants to see more new places, and the other thinks it would be better to spend more time in one place to get a more complete experience. Any other travel advice regarding Korea would also be helpful. Thanks. | ||
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MightyAtom
Korea (South)1897 Posts
On February 23 2011 02:29 l0st_romantic wrote: What decision points did you face stepping off the corporate ladder into entrepreneurship? What was the "event horizon" in terms of when beyond that point, a return to the corporate ladder could not get you to the same position/level as you would had you stayed in your previous job? What are your biggest tips for balancing a family life with making the jump into entrepreneurship? Basically, every man has a shelf life of peak performance, at 35 I knew that if I didn't make a move now, I'd never make a move ever, not in the same way and I thought in a 5 year window before 40, I still had the physical stamina to take on the full operations myself (although this is much tougher than it was when I was 32 having already put myself through hell to climb the ladder). So I didn't want to regret this moment and I knew that I would never be the same combination of stamina, experience and mental ability all this level. But the biggest thing was stamina. People think that they work hard, boy, they don't know shit. It one things to work hard at the same routine job, its another to work on a different job every single day and problem solve major issues every single day for 3 years straight while doing non stop travel and literally 5 days off in 2 years. But, that also gave me confidence that I could do it if I needed to. But I dont' like to use the word entrepreneur, I'd like to just think I transitioned over to the equity circle. The event horizon is about 2 years; because if I fail at that point, I will need to re-enter at a much lower level such as a manager level and work my way back up which will take another 2 years. So I'd just be hitting 42 or so at the twilight of my professional work horse stamina. But the opportunity cost of the next 5 years would have been significant at least 3 M had I just stayed put. But on the flip side, not doing it would have been a life time of regret. Biggest tips, you know all those stories you read when the entrepreneur says that they maxed out all their credit cards and their family was all stressed and it was hell. All fucking true. Didn't think it would happen to me, but sold my house, and basically living off of savings while everything that can go wrong goes wrong and every short cut is a dead end, but keeping things in perspective, I tell my wife, baby, no matter what, in 5 years I we will be fine no matter what and our kids will only be like 7 years old their whole lives ahead of them anyways. But of course my wife says 'what about now!', but i'd say, no balance exists, but keep your eyes on the goal line, its the only way to keep everything together. On the point of why its like-the entire capital strapped thing; had I stayed for an additional year, I wasn't confident that I would ever leave and that is what happens to a lot of senior executives. | ||
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MightyAtom
Korea (South)1897 Posts
On February 23 2011 02:38 Xenocide_Knight wrote: hyung, I'm a sophomore in University right now and I feel so unmotivated. I regularly sleep through/skip classes and I always feel bad afterwards, but I keep doing it. I have to maintain a 3.5GPA to retain my scholarship and I'm slowly getting closer to it every semester. I know my parents would flip shit if I lost my scholarships and I would have to get a job but I still find myself making excuses everyday (Oh I'll study tomorrow.. I can start the paper later.. etc.) I didn't used to be like this, what's wrong with me/how do I get back on track? Thanks, All my irl hyungs moved back to korea -_- This happened to me as well, just didn't find it motivating at all; in fact I would take freshmen classes in my junior year and they were so easy and freak out the juniors by just screwing around in class. You need to set internal deadlines to just shit done, then free up the rest of your day to just lounge around and let your mental self breath a bit. What has happened is that now you know that studying isn't the be all end all of things and if you sleep through a class you won't suddenly die (although if you skip an entire semester and just do the final term paper and exam you may get reoccurring nightmares for the rest of your life that you have just missed your final exam or your paper and you failed-yes, at age 36 I still get those dreams from slacking of that much). BUT Practical thing first: 1. Starting tomorrow: wake up at 5:30 am, take a long hot shower, get a cup of coffee and go somewhere quiet and get out all the work you need to do. Its now 6 AM 2. Make a list of all assignments and readings and projects 3. assign a time value to each of them: how long it will take the most minimum but reasonable value. 4. Make sure that they are all separated by subject. Its now 6:30AM 5. Do exactly 45mins of work on each subject, after each session, check off whatever you get done on your list if you can. Assuming you have 5 subjects: It's now about 10ishAM, take the rest of the day off, if you go to class go, if you want to sleep and fuck off, do that, But every morning force yourself to take up at 5:30 am and do this every day. Since you have no distractions and you are organizing your time into value and checking it off; this will at least keep you afloat and you wont' feel like shit all day long cause you didnt' study at all. Do this for 2 weeks, eventually you wont' feel depressed anymore or overwhelmed and you'll have a clear decision to take the next step. BUT FORCE YOURSELF TO DO THIS AND JUST SAY ITS ONLY FOR 2 WEEKS You'll find when you do need to get back into the groove, you won't have any anxiety about where you are at in your studies, you'll know exactly how behind you are, which makes things manageable, not knowing is what totally fucks you up. ^^ You can do it, its what I did and I got through it. | ||
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MightyAtom
Korea (South)1897 Posts
On February 23 2011 02:40 The_LiNk wrote: Status wise, how important is the university you go to? Especially if you're a foreigner and went to a university outside of Korea. In Korea EXTREMELY important, the only thing that trumps it is your actual job. But something like 50% of professional jobs are taken by Seoul national grads, and 30% by Korea and Yonsei and 20% all others and there are like 10 other respectable schools. If you are foreigner and went to university, then its great, you are considered an educated foreigner, and if you went to an ivy league, you are considered god-like. | ||
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MightyAtom
Korea (South)1897 Posts
On February 23 2011 03:04 thedeadhaji wrote: What would you say to the naysayers against MBA programs? Get your freaking MBA punks. | ||
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MightyAtom
Korea (South)1897 Posts
On February 23 2011 03:04 Catch]22 wrote: How do I pick up korean girls, hyung? Edit: that is to say, how is it different from your regular western process? Since there are so MANY Korean girls, just come to Korea, date a few and settle on one nice one to learn Korean from. But don't just settle on the first Korean girl you meet, you need to spend time to see their real beauty because you may just be dazzled how pretty they all look and miss out on the real gems. How is it different? Be clear and forthright in your intentions, but do it in a non-aggressive way, but in protective way. Korean girls like to cuddle in close with their man, feeling protected, but not dominated, they want to look up to you and be proud that you are they're man. Contrary to the typical Asian stereotype, Korean women are not submissive, they are at times crazy and violent and most of the time irrational, but seriously, with the volume here, its impossible not to pick up. So just do it and you shall receive. Ah, but make sure you pick up in the proper place, like either through introductions or in a club etc, random introduction to women will get you looks of 'is he nuts', but if you're on the university campus, its allowed. ^^ but not on the Ewas woman's campus, the security will kick you out! | ||
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MightyAtom
Korea (South)1897 Posts
On February 23 2011 03:11 thebteam wrote: First of all, thank you for this thread. It has been a great read. If you had 3 weeks to travel, would you rather spend all 3 weeks in Korea, or split the time between Korea and Japan? I have never been to either country, and I would be traveling solo. Part of me wants to see more new places, and the other thinks it would be better to spend more time in one place to get a more complete experience. Any other travel advice regarding Korea would also be helpful. Thanks. Spend 2 weeks and 3 days in Japan because many more sights, and spend 4 days in Korea. In Korea you can tour most of the attractions in Seoul in one full day; then catch a Starcraft match if your timing is good, but you should meet people in Korea, it not fun otherwise, The best thing about Korea is the food, its awesome, but you need someone from TL to guide you a bit. In Japan, wow, everything is a sight and you will amazed. Thing is Korea and Japan developed very differently for urban and traditional things because Korea got forced into modernization under colonization by Japan, then everything got razed down by the North Korean invasion so its like by 1955 things start to rebuild, but by the 1960's Philippines economy was probably three times the size of South Korea. While in Japan, other than the bombings, they have had over 130 year of urban development and their aesthetic taste is second to none. | ||
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thedeadhaji
39489 Posts
How would you respond to Guy Kawasaki? What is the value of an MBA these days for young college graduates who want to start their own company? Probably about a negative $250,000. (I have an MBA, and I was once a young college graduate.) I don’t think an MBA matters very much for starting a company. A much better educational background is an engineering degree. You can always hire MBAs, but if you don’t have the ability to conceptualize and deliver a product, you’ve got nothing. | ||
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MightyAtom
Korea (South)1897 Posts
On February 23 2011 03:56 thedeadhaji wrote: How would you respond to Guy Kawasaki? I love Guy, but he a product guy and I'm a process guy. His context is the start-up, my context is running a business properly and its very different. If you're interested in doing a start-up then take his route, but while an MBA may only be considered a basic necessity now rather than plus, its just shows how competitive everything has been. But I agree, an MBA for a start up company that is creating a product, not useful. An MBA in my case where I am basically building up 2 global gaming brands and my entry as as senior consultant and senior executive, because I had and MBA, well extremely useful, and what the hell is 250k? Go to Singapore or Hong Kong and do your MBA and work overseas, cause what trumps an MBA is the first firm you work for after your MBA and that will define you more than your MBA. You take an engineer and put him in my job without an MBA, he'd get eaten alive. Plus, honestly Guy, aside from being in Apple, what is his major win that came more from products more than his business sense? Cause I think he has impeccable business and managerial.marketing sense. | ||
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KurtistheTurtle
United States1966 Posts
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MightyAtom
Korea (South)1897 Posts
On February 23 2011 04:30 KurtistheTurtle wrote: how do you overcome insecurities that you know aren't rational but bother you anyway What is rational or not, they bother you, it comes from some reason, be honest with yourself and say why it bothers you first, don't just try to will it away, there is something you need to be honest first with. But also remember, you are the most critical person; you may see a group photo and see your flaws, but so is everyone else looking at their own pictures looking at their own flaws. The main thing is, when you get caught up in an insecurity, remember, you are a loved human being with your own mind and rights and thoughts and value, fuck if anyone is gonna put you down. You have the right to live and do your thing. so don't give someone a chance to put you down by doing it first. One life to live my brother. | ||
MoonBear
Straight outta Johto18973 Posts
1) You mentioned earlier that Ivy-League people are considered God-Like. What about people from other top unis like Oxbridge, Imperial or LSE? 2) What is Dawn88 and ConditionF? I can't seem to find anything on Google. 3) The median national income in Korea is ~23kUSD according to Google, but it seems from your stories that lots of people in Seoul earn far more than that due to all the posh partying and the like. Is it because people in Seoul earn more in general, or do they spend more to keep up appearances? 4) What is considered the most important personal quality for Korean people (in general)? 5) How did you manage to prioritise between work and social life when you were at university and when you got a job? I always feel that I need to work more in order to get ahead of my peers but it constantly comes at a cost of reducing my social life and sleeping time. Kamsamnida~ | ||
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