Introducing CMO Choi Jin-young, who oversees the core brand division of Boosters. In the fiercely competitive commerce industry where numerous brands emerge daily, Jin-young has been leading Boosters' unique strengths and driving steady growth. Jin-young values 'professional expertise' and 'an open attitude toward learning' as the most important aspects of work. We are pleased to share Jin-young's interview, where the goal is to create a company where all employees, including Jin-young, would want to work long-term by building a strong marketing and sales organization.
Q. Hello Jinyoung, could you briefly introduce yourself?
Hello, I’m Choi Jin-young, responsible for overall marketing at Boosters. I manage the brand's customer touchpoints and portfolio to maximize profits. In an era where various brands are emerging, I am often contemplating how we can identify our unique strengths and achieve steady growth.
Q. What was your career path prior to leading marketing at Boosters?
My first job was at Nexon Korea, an online gaming company. I started my professional career in 2010 and spent seven years gaining business experience in the gaming industry. Starting my career before the gaming industry received widespread attention, I now feel a sense of nostalgia looking at the current scale and culture of the industry. After that, I made a bold career shift to Blank Corporation, a content-based commerce startup. Personally, marketing in the gaming industry wasn’t entirely suited to my strengths. I had worked as a product manager, which required analyzing various metrics and understanding game users. I found the commerce sector, which is more analytical and allows for immediate consumer feedback, to be more appealing. My time at Blank Corporation was a great opportunity to learn fresh perspectives on marketing strategies and tactics and to gain leadership experience. After leaving the company, I started my dream personal business, spending nearly three years working solo or with a small team. Looking back, I believe it was a refining time where I recognized both my shortcomings and my sharp strengths. I joined Boosters in 2021.
Q. How did you join Boosters?
I joined Boosters because of my trust in CEO Yoon Ho and the shared vision I had with him. We had discussed e-commerce industry topics often, and the type of commerce I had previously engaged in was similar, making it easier to understand. The e-commerce environment in Korea is highly competitive and constantly evolving. Despite these challenges, I joined Boosters with the excitement and belief that integrating new and flexible business elements could lead to unique opportunities for Boosters.
Q. As you approach three years with Boosters, are there any memorable moments you would like to share?
I remember our first workshop vividly. We went to Nami Island on June 28th for team bonding, and despite heavy rain causing some difficulties, it was a memorable experience. At that time, I had many work-related concerns, and the workshop helped me refocus and regain my composure. I’m grateful for that moment. Also, I had a pleasant weekend when our home shopping segment featured on the last day of the first half of the year. It was hosted by Lee Sang-min during prime time and achieved high performance, making June 2023 a memorable month for me.
Q. There must be challenges as you work towards your goals. What are they?
In a startup, goals are often seen as "must-achieve," which can be challenging. There are many instances where we set seemingly unattainable goals and execute bold strategies without knowing if they’re achievable. Over the past three years, I’ve experienced quite a few failures. Through this, I’ve learned that achieving great goals isn't something that can be done alone. While I’ve solved some issues independently, sustainable solutions often require teamwork. Now, I discuss difficult challenges more with executives, department heads, and team leaders, reflecting the presence of good colleagues.
Q. What values or mottos are most important to you when working?
I believe that both professional expertise and an open attitude towards learning are crucial. Sometimes, people associate sharp and cynical attitudes with expertise, which can make sharing knowledge difficult and can cause resentment. I think it's easier to receive help when one consciously shows humility and openness to others' new opinions, unless one is universally acknowledged as a genius. However, from my experience in the commerce industry, it’s equally important to have the flexibility to pivot and make decisions, as well as having sharp intuition and creativity. I aspire to be someone who possesses both qualities and leads a life that understands art while working in a field that appreciates such individuals.
Q. Are there any aspects of Boosters’ culture or welfare that you particularly like?
One of my favorite aspects is the various internal events organized by the People Team when it seems like work has made us distant. In my early career or even a few years ago, I was passive about participating in company events, questioning their significance due to my busy schedule. However, I’ve come to realize that these events have significant effects. Engaging in activities that are almost like play has helped build rapport, and I’ve noticed that interactions with colleagues improve after these events. Personally, I consider these events to be a part of Boosters’ culture and something I appreciate the most.
Q. What are your future goals with Boosters?
I want to help create a workplace where people can work until they’re 60. Until recently, I would have answered 'economic freedom' to such questions, but once I achieve freedom, I still find myself wanting to continue working. I concluded that I would like to continuously challenge new things with the excellent team at Boosters. To achieve this, it’s essential that the company is not just a place where I want to stay long-term, but also a place where my colleagues want to stay. I hope to contribute significantly to making that happen.
What does such contribution entail? I believe it involves building a solid marketing and sales organization. An organization where appropriate decisions can be made timely even without me. Commerce may seem to involve arithmetic decisions, but the underlying judgments are often complex or illogical. Thus, promises such as budgets are needed, but so are the agility and judgment to break promises if necessary. For these undefined skills and abilities to permeate the organization like culture, it takes time to demonstrate the decision-making process and share the results and experiences. I want to build a great sales organization at Boosters with everyone here, enduring that time together.
Q. Any message for future Boosters crew members?
I have dedicated a considerable amount of time for this interview, and I hope many good people join Boosters and challenge us. We are committed to this business with sincerity, aiming for mutual growth for Boosters and its crew. I appreciate your interest and support.