'How to Win Friends & Influence People

and Midnight Library' by Henry

Living Library by Heejin Choi

Tuesday was a public holiday, so there wasn't a session. Did you get a good break? On Thursday morning, we had a Living Library session with Heejin Choi. The book she introduced was titled 'The Fear of Life: Sermons on Pain, Strength, and Vulnerability.' She discussed integrity, raising questions about human limits and capabilities. We pondered if we could entrust all possibilities to God, referencing the story of Isaac's birth from Abraham and Sarah. This story encouraged us to reflect on whether we too can hold onto unwavering faith when faced with impossibilities.

The book presenter this time was Henry. He discussed "How to Win Friends & Influence People" and "Midnight Library" under the banner of "Henry's 1st Quarter Takeaways." Henry said he picked up the first book because of its book title, but it made him reflect on relationships beyond just friendship. He pondered questions like, "Are my childhood friends still my friends now?" and "How can I build good relationships and meet great people?" Such universal concerns led him to see relationships from a broader human perspective. The second book delved into the innate desires and essence of why we live, making him realize that "being alive is a tremendous blessing." The core message from these books was, "We never know how connections form, so be kind to everyone. Even a compliment or brief greeting can mean the world to someone." The discussion was enriched by listening to two of his favorite songs, "The Nights" by Avicii and "If I Die Tomorrow" by Beenzino. The topics of discussion were, "What does the term 'friend' mean?" and "What if I died tomorrow?" Through sharing, we realized that everyone has their definition of friendship, and for the first time, imagined what it would be like to die tomorrow, pondering what truly matters.

To Persuade Someone,

Consider What They

Want to Hear

by Minhee Lee

We invited Minhee Lee of LemonTree, who had three startups and one successful exit. Isn't the term 'exit' what every entrepreneur dreams of and finds exhilarating? As a working mother, seeing her manage both child-rearing and business made me think, "I want to be like her!" Having taught financial literacy for a long time, when asked when she learned about money, it turned out she realized its value when she was a middle schooler, serving as the president of Shinhwa's fan club. Her love for the band meant she had to buy goods and spend money, leading her to earn on her own. The necessity of a mobile phone for fan club activities led her to focus on her studies, starting with a promise from her father to buy her one if she ranked third in her school. This experience enlightened her about both education and economics. Later, in college, she founded a corporation after volunteering to teach economics to children from low-income families. A brief stint in a big corporation followed, after which she pursued her second startup. This decision came about when teaching math to her younger sibling in middle school, and discovering a business idea in the domain of social QnA from observing U.S. services. This led to the creation of "Bapul." Despite high traffic, monetizing proved challenging, leading to the realization that many users don't necessarily translate to profit. This venture was eventually acquired by Naver, Line. Her subsequent venture is "Firfin," targeting the pre-paid market for minors and offering financial education. Acquiring a fintech license for the service wasn't easy. She learned the importance of effective communication and persuasion, emphasizing the need to "speak in a language that the other person wants to hear." Beyond having a great service, I believe that her skill in persuasion and communication played a pivotal role in the acceleration of her business. To be good at persuasion and communication, we should always "speak in a language the other wants to hear." Let's keep that in mind!

Looking back at the sessions held this week at METES, we learned a lot. METES continues to offer various sessions to support the growth and development of makers and help with their projects and businesses. We'll keep you updated with METES’s news every week and support your challenges and growth as a maker! Let us know if you need anything! Thank you.