In January 2020, after over 30 years in the United States, I returned to Korea to start a new chapter. Full of optimism, I envisioned countless opportunities ahead. However, my plans took an unexpected turn when the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the globe. Daegu, the city where I had settled, became the epicenter of the crisis in Korea. Streets were deserted, businesses halted, and uncertainty took over.
Having spent decades navigating global markets and overcoming challenges, I thought I was prepared for any obstacle. With over 3 million miles traveled and a career built on resilience, I believed I could adapt to anything. But the pandemic was different. It disrupted not only my plans but also the systems and networks I had relied upon for years.
Rather than succumbing to the circumstances, I chose to adapt. I leveraged digital platforms, reimagined my strategies, and sought new ways to connect and create. It was during this time I embraced one of the most important lessons of my journey: failure is not the end—it’s a chapter.
In American culture, resilience is a celebrated virtue. Many of the greatest success stories—like Steve Jobs, Oprah Winfrey, and Michael Jordan—are built on the foundation of failure. These stories remind us that setbacks are not roadblocks but stepping stones to growth. Each failure sharpens our vision, strengthens our strategies, and prepares us for breakthroughs.
Another key lesson was to bet on yourself, even when no one else does. Success often begins with believing in your vision, even when others can’t see it. Staying true to your convictions in the face of doubt is what separates giving up from breaking through.
This blog is a reflection of those lessons. It’s a space to share my journey—the strategies that worked, the failures that shaped me, and the resilience that pushed me forward. Challenges are not barriers; they are opportunities to grow, transform, and find new potential.
Through persistence and a willingness to embrace change, I turned adversity into an opportunity for reinvention. My hope is that this blog inspires you to see your own challenges as opportunities to start anew. Together, let’s explore the power of resilience and the endless potential of new beginnings.
## 🧭 My Story Series #1
### Why I Didn’t Retire at 63
#### Turning Challenges into New Beginnings
Most people slow down at 63.
I chose to speed up.
I didn’t have a fancy office.
No investors.
Just one desk, one dream — and 8 self-made prototypes.
In 2021, I registered a tiny business under the name **ONE O EIGHT**.
I believed alignment in golf — just like in life — starts with a clear point of contact.
That belief shaped my invention: a CNC-milled putter built on precision and feel.
Was I scared? Definitely.
Did I fail? Many times.
But with every grant I applied for, every prototype I reworked, I grew bolder.
—
### 📌 Early Highlights:
– 🛠 **2021.11**: 8 prototypes, hand-built
– 🥈 **2021.12**: Silver Medal, Seoul International Invention Fair
– 🏛 **2022.01**: U.S. Delaware Corporation registered
– 📈 **2022–2023**: Selected for multiple Korean startup programs
– 🌎 **2023.12**: Completed crowdfunding in Korea, Japan, and the U.S.
—
This is just the beginning.
**Try Big** is not a retirement story — it’s a restart story.
A second chance to build, lead, and inspire.
> **It’s never too late to try big.**
—
### 👉 Next:
**“How Rejections Became My Startup Curriculum”**
What early failure taught me — and why it mattered.
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