Q1: What inspired you to start your first venture startup in Seoul in 2014?
I was 18 years old, hungry, and arrogant. Eighteen. Most kids my age were stressing about college entrance exams. I was building a company. The real inspiration? I looked at the traditional path: College → Job → Retirement → Death. And I thought: “Is this it?” I refused. I hated the idea of spending 4 years in college learning theories that would be outdated by graduation. I hated the idea of working for someone else. I looked around and saw people trapped in cubicles, living for weekends, waiting for retirement. That terrified me more than failure ever could. So at 18, I started my first venture. Not because I had a brilliant idea. Not because I had funding. Not because I was ready. I started because I refused to be just another student waiting to become just another employee in someone else’s story. I wanted to write my own story. At eighteen.
Q2: What challenges did you face while running a startup in South Korea?
The biggest challenge? Nobody took me seriously. I was 18. In Korea, age is everything. Investors looked at me and saw a kid. Partners saw a child. Clients saw someone to dismiss. “Come back when you’re older.” “You need experience first.” “You’re too young to understand.” Every. Single. Meeting. Age matters more than ideas in Korea. Credentials matter more than execution. Who you know matters more than what you can do. I was 18, with no degree, no experience, no connections. Strike one. Strike two. Strike three. But I had one thing: I didn’t listen. The second challenge was money. Who gives funding to an 18-year-old? Nobody. VCs laughed me out of meetings. Angels said “come back in 10 years.” Banks wouldn’t even talk to me. I learned to bootstrap, to survive on nothing, to make every won count. The third challenge was loneliness. My friends were in college, partying, enjoying youth. I was alone in an office, working 16-hour days, dealing with stress they couldn’t imagine. No peers. No mentors. No roadmap. Just me and my stubborn belief that I could do it. Somehow, I did. Not because I was special. Because I was too stubborn to quit.
Q3: How was your experience different when you moved your startup to New York?
Night and day. In Korea, at 18, I was “too young.” In New York, at 25, I was “right on time.” Let me tell you what happened. At 25, I raised $300,000 USD for my New York venture. Three hundred thousand dollars. At twenty-five. I had 8 developers working for me in India. Managing a global team across 12-hour time zones. Different cultures. Different languages. Most people said it wouldn’t work. “You need everyone in the same office.” “Remote doesn’t work for startups.” They were wrong. My Indian team outperformed every local team I’ve seen. Why? Because I invested in real relationships. I flew to India to meet my team in person. Not for a business meeting. For their important life moments. I spent days with their families. I learned about their culture. I showed genuine interest in who they were as people, not just as developers. That changed everything. When I returned to New York, my team didn’t work for me. They worked with me. Because business isn’t about Zoom calls and Slack messages. It’s about real connection. Real people. Real trust. That’s the difference between Korea and New York. Korea asks: “How old are you?” New York asks: “What have you built?” In Korea, being 25 with no degree was a weakness. In New York, being 25 with $300K raised and a global team was impressive. But more than that: Being 25 and willing to fly halfway across the world to build genuine relationships with people I’d never met in person—That showed commitment. New York taught me the world doesn’t care about age. It cares about execution. India taught me execution means nothing if you don’t value the people you work with. That’s what built my business. Not strategy meetings. Not business plans. Real human connection.
Q4: What did you learn from managing a venture for three years in the U.S.
Three brutal lessons. Lesson 1: Remote teams work when trust is real. I managed 8 developers in India from New York. 12-hour time difference. Different culture. Different language. Most people said it wouldn’t work. They were wrong. My team outperformed every local team I’ve seen. The key? I invested in real relationships. Not just contracts. I flew to India to meet them in person. I learned about their lives, their families, their culture. That investment in human connection created loyalty money could never buy. Money hires employees. Trust creates partners. Lesson 2: Capital efficiency matters more than capital size. I raised $300,000 at 25. I could have: Hired 30 people, Rented expensive office space, Bought fancy equipment, Burned through it in 6 months. Instead, I: Hired 8 people carefully, Worked remotely, Focused on essentials, Made it last 18 months. The companies that survive aren’t the ones with most money. They’re the ones who use money most efficiently. Lesson 3: Speed beats perfection. In New York, I learned: Ship fast. Fail fast. Learn fast. What takes 6 months in Korea takes 6 weeks in New York. Not because Americans work harder. Because they value speed over perfection. “Done” beats “perfect” every time. Perfect product in 12 months? Your competitor already shipped 6 versions and learned what customers actually want. This changed how I work: Stop planning. Start shipping. Stop perfecting. Start iterating. Stop waiting. Start learning. These three years taught me: Business isn’t about: Having the most money, Having the perfect plan, Having the best credentials. Business is about: Building real trust, Using resources wisely, Moving faster than competition. That’s what I learned in America. And that’s what I apply to trading today.
Q5: Why did you transition from entrepreneurship to futures trading?
I didn’t transition. I evolved. At 23, I started studying trading. At 25, I was running a startup in New York. At 29, I realized something. Entrepreneurship is powerful. But it’s not accessible to everyone. You need: Capital, Network, Risk tolerance, Time, Skills. Most people have none of these. But they have intelligence. They have discipline. They have desire for freedom. They’re just trapped. Trapped in jobs. Trapped in debt. Trapped in financial ignorance. I asked myself at 29: “How can I help the most people achieve financial freedom?” Startups? Too risky. Too much capital. Real estate? Too much money upfront. Stocks? Too slow. Trading? Trading is democratic. Anyone can start with small capital. Anyone can learn the system. Anyone can achieve freedom. If they understand the logic. I spent 5 years (23-28) learning trading while building startups. I tested systems. I lost money. I learned. Now at 29, I teach what works. Because financial freedom shouldn’t be reserved for people who started at 18. It should be available to everyone. At any age.
Q6: What strategies do you use as a futures trader?
I don’t trade strategies. I trade principles. Let me explain. Most people look for the “perfect strategy.” The holy grail. The secret formula. It doesn’t exist. What exists are principles. And I learned these principles the same way I learned everything else: Through real experience. At 18, I started a company with nothing. At 25, I managed a global team across continents. At 29, I run a community of 20,000+ traders. Same principles. Different applications. My 5 core principles: Principle 1: Small positions, long survival. Just like I started with 8 developers, not 80. Small. Manageable. Sustainable. Trade small. Survive long. You can’t compound if you’re dead. Principle 2: Cut losses immediately. In business, I learned: when something doesn’t work, you know immediately. Same in trading. Your first loss is your smallest loss. Cut it. Move on. Principle 3: Systems over emotions. Managing a team across 12-hour time zones? That only worked because we had systems. Not feelings. Systems. Trading is the same. Have a plan. Execute it. Period. Principle 4: Consistency compounds. One successful business deal? Meaningless. 100 consistent executions? That’s wealth. Same in trading. One good trade? Nothing. 100 good trades following the same system? That’s freedom. Principle 5: Genuine commitment shows. You can’t fake discipline. You can’t fake daily execution. You can’t fake consistency. The market knows. Just like people know when you’re genuinely committed versus just going through the motions. I learned these principles from: Starting a company at 18, Raising $300K at 25, Building global teams, Failing and learning for 10 years. All the same principles. Small. Consistent. Genuine. Disciplined. That’s my “strategy.”
Q7: How do you manage risk in futures trading?
Risk management isn’t about formulas. It’s about knowing yourself. Let me tell you what I learned. When I was 25, I raised $300K. I had two choices: Choice 1: Spend it all fast. Hire 30 people. Scale aggressively. Look impressive. Choice 2: Start small. 8 developers. Test. Learn. Survive. I chose option 2. Why? Because I understood risk. Not from a textbook. From real life. At 18, I started with nothing. I learned: if you bet everything, you die. At 25, I had $300K. I learned: if you survive long enough, you win. Risk management in trading is the same. Rule 1: Never risk more than 2% per trade. Just like I didn’t hire 30 people on day one. Start small. Test. Learn. Scale slowly. 2% means: If you have $10,000, risk $200 maximum per trade. If you lose 10 trades in a row, you’re down 20%. You can recover. If you risk 10% per trade? 3 losses and you’re down 30%. You’re done. Rule 2: Know your stop-loss before you enter. Before any major decision, I know: Maximum acceptable loss, Clear exit criteria, No emotional attachment. Same in trading. Know where you’re wrong before you enter. No plan = no trade. Rule 3: Emotional risk is bigger than financial risk. The biggest risks I’ve taken weren’t financial. They were emotional. Leaving Korea at 25 for New York. Managing people I’d never met in person. Building systems I couldn’t directly control. But I managed the emotional risk first. I didn’t go thinking “I must succeed.” I went thinking “I’ll learn and adapt.” Trading is the same. Don’t trade thinking “I must win.” Trade thinking “I’ll execute my system.” Manage emotional risk first. Financial risk follows. Rule 4: Diversify time, not positions. I didn’t manage 8 teams of 1 developer. I managed 1 team of 8 developers. Focus. Depth. Mastery. Same in trading. Don’t trade 10 things at once. Trade one thing 10 times. Master it. Rule 5: Risk increases with success. After early success, the real danger begins. Overconfidence. “I raised $300K, so I know everything!” Wrong. Success creates new risks. Same in trading. Made 5 wins in a row? That’s when you’re most dangerous to yourself. Reduce size. Increase caution. Stay humble. Risk management isn’t about avoiding risk. It’s about understanding: Your emotional state, Your capacity, Your limits, Your tendency to overextend. I learned this at 18 with no money. I confirmed it at 25 with $300K. I live it now in trading. Risk management is self-management. Know yourself. Control yourself. Survive yourself. That’s how you manage risk.
Q8: What motivated you to start creating financial content?
Anger. I was angry. After returning from New York, I did startup consulting. Smart people. Hardworking people. Talented people. But they had no understanding of: Business leverage, Capital allocation, Asset building, Financial freedom. Why? Because nobody taught them. The financial elite deliberately keep people ignorant. Why? Because ignorance is profitable. If people understood: How money works, How leverage works, How trading works, How wealth compounds. They wouldn’t stay employees forever. They wouldn’t stay in debt forever. They wouldn’t stay trapped forever. And the system needs people to stay trapped. I call it the “prison of financial ignorance.” I got angry. The same anger I felt at 18 when investors dismissed me for being young. The same anger I felt at 25 when I realized most startup founders would fail not because of talent, but because of structure. But this anger was different. This was purpose. I decided: I’ll break the prison. I’ll share the knowledge. I’ll teach the systems. For free. To everyone. No barriers. Not for money. Not for fame. Because I genuinely care. I remember being 18 with nothing. I remember being dismissed. I remember being trapped. I don’t want others to suffer the same. That’s why I create content. Not to get rich—I already know how to do that. Not to get famous—I don’t care. To free people. The same way I freed myself at 18. The same way my team freed themselves by learning and executing. Financial freedom shouldn’t be reserved for elites. It should be available to everyone. That’s my motivation. Breaking the prison of financial ignorance. One person at a time.
Q9: How do you define financial freedom?
Financial freedom is simple. It’s when you can say “yes” to what matters. Let me explain. Most people can’t: Take 4 days off work for something important, Make a last-minute decision without checking their bank account, Help family when they need it, Pursue what they actually want. They’re trapped. Financial freedom is when you’re not trapped. It’s not about: Private jets, Mansions, Lamborghinis. Those are just toys. Financial freedom is about choice. The choice to: Say “yes” to your family, Say “yes” to your health, Say “yes” to your experiences, Say “no” to things you don’t want. Without asking permission. Without checking your balance. Without fear. At 18, I had zero freedom. I needed permission for everything. At 25, I had some freedom. I could make decisions, but had to justify them. Now, at 29, I have real freedom. I run a community of 20,000+ people. I trade when I want. I travel when I want. I work on what I want. No permission needed. That’s financial freedom. But here’s what most people don’t understand: Financial freedom isn’t a number. It’s not “$1 million” or “$10 million.” It’s personal. For someone, it might be owning a small shop. For another, it might be quitting their job. For me, it was being able to make decisions without worrying about money. Financial freedom is when money stops being the reason you can’t do what you want. Notice: I didn’t say “money solves everything.” I said: “money stops being the barrier.” There’s a difference. You still have limits. You still have responsibilities. You still have reality. But financial freedom means: When something important happens, you can respond. When opportunity appears, you can act. When family needs you, you can be there. That’s freedom. And it’s achievable. Not through get-rich-quick schemes. Not through lottery tickets. Not through hope. Through: Understanding how money works, Building systems that generate income, Living below your means initially, Compounding consistently, Staying disciplined daily. I went from 18-year-old with nothing to 29-year-old with freedom. Not because I’m special. Because I understood the principles and executed them consistently. That same path is available to everyone. That’s why I teach. So everyone can have the freedom to say “yes” to what truly matters.
Q10:What advice would you give to beginners who want to succeed in trading?
Three truths nobody wants to hear. Truth 1: You will fail first. At 18, I started a company. I failed multiple times before anything worked. At 25, I raised $300K. I burned through most of it learning. At 23, I started trading. I lost money for months. This is normal. Everyone fails first. The question isn’t “Will I fail?” The question is “Will I learn from failure?” Most people quit after first failure. That’s why most people fail. Don’t quit. Fail. Learn. Adjust. Continue. Truth 2: There is no shortcut. People ask me: “What’s the fastest way to succeed in trading?” Wrong question. The right question: “What’s the most sustainable way?” Stop looking for: The perfect indicator, The secret strategy, The magic formula. They don’t exist. What exists: Daily practice, Consistent execution, Patient compounding, Humble learning. Boring? Yes. Works? Always. The shortcut is doing the boring work every single day. Truth 3: Community matters more than talent. I succeeded because: At 18, I found people who believed in me when I had nothing. At 25, I built a team that became more than employees. At 29, I created a community of 20,000+ where we learn together. You cannot do this alone. I don’t care how smart you are. I don’t care how talented you are. Alone, you will fail. Why? Because trading is: Lonely, Boring, Repetitive, Slow, Emotionally draining. Everything humans hate. You need people who understand. You need people who support. You need people who’ve been there. That’s why I built a community. Not for profit. For survival. My advice: 1. Start small. Like 8 developers, not 80. Like 2% risk, not 10%. 2. Expect to fail. You will lose money. You will make mistakes. Accept it. Learn from it. 3. Build systems, not hopes. Hope doesn’t work. Systems work. 4. Join a community. Don’t go alone. Find people who’ve done it. 5. Be patient. I started trading at 23. I’m 29 now. 6 years. That’s how long it takes to really understand. 6. Enjoy the process. If you don’t enjoy learning, you’ll quit. Find joy in: The discipline, The small wins, The progress, The community. And most importantly: Stop comparing yourself to others. Compare yourself to yesterday’s you. Am I more disciplined than yesterday? Am I more consistent than last week? Am I more knowledgeable than last month? That’s the only comparison that matters. I went from nothing at 18 to freedom at 29. Not because I’m special. Because I: Started, Failed, Learned, Continued, Built community, Stayed consistent. For 11 years. You can do the same. But not in 10 days. Not in 10 months. In years. With patience. With discipline. With community. That’s my advice. Start today. Stay humble. Keep learning. See you at the top.
