We had the opportunity to hear from Susan, who shared her experiences growing up as a Korean American and navigating the need to work twice, or even four times, as hard to stand out—long before K-pop’s global influence. Her journey began in Harvard’s pre-med program but eventually led her to a career in consulting at Booz Allen and ultimately into startups, including eBay, where she forged lifelong friendships and transformed her life. Along the way, she had to learn the social norms of corporate America and the nuances of leadership beyond simply excelling in performance—lessons that often conflicted with her upbringing. While deeply appreciative of her roots, she acknowledged how different these experiences were from the values she was raised with. Looking ahead, she is excited about the potential of technology to democratize opportunities and level the playing field, particularly for underserved communities.