About
I’m Jihye (Jay) Lee — an entrepreneur, artist, and coach with 15+ years in tech and a life lived across borders.
I began university at 16 and earned a master’s in international economics by 21 — while raising my newborn daughter. Since then, I’ve spent over 15 years crossing industries and identities: as a mother, marketer, CMO, startup operator, artist, platform founder, solopreneur, and coach.
Many of these roles I’ve held at once — not by accident, but by design. My career has unfolded in five-year cycles: diplomacy, marketing, startups, independence, and now integration — weaving art, business, technology, and coaching into one evolving practice.
Over the years, I’ve:
- Led marketing and product growth at leading startups in Seoul and San Francisco, including Soomgo, Styleshare, and Blind
- Advised VC-backed companies (via Kakao Ventures, Techstars, and independently) on go-to-market strategy and scaling
- Built art-tech platforms such as reviewedbyartists.com
- Exhibited work as an interdisciplinary artist across 10+ countries
- Lived and worked nomadically for 5+ years — in Argentina, Mexico, Denmark, Germany, Norway, the U.S., Korea, and beyond
Now, I coach startup executives, tech professionals, entrepreneurs, and creatives who are ready to move past fear and navigate growth, reinvention, and transition with courage.
🌀 Why What Matters is a space for that journey — through coaching, writing, and creative practice — to help you align with what truly matters and build from that clarity.
Want to connect?
You can find me on LinkedIn for more on my work in startups and strategy, or on Instagram for glimpses of my art and nomadic life.
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