Press

When I meet college students or aspiring entrepreneurs preparing to start local businesses, I often recall my own past years. What they all have in common is that they each carry their own story and struggle in the region of their choice. I too am a case of starting my studies later than others after playing soccer as a player until age 16. I was never fond of the culture at the time where athletes or former athletes were labeled with crude expressions like 'thick-headed' and told they were 'not smart.' Not only does playing sports require intelligence, but I strongly wanted to demonstrate as a latecomer that the willpower learned through sports is equally effective in academic pursuits. Though there were difficult times, the years I spent challenging my limits through my athletic career became excellent fuel for my actual studies. Because I didn't give up, I was able to go abroad and graduate from university in Australia, and later move to England where I earned a master's degree in sports-related fields. In England, I did everything I could to try to get employed at Premier League clubs or related companies. At that time, there weren't many job posting sites, so I remember pulling out my resume and rushing past security into European club offices, and sending cold emails in English to over 50 clubs. Those emotions of trying to survive in the field I chose are still vivid in my memory. Thanks to those efforts, I later gained experience at the UK's largest sports agency and a major domestic sports organization, and finally began my entrepreneurial journey. The early stages of my startup were as challenging as when I first began my studies after quitting sports. However, with my unique underdog mindset, I never thought of giving up even if I started later than others or moved at a slower pace. That's why Underdogs, which provides various educational services especially to aspiring entrepreneurs or those considered underdogs in the startup scene, appealed to me greatly. The term 'underdog' itself originated from the sports scene and felt similar to my identity, and since there was a company with this kind of direction in the startup scene, there was no reason to decline joining as a startup coach. Recently, through a program called Underdogs and Hana Social Venture University, I've been mentoring aspiring entrepreneurs for two months. The entrepreneurs from Jeongwon Culture University in the Chungcheong region, which I took charge of, were quite different in color from those in Seoul and the capital area. They carried items specialized for their region and their own philosophy, quietly writing their own stories in areas that weren't receiving much attention. Their appearance reminded me of my own past story, and I found myself emotionally invested. In particular, I can't forget the distinctive gleam in the eyes of a 20-year-old young man from Buyeo who was determined to venture into the interior design industry using 'lacquerware,' a traditional Korean cultural technique. Their direction and grain were different from entrepreneurs in the capital area who incorporate various fourth industrial elements, establish short-term investment plans, and pivot quickly. While encountering regional aspiring entrepreneurs, I often recalled my own past image of 'heading into blank ground' for years in small cities in Australia and England because I loved soccer. Regional entrepreneurs have lower survival rates compared to those in the capital area. This is also why they place more emphasis on sustainability itself rather than growth speed. In pursuit of sustainability, they often focus on participating in multiple communities or securing subsidies, but this can lead to losing direction or giving up on what should become their core. Therefore, I often emphasize to local entrepreneurs that sustainability comes from the story they've built and their differentiation. Like the leader of a sports team, a company without the entrepreneur's philosophy and story easily collapses. As such, I believe that establishing one's own persona and identity in the early stages of entrepreneurship connects to long-term sustainability. I also emphasized that in the long term, giving help to the local community rather than receiving it becomes a greater opportunity for everyone. I myself have experience providing continuous pro-bono consulting to not only famous athletes but also those considered underdogs in the sports scene. I believe such efforts will serve as momentum for the entire industry to grow through mutual prosperity. I hope that in the local startup scene, aspiring entrepreneurs writing their own stories will continue to help each other and quietly write an underdog uprising. Written by Cheon Myeong-jae / Underdogs Partner Coach Running a sports agency, I provide overseas transfer promotion/negotiation and management services for domestic and international athletes. As an Underdogs partner coach, I'm creating opportunities to grow together by sharing experiences not only with athletes but with aspiring entrepreneurs in various fields, and by exchanging motivation. ※ Local Game Changer is a local press corps jointly conducted by Startup Recipe and Underdogs, introducing voices from various regional startup ecosystems. Reporter Jung Yong-hwan Original article: https://startuprecipe.co.kr/archives/5686878