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Summer 2018 is one of the unforgettable moments of my life. Two startup ventures I created to pursue entrepreneurship in the Chungcheong region where I was born and raised were not going well, and my heart was in pain. Having drawn a blueprint for entrepreneurship and run forward with blinders on, I had invested considerable time, effort, and financial resources. Even now, the emotions from that time remain vivid. However, what I disliked more than the hardship was giving up. With desperate hope, I visited the Sejong Creative Economy Innovation Center, and fortunately, I was able to meet with a startup manager. When I explained my situation to the manager I met then, I said I absolutely did not want to give up on entrepreneurship, but I didn't know how to start again. Seeing my anguished state, the manager gave up personal time and helped me go through the item development and business plan writing process multiple times. Perhaps because I never gave up, an opportunity came. I was able to achieve great results by being selected for a technology innovation-type government support project. Thus, I challenged entrepreneurship once more, and I was able to grow as I am today. While pursuing my third startup, I made up my mind to foster entrepreneurs who would truly help the region. The difficulties I experienced through direct entrepreneurship, and the methods and processes I discovered to break through. I was confident these would be helpful to prospective or early-stage entrepreneurs who would walk this path. Thus began 'Digiplanet,' which helps nurture entrepreneurs in the Chungcheong region. Through Digiplanet, we gathered prospective entrepreneurs in the region and conducted free startup education. We also provided practical coaching and built a community for entrepreneurs. Together with various local startup institutions that recognize the efforts and passion of Digiplanet, we continue to actively promote startup education. Many people wonder why Digiplanet continues to provide free support until entrepreneurs reach their goals, even after the startup education ends. Each time, I explain that the first reason is my hope that junior entrepreneurs in the region grow well and become good cases for Digiplanet, and the second reason is my desire to give back by helping nurture new junior entrepreneurs. Now, entrepreneurs I directly educated and coached have begun to bear fruit by working as startup coaches in the Chungcheong region. The sense of accomplishment I feel when looking at entrepreneurs who were aspiring at the time with Digiplanet and have now become full-fledged CEOs executing these promises cannot be expressed in words. Personally, I am expanding my activities nationwide to help junior entrepreneurs who may be holding onto some earnest hope somewhere. Recently, through programs called Underdogs and Hana Social Venture University, I have traveled across the country. My main role was to educate 'startup education' and 'startup coaching skills' to willing senior entrepreneurs who would serve as senior entrepreneurs that aspiring undergraduate entrepreneurs dreaming of entrepreneurship could find in their respective regions. Traveling through not only the Chungcheong region but also the Seoul/Gyeonggi metropolitan area, Gangwon region, and Jeolla region, I laid the foundation for 30 senior entrepreneurs to be active in their respective regions. With the activation of local entrepreneurs, community is increasingly emphasized. However, before that, what I want to emphasize is 'small changes created by individuals.' In fact, even the entrepreneur themselves does not know how far that entrepreneur can grow through entrepreneurship education. Along the way, entrepreneurship can be discontinued either voluntarily or involuntarily, and if a new possibility is discovered, another path can be taken. However, I believe that if just 1 out of 100 entrepreneurs achieves their goals and becomes a light to junior entrepreneurs, my role is sufficient. This is because even in deep darkness where the way ahead is not visible, the moment a very small light enters, change begins. Written by Ahn Dong-guk, CEO of Digiplanet, located in Chungcheong Province. Hello. I am Ahn Dong-guk, CEO of Digiplanet, a startup education and coaching company based in Chungcheong, pursuing the growth of the local startup ecosystem. I am currently active as an Underdogs partner coach, meeting prospective and early-stage entrepreneurs across the country to ensure that my entrepreneurial experience learned through hands-on trial and error can become competitive for someone. I move forward with the belief that through the circulation of experience, entrepreneurs can move in a better direction. ※ Local Game Changer is a local reporter group jointly conducted by Startup Recipe and Underdogs. It introduces various voices from local startup ecosystems. Local Game Changer In 2015, we started startup education with the aim of 'discovering good entrepreneurial colleagues,' and have changed the one-way lecture-focused startup education trend to practice-oriented coaching education. As a result, as of 2022, we have produced over 10,000 startup education graduates called 'Underdogs Alumni.' We believe that making the world a better place is 'innovation,' and that innovation is born through 'entrepreneurs.' Original source: https://startuprecipe.co.kr/archives/5685315