[Power K-Women] "Build Inner Strength to Break the Glass Ceiling"

Min Hee-jung, CEO of Business Power Zone
First Korean Executive at Adidas Breaks Through 8% Needle's Eye
Transforms from Career Athlete to Career Coach

Editor's NoteAsia Economy plans to announce women who are active in various fields both domestically and internationally as 'Power K-Women' at the ‘2023 Women Leaders Forum’ to be held on October 24th at the Lotte Hotel in Sogong-dong, Seoul. These women leaders have broken or transcended barriers such as gender, race, disability, and poverty to create new and universal values. Their stories will provide comfort to a weary world and serve as role models for others, empowering communities to move forward. We select and introduce weekly Power K-Women candidates who have stood up against discrimination and boundaries without shrinking back or being confined.

"Why don't you be ambitious? You are the right person for the job." This is what a former boss told Min Hee-jung, CEO of Business Power Zone, whenever she hit a wall. From the start, she was far from the glamorous fashion industry. As a senior in the Department of Clothing and Textiles at Gachon University, she interned in product planning but could not shed the label of a contract worker. When she worked at LG Fashion, her first full-time job, the Asian financial crisis hit and her entire team was dissolved. At Adidas, she started as the sole team member in a fledgling Korean branch on the periphery. Each time, instead of complaining, Min CEO created breakthroughs by believing she was the right person for the role. This is how she became the first Korean executive at Adidas headquarters in Germany. Having become a leader to emulate, she transformed into a career coach three years ago. We met Min CEO, who opened the second chapter of her life.

"Opportunities are not given, create them yourself"

Min CEO began her career in 1996 as an MD (Merchandising Director) at LG Fashion, the predecessor of LF. An MD is a 'strategist' who plans what products to sell, through which channels, and how. Although the MD role was not yet established in Korea, she felt it was the right fit. However, circumstances did not favor her. The Asian financial crisis dissolved her team. She was also sidelined due to internal academic cliques. Feeling limited, Min CEO prepared to study abroad in the U.S. to deepen her MD knowledge, choosing the prestigious Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York.

After completing her studies, she joined Otto Korea, known as the 'Amazon of Germany.' She gained diverse experience over six years, was promoted to head of apparel MD, and led an in-house joint venture (JV). Then ambition struck again. She wanted to expand beyond Otto’s online sales focus into offline retail, the starting point and pinnacle of brands. She knocked on the door of physical stores.

While sending out resumes, Adidas Korea contacted her for a position in the newly established Retail Division. Adidas started as a wholesaler distributing products to retailers and distributors. Direct sales to consumers through owned stores came later. The Retail Division managed these direct channels. Min CEO recalled, "At that time, the department was unstable and I was the only team member," adding, "I thought I had joined the wrong place and spent months attending interviews at other companies."

One day, an HR executive called her in and asked why she wasn’t ambitious for a leadership role. Used to waiting for opportunities to be handed to her, Min CEO was jolted awake. She immediately applied to lead the Retail Division and became a manager. She said, "The Retail Division was unknown within the company, so even when I suggested putting certain products in stores, it didn’t work. It took eight years to build a team and establish our presence."

The team grew from one to twenty members. This was the result of creating detailed materials to persuade the Korea branch CEO, HR executives, and other teams why more staff were needed in the Retail Division. Once the organization was formed, they began building the framework for product planning. They created a kind of best practice guide for selecting, purchasing, and selling products in stores. Considering various factors from new products to inventory, and from flagship stores to outlets, the Excel index alone exceeded 3,000 lines. Though challenging, this process lowered inventory rates and increased profitability.

Min Hee-jung, CEO of Business Power Zone. Photo by Younghan Heo younghan@

To Adidas Headquarters in Germany... Leading Stores Worldwide

She became curious whether the best practice guide would work globally. Min CEO reached out to Adidas headquarters in Germany. The door was narrow. The global company had over 57,000 employees worldwide, filled with top talent. Twice a year when she traveled to Germany on business trips, she proposed short-term projects to headquarters. Eventually, she even left her belongings in Germany and returned home, determined to come back. As the saying goes, heaven helps those who help themselves. Headquarters contacted her after reviewing her project proposals.

Upon arriving in Germany, she immediately experienced 'mental breakdown.' Communication was blocked. They held monthly conference calls to convey headquarters’ goals to major branches, but after meetings, calls flooded in. Everyone heard the same content but understood and questioned it differently. From then on, Min CEO began observing people. Germans were direct, while the British were perceived to have intentions even behind polite smiles. Communication styles varied by race, ethnicity, and culture. She concluded that a work roadmap was needed to reduce communication variables. She covered an entire office wall with whiteboards, setting goals aligned with headquarters’ vision and creating country-specific action plans. Previously, instructions were blanket orders like "manage stores well," but Min CEO provided tailored roadmaps. For example, "To achieve this year’s headquarters management goal of 'customer centricity,' Branch A should raise employee competency evaluations higher than other branches and increase training hours for dealerships." Min CEO evaluated, "By communicating each country’s role for the big picture of global Adidas, motivation increased and missions became clear."

Recognized for her achievements, she was promoted within a year to head of the dealership business division at headquarters. This position oversees Adidas stores worldwide, generating over 4.5 trillion KRW in sales. This channel accounts for 20-30% of Adidas’ annual revenue. Min CEO was the first Korean to hold such a significant executive role at headquarters. At a time when female executives made up only 8% in sports brands, this was notable.

Min Hee-jung, CEO of Business Power Zone. Photo by Younghan Heo younghan@

Leaving 25 Years of Corporate Life to Challenge Career Coaching

Though she broke the glass ceiling, a new seed was growing in her heart: career coaching. The trigger was a dedicated coach assigned by the company when she struggled to adapt in Germany. Min CEO said, "It helped me regain confidence a lot," and added, "Later, I decided to challenge myself by interviewing career coaches in reverse."

She immediately took action. She devoted weekends and holidays entirely to preparing for career coaching. She commuted between Herzogenaurach, where Adidas headquarters is located, and Munich, two and a half hours by car, to earn an International Coaching Federation (ICF) certification. She spent her vacation in Spain studying psychology at a local neuroscience institute. She did not regret investing time or money, seeing it as an investment in herself. After preparation, she let go of her multi-million-won salary and glamorous titles without hesitation. Thus, she left her 25-year corporate career and jumped into career coaching.

She started by counseling acquaintances. There were days she was treated to coffee instead of money, and days without even that. For two years, she focused on creating counseling content and building new networks. Then, a major domestic corporation contacted her. She took on corporate lectures and one-on-one coaching. Since last year, she has expanded her stage to online lectures. Her clients range from corporate executives to startup CEOs, doctors, and salon owners. Min CEO smiled, saying, "From CEOs to new employees, everyone wants to know what they truly want. There is nothing happier than helping them discover their true selves."

She did not forget to advise women contemplating their careers. Many lack confidence, wondering, "How far can I go as a woman?" or "Can I return after parental leave?" Min CEO emphasized, "Don’t be bound by the title of being a woman; build your inner strength. Instead of giving up because there are no female role models, pick the strengths of successful leaders and create your own blueprint."

▶ About CEO Min Hee-jung

She started as an MD at LG Fashion in 1996. She worked at Otto Korea in 2001 and Adidas Korea in 2007, then joined Adidas headquarters in Germany in 2015. She became the first Korean executive at Adidas Germany headquarters and left the company in 2020. Since then, she founded Business Power Zone and works as a career coach.