On August 19, over 100 employees from Coupang Ads gathered for a special DE&I (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) event. The highlight of the day was a valuable talk by Helen, Vice President and Head of Coupang Retail. With 28 years of experience, Helen spent an engaging 90 minutes sharing her career journey, emphasizing perseverance and a positive mindset. She provided deep insights into the challenges she faced and how she overcame them, offering valuable lessons on key competencies for long-term success.
From the IMF crisis to Coupang: A journey of growth
Helen’s career has been marked by resilience through significant challenges. She began her first job just before the IMF crisis- a severe financial crisis in Korea during 1997-1998 caused by interventions from the International Monetary Fund, which had a profound impact on many businesses and economies in Korea. Helen later faced significant changes as her company merged with another, shaping her resilience. These experiences shaped her career trajectory, ultimately leading her to Coupang, where she discovered new opportunities for growth. Helen highlighted Coupang’s commitment to fair evaluations and an inclusive environment greatly helped her to grow, and it is crucial to enable employees from diverse backgrounds to thrive.
A new understanding of retail
Having primarily worked in offline commerce, Helen reflected on how joining Coupang expanded her perspective on the online sector. Coupang’s massive product scale and nationwide reach prompted her to delve into trends and search-driven strategies, overcoming numerous challenges along the way.
One particularly challenging experience she recounted was launching a new Pet category with 9,500 SKUs within just three months —– a project she had to manage despite having no prior knowledge of the pet industry. Through intensive research, collaborations with teams, and a determined approach, Helen led the project to success, surpassing industry standards. This experience broadened her expertise and bolstered her confidence in tackling complex challenges.
Advice for women in workplace
Helen recently hosted workshops for female employees, aiming to support and inspire women in balancing personal and professional responsibilities. Drawing from her experience as a working mom, she advised against striving for perfection in every aspect of life, which can lead to burnout. Instead, she emphasized that it is okay not to be perfect and know when to take a step back. Helen candidly shared the difficulties she faced balancing her personal life and career while raising children. She stressed that there is no one-size-fits-all solution for work-life harmony and encouraged setting clear boundaries and seeking help when needed. Her advice to let go of the pressure to be perfect and find sustainable ways to manage both work and family resonated deeply with the audience. She also highlighted the value of leaning on colleagues and mentors during tough times, as everyone, regardless of their position, experiences both high points and low points in their careers.
‘Deliver Results with Grit’
Helen underscored the importance of “Deliver Results with Grit” and maintaining a positive mindset to achieve long-term success. She shared how tasks that initially seemed impossible became attainable through a positive approach with grit. For instance, during the launch of Rocket Fresh, Helen and her team focused relentlessly on understanding the needs of customers, even in a competitive market. This strategy led to turning Rocket Fresh into a service to be profitable when the business is commonly known to be difficult to be profitable. Additionally, Helen underscored the importance of communication skills in leadership, ensuring that team members are on the same page to avoid a communication gap.
A commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
This event, organized by Coupang Ads’ DE&I affinity group, is part of the company’s ongoing efforts to advance DE&I within Coupang. Helen’s experience and heartfelt talk will continue to inspire employees, reinforcing Coupang Ads’ commitment to fostering an inclusive workplace where everyone can succeed. Her talk served as a powerful reminder that embracing imperfection, maintaining grit, and supporting each other are essential for long-term success. Coupang Ads will continue to champion DE&I initiatives and various efforts to enhance it within the organization.
In the community |
Coupang Ads strives to create an organization where everyone can come together. SMB teams gathered to participate in activities,which focused on inclusion — taking a small step toward creating an organization.
In the community |
On May 19 and 26, Grace, a Recruiting Coordinator from Coupang participated in "GM Youthzone," a mentoring program to support young people hosted in collaboration with an organization called Youthzone by the city of Gwangmyeong.
In the community |
In May, Coupang and the Korea Women Inventors Association (KWIA) co-hosted “Women Entrepreneurship and IP,” a seminar that brought together industry, academia, and government leaders to accelerate innovation and creativity for the future.