When Daniel Shin sat down and read Ride of a Lifetime by Bob Iger, he came away impressed by Disney’s leadership, Bob’s vision, and the love and creativity that went behind marrying both concepts together.
As the co-founder or CEO of several successful ventures, including the e-commerce giant PortOne, Daniel Shin has had a lot of time to think about leadership while building better businesses of his own.
Sitting down with the team at IdeaMensch, Daniel Shin would explore some of the thoughts, habits, and behaviors he has adhered to over the years to find such prolific success of his own. Sharing his thoughts, Shin hopes that others will also find their eureka moment during their careers.
Starting the Right Way
There is no better way to do something than to do it correctly. Daniel Shin is a firm believer in the idea that quality will always overcome quantity, and that is markedly true in business development. Shin likes to slim down his extensive to-do list until he has a few kernels to work with, prioritizing those above all other concepts.
Shin says that he used to start his morning with phone calls, meetings, and emails, but since transitioning to a quality-based approach, he’s found life considerably more accessible and his results a mirror.
Additionally, Shin understands that sometimes a good start can lead to a negative outcome and that there is nothing wrong with going back to the drawing board.
Shin recalls his early days with TMON while working as a pioneer in the mobile commerce industry in Korea, “TMON spent away millions on competing with the competition. We were not decisive enough to build a unique angle that would make us different and sustainable.”
Shin went on to add that, were he able to go back in time, he would choose his battles and “retreat and strategically pick” battles with the longer term in mind.
Developing a Successful Toolbox
When he isn’t ideating with his colleagues or collaborating in meetings, Daniel Shin likes to make sure that all of his tools are sharpened. Shin likes to sharpen his mind by reading and consuming literature when he isn’t in the office. This approach helps Shin to keep ideas fresh in his mind.
When Shin is in the office, he also likes to lean on technology to help keep him afloat. Shin says, “I am extremely software-dependent and derive tons of productivity from them. Recently, as with many people, I’ve kept the ChatGPT tab open and have been asking questions constantly.”
After Shin leaves the office, when he needs to relax, he likes to refresh himself by taking long walks or a quick bath to refocus his mind and de-stress. Shin says, “Even taking a quick walk/bath calms me and allows me to focus my mind on what is important and push away issues that are not as important.”
