[Founders]GoodInfluence — Finding Meaningful Impact

[The Build] GoodInfluence — Finding Meaningful Impact

In my previous post, I shared a story about challenges. This time, I want to talk about the core motivation behind those challenges — the value I hold most dear: influence.

[The Child Who Dreamed of Influence]
When I was young, people often asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I always answered,
“A singer. Or a politician.”

Looking back now, it wasn’t really about the job itself — it was about my desire to bring positive influence to others. As a child, I dreamed of becoming a singer to touch people’s hearts with music, and I looked at politicians on TV thinking,
“They are the ones who can really change the world.”

When I moved to Russia to study, I naturally let go of my dream to be a singer,
and gradually, political role models seemed less reachable. Instead, I set a new goal — to become a cultural diplomat and pursued a degree in International Relations with plans for graduate school.

However, when the Russia–Ukraine war broke out, I could not obtain the necessary official documents in time to verify my graduation, and all of my plans collapsed in an instant.

With the future I had imagined suddenly gone,
I returned to a fundamental question that had briefly crossed my mind as a child:
“How can I make a positive impact on the world?”

[Finding a New Path]
With that question in mind, I turned to books and travel to seek answers.
And one day, it hit me: the power to shape the world now lies in the IT industry.

I wasn’t suited to be a developer, but as a liberal arts student, I discovered the role of a planner — someone who connects people and designs value in meaningful ways.

I realized this was my way to contribute to the world.
That is the reason I co-founded Whitecrow and built our service:
To help people standing at life’s turning points

discover their own value and share their stories with the world. I still don’t fully know what “true positive influence” means, but perhaps it is a question we spend a lifetime exploring.

What turning points have shaped your journey? And what does influence mean to you?

P.S. This photo was taken at the Korea Festival in Russia, where I performed K-pop and spent time with my Russian friends!]

#Goodinfluence #Hamin

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