At Picky, giveaways are our bread and butter. But who’s the smooth operator behind the scenes? Meet Ines.
Hailing from a small town in Germany, Ines moved to the metropolis of Seoul over 2 years ago to pursue her graduate studies. She joined Picky in December of 2023 and has been an invaluable member to the team, diving straight into operations which tend to be the most complicated area of work for any startup that is scaling.
Every month there are weekly campaigns and winner selections for our smorgasbord of skincare giveaways. From managing the user quality control to optimizing the winner selection process, Ines works diligently in identifying pain points and finding solutions to eliminate bottlenecks.
We couldn’t expect any less from a person that selected “efficiency” and “coordination” as her key words.
Join us to unpack what inspires Ines to join the team and how she’s been enjoying her journey at Picky and life as an expat in Korea!
Q: What made you decide to come to Korea?
A: After falling in love with the Korean language and culture I initially came to Korea to study at Sogang University for my Master’s degree, which I obtained in February 2024. After that, however, I didn’t feel like it’s time for me to go back to Germany yet, so now I’m still here 🙂
Q: What is your favorite thing about Picky?
A: Picky has been a great platform for my personal and professional growth. It helped me to realize that the beauty and skincare industry is where I want to thrive and make a difference. Working in a startup in such a dynamic sector has sharpened my skills in time management and organization, which are both crucial for keeping up with the trends and such a fast-paced environment. It also helped me to make some personal connections with people that I wouldn’t want to miss anymore.
Furthermore, everything I do has an impact on the company and it’s amazing to see that my work matters, is making a difference and contributes to the success. I also feel that our company is listening to our needs and tries to take them into consideration to create a good atmosphere and an optimal working environment for everyone.
Q: What advice do you have for new immigrants coming to Korea?
As an immigrant, no matter how capable you are of speaking the language and “try to fit in” there will always be at least a small gap between you and nationals but that should not stop you from trying to make connections and get our of your comfort zone. After more than 2 years in Korea, I faced a lot of challenges but also experienced at least as many memorable and amazing moments, alone and with lovely people I got to meet. A few years ago I could never imagine living in a foreign country, so far from the place that I regarded as my one and only home once. Now I know there can be more than one place to call home and no matter how much longer I will stay, Korea will always be my second home. Coming to Korea has been the best decision I made in my life.
