what truly matters.

The person behind the questions

About

Clarity over hustle.
Intent over impulse.
Presence over pressure.

For a life by design, not by default.

Illustrated portrait of Kay at her desk

I'm Kay — a writer exploring the intersection of career, parenting, money, identity and intentional living. Real stories, honest conversations, practical insights.

My story

For many years I followed the script most of us inherit: study hard, build a career, earn more, achieve more. It brought real opportunities and experiences that shaped me. But becoming a parent, and later reaching financial independence, changed the questions I was asking. Time became more valuable than status. Money revealed itself to be most valuable for the freedom it creates, not the things it buys.

This is not a place for formulas, life hacks or easy answers. I don't believe there is one correct way to live, and my role is not to tell you what to think. My role is to help you think more clearly about the decisions that shape your life.

Who I write for

Thoughtful professionals who have worked hard, built careers, raised families — and are beginning to ask deeper questions about purpose, freedom, parenting, money, health and identity. Not because they have failed. Because they have succeeded enough to wonder what success is actually for.

A personal commitment

I will never knowingly sacrifice truth for popularity, complexity for clicks, or character for growth. This philosophy is not finished — it will keep evolving as I grow older, learn from others, make mistakes and refine my thinking.

At a glance — career, skills & education

Project management expert, business strategist and coach — 25+ years across engineering, law and business.

25+

years across engineering, law & business

15+

years as President of her own firm

500+

citations of her published research

46

age at financial independence

Career highlights

Billion-dollar infrastructure

Managed mega projects and public–private partnerships through bid and delivery — exceeding financial goals.

Research that lasts

Cornell work on seismic bridge systems using engineered cementitious composites — her paper in the ASCE Journal of Bridge Engineering has been cited 500+ times.

Founder & principal

President of JAEK Co. since 2010 — business strategy, project management and startup consulting.

Coach & mentor

Career development coaching and leadership development for professionals navigating transitions.

The path so far

Foundations

  1. 1993

    Seventeen: Seoul to Vancouver Island — top of her graduating class within two years.

  2. UBC, BASc in Civil Engineering with Distinction, on a full engineering scholarship.

Engineering

  1. 2000–02

    Graduate researcher at Cornell — a new seismic bridge-pier system; her published paper has been cited 500+ times.

  2. 2002–07

    Structural engineer (Earth Tech, then CH2M HILL) — coordinating design and construction on P3 mega-infrastructure; deployed on Hurricane Katrina recovery in 2005.

Business

  1. 2008–10

    Project Manager, Management Consulting Group at CH2M HILL — billion-dollar programs through procurement and delivery; MBA at UBC Sauder in corporate finance and strategy.

  2. 2010

    Founded JAEK Co. — President and Principal Consultant ever since: strategy, project leadership, startup development.

Law & family

  1. 2011–14

    Cambridge, MA in Law with Honours — alongside projects in Australia, and a wedding along the way.

  2. 2015–16

    Malaysia, motherhood, and the return to Vancouver.

Independence

  1. At 46

    Ran the numbers on financial independence. The answer was yes.

  2. Today

    Writer, creator and coach — essays, newsletter, Threads, YouTube and podcast, in Korean and English.

Key attributes & skills

Strategy & leadership

  • Business strategy
  • Project management
  • Multidisciplinary team leadership
  • P3 / DBFO delivery
  • Startup development

Financial & legal

  • Corporate finance
  • Legal & regulatory strategy
  • Investing & real estate
  • Risk management

People & coaching

  • Career development coaching
  • Leadership development
  • Setting expectations & performance
  • Mentoring

Technical foundation

  • Structural & seismic engineering
  • Design & construction coordination
  • Data-driven problem-solving
  • Web content writing

Education

Cambridge

MA (Honours), Law

UBC Sauder

MBA — Corporate Finance & Strategic Management

Cornell

MS, Civil Engineering (Structural)

UBC

BASc, Civil Engineering — with Distinction

Elsewhere