Permission To Shine cover image

Permission To Shine

53. Wan Kim | CEO & Owner of Smoothie King, an $850M annual business

Jan 21, 2025
47:24

Wan Kim is the owner and CEO of Smoothie King, overseeing 1,202 stores and $850M annually. 

Originally an immigrant from South Korea, Wan and I discuss: 

  • How his first store almost failed and why he pushed forward for 4 years with little results 
  • How to create momentum: spark a series of small wins. Even if you aren’t getting sales, get 100 people to sign up for your marketing list or wake up at 5:30am every day. 
  • The expectation to work for his father's manufacturing business and walking away from it. 
  • His decision to upset current customers with a menu change towards healthier ingredients in order to obtain a younger audience.
  • Consuming smoothies ONLY for 30 days and the effects it had. 
  • The first people to tell you to quit your entrepreneurial dream are your loved ones and why you shouldn’t listen to them. 
  • His 2 key leadership principles: correct incentives & feedback without emotion.

Connect with Andrew Namanny: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-namanny/

Connect with Wan Kim: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wan-kim-3a4a604/

Send your feedback and thoughts to: andrew@permissiontoshine.org

Thanks for listening!

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