Today we’d like to introduce you to Samuel Choe.
Hi Samuel, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started off in customer service working at my parent’s dry cleaners. I currently have a strong background with retail and customer service. Currently, I’m at Calvin Klein part-time and seasonal hopefully turning into a full-time position at Apple. Social media I definitely do as a hobby but want to pursue a career in it. Whether as an influencer, record labels, entertainment, etc.
I don’t think there was one path that got me to where I am today. I will say that when I changed my major from Bio to Pre-Med, that was so huge for me. I was breaking this stereotype that Asians have to be doctors, lawyers, high paying jobs to be happy. Spending years in school and probably in huge debt was such a turn off for me. Also, I couldn’t grasp why these molecules could turn into these shapes. I found my love for social media, public relations through volunteering for UMSL’s radio and it was like that “aha, I can picture myself working here lightbulb”. So because of volunteering at the radio, it really changed what I wanted. That soon came with how influencer marketing works and pursuing it as a side hustle.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
When has life ever been smooth? Haha, it definitely wasn’t been smooth at all. The first was taking a huge step to live the life that I wanted to live. In Asian culture, your life is pretty much set out for you. After I switched majors back in my sophomore year of college, I became a black sheep in the family. The Korean community in St. Louis is really small and my parents at the time really tried to avoid the question “what is Sam doing for his major?”
Image is everything, but I couldn’t live with this idea of being stuck in somebody’s life path that wasn’t for me. Right now, I’m doing everything I can to have the career I want. And that’s changing resumes, connections, etc.
Rejection has been the hardest part of this journey. You think you fill in all the requirements of this dream job and then an hour later or a day later “we regret to inform you” is the hardest part of this journey.
And sometimes if it doesn’t work, you have to build your own table and drill your own path.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’d consider myself a non-niche content creator. I post memes, music videos, and anything pop culture-related on my Instagram and recently more on TikTok (finally hit 17.1K followers, yay!). I use it to not only entertain others but to talk and post about hard topics. As a Korean American/ Asian American, it’s important for me to speak up about social injustice. Even if your platform isn’t huge, you still have a voice. Somebody is out there that probably needs courage to speak up and it could be their friends, families, or a total stranger. I’ve found the most supportive people who I met over Instagram that have celebrated every one of my successes. Crazy how it works right?
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
I think having a mentor is super important. Especially when they’ve experienced something or something similar you went through. They’ve seen the negatives and they know how to guide you out of it or prepare you.
Networking is super important depending on what field you are going in. Sometimes you do have to name drop strategically to get what you want. Just let the person know what you are going to name drop, that way, it doesn’t take them off guard.
I will say both has worked out for me. Connections/ networking can become mentors.
Contact Info:
- Email: samchoe23@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samchoe1995_/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@sjaehyun12
