From Korea to the French Government: Overcoming Challenges of Identity and Belonging

As a former French government minister and entrepreneur, Fleur Pellerin reflects on her journey from being an adopted child in France to building a successful venture capital fund and bridging the gap between Europe and Asia.

1. Fleur Pellerin is a former minister in the French government (2012-2016), a high civil servant, and currently, the founder of a venture capital fund investing in European startups.
2. She was born in Seoul, Korea, and adopted by a French family when she was six months old.
3. Pellerin's parents had limited resources but were loving and supportive, encouraging her to excel academically for financial independence and various life opportunities.
4. As an adoptee and the only non-white student in her school, she learned to adapt and find resilience in her uniqueness.
5. Pellerin attended prestigious schools in France but had to learn new behaviors and social norms to fit in with unfamiliar networks.
6. She discovered her interest in public policies during business school and pursued further education in political science, eventually entering the French government.
7. As a minister, she focused on creating a successful French tech ecosystem by facilitating networking, exchanges of ideas, and encouraging a new entrepreneurial mindset.
8. Pellerin was the first female Asian minister in a French government and believes her background contributed to her successes during her tenure.
9. Her achievements include fostering a more mature French tech ecosystem with a stronger sense of community, increased global ambition among entrepreneurs, and better relationships between startups a
10. She is proud of creating bridges between France (or Europe) and Korea (Asia), helping portfolio companies develop their businesses in Korea and find partners.
11. Pellerin emphasizes the importance of authenticity in building a network, stating that she never tried to use people but instead focused on being herself and letting others find interest in her.
12. She advises aspiring professionals to dare to step out of their comfort zones, observe their environment, and learn from others while remaining true to themselves.
13. Pellerin believes that taking risks and breaking into seemingly exclusive networks can lead to significant achievements.
14. Though she never imagined becoming a minister as a child, she recognizes the importance of staying open to possibilities and seizing opportunities when they arise.
15. She was fired from her position as Minister for Culture and Communication in 2016, but saw it as an opportunity to regain her freedom and create her own business, Korelya Capital.
16. Pellerin's venture capital fund has successfully invested in seven "unicorn" companies (startups valued at over $1 billion).
17. She takes pride in her ability to build a network from scratch without using people or taking advantage of relationships.
18. Her advice is to avoid using others for personal gain, be authentic, and dare to take risks to achieve success.
19. Pellerin believes that the world her children will inherit will be vastly different from her own, emphasizing the importance of adaptability and embracing change.
20. She encourages young professionals to remain open to opportunities and strive for authenticity in their personal and professional lives.

Source: EO via YouTube

❓ What do you think? What lessons can we learn from Fleur Pellerin's journey of embracing her differences and finding a sense of belonging in a new world? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!