BL&T No. 195: HYROX & Starting A New Chapter As CEO

Borrowed

"Think of it this way: Life is a series of moments, which one lives as if one were dancing, right now, around and around each passing instant. And when one happens to survey one’s surroundings, one realizes, I guess I’ve made it this far.

Among those who have danced the dance of the violin, there are people who stay the course and become professional musicians. Among those who have danced the dance of the bar examination, there are people who become lawyers. There are people who have danced the dance of writing and become authors.

Of course, it also happens that people end up in entirely different places. But none of these lives came to an end “en route.”

It is enough if one finds fulfillment in the here and now one is dancing."

From "The Courage to Be Disliked" by Ichiro Kishimi, Fumitake Koga [Book]

Learned & Thought

On Saturday, Barrel celebrated its 18th anniversary, and I've been fortunate to be part of this incredible journey for 11 of those years. It felt symbolic that this milestone fell on the same day I participated in my first HYROX race in New York—the very city where Barrel's story began. Dubbed "fitness racing," HYROX combines running and functional workouts, where participants run 1 km, followed by a functional workout station, repeated eight times.

Reflecting on our trajectory at Barrel, my HYROX experience feels all too familiar. Our path has been anything but linear, relentlessly testing our resilience and stretching us beyond our limits at every twist and turn. Each obstacle has served as a learning opportunity, reinforcing the power of perseverance and grit. Time and again, when the easier choice might have been to quit, we doubled down on ourselves and pressed forward.

While I felt a sense of achievement crossing the finish line at HYROX, the true value of the challenge came in the preparation—the growth, strength, and toughness cultivated through weeks of training. It was a reminder that reaching a finish line is simply a checkpoint in a longer journey of growth and evolution.

All of this came at a pivotal time as I reflect on a personal transition:

In July 2013, I joined Barrel as a freelance designer. As of July 1, I'll be stepping into the role of CEO.

As I look back on my journey at Barrel, it has been an incredibly enriching experience—shaping me not only as a leader but as someone constantly evolving and embracing life's complexities in all my roles, personally and professionally. Co-founders Peter and Sei-Wook have been invaluable mentors and taught me so much. They've nurtured more than a business but a strong brand and community that I'm proud to lead into this next chapter.

As the story goes, Peter and Wook chose the name 'Barrel' over a glass of wine, envisioning a company as timeless, simple, and purposeful as a wine barrel. While our services and capabilities have changed over the years, our purpose has always driven us—to create impact for our clients. Today, and in the future, this remains at the heart of everything we do.

Impact at Barrel means more than just achieving business goals; it involves deepening the relationship between brands and their customers through meaningful and engaging interactions. Our view of commerce goes beyond transactions, it's about an ongoing, holistic journey with a brand.

I am thrilled about our progress this year and look forward to intensifying our efforts in helping our clients meet their customers where they are.

This weekend was truly memorable, but it's just the beginning of what promises to be an exciting step forward.

I am immensely grateful for this opportunity and eagerly anticipate all we will achieve together.