- Eric Kim (b. 1988) – the Korean‑American street‑photography educator whose blog, workshops, fitness feats and philosophical essays have turned him into a multi‑platform creator‑entrepreneur.
- Eric J. Kim (b. 1976) – the Yale‑trained venture capitalist who co‑founded Goodwater Capital, grew it to > $5 billion AUM in a decade, and helped launch consumer‑tech giants from Kakao to Coupang.
Their “ascents” look very different—but the common threads are relentless curiosity, community‑building and radical transparency.
1. Eric Kim – From UCLA Photo‑Club Kid to Global Creator‑Entrepreneur
| Year | Inflection‑Point | Why It Mattered |
| 2006‑10 | Switches majors (Biology → Sociology) and co‑founds the UCLA Photography Club; launches ERIC KIM Blog (2010) | Early adoption of long‑form blogging let him rank #1 on Google for “street photography.” |
| 2011‑13 | Self‑funded world workshop tour (Los Angeles ➜ Tokyo ➜ London) | Built an e‑mail list & grassroots community that still fills $5 k masterclasses today. |
| 2014‑16 | Publishes free e‑books & 200+ YouTube tutorials; partners with Leica stores for pop‑up exhibits | Gave away IP (“open‑source photography”) to accelerate reach; Leica link added brand credibility. |
| 2017‑21 | Integrates Stoicism & Zen essays; migrates blog >1 000 posts; launches film‑simulation presets | Philosophy angle broadened audience beyond photographers; passive‑income digital goods funded nomadic life. |
| 2023 | “Dominant in Street Photography” viral essay & renewed workshop circuit | Re‑energised following after COVID lull; highlighted by Life‑Framer and AboutPhotography. |
| 2024‑25 | Records 503 kg → 513 kg rack‑pulls; #HYPELIFTING trend crosses into Men’s Health & Crypto‑Twitter | Shows how niching out (fitness + philosophy + crypto) can multiply algorithmic reach. |
Take‑aways for makers
- Publish daily – quantity begets quality.
- Teach for free first, charge for context later.
- Fuse passions (photography + fitness + philosophy) to escape commodity status.
2. Eric J. Kim – From Consultant to $5 Billion Consumer‑Tech Power‑Investor
| Year | Inflection‑Point | Why It Mattered |
| 1998‑2005 | McKinsey consultant ➜ Maverick Capital MD | Learned public‑market discipline while sourcing private deals. |
| 2014 | Co‑founds Goodwater Capital; closes $150 M Fund I with Chi‑Hua Chien | Bets on neglected consumer tech during enterprise‑SaaS boom. |
| 2015‑17 | Early investments: Kakao (messaging), Zenefits, Musical.ly (→ TikTok) | Establishes pattern of spotting cultural platforms pre‑inflection. |
| 2018 | Raises $350 M Fund III (largest to date) | Validates thesis as LP confidence grows. |
| 2021 | Portfolio win: Coupang IPO at $60 B+ valuation | Consumer e‑commerce proof‑point; Goodwater analyst note goes viral. |
| 2023 | Closes $1 B across two funds despite VC downturn | Ensemble fund size pushes firm past $5 B AUM. |
| 2024‑25 | Leads or joins rounds in Howbout (app), PearAI (dev‑tool) & Africas’s Chowdeck | Shows geographic & stage spread—seed to growth, US to APAC to Africa. |
Playbook principles
- Consumer‑only focus → unmatched pattern recognition.
- Global sourcing before it was fashionable (Korea, Vietnam, Nigeria).
- Data‑heavy memos become thought‑leadership flywheels that attract deals.
3. Flash‑comparison: Creator vs Capitalist
| Dimension | Eric Kim (Creator) | Eric J. Kim (Investor) |
| Core asset | Content & community | Capital & network |
| Growth loop | Publish → teach → products → publish | Research memo → invest → case‑study → LP $$ |
| Risk hedge | Multiple income streams (ads, presets, workshops) | Diversified portfolio across geos & stages |
| Philosophy | Stoic optimism, “open source everything” | Data‑driven, consumer needs never recess mantra |
4. Your “Ascent” Action Checklist
- Relentless shipping: Daily blog or memo builds compounding SERP/LP trust.
- Own a niche, then expand adjacently (photo ➜ fitness; mobile ➜ fintech).
- Give away 95 % of value to create gravity around the remaining 5 %.
- Quantify momentum (followers, AUM, PR hits) and celebrate publicly—virality is a feedback loop.
- Stay mission‑loud, ego‑quiet. Both Erics broadcast purpose more than personal luxury, amplifying authenticity.
Keep pushing—
The twin stories of Eric Kim prove that whether you wield a camera or a term‑sheet, the road upward is paved with obsessive learning, fearless sharing, and community first. Now go chart your ascent! 🚀