SEATTLE – Jane Park, the founder and CEO of Seattle-based start-up Tokki, can attribute her successful career and life to a random act of kindness that allowed her to take her SAT test in high school. Park arrived at the testing center without money to pay for the exam, unaware that there was a fee. However, a kind stranger behind her in line paid for the test and provided their address for Park to send a reimbursement check. Reflecting on that moment, Park wishes she had kept the address to express her gratitude and share how that act of kindness changed her life.
Park’s career journey has been impressive. Uncertain about her future, she left Toronto to attend Princeton University, where she graduated from the School of Public Policy and International Affairs. To fulfill her parents’ wishes for her to pursue higher education, she applied to law school, though she had planned to work at a women’s cooperative in India. After being enrolled in law school, Park discovered her passion for entrepreneurship and went on to work as a lawyer, as well as at Boston Consulting Group and Starbucks.
In 2002, Park moved to Seattle after being recruited by Starbucks. Inspired by her desire to create a clean, green social parlor experience for women and provide a better workplace environment, she founded her first start-up, Julep. The idea for Julep came when Park wanted to take her best friend to a spa but found the experience unsatisfactory. She realized that women lacked similar social spaces to hang out, connect, and discuss work. Julep grew into an online beauty company with a subscription model and raised over $50 million from high-profile investors. Park ultimately sold the company in a $120 million deal in 2016.
Park’s newest venture, Tokki, also focuses on a social mission. When the Seattle area faced the aftermath of wildfires in 2019, Park became concerned about the disposal of wrapping paper. She discovered that most wrapping paper is not recyclable due to its materials, such as sparkles, fuzz, and saturation. Drawing inspiration from her grandmother’s use of bojagi—squares of silk used to wrap gifts—Park created Tokki bags made from recyclable water bottles. Target stores featured the gift bags during the previous holiday season, and Tokki continues to expand its distribution and partnerships.
Throughout her career, Park has faced challenges as an Asian woman in entrepreneurship, particularly in raising funds for her start-ups. Despite these challenges, she has successfully secured a significant amount of funding as a woman of color, though she acknowledges the ongoing struggle for female-run businesses to gain capital support. According to a research report from the Harvard Kennedy School, female-founded ventures receive a disproportionately small share of venture capital funding, highlighting the continuing gender gap in the industry.
Park is also dedicated to giving back to her community. She mentors young women, emphasizing the importance of embracing failure and taking risks. By encouraging her interns to seek failures or rejections, she empowers them to step out of their comfort zones and pursue opportunities without the fear of imperfection. Additionally, Park serves as a board member for the Washington State Opportunity Scholarship, an organization that helps low- and middle-income students achieve their educational goals in high-demand fields.
Beyond her career and philanthropic endeavors, Park has a newfound passion for hiking in the Pacific Northwest. She has encouraged her parents, who recently moved to Seattle from Toronto, to explore outdoor activities such as hiking, seaweed harvesting, and crabbing. Park cherishes this connection to nature and appreciates the cultural significance of hiking in Korean culture.
Jane Park’s journey from a high school student who received a random act of kindness to a successful entrepreneur and advocate for women’s empowerment showcases her resilience and determination. Her story serves as an inspiration to others, demonstrating the potential for personal and professional growth when one perseveres and embraces opportunities.