Ju Rhyu

Ju Rhyu is the founder and CEO of Hero Cosmetics, the company behind the cult-favorite Mighty Patch that redefined acne care and became one of the most successful K-beauty exports in America.

Born in Korea and raised in Seattle, Ju’s story spans continents — from her father’s entrepreneurial journey in the logging business to her own winding path through Brown University, a NGO in Kenya, Columbia Business School, Kraft Foods, and Samsung Electronics before taking the leap into entrepreneurship.

In our conversation, Ju opens up about growing up between cultures, the lessons she learned from her father about independence and business, and how a simple patch she discovered in Korea turned into a $630 million brand acquisition by Church & Dwight Co., Inc. We talk about the early scrappy days of bootstrapping, the mindset shift from scarcity to abundance, what it’s like building a category-defining brand, and how she’s now reflecting on life and purpose after a major exit.

For Asian American professionals and founders, Ju’s journey is a reminder that success doesn’t have to follow a straight line, and that sometimes the best way forward is to bet on yourself.