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vital to talk to bar patrons, taxi drivers,
local police officers, and anyone who has a
feel for what is happening in the community.
“I try to understand what consumers are
gravitating towards. If you understand your
target market, then you can come up with
a product that they like.”TRUMP TOWER:
LESSONS LEARNED
The project Joo Kim is most associated with
so far is the Trump International Hotel and
Tower, Vancouver. This was construction on
a grand scale. A 63-storey twisting tower
designed by architect Arthur Erickson, it
became the second-tallest building in the city.
Its construction history was complicated,
however, and the building became the centre
of immense media interest and protest, which
only heightened when its branding partner,
Donald Trump, started his presidential
campaign. Local politicians attempted to stop
the building going ahead and campaigned
to have the Trump name removed from the
Vancouver skyline.
Joo Kim says he learned an incredible
amount from the high-profile and oftenWhen you’re a younger CEO, you have
to work more collaboratively.
“I have a lot of weaknesses; don’t
get me wrong. But my strength, I think,
is that I have good vision. I have a naturally
inquisitive mind and I always try to
understand what’s going on in the world,
why people are acting or reacting in
a certain way.
“I’m also very passionate. I love design
and creating experiences; those are my
strengths. I’m strong in those things. And
I think I’m good at leading a team, and
giving them the vision and confidence.
I can get a team motivated, get them to
buy into and work for our goal.”
His deep curiosity has proven particularly
useful in figuring out what makes a real
estate development shine. While his peers
may be content to kick back in a cocktail
bar, Joo Kim will be trying to figure out why
the bar is buzzing while others on the same
street are dead. He is a subscriber to the idea
that a successful project in any field, be it
hospitality or commercial office space, will
have lessons that are applicable for his real
estate development work. “I will be like:
‘Dude, can you please tell me about your
business?’ ” he says. “I always want to know
how things work so I can learn more.”
When he is scouting a new area for a
development, he will study financial reports
and economic forecasts, but he also says it is