Born in Thailand and raised in South Korea, Thai Lee was shaped by constant cultural shifts from a young age. Although her family practiced Christianity, her early education in a Buddhist primary school introduced her to ideas that would quietly guide her life and leadership.
There, she learned that life is marked by suffering, impermanence, and uncertainty. Rather than seeing these as obstacles, she absorbed them as realities to work with—an outlook that later became central to her approach to business and power.
Image Source: Asia Society
Embracing Suffering as a Path to Growth
A core Buddhist teaching Lee internalized early was that suffering is not a failure, but a condition of growth. This belief trained her to stay calm under pressure and to see difficulty as something to be managed, not avoided.
That mental discipline carried her through an intense academic path, including a double major in biology and economics. It also shaped her resilience at Harvard Business School, where she became the first Korean woman to graduate by staying focused on long-term purpose rather than short-term comfort.
Image Source: Freepik
Practicing Utility Over Ego in Business
When Lee purchased a failing IT reseller in 1989 for $1 million and renamed it Software House International, she rejected the idea of growth for growth’s sake. Guided by the Buddhist value of utility, she asked one simple question: does this technology truly help people?
Instead of chasing trends or flashy innovations, she prioritized practical solutions that made work more efficient and reliable. This steady, service-driven approach allowed SHI to earn trust over time, scaling quietly into a $16 billion global company serving major institutions like Boeing and AT&T.
Image Source: Expansión
Right Livelihood as the Measure of Success
As her wealth grew, Lee leaned more deeply into the Buddhist principle of Right Livelihood—earning success through ethical means and responsibility to others. She believes leadership should reduce harm, not amplify ego or excess.
Despite being the fifth-richest self-made woman in the United States, she avoids executive privileges and symbolic power. By parking with employees, managing her own calendar, and staying close to daily operations, she reinforces her belief that real wealth is measured by trust, dignity, and the well-being of the 7,000+ people she leads.
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