[W Frontier] CEO Jang Seo-jeong, Creator of 'Jaranda,' to Overcome Parenting Gaps

2021 Asia Women Leaders Forum 10th Mentor
Jang Seo-jeong, CEO of 'Jaranda,' a Matching Service for Education and Care Sitters
"I Want to Create a Culture Where Neither Children Nor Women Are Sacrificed"

Jang Seo-jeong, CEO of Jaranda, is being interviewed at the office set up in Justco, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

"Kids, it's such a waste for me to live only as your mom. I'll do just this much as a mom, and the rest I'll do something else."

This was what Jang Seo-jeong, CEO of Jaranda, said to her children when she faced a crossroads while preparing to start her business alone. CEO Jang values her career deeply. Jaranda was created from the belief that other moms feel the same way. She said, "I still hear people say, 'When does the CEO spend time with her kids if she works overtime?' It still feels uncomfortable to be seen as a selfish person who loves work and neglects her children," adding, "I created Jaranda because I wanted to raise my kids well while doing my job well."

CEO Jang worked for 10 years in user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design at Motorola, and for 2 years in digital business strategy at Cheil Worldwide. In June 2016, she started Jaranda as a solo entrepreneur. Jaranda is a platform that matches parents with sitters who help with childcare and education, with 100,000 teachers registered. CEO Jang’s own children grew with the help of these teachers, and that idea became the foundation of Jaranda.

She emphasizes to her children that their mom and dad are two equal adults rather than focusing on the difference between mom and dad. She said, "I told them not to disturb mom when she’s working, and that sometimes mom is busier than dad. I also told them not to compare me with other moms," adding, "The term ‘busy mom’ is less accurate than ‘busy adult.’"

Although she is now in her fifth year of entrepreneurship, there are not many female entrepreneurs to network with or share concerns. Many founders of women-oriented services are men. CEO Jang explained, "It’s very difficult to find female developers in the IT field. When hiring, there is a large talent pool in education or marketing, but almost none in development," and added, "Women tend to change careers in their mid-30s, called the ‘death valley,’ or when their children enter elementary school. I hope services like Jaranda can help women continue their careers. That’s how infrastructure is built."

In the past, having children was taken for granted, and it was difficult to openly express the challenges of parenting. The struggles of today’s generation of parents who work while raising children are no longer considered normal. CEO Jang said, "The attitude toward children has changed. Nowadays, there is a stronger desire to see children as independent beings and to find out what they want," adding, "Women no longer think they have to quit work after marriage. Choosing to have children despite that means they have a strong desire to raise them well."

This is also why services like Jaranda can grow even as birth rates decline. CEO Jang emphasized, "There are more and more products, services, and spaces for children born after enduring everything," and said, "If children enjoy the time while I’m working, we can both be happy. I want to create a culture where children and adults coexist and live side by side, without either side sacrificing."

Jang Seo-jeong, CEO of Jaranda, is being interviewed at the office set up in JustCo, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

Working moms face many challenges, such as when their child is sick or starts elementary school. CEO Jang also spent 1 year and 6 months with her children. She recalled, "When my eldest was in first grade, I quit my job and took a 1.5-year break. I realized that what I wanted was not just to be by my child’s side, but to balance work and family," adding, "Creating the Jaranda system was important for me to work. It was to avoid collapsing whenever there was a childcare gap."

She said, "If you feel a thirst for time spent with your children, I recommend taking that time. But I want to tell you that you can always come back," and added, "Being able to rest is ultimately confidence. Removing fear is the most important thing."

Her advice to female juniors is also that "it’s okay to rest." CEO Jang said, "I hope they think about working long-term. I’ve seen many colleagues struggle with health, childcare, and marriage," and advised, "Even if you take a break, think about what you want and center yourself to continue your career."

During her break, CEO Jang spent time as the mother of Yujun and Yuchan and shared an episode about a campaign called ‘Calling Names’ with neighborhood moms. She said, "I felt it was a shame to be called just ‘someone’s mom,’ so I started calling the names of my children’s friends’ moms and opened up about my previous jobs. It was touching to learn that everyone had dreams and careers," adding, "The group chat where we shared talents and careers and started calling each other by name is still ongoing."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.