[Good Job SME](19) "Creating a Life Where Everyone Becomes Healthier Through Sleep"

Interview with Lim Ok-young, CEO of Imbest
Over 100% Sales Growth This Year
Innovating Bedding Market by Reflecting Customer Needs

Editor's NoteSmall and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of the national economy. Numerically, 99% of companies in our country are SMEs. SMEs are the workplaces of the people. 81% of workers are employed by SMEs. When SMEs falter, our economy shakes and the jobs of the people are threatened. However, negative perceptions of SMEs persist. Low compensation, unguaranteed 'work-life balance,' and uncertain future growth prospects. Despite the tough job market, young people avoid SMEs. Here, there are people fighting these prejudices and creating good jobs and SMEs. They develop technologies that can compete with large corporations. They also devote efforts to building sound financial structures and corporate cultures to provide stable living foundations for employees. On the ground, there is the struggle of SME owners who fulfill corporate social responsibility while nurturing companies where employees can take pride. Asia Economy visited the field and directly heard their voices.

"Whether rich or poor, I want everyone to create a healthy life through sleep." Lim Ok-young, CEO of Imvest, said the reason she quit a well-established job eight years ago and started a business at the age of forty-five was because of 'sleep.' Not just any sleep, but 'good sleep.' Everyone spends one-third of their day sleeping, but many do not get good sleep. CEO Lim set the goal of 'a healthy life through good sleep.' After experiencing rapid growth post-startup, the company also faced stagnation due to COVID-19. After many restless nights, like finally falling into deep sleep, Imvest's challenge has now begun to bear fruit.

On the 13th, CEO Lim said, "We have achieved 5 billion KRW in sales through the third quarter this year, already surpassing 100% of last year's sales," adding, "We are diversifying channels and creating good cases in the business-to-business (B2B) market based on our technological capabilities, so we expect profit margins to increase next year." Imvest is a company specializing in functional sleep products. It sells products under the brand 'I'm Sleeping.' They develop products for comfortable sleep such as pillows and topper mattresses. The materials vary, including memory foam.

Im Ok-Young, CEO of Imbest, is explaining the product.

As interest in sleep quality rises, competition in this market has become fierce recently. CEO Lim said the company's competitiveness lies in understanding well what customers want from sleep products. She explained, "For example, consumers often worry most about pillow height when choosing one, but products on the market had fixed heights," adding, "We incorporated adjustable height pads so that it can be finely tuned."

This attempt fully reflects CEO Lim's experience. She worked in a company that developed memory foam materials for sleep products, covering development, production, marketing, and sales. CEO Lim explained, "Having met many customers in the sleep product market more than anyone else and knowing well what customers want, I was able to create products that customers desire."

Imvest continues to research consumer needs. They established the Good Sleep Research Institute to study the sleep of Koreans. CEO Lim believes that since climate, environment, and diet differ by country, sleeping habits inevitably differ as well. She said, "The Good Sleep Research Institute studies the body types, sleep environments, and sleep cultures of Koreans and develops products based on this research."

Im Ok-Young, CEO of Imbest, is explaining the product.

Through research and development, Imvest now holds nine registered patents related to sleep product materials. Their technological capabilities have led to new attempts in Korea's bedding market. For example, responding to the demand for eco-friendly materials, they developed collagen bedding that is worn and covered. CEO Lim explained, "It is an eco-friendly fiber woven from collagen yarn extracted from fish scales, biodegradable," adding, "It has functions such as skin moisturizing, deodorization, UV protection, antibacterial, and temperature regulation."

They also developed functional pillows infused with herbal medicine and aroma scents, exporting over $50,000 to China. In the second half of this year, they launched the 'Success Pillow,' optimized for height and comfort to relieve stress for exam takers. For winter preparation, they released a heating topper that works without electricity. CEO Lim said, "I believe the evolution of business lies not in technology but in products that reflect consumer desires."

Having achieved business stabilization and 100% sales growth this year, CEO Lim is now also focusing on making sure employees can be happy during their working hours. She said, "Imvest's operational principle is to be a safe platform where employees can fully demonstrate their abilities without worry."

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