TOKYO (TR) – Former South Korean skilled golfer Ahn Shin-ae, 35, famously dubbed the “Sexy Queen” for her revealing outfits on the inexperienced, is opening up about her transition to the sweetness business.
In an interview with weekly tabloid Friday (Nov. 6), she forcefully shoots down rumors {that a} rich sugar daddy is bankrolling her new enterprise.
“Golf is no longer my main business,” Ahn mentioned with a mischievous smile. “Through meeting various people and listening to them, I found something new I wanted to pursue.”
Ahn, who amassed three wins on the Korean tour and joined the Japan tour in 2017, constantly turned heads along with her signature mini-skirts and tight attire. Now, two years after stepping away from energetic competitors, she has traded the golf green for the boardroom because the CEO of her personal skincare model, Merbei.
Unsavory whispers
“I am now ‘playing’ as a company president,” she mentioned. “During my energetic profession, I at all times thought I might make higher sunscreens and cosmetics. After all, I had a whole lot of ‘exposure,’” she joked.
However, her sudden leap into the executive world sparked unsavory whispers.
“People often ask me, ‘Do you have a patron?’” Ahn revealed, referring to rumors of a wealthy financial backer. She firmly denied the gossip, stating that her startup capital was squeezed entirely from her prize money and earnings as a professional athlete.
No figurehead
Insisting she is no figurehead, Ahn emphasized her hands-on approach, personally traveling to factories from scratch to inspect chemical components and fragrances for products she genuinely wants to use.
Behind the scenes of her brand’s launch, Ahn additionally confronted a bitter private tragedy. She was nursing her father via a grueling battle with most cancers whereas making ready to ascertain the corporate. Following his demise final May, she spent months supporting her grieving mom earlier than lastly having the ability to totally concentrate on her enterprise earlier this 12 months.
“Business cannot be done alone”
Now roughly a 12 months into the launch of her model, the previous golf star admits she is feeling the company grind. Asked about gross sales, she merely laughed and replied, “Why is this so difficult?”
“In the past, I lived in a world where practicing hard meant earning money, and the only opponent was myself,” Ahn defined. “But business cannot be done alone. I spend my days asking for advice, delegating tasks, and doing sales pitches to move products.”
Calling herself an “amateur” as a president, she stays as formidable as ever.
“I don’t know if I can turn pro here, or become a legend with 30 wins on the Japan tour like Jiyai Shin,” she mentioned. “But that’s exactly why it’s a challenge worth taking.”