Funding, pre-orders, the online store, advertising, partner services, and more. Wadizoffers a wide range of services designed to support makers’ growth and success. When makers utilize these services, who is the reliable partner by their side?
Today, we met the Maker Experience Team, who are always right by the makers’ side, helping them take safe and successful steps forward!
Hello, could you please introduce yourself?
Cha Jae-young: Hello. I’m Cha Jae-young, and I lead the Maker Experience Team. It’s been almost eight years since I joined Wadiz. I’m still the one in charge of “wrinkles” on the team. Over the years, I’ve led a wide variety of teams and handled everything from CX to project evaluation and management, as well as creating product detail pages and giving lectures. But the focus has always been on the makers. Maybe that’s why my wrinkles have gotten deeper? Haha, I’m serious!
Jo Eun-bin: Hello! I’m Jo Eun-bin, a team leader in the Maker PM Team. Previously, I worked in sales management at a distribution company. I enjoy working alongside the talented professionals in the PM Team, freely sharing ideas and constantly exploring ways to support Maker.
Please tell us about your current role and team!
Cha Jae-young: The “Maker Experience Team” consists of three teams: the “Maker PM Team,” the “Maker Experience Management Team,” and the “Content Team.” While the team name ‘Experience’ may seem abstract, it’s clear that we’re handling broader and deeper work related to makers than before. Among our recent projects, I recall the launch of the Maker Center website, the Wadiz Awards, support for makers affected by natural disasters, and CRM and promotional activities to promote our pre-order service.
You can think of the PMs on the “Maker PM Team”—which was established just one year ago—as Account Managers (AMs). This role was created to strengthen management, shifting the focus from individual projects to Maker accounts. For our Maker clients, you can think of them as a pacer who runs alongside you from start to finish on Wadiztrack.
We constantly think about and implement strategies to ensure our Maker clients continue to use our service successfully.
Jo Eun-bin: The Maker PM Team accompanies makers throughout the entire project journey—from the moment a maker submits a project until its completion—to help ensure their endeavors are successfully brought to fruition.
Even if a maker’s project comes to an end, we actively guide them on how to continue utilizing various services within Wadiz platform, such as funding, pre-orders, and the store.
We also seek ways to gather firsthand feedback from the field and drive process and service improvements by collaborating with relevant departments.
Therefore,communicating with makersisalso a key part of a PM’s job. By constantly reflecting on questions such as “What challenges are the makers facing?” and “During the project, what aspects could be improved to make this project even better?” and engaging in ongoing communication, we provide support and build positive relationships as partners.
Wadiz Maker PM Team
How did you come to join Wadiz?
Cha Jae-young: I previously worked in service planning for an education group and a social commerce company. To be honest, I joined Wadizbecause of a friend.A colleague I trusted at my previous job had joined Wadizfirst and told me, “I look forward to Mondays—I get to do both what I have to do and what I want to do.” I really wanted to see that for myself.I can clearly feel that the customers, the company, and my colleagues are growing in proportion to the effortIput in, andthat gives me a deep sense of satisfaction.
Jo Eun-bin: I used to work at a distribution company, where I handled franchise contract negotiations and sales management. Just as I was thinking about trying my hand at the online space rather than the offline one, I came across the Wadiz PM Team. I was really drawn to the idea of helping makers grow and creating value Wadiz, which is why I decided to make the move.
What are the most important skills and experience required for this role?
Cha Jae-young: “SinceWadizis a market leader, we’ve always had a lot of eyes on us and many trying to follow our lead. That meant even small choices and decisions came with a sense of responsibility and pressure. We need to be both cautious and swift, think with a sense of balance, and yet act with bold determination.”
Wadizis a two-sided platform with two types of customers: makers and supporters. We have to think and act from three perspectives: not just those of the two customer groups, but also from the standpoint of the intermediary platform. Of course, there are times when we fail. When failures were frequent, there were days when I wanted to write “beta” next to my name. Even when we fail, we mustn’t dwell on it for too long; instead, we need the mindset to reflect on it and use it as a building block for the tower of success. It’s not easy, but we just have to try again.
To makers, their products and services are like their own children, and the journey to launching a campaign Wadizis far from easy. While every maker I work with is unique, the reasons they need a project manager are similar. As I communicate with so many makers, there are times when I forget just how long and difficult that journey was. It’s important to make a conscious effort to never forget that.
Do you have any personal convictions or principles that you always try to uphold at work?
Cha Jae-young: The second ofthe five principlesis, “We embrace the rapid pace of change and stay ahead of the curve.”Once a trend takes hold, it’s simply impossible for a platform company operating across multiple categories to remain complacent and content with the status quo.
Jo Eun-bin: Of the five principles, my favorite is the fourth one: “We leave a positive impression on our partners and customers.”This principle represents the most critical competency for the Maker PM team. Since we’re a rapidly growing platform, it’s essential to maintain stability so that our customers—the Makers—don’t get confused, even when the service undergoes frequent changes. PMs must provide “accurate” guidance and help them successfully manage their projects.
To summarize, I believe that regardless of the circumstances, the PM team must quickly and accurately gather essential information that benefits creators and provide guidance, while also identifying ways to address the challenges creators face. As a result, I expect us to establish ourselves as a platform that delivers a positive experience to our partners. This will serve as a foundation for ensuring that creators continue to use Wadiz.
Wadiz Maker PM Team
Do you have any current projects or tasks, or any memorable projects (as a maker)?
Jo Eun-bin: If I had to pick one person, it would be the maker of “Jiyang,” the first project I managed as a PM. They ran a one-of-a-kind project offering Haworthia, a rare plant from South Africa, as a reward. The maker began researching Haworthia back in 2006. They reportedly experimented with various growing media in different environments—such as their home balcony and rooftop—to find the most suitable medium for cultivating Haworthia.
I’ve continued to develop the project and am still running it today. It’s been so successful that we’ve surpassed the cumulative goal of 100 million won. It’s a memorable experience because it gave me so much insight, and I’m filled with a desire to help even more. If you’re a maker who’s passionate about your work and constantly striving to create better products through continuous learning, I’d love to support you even more. It’s impossible not to feel inspired by that kind of passion.
What kind of new colleagues would you like to work with in the future?
If you have any tips for those interested in joining Wadiz, please share them!
Cha Jae-young: There wasn’t a single person at any company who was a genius or lagged far behind the rest. Given enough time and effort, everyone eventually reaches an average level of competence. However, there is a clear difference in whether someone “works without wasting time at the company, with a mindset of wanting to succeed, and enjoys their work.”People who work intensely while experiencing a whole new level of joyturn their experiences into success—time and time again. I am working alongside such colleagues, and I want to continue working with them.
Jo Eun-bin, Project Manager: I’d love to work with colleagues who are united by the mindsetof “If it doesn’t work out, we’ll just give it a try.”As a PM, we don’t just efficiently guide users throughWadizservices; we also explore various ways to support makers—such as sharing insights on project promotion to help ensure their challenges are successfully completed. I’m looking for a colleague who can put these ideas into action, who wants to join us, and who can enjoy working on this challenge.
My personal tip for applying is to ask yourself, “What is the most important skill a Maker PM needs to have?” I encourage you to seriously ask yourself, “If I were a PM, how could I use that skill to help the makers?” If you can confidently answer these questions, you’ll be a great fit for the PM team. So, why not apply to the Maker PM team?
Wadiz Maker PM Team
The Maker Experience Team is looking for people who are eager to take on new challenges and grow alongside makers who are more passionate than anyone else!
The Maker Experience Team is currently hiring👀
▶Click here for the Project Manager (Account Management/Operations) job posting
