Leadership Spotlight: Min Yoo of EVmode
EVmode: EVmode is the only fully vertically integrated EV charging company that manufactures its chargers in the USA. This means that the design, firmware, hardware, software, engineering and sales are all under one roof – working seamlessly together to produce the nation’s most reliable and affordable EV charger.
What is your “Why?” – In life and business.
Everything I do is for my family. We were on a road trip together a few years ago in my electric car, and we pulled off to charge the battery and get some lunch. I pulled into 3 or 4 different charging stations and one after the other was broken. I was in a panic because I had 2% and I didn’t want my family to get stranded. Finally the last one worked, but I knew there had to be a better way to charge our cars while on the go – without having to disrupt our lifestyle. It was this “range anxiety” that inspired me to start EVmode and build a company unlike any of the other EV charging companies out there. EVmode is the first fully vertically integrated EV charging company that designs and manufactures everything here in America – which means better quality and more reliability.
What is something unique about you that we won’t find on your resume?
I love cars – especially good looking, fast cars. I drive an electric Porsche Taycan that I had upgraded with wheels and spoilers by my friends at Vorsteiner. It’s a great looking car!
What is the most important business lesson you have learned in starting your company?
Do your research. The success we have today at EVmode is because we reviewed all of the competition, figured out what they were doing and the success they were having (or not having) first. This research gave us a clear direction on how to not only design and build our own EV chargers, but also how to structure the company for success. Whereas approx. 40% of EV chargers have failed (according to a WSJ report), the 4,000 we have installed in the last two years maintain a 1% failure rate.
People might say we’re late to the game, but this gave us the opportunity to watch all the other companies in their trial and error, so we could do something different. We want to do it right and be reliable – that’s the integrity in our nature.
Teach us a lesser-known or industry-insider insight that our email list readers might find intriguing or enlightening about your field.
There is a lot of talk about the recent Infrastructure Bill and how it will cover the cost of replacing the many failed EV chargers out there. But what most people don’t realize is that the Bill is a one-time replacement for chargers along major highways. This leaves a lot of apartment complexes, retail centers, hotels, office complexes, shopping malls – most of the places we spend our days – out of luck with support to replace the failed chargers. The best thing those property owners and managers can do is replace them with EVmode chargers that are 30% faster, half the cost and much more reliable.
Is there a company or company leader who you admire? Why?
I really admire Isaac Hanna at IWH Companies. We worked together and after nearly two decades of friendship, he became my partner. To me, Isaac is a brother, a friend, a business partner. I believe that some of the most impactful companies are the ones you might not have heard of. Isaac has created that type of environment. He is someone who focuses on the success of those around him no matter what’s going on in his life. He balances work and family life, while still being successful in his work. He truly makes everyone around him better.
What values are important to you that you incorporate into the company you are building?
Trust, transparency and integrity are the ones that come to mind first. Our entire business model was designed to develop a product that people could trust. And there’s a lot of transparency that goes into that. We want to pull the curtain back to show people what is going on in the EV charging industry, how things are done, why they’re failing and in turn show people what makes EVmode different. People might say we’re late to the game, but this gave us the opportunity to watch all the other companies in their trial and error, so we could do something different. We want to do it right and be reliable – that’s the integrity in our nature.
What are you reading right now? And why?
Mostly reading articles on the EV charging industry and trends EV charging. It’s important to our company to keep up with automotive news.
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