This is a book about Steve Kim, who in 15 years from 1985 to 1999, successfully formed two start-ups and garnered sensation in the US IT industry as Asia’s Bill Gates. It includes the immigration life of a young Korean who started with his bare hands and his experience of trials and errors during the process of founding his startups. Moreover, the book encompasses the management strategies he implemented and the hardships he endured as a businessman until he elicited unprecedented results in Nasdaq.

In 2007, he closed the chapter of his life in America and left behind his fame and splendor to return to his homeland in Korea. Then through a chance opportunity, he released his book, Asia’s Bill Gates, Steve Kim’s Dream Hope Future. After its publication, the book was in the spotlight of the press and the media, leading him to lecture throughout the country for the next 10 years. Then, through his Dream Hope Future Foundation (Korea) and the Steve Kim Foundation (U.S), he began scholarship and education businesses both home and abroad and has been implementing noblesse oblige through a variety of ways.

In 2016, he took over Sand Canyon Country Club, 35 miles north of Los Angeles, and poured all of his time into the operations of the golf course. Since then, he has beautifully restored the course while also creating an elegant, accommodating events venue. Originally a 36-hole course, he decreased it to 27 holes and began developing the Sand Canyon Resort and Spa where the remaining nine holes were located. He revised his book that had already been published in Korea to include the passion he has recently been pouring into managing the golf course and the process of resort development. Additionally, his vision, philosophy of life, and worry for the next generation will be better understood through the newly revised book.

In particular, this book will provide a more concrete understanding for those interested in the Sand Canyon Resort and Spa development.

Steve Kim was born in Seoul, Korea in 1949 and majored in electronics at Sogang University. In 1976, he immigrated to the United States where he went on to earn a master’s degree in communication engineering.
He later formed two successful startups, Fibermux and Xylan, which he eventually sold for $54 million and $2 billion, respectively. Since then, he dedicated his time and efforts doing charitable work and established the Steve Kim Foundation.
In 2007, he returned to Korea after 30 years of living in the United States and authored, Asia’s Bill Gates, Steve Kim’s Success Story –Dream Hope Future. With the release of the book, he appeared in many medias and lectured over 100 times a year. Through his lectures, a passion to help the youth was ignited and he established the Dream Hope Future Leadership Center in 2009.

Prologue — 4
CHAPTER 1
Seeking Hope
A humble beginning — 12
A desperate goal planted by my mother — 15
Entrepreneurship discovered in the army — 19
Bound for the United States — 21
American Dream became reality — 25

CHAPTER 2
Endless Challenge for a Better Life
Turning point of my life — 30
A reckless challenge — 33
An unexpected crisis — 36
First at bat – home run — 40
Fortune favors the prepared mind — 45
A distinctly different start — 49
Bill Gates of Asia — 62
Winning 60 out of 60 battles — 64

CHAPTER 3
How Could Success Be Possible?
Trusted CEO — 68
Management to maximize efficiency — 70
Recognition and reward — 73
Fear of failure — 76
Leading by example — 78
Relied on common sense — 80
DNA of a Korean — 82

CHAPTER 4
Where Happiness Comes From
A life of splendor — 86
Salon concert — 90
Happiness comes from recognition — 93
An uninvited visitor after success — 94
An attempt to find new passion — 96
A permanent return after 30 years — 99

CHAPTER 5
Meaningful Life in Korea
Steve Kim’s Success story,
‘Dream, Hope, Future’ published — 104
Newly discovered mission — 107
Third venture, DHF Leadership Center — 119
Miracle camp — 125
Most meaningful venture — 130

CHAPTER 6
Noblesse Oblige
Most precious use of money — 138
Scholarship for Yanbian — 144
A heartbreaking land, North Korea — 148
Nepal, the library closest to the sky — 152
Oh, Bangladesh! — 154

CHAPTER 7
Return to the Land of Opportunity
An endless challenge — 164
Trial and error — 171
Sand Canyon Country Club — 173
Rafael and his fellow workers — 175
New home for Rafael — 179
A beautifully reborn golf course — 181

CHAPTER 8
Last Wishful Venture
Sand Canyon Resort — 186
Resorts with the best views — 189
Resorts of the highest quality — 196
Family friendly resort — 203
Eco-friendly resort — 205
Resorts for the community — 207
Design process — 210
Santa Clarita Cultural Center — 214
The providence of God — 217
Epilogue — 220