THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, March 4, 1996 TAG: 9603020152
SECTION: BUSINESS WEEKLY PAGE: 05 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JUANITA RAISOR, BUSINESS WEEKLY
LENGTH: Medium: 87 lines
At a Virginia Leadership Seminar conference, hundreds of high school students listened to a speech by a quiet South Korean woman who become an entrepreneur with two small businesses to her credit.
Among the many responses she received from the students, one was from a young woman who said, ``I have heard many inspirational speakers, but I will remember you forever.''
Just who made such an impression?
She was a college graduate from Seoul, majoring in political science, and a first Lieutenant in the South Korean Army working as a nurse when she met a U.S. Army officer. They married and in 1963 moved to Newport News, then relocated to Maryland. She brought her parents to the United States, establishing them in their own restaurant business. She started her family, a son, Jena and a daughter, Anina. Fourteen years passed. She changed.
She is GiAn Peterson, 56, owner of a travel service and temporary labor agency, and when she speaks, she stresses her determination.
``As I got older I needed to have a different kind of career, realizing that life is to short, I cannot stay in one career the rest of my life,'' Peterson said. The change caused a divorce and a move to Virginia Beach in 1978.
Peterson always enjoyed traveling and wanted to learn the travel business, but with a heavy accent and no experience in that industry she found it difficult to secure a position with an agency.
``Many travel agents wouldn't hire me because I wasn't experienced and I don't speak proper English. So I decided I would start my own agency,'' she said.
She formed Atlas Travel Service on Shore Drive in Virginia Beach and hired a manager who could teach her the business.
``Basically, I learned my trade from people who know more than me, and I wanted to help those individuals from other countries that seemed to be having trouble being understood. People are not stupid, they just have a different accent,'' Peterson said.
In 1990, that enterprising feeling hit again. Peterson formed Atlas Technology Services, a temporary labor agency that provides cleaning services to the shipyard.
``I realized that the shipyards needed cleaning services throughout the yard - general cleaning and drydock cleaning - so much cleaning to do. So I realized, I can do that too,'' she said.
And when necessary, she does.
Protected with hard hat and knee-high boots she has worked side-by-side with her employees cleaning the Navy ships.
Small businesses keep our economy afloat, but why is it such a struggle for them to succeed?
Peterson says ``it's the American mentality. The younger generation doesn't understand work ethics, hard work and integrity. They think, just give it to them. Minorities have to work harder than other people and just forget about it. Embrace the opportunity, just work harder because that's the situation now.
``We need to make things better for the next generation. I am no longer private GiAn, I am public GiAn and I want to tell young women - don't let men push you around,'' she added.
Her work ethics in business are focused on quality of service and integrity.
``If a mistake has been made, take the blame for it don't try to cover it up,'' she said. ``We have a party when somebody makes a mistake, because we all learn together from the mistake. I take the responsibility for any errors that occur in the business. I tell the customer - how can I correct it, you tell me.''
She says her personal work ethics are driven by a strong family background in Seoul. And, she proudly tells how her father is in his 80's and still working in the Korean/Japanese restaurant every day.
Peterson says her passion is to do what women haven't been able to do in the past. To somehow show the younger generation ``if I can do this you can do it better. Why not. That's why I'm here. To open doors.''
Peterson doesn't have much patience for excuses. Her advise to those who complain about low paying jobs - ``get two jobs or three jobs. Work seven days a week. I've done that.''
Peterson, who also speaks Chinese and Japanese, believes in self motivation. ``Nobody can motivate you. I never stop working. Live life, enjoy life, jump into life, take risks,'' she said. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by BILL TIERNAN
GiAn Peterson started a travel agency after her accent kept her from
another job.
by CNB