Sharon Shaw

• **99% ** — Client and Partner Satisfaction Rating with 100+ Visits Each Year

CHALLENGE
Hyosung’s demo center had become an outdated, underutilized space that felt more like a static product lineup than an engaging experience. I was initially asked to “just update” it without any direction, but the real issue was that it failed to reflect Hyosung’s innovation or tell a consistent story. Demos were fragmented, sales teams lacked a unified narrative, and customers often left without a clear understanding of Hyosung’s value. Without alignment across marketing, product, and sales, the center wasn’t driving engagement, differentiation, or measurable impact. The space also did not incorporate the new “Be Inspired” branding I created to position Hyosung as an innovative market leader.

SOLUTION
As part of Hyosung’s move, I was asked to update the outdated demo center, but reframed it as a strategic sales and marketing asset. I developed a business case, which was approved by the Americas’ CEO and the global president. I owned the project end-to-end—from concept and design through to vendor/contractor management, implementation, and ongoing operations. I selected and managed vendors for space design, audio-visual, a content management platform, building contractors, and a marketing agency.

The redesigned center featured themed banking and retail zones, each ending with a customer vignette (a bank branch and convenience store) to help clients see Hyosung solutions in their own context. I added an innovation corner to spotlight emerging technologies and an executive meeting space to host client meetings aligned with leadership visits. To build credibility as a new, foreign-owned provider, I created a Hyosung story wall and designed a signature—exploded ATM art piece to showcase Hyosung’s modular design competitive advantage.

I also integrated the new “Be Inspired” branding I created across signage, visuals, and interactive touchpoints, ensuring the experience reflected innovation and messaging consistency. To drive effectiveness, I built demo scripts and training for sales, tracked client and prospect visits, implemented visitor satisfaction surveys, and set a refresh cycle to keep content, demos, and branding aligned with evolving customer needs.

Transformed the customer experience center from a static demo room into a signature sales and marketing asset in just nine months and within budget. It hosted 100+ client visits and events annually, achieving a 99% satisfaction rating and accelerating sales by providing teams with a consistent story and an immersive environment to engage decision-makers. The addition of banking, retail, and innovation zones, executive meeting space, and the “Be Inspired” branding I created reinforced Hyosung’s innovation and credibility as a market leader.

The center also became a high-value platform for executives to meet clients, aligning leadership presence with customer engagements and strengthening strategic relationships. Sales teams benefited from unified narratives and training, ensuring customers left with a clear understanding of Hyosung’s differentiation and value. Compared to the outdated, underutilized space before, the center became a measurable driver of pipeline influence, brand trust, and market credibility.

Long-term, it established a scalable model for immersive storytelling, cross-functional alignment, and continuous improvement through visitor tracking and surveys.

Most importantly, it became a strategic asset for both marketing and sales—elevating customer perception, enabling deeper engagement, and positioning Hyosung as an innovative market leader.

• 125% — Financial Institution (FI) Revenue Growth
• **10% ** — Increased Retail Market Share from 70% to 80%
• Number One — Leader in ATM Market in North America

CHALLENGE
When I joined Hyosung, I was hired to establish the marketing function and create brand awareness in the US FI market. In this space, the company was struggling to penetrate as a new, foreign-owned solution provider. At the time, Hyosung held 60% market share in retail ATMs but needed growth from the FI sector with its new banking ATM solutions. Yet the company had no senior marketing leadership, no brand framework, and little structure to support sales campaigns. The brand consisted only of a logo, with no value proposition, messaging framework, or visual standards in place. Sales and product teams delivered inconsistent messages, leaving customers unclear on Hyosung’s differentiation and making it difficult for sales to gain traction.

Globally, Hyosung was an established manufacturer, but in the US FI space, it lacked industry recognition and credibility. Long-entrenched incumbents NCR and Diebold dominated with decades of reputation, visibility, and polished branding. Without a unified identity that reflected innovation and customer-centricity, Hyosung risked being seen as a low-cost hardware supplier rather than a trusted, innovative solutions partner. A brand transformation was critical not only to enter the FI market but also to align employees, strengthen partner relationships, and sustain retail leadership in a highly competitive landscape where growth depended on winning FI credibility.

RESEARCH
I began by interviewing executives, employees, customers, and partners to understand views and pain points. I benchmarked NCR and Diebold to see how they positioned with FIs and identified white space where Hyosung could stand apart. I assessed how Hyosung’s retail strength could translate into credibility with banks around innovation, reliability, and digital transformation.

IMPLEMENTATION
I created Hyosung’s first comprehensive brand identity, a value proposition, messaging framework, tagline, and visual standards that unified all touchpoints. The “Be Inspired” brand platform established Hyosung as a solution-driven innovator, moving beyond hardware to customer-centric experiences. The campaign emphasized four pillars: customer-centricity, technological advancement, digital transformation, and industry leadership. I partnered with agencies to create videos and develop digital assets while aligning sales, marketing, and executive teams through workshops and training.

“Be Inspired” launched globally through a new corporate website, the customer experience center, integrated campaigns, and product launches. Sales enablement and partner programs were retooled under the brand, ensuring consistent messaging. Storytelling showcased Hyosung’s innovation in self-service banking, cash recyclers, and software.

OPTIMIZATION
I established brand governance, templates, and audits to maintain consistency. Feedback loops with sales and customers guided continuous improvement.

Transformed Hyosung into a unified identity with the “Be Inspired” brand, elevating its credibility in the US and globally. Before, sales and product teams used inconsistent messages, leaving customers unclear on Hyosung’s differentiation. Afterward, the brand provided sales with a consistent narrative, partners with a precise positioning, and customers with a stronger sense of Hyosung as an innovative solutions provider.

Within the first year, the brand anchored campaigns and go-to-market programs fueled measurable growth: FI division revenue reached 125% of target in 2023, while retail gained 10 points of market share (from 70% to 80%). Hyosung secured elevated recognition in the FI space, standing out against entrenched incumbents NCR and Diebold by demonstrating innovation, reliability, and a customer-centric approach.

Globally, “Be Inspired” extended Hyosung’s influence through a redesigned website, new marketing campaigns, and the introduction of a new customer experience center, which embodied the brand’s promise. Employee engagement and partner adoption were high, as the brand became a unifying platform internally and externally.

Long-term, it delivered more than awareness. It positioned Hyosung as a credible, innovative market leader, accelerated sales traction in the FI market, and proved how brand transformation can create measurable growth.

• **Successful ** — Banking and Retail Launch of BlueVerse SaaS Platform with Go-to-market Adoption
• 50% — Existing Customers Engaged with SaaS Within the First Year
• 15% — New Revenue as Recurring SaaS Subscriptions in the First Year
• 20% — Increased SaaS Space Pipeline Growth from FI and Retail Software Opportunities

CHALLENGE
Hyosung, long recognized as a leader in retail ATMs with 60% US market share, faced a critical challenge—driving growth in FIs while also maintaining leadership in retail and evolving beyond hardware into software and services. The industry was shifting rapidly toward SaaS delivery, with entrenched incumbents like NCR and Diebold already positioned as innovators. Hyosung, however, was still primarily perceived as a hardware manufacturer and risked falling behind, especially as FI prospects sought trusted partners with proven software roadmaps.

The limitations of the existing software model reinforced this perception. Clients often delayed upgrades due to the cost of new versions, leaving systems outdated, out of compliance, and vulnerable to security risks. This created exposure for customers and limited Hyosung’s ability to demonstrate leadership. At the same time, the portfolio lacked clarity, with products marketed under fragmented names, such as Active and Moni, which created confusion, limited cross-sell opportunities, and made it difficult to tell a cohesive story across FI and retail.

The challenge was not only to evolve from one-time charge software to SaaS but to unify the portfolio under a clear identity, reposition Hyosung as a solutions provider, and equip sales and partners with the tools to compete in a fast-changing industry while protecting retail share and accelerating credibility and growth in the FI market.

RESEARCH
I partnered with executives, product teams, sales teams, and customers to uncover perceptions and identify adoption barriers. Research confirmed Hyosung was seen primarily as a hardware provider, with customers asking, “Why pay more for the same thing?” Customers were also frustrated by the fragmented names, saying the software “felt disconnected.” Many delayed costly upgrades, leaving systems outdated and non-compliant.

IMPLEMENTATION
I owned the creation of BlueVerse, a unified SaaS family brand that consolidates all offerings under one identity. I reframed messaging from products to business outcomes: stronger compliance, improved security, continuous updates, and lower long-term cost of ownership. I built Hyosung’s first SaaS go-to-market framework, including positioning, messaging, visual identity, and enablement. To drive adoption, I launched digital campaigns that highlighted the business value and targeted ABM programs to reach strategic customer decision-makers while leading cross-functional alignment through sales training and channel enablement. I managed agencies to produce creative assets embedding BlueVerse across the website, partner programs, events, and product launches.

OPTIMIZATION
I established governance to protect the BlueVerse identity, set KPIs to track adoption and perception, and created feedback loops with sales, partners, and customers to refine campaigns and enablement tools in line with SaaS market needs.

Launched BlueVerse, marking Hyosung’s evolution from hardware-centric to a SaaS-enabled solutions provider. Unified Hyosung’s SaaS identity with clear, business outcome-driven messaging and developed an enablement program that equipped sales and partners to effectively compete against NCR and Diebold. By creating BlueVerse and leading its end-to-end go-to-market strategy, I built the foundation for Hyosung’s SaaS growth, delivering a measurable revenue impact and repositioning the company for the future.

The first SaaS go-to-market strategy was rolled out across the financial institutions and retail verticals, supported by digital campaigns and targeted ABM. Within the first year, 50% of existing customers engaged with SaaS offerings, establishing a foundation for adoption. The transition also generated new recurring revenue streams, with SaaS subscriptions representing a growing share of pipeline opportunities.

Long-term, BlueVerse elevated Hyosung’s market perception, shifting from being viewed as “just hardware” to being recognized as an innovator delivering secure, compliant, and continuously updated solutions. The family brand also provided clarity across the portfolio, supporting cross-sell opportunities and sustaining retail leadership while accelerating FI credibility.

• Within 2 Years — Achieved Company Profitability for the First Time in a Decade
• **Double Digit ** — Growth in Target Verticals
• 70% — Revenue Influenced by Engaged Channel Partners

CHALLENGE
When I joined Oki Data, the company had not achieved profitability in 10 years and was struggling in the printer market dominated by HP, Canon, and Xerox. Despite solid technology, Oki was perceived as a commodity vendor, relying on transactional printer sales with shrinking margins. Sales often led with specs and price, which eroded profitability and reinforced the view that Oki competed only on cost and not as a provider of solutions.

Marketing mirrored this gap. Campaigns and collateral emphasized features rather than business outcomes, leaving customers unclear on Oki’s value beyond the product. The approach failed to demonstrate how Oki could address real business challenges such as cost control, workflow efficiency, and security. Marketing was fragmented, focused on brochures, trade shows, and promotions with little alignment to sales strategy or profitability goals. Channel partners and distributors, central to Oki’s business model, had limited enablement, outdated incentives, and no tools to differentiate Oki in higher-value segments.

The challenge was not only to reverse a decade of losses but also to reposition Oki in a highly competitive market, shifting from a hardware-led to a solution-led marketing approach, engaging channels with programs that drove profitability, and targeting higher-margin verticals. Without a strategic turnaround, Oki risked being permanently marginalized as a low-cost printer vendor with no path to sustainable growth.

SOLUTION
I began by analyzing market dynamics, customer needs, and competitor positioning. Research confirmed that Oki could not compete solely on price, but there were opportunities in vertical markets where specialized solutions were crucial. Sales were leading with specs and discounts, not solving business problems.

IMPLEMENTATION
I led the creation of Oki’s first integrated marketing strategy, shifting the company from hardware-led to solution-led marketing. Central to this was the development of Connected Print, an innovative QR code application that bridged the physical and digital worlds. It reframed Oki as more than a printer company by showing how its technology could integrate devices, software, and services to deliver real business outcomes. I launched Connected Print at NRF, positioning it as a proof point of Oki’s shift toward solutions innovation.

I built a strong value proposition and messaging framework around Connected Print and launched solution-oriented campaigns tailored to healthcare, retail, and education. To drive adoption, I created sales enablement toolkits, vertical programs, and restructured channel marketing with MDF and incentives tied to profitability. Campaigns ran across digital, ABM, field, and partner channels, ensuring consistent storytelling.

OPTIMIZATION
I implemented dashboards to measure ROI, campaign performance, and channel engagement, and worked closely with sales to refine targeting and align marketing to margin growth.

Led the marketing transformation that reversed a decade of losses, repositioned Oki as a solution-led competitor, and proved how marketing can directly drive profitability and sustainable growth. The launch of Connected Print at NRF became the centerpiece of Oki’s repositioning, shifting the company from a hardware-led printer vendor to a solutions provider recognized for innovation. Before, sales led with specs and discounts, leaving Oki perceived as a commodity competing on price. After, Connected Print and solution-led marketing reframed the value story around business outcomes like efficiency, workflow, security, and cost savings. This enabled Oki to compete more effectively in vertical markets where larger OEMs had long dominated.

The turnaround delivered measurable results. Within two years, Oki achieved its first profitability in a decade, demonstrating the impact of solution-led marketing. Vertical-focused campaigns drove double-digit market share growth in healthcare, retail, and education, while new partner incentives and MDF programs increased channel engagement, influencing more than 70% of revenue. Sales teams were equipped with toolkits and messaging that enabled higher-margin opportunities, and marketing was viewed not as a cost center but as a growth driver.

In the long term, the Connected Print framework provided a scalable platform for future innovation and created a blueprint for how Oki could continue to bridge physical and digital experiences.

• 100% — of Product, Sales, and Stakeholders Engaged in Coordinated Launch Execution
• On-time — Launch Delivery with Zero Major Customer-impacting Issues
• Over 90% — Sales Readiness at Launch, Supporting Faster Market Adoption

CHALLENGE
Several years into my role at Hyosung, the company was preparing to launch a new generation of self-service products for the retail market, the next growth initiative following the establishment of credibility in financial institutions. Retail represented a critical opportunity for Hyosung to expand its footprint and diversify revenue, but there was a pattern of poorly executed launches. I began hearing rumblings from the field that prior rollouts had been disorganized, with sales and partners frustrated by gaps in readiness, inconsistent messaging, and last-minute scrambles. The concern was that this high-stakes launch would follow the same path, damaging confidence and slowing adoption.

There was no formal launch process in place, but just ad hoc coordination across silos. Critical functions, including product management, software, finance, operations, field service, parts, legal, marketing, and channel sales, lacked a unifying framework to guide timing, ownership, and readiness. The result in past launches had been missed deadlines, incomplete enablement, and a fragmented customer experience.

Recognizing the risk, I volunteered to take on the challenge. The goal was not only to ensure this launch went smoothly, but also to create a repeatable framework that aligned cross-functional teams, equipped sales and partners with the right tools, and strengthened Hyosung’s credibility in retail, as it was striving to establish leadership and accelerate growth.

RESEARCH
After volunteering to lead the launch process, I first listened to concerns from sales, partners, and internal teams about past rollouts. The feedback was consistent: unclear responsibilities and deadlines, and poor communication had left stakeholders scrambling. I studied how previous launches fell short and identified key pain points, including a lack of cross-functional coordination, inconsistent messaging, and gaps in readiness.

IMPLEMENTATION
I created Hyosung’s first structured product launch framework, built in Smartsheet to provide transparency, milestones, and accountability. I organized cross-functional workstreams with function leads for each critical area: product management, software, finance, operations, tech support, field service, parts, legal/compliance, marketing, sales, and channel partners. Each workstream was assigned deliverables and deadlines, all tracked in the centralized plan.

I also reframed the approach from task execution to business outcomes, ensuring sales enablement and partner toolkits were ready ahead of launch. I facilitated regular cross-team check-ins to identify risks, align messaging, and close gaps early. As a result, sales, partners, and field teams were equipped with the necessary materials and confident in their readiness.

OPTIMIZATION
I documented the framework as a repeatable process for future launches, capturing lessons learned and formalizing accountability. This became the model for subsequent product rollouts.

Identified a critical gap and volunteered to lead, building a framework that delivered a successful retail launch and established a best practice that enhanced Hyosung’s go-to-market execution. The new framework transformed Hyosung’s approach to product launches. What had previously been siloed, ad hoc, and reactive became a coordinated and repeatable process that engaged every critical function. For the first time, sales, marketing, operations, and partners were fully aligned and launch-ready.

The retail self-service product was delivered on time and without major issues, in contrast to earlier launches that had been delayed or inconsistent. Sales and partners reported being better prepared, with more than 90% of the sales team trained and equipped with toolkits at launch. Channel partners had clear messaging and materials in hand early, enabling them to go to market in sync with Hyosung.

The launch was widely recognized internally and among partners as one of the smoothest in the company’s history, strengthening confidence among executives, sales teams, and the channel. It also reinforced Hyosung’s credibility in the retail market, showing customers that the company could deliver complex innovations with discipline and consistency.

Long-term, the process I created became the model for future launches, ensuring repeatability, accountability, and alignment.