Ep. 573 - WEBTOON Global CFO and COO David Lee - Why Most Leaders Play Small… and How to Escape
Second in Command: The Chief Behind the Chief with Cameron Herold
Second in Command with Cameron Herold
4.9 • 224 Ratings
🗓️ 23 April 2026
⏱️ 42 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
What if the biggest thing holding your company back… is how you’re thinking about what’s possible?
In this episode, David J. Lee, Global CFO and COO of WEBTOON, breaks down a radically different way to approach growth, leadership, and innovation. From scaling a global storytelling platform with 155 million users to partnering with visionary founders, David shares how elite operators think beyond “high probability outcomes” and instead build toward what must be true to achieve breakthrough success.
This conversation dives into the realities of being a COO at scale, navigating public company pressure, leading global teams, and building trust with mission-driven founders.
If you’re tired of incremental thinking and want to unlock bold, category-defining growth, don’t wait. The longer you operate within “safe” assumptions, the more opportunity you lose. Hit play now for a rare, high-level perspective most leaders never access.
Timestamped Highlights
[00:00] – The mental trap that keeps leaders stuck in “safe” growth instead of breakthroughs
[02:32] – Inside WEBTOON: 155M users, 24M creators, and a global storytelling revolution
[05:47] – Why the best operators don’t specialize, and the real cost of being a generalist
[08:49] – The one question great leaders obsess over that most companies ignore
[11:28] – The brutal reality of going public, and why it forces true discipline
[15:41] – What separates high-integrity founders from the rest, and how it shows up daily
[19:01] – When a COO should stay… and when it’s time to walk away
[23:17] – How elite leaders stay calm in chaos, even in high-stakes environments
[26:23] – The hidden danger of “oversteering” and why great leaders step back
[33:14] – The “what must be true” framework used by NASA and top innovators
About the Guest
David J. Lee is the Global CFO and COO of WEBTOON, a global storytelling platform connecting millions of creators with over 150 million users worldwide. He has led major transformations across companies like Zynga, Impossible Foods, and Best Buy, bringing a unique blend of strategy, operations, and innovation to high-growth environments. Known for partnering with visionary founders, David specializes in scaling companies that are redefining entire industries.
Mentioned Resources
About the Co-Host
Sivana Brewer is a Fractional COO for Remote Teams and former COO at Closers.io, where she helped scale the company to multiple eight figures and built over 500+ sales teams in just 2.5 years. She specializes in leadership development, remote operations, and systems that empower teams to grow sustainably.
🔗 Connect with Sivana on LinkedIn
Important Links
- Connect with Cameron: Website | LinkedIn
- Explore the COO Alliance - The World’s Leading Community for Seconds in Command
- Get Cameron’s book: Second in Command: Unleash the Power of Your COO Book
- Take his course: Invest In Your Leaders Online Course (Use promo code PODCAST10 before the end of the month for 10% off)
- Chat or video call with AI Cameron via Delphi
The Second in Command Podcast is an original production hosted by Cameron Herold. Brought to you by COO Alliance. Production and editing by Podcast Your Brand.
Sponsored by:
Genius Network - An exclusive community for highly successful entrepreneurs, connecting you with top-tier leaders, strategic insights, and powerful relationships to help you grow your business faster and smarter.
Learn more: https://www.geniusnetwork.com/
Disclaimer: This episode was recorded on December 8, 2025. At the time of recording, David J. Lee had not yet assumed his current role. He is now the President of Wattpad and also serves as the Global Chief Financial Officer of WEBTOON Entertainment. Please note that any references in this conversation may not reflect his most up-to-date titles or responsibilities.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | I, as you know, tend to be drawn to missions where there's something brand new being created, |
| 0:07.0 | or at least something that the consumer hadn't experienced in the same way. |
| 0:12.1 | And one of the great limits I've learned is when you frame something narrowly as high probability |
| 0:18.2 | outcomes. Here's where we are and here's what I think we can achieve. And then let's |
| 0:22.1 | start with that and then determine what do I have to do in order to achieve that high probability outcome. |
| 0:29.5 | I find it incredibly limiting if you're interested in how technology can change future outcomes |
| 0:34.9 | because you're framing the problem in terms of what is high |
| 0:39.1 | probability today. When I talk about this golden nugget, start with what do you have to believe? |
| 0:44.1 | It's not meant for steady any situations where you really aren't being asked or want to break through. |
| 0:50.8 | This is about when you're at a company or in a business situation where there's |
| 0:54.7 | a lot of unknowns and volatility. So, for example, if you start with what you'd have to believe |
| 1:01.1 | to deliver an outrageously ambitious outcome. |
| 1:09.4 | Welcome to the Second and Command podcast, produced by the COO Alliance, and brought you by its founder, Cameron Harold. |
| 1:17.6 | In the Second in Command podcast, we talked to top COOs who share the insights, strategies, and tactics that made them the chief behind the chief. |
| 1:26.3 | And now here's your co-host, former CEOO of a multi-eight-figure remote company and alumni |
| 1:32.3 | member of the COO Alliance, Savannah Brewer. |
| 1:37.3 | We are live with David. |
| 1:38.8 | Welcome to the show. |
| 1:40.3 | Thank you so much for having me. |
| 1:42.3 | Of course. |
| 1:43.3 | Well, I personally have never heard of Webtoon before knowing that we were going to talk. And I started looking into it and realized this is a really, really big thing. So kick us off. For anyone who's listening that also doesn't know, tell us a little bit about Webtoon. What do you guys do and who do you serve? Well, I'm not surprised you may not have heard about us. |
| 2:01.7 | In fact, two years ago when I was looking at the company, I hadn't either, but my Gen Z daughter |
... |
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