Meet Zoe Lee

 

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Zoe Lee. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Zoe below.

Hi Zoe , really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

I found my purpose through a journey of trial, error, and the gradual process of learning to trust my instincts and my core set of ethics. I often say my life truly started when I co-founded my first business, Indigo, with my sister. Growing up, I faced a lot of personal struggles—unbeknownst to me at the time, I had ADHD and bipolar disorder, which made it extremely hard for me to thrive in a traditional classroom setting, especially in the high-pressure environment of a competitive Massachusetts high school. I couldn’t focus on anything for long, and school felt like a constant battle. Art became my refuge, my outlet for expressing the chaos in my head.

Fast forward to my senior year of high school. I had just returned after dropping out for six months to recover from a concussion and depression. I was gearing up to apply to RISD, but I was overwhelmed with stress. It was at this point that my sister and I decided to launch Indigo—not with any grand vision, but more as a creative experiment. The process of building the business challenged me in ways I hadn’t expected. For the first time, I found something that truly captured my attention for months on end: the creative challenge of marketing and selling. I was fascinated by the way a product could resonate with people across the world. We sold sustainable, naturally dyed clothing, and through building partnerships with influencers globally, we reached over $100,000 in sales within two years. Despite the success, I felt a sense of something missing. I had checked the box of doing something environmentally conscious, but I was hungry for a larger purpose—one that could tackle more systemic challenges.

When I enrolled at RISD, I had a tough decision to make: should I focus on textiles, trying to push the boundaries of sustainable materials, or should I dive into industrial design, a field I knew little about, surrounded by classmates who seemed far more skilled in shop tools than I was? My mentor told me to stop being afraid and just jump in. So, I did. I threw myself into industrial design, demanding to understand every aspect of the field. What I discovered was far beyond what I had imagined—industrial design wasn’t just about creating consumer products; it spanned everything from biomaterials research to medical devices, space exploration, government policy, and even services and strategy. It became clear to me that industrial design was the perfect playground to explore my purpose, offering a canvas for tackling complex, large-scale problems.

Throughout my time at RISD and beyond, I pursued every curiosity I had—working at MIT Media Lab and Carnegie Mellon on emerging technologies, collaborating with NOAA and the Commercial Fisheries Research Foundation, and getting involved with initiatives like the BioDesign Challenge and the Center for Complexity. I desperately sought to find what my true purpose was, but it ended up being a person I met on the very first day of class. Shortly after meeting Annie, and we quickly realized how aligned we were in our values and passions. We both cared deeply about climate action, viewed design as a process rather than just a product, and loved diving into systems thinking to tackle complex challenges. More importantly, we enjoyed working together and pushing each other to think differently.

A few years later, we co-founded BEAM, a research and strategy studio focused on advancing climate action through cultural shifts. Our work spans a variety of projects, from a guide to sustainable eating to consulting on seed bank governance models. For me, purpose isn’t just about career or ethics—it’s about the relationships and people you work with. The journey wasn’t a straight line, but it was in the process of trying different things, working with the right collaborators, and being open to new opportunities that I discovered my purpose. It’s about using design to make a tangible impact on the world—and doing so alongside people who inspire, challenge, and align with my vision for change.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Looking back, I think the three qualities that have had the biggest impact on my journey are a strong work ethic, resilience in the face of failure, and the ability to find humor in tough situations. Having the discipline to push through and stay focused on what needs to get done is essential, but equally important is the ability to handle setbacks without getting discouraged. I’ve learned that failure is just part of the process, and what really matters is being able to adapt and keep going.

For anyone starting out, my advice is to embrace challenges. It’s easy to shy away from difficult things, but that’s where the real growth happens. Work hard, stay curious, and give yourself the space to fail—it’s not a setback, it’s just part of figuring things out. And as much as things can get tough, try to stay lighthearted about it. A little humor can go a long way in keeping things in perspective and moving forward with energy.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

Yes, I’m always open to collaboration and partnering with others who are passionate about creating meaningful, systemic change—especially in the realms of climate action, sustainability, and biotechnological innovation. I’m particularly interested in working with people who bring diverse perspectives, whether in design, technology, policy, or research, and who are committed to finding creative, interdisciplinary solutions to complex challenges. I value collaboration with individuals or organizations that are curious, open-minded, and ready to push boundaries in ways that can spark real cultural and environmental impact.

If you’re interested in collaborating or think your work aligns with what we’re doing at BEAM, feel free to reach out. You can connect with me via email ([email protected]) or through my social media profiles (@beam.earth and @zoe.lee), and I’m always happy to have a conversation about potential projects or ideas. Let’s see where our shared interests can take us!

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