Jessica Lee, Chicago UPS Store owner, business consultant, and community advocate, has built a professional life in Chicago that is defined by resilience, leadership, and inclusiveness. She operates two UPS Stores in the Northside business district, a vibrant part of the city’s commercial landscape. Her approach to business focuses not just on profitability but on cultivating opportunity—especially for individuals from communities often overlooked by mainstream employers.

She has managed several businesses throughout her entrepreneurial journey, including restaurants and nightclubs. At every venture, she opened her doors to employees frequently passed over elsewhere. Many of them came from disadvantaged backgrounds or were part of marginalized communities. Whether they were seeking a second chance or trying to find a supportive work environment, they found in her someone willing to take a chance on them.

What makes her story even more compelling is that she manages all these responsibilities while being a single mother to two children and navigating life as a deaf individual. Rather than slowing her down, these circumstances have strengthened her sense of purpose and adaptability.

A Culture of Inclusion and Dedication

Her approach to business is grounded in acceptance. She believes that people from all walks of life bring unique value to the workplace. This belief has guided her to create work environments where team members feel respected, heard, and empowered. Her leadership style is a combination of structure and openness, partly shaped by the cultural values she carried from her South Korean upbringing. These values include respect for tradition, community, and family—principles that continue to shape her goals today.

While she honors the traditions of her childhood, she is unafraid to innovate. She often challenges expectations and conventional business practices, guided by a desire to create sustainable, inclusive growth. Her work ethic reflects not just ambition but the result of steady discipline and a commitment to continuous improvement.

Educational Journey and Professional Development

Her academic background spans several respected institutions. She studied at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), DePaul University, and the Quantic School of Business and Technology, a Washington, D.C.–based online business school. She holds a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license and an MBA, which reflect her solid foundation in theoretical knowledge and practical experience.

These qualifications allowed her to explore multiple career paths. Earlier in her career, she was a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for start-ups and nonprofit organizations. Her work in these roles gave her valuable experience in budgeting, financial planning, and organizational management. Later, she transitioned into roles that combined her analytical background with technology, becoming an Enterprise Solutions Architect and a business consultant.

Launching and Running a UPS Store

Her decision to invest in UPS Store franchises was both calculated and strategic. She studied Biochemistry, Business Law, and Accounting at UIC and DePaul, and these disciplines informed her business decisions and operational planning. As a first-generation immigrant, she also carried the hopes of family members who had never ventured into business ownership before her.

She didn’t simply buy into a business—she fully immersed herself in learning every aspect. This included understanding the technicalities of packing, shipping, printing, and customer service, all essential to operating a successful UPS Store. Meeting the ownership requirements of the UPS franchise system was no easy task. It included satisfying stringent financial reviews, completing a four-phase training program, and undergoing multiple interviews. She met every challenge with determination and eventually earned the opportunity to open two UPS locations in the Chicago area.

Now, as a business owner, she uses her position to help other entrepreneurs, especially small business owners, with their mailing services, marketing materials, office operations, and fulfillment logistics. Her daily work often involves working directly with customers, navigating similar growth and development paths.

Technology, Strategy, and Business Consulting

In addition to managing her stores, she works as a Business Consultant and Enterprise Solutions Architect. She has been instrumental in helping some of the country’s largest companies—classified among the Fortune 1000—build efficient enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. Her role typically includes assessing and aligning IT infrastructure with long-term business strategies. This work often requires deep coordination between departments, ensuring that technological solutions match operational goals.

She provides strategic advice for smaller businesses tailored to day-to-day realities and long-term growth. Her ability to streamline systems and implement ERP tools makes her a valuable asset to clients who want to scale their operations or improve efficiency. These skills have also helped her manage the complexities of running retail franchises, where operational agility is key.

Commitment to Community Service

Her success has not distanced her from the needs of the community. She actively supports several charitable and nonprofit organizations. She has worked with institutions like St. Jude Hospital and Cabrini Green Legal Aid (CGLA), which works to ensure that community members have fair access to legal representation. Her support for the Women’s Business Development Center (WBDC) reflects her mission of empowering women through business education and ownership opportunities.

She also contributed significantly to the American Heart Association in 2023, aligning her values with charitable causes supported by the UPS Store network. For her, giving back is not an afterthought but a natural extension of her business philosophy.

She also works closely with local business chambers, including the Edgewater Chamber of Commerce and the Rogers Park Chamber of Commerce. Through these partnerships, she advocates for neighborhood businesses and helps promote city policies that make it easier for entrepreneurs to succeed. Her experience overcoming physical barriers adds a powerful perspective to her advocacy efforts, especially when pushing for accessible business resources and inclusive hiring practices.

Personal Strength and Future Outlook

As someone who manages the dual responsibilities of raising children and running businesses, she often draws from her personal experiences to inspire others. She speaks four languages—English, Spanish, Korean, and German—making her capable of engaging with people from diverse backgrounds. Despite her hearing impairment, her communication skills testify to her ability to connect, lead, and educate.

Her outlook on life centers on empowerment through education and financial literacy. She believes strongly that these tools are essential for the next generation. By instilling these values in her children and advocating for them in the broader community, she is helping to pave the way for a future where success is accessible to more people, regardless of their background or challenges.

Continuing Her Mission

Jessica Lee, the Chicago UPS Store owner, continues to use her platforms for business and advocacy. Whether offering consulting services, mentoring young professionals, or leading teams at her UPS stores, her focus stays the same: create opportunity, foster inclusivity, and deliver real value. Her journey is not only about individual achievement but about making space for others to thrive as well. And with every decision she makes, from hiring to helping other businesses grow, she reinforces her belief that success should be shared.