After graduating from GMBA in 2011, Jirawut stayed in Taiwan to work. He worked, in cooperation with friends, as an overseas purchasing dealer. He found that overseas purchasing held great potential for business opportunities, and soon resigned from his job to found a new company “Bangkokian 曼谷人”. Despite experiencing a difficult beginning, he is now ready to enter the international market, in large part due to the lasting effects of the “GMBA experience”. From a humble start as a Thai student on scholarship, Jiruwat was able to build a successful fashion accessories business in Taiwan. He attributes the turning points to his success as fate.
Coming to Taiwan was a coincidence and NCTU was an even bigger coincidence
A short and thin boy carrying a cotton handbag, Jiruwat hid his gentle eyes behind glasses and a shy smile. As soon as he spoke, it was with fluent Chinese. He said before he arrived in Taiwan, he couldn’t speak a word of Chinese. He practiced intensely every day so that he would be able to stay in Taiwan to work.
Jiruwat studied Finance in college, entering the Thai Prudential Associate Certified Public Accountants PwC as a consultant. He offered guidance to companies that wanted to enter the Thai market. Although the work was difficult, he slowly built up his skills. One day, he happened to pass by the Taiwan Education Center and saw the International Student Scholarship announcement. His heart swelled with a bold idea. Originally, he had planned to go to the UK to study, but what if he changed the location, choosing to go to Taiwan instead?
“Just as I decided to apply, the person in charge told me the only deadline for application that had not passed was NCTU’s GMBA program. So that is how I decided to come to GMBA.” Speaking about this, Jiruwat felt a little embarrassed. “But, I have never regretted my decision to come”, he said earnestly.
Always support your “family” - the feeling of GMBA
“In fact, I was not a very serious student, and I went to Taipei to have fun every weekend.” When asked how he maintained the heavy coursework at GMBA, Jiruwat shyly rubbed his head. Unlike other students, only when he needed to meet for group discussions did he go to the GMBA lab, going there so few times that he lost his personal locker keys.
The MBA courses are centered around discussion, and you have to work with students from different countries and different backgrounds. It is inevitable that in the process, people will have different opinions, and sometimes disputes are difficult to avoid. According to Jiruwat, he personally does not like positive conflict, and waits until everyone has expressed their own opinions to make a decision as a group. His previous work experience frequently communicating with customers was very helpful at this time.
“After brainstorming, you come up with a lot of creative ideas. It’s great!” Jiruwat said he gets most excited observing the different personalities of each group member and seeing the innovative ideas the team comes up with. In school, everyone works closely together, forming close bonds with fellow classmates. These classmates stay in contact for many years and when they encounter difficulties in work, they will often ask each other for help.
You will not know how difficult something is until you do it, but practice is most important.
Thinking back over the difficult year establishing his business, Jiruwat’s expression was emotional but satisfied. In the beginning, he felt like a blind person. From selecting styles, finding designers, creating molds, contacting factories, to pricing, product photography, and online advertising, Jiruwat needed to understand each process in the business. Step by step, he began to accumulate experience. Now, the company is steadily growing and is planning a sub-brand and overseas market expansion. “What I learned at GMBA helped me form the foundation of various business processes, and has been extremely helpful in establishing my company” Jiruwat nodded his head and said. Due to the rapid progress of Internet technology, the relevant business practices have also rapidly evolved, every step is adjustment and learning.
Running a part-time business and establishing a new company are completely different. “Establishing a business is very difficult. Occasionally, you want to give up. But in the most difficult times, I will go to pray with my business partners. Then, we cheer each other up and carry on,” he wryly smiled telling his story. At the end, Jiruwat said if he had another opportunity to choose, he would make the same decision: he would come to Taiwan, meet people in the GMBA program that became family, and realize his business dreams.
“You must bravely step out of your comfort zone and discover new opportunities. Once you have chosen a path, never regret your decision.”
文字、攝影/Shawna
照片提供/王吉悟Jirawut
翻譯/Liz
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