WEBVTT 00:00:10.830 --> 00:00:13.550 Welcome to Students Incorporated. I'm your host, 00:00:13.589 --> 00:00:16.329 Mr. Jason. Join me weekly as my students and 00:00:16.329 --> 00:00:18.870 I bring you content that's informative, positive, 00:00:19.010 --> 00:00:21.809 fun, and uplifting. This podcast is created and 00:00:21.809 --> 00:00:23.969 produced with the help of students from the International 00:00:23.969 --> 00:00:31.070 Community School of Bangkok. We often hear that 00:00:31.070 --> 00:00:33.109 the restaurant business is one of the toughest 00:00:33.109 --> 00:00:35.990 industries in the world. So how do you go from 00:00:35.990 --> 00:00:39.539 opening a single ramen shop in Bangkok a highly 00:00:39.539 --> 00:00:42.679 competitive market, to building one of Thailand's 00:00:42.679 --> 00:00:46.140 fastest -growing dining empires. Today, we are 00:00:46.140 --> 00:00:49.140 stepping inside the mind of Mr. Min, the visionary 00:00:49.140 --> 00:00:52.079 founder of the Yuzu Group, which includes at 00:00:52.079 --> 00:00:55.719 least 10 food brands such as Yuzu Ramen, Thai 00:00:55.719 --> 00:00:59.259 Thai Boat Noodles, and Yuzu Suki, among others. 00:00:59.420 --> 00:01:02.140 We're going to find out how he turned a passion 00:01:02.140 --> 00:01:05.879 for flavor into a powerhouse business using curiosity, 00:01:06.299 --> 00:01:10.170 creativity, and a bold growth mindset. Whether 00:01:10.170 --> 00:01:13.310 you're a foodie or a future CEO, this is a story 00:01:13.310 --> 00:01:16.870 about refining the experience. But before we 00:01:16.870 --> 00:01:18.769 talk with our guests, let's hear our quote of 00:01:18.769 --> 00:01:21.269 the day and get some headline news. Our quote 00:01:21.269 --> 00:01:23.569 of the day comes from Mark Zuckerberg. He said, 00:01:23.609 --> 00:01:26.310 the biggest risk is not taking any risk. In a 00:01:26.310 --> 00:01:28.670 world that is changing really quickly, the only 00:01:28.670 --> 00:01:31.310 strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking 00:01:31.310 --> 00:01:34.510 risks. I love this because it perfectly captures 00:01:34.510 --> 00:01:36.930 the entrepreneurial spirit. You can't build something 00:01:36.930 --> 00:01:39.510 revolutionary like the Yuzu Group without being 00:01:39.510 --> 00:01:42.209 willing to step outside your comfort zone. Mr. 00:01:42.310 --> 00:01:44.290 Min started with a single ramen shop and has 00:01:44.290 --> 00:01:47.030 now built a multi -brand powerhouse. That doesn't 00:01:47.030 --> 00:01:50.069 happen by playing it safe. It's a great reminder 00:01:50.069 --> 00:01:52.849 for us and for Mr. Min. Innovation requires that 00:01:52.849 --> 00:01:55.390 bold leap. If he hadn't taken the risk to try 00:01:55.390 --> 00:01:57.730 new flavors, new concepts, or scale the business, 00:01:57.989 --> 00:02:00.209 we wouldn't be having this conversation today. 00:02:00.640 --> 00:02:02.900 It sets a brilliant tone for our chat about a 00:02:02.900 --> 00:02:05.060 zest for success. And that's our quote of the 00:02:05.060 --> 00:02:07.920 day. Now on to some headline news. Thank you 00:02:07.920 --> 00:02:09.659 for the quote of the day. Now let's look what's 00:02:09.659 --> 00:02:11.240 happening in the food world with our headline 00:02:11.240 --> 00:02:13.840 news. Our first story comes from the National 00:02:13.840 --> 00:02:16.340 Restaurant Association's forecast. The headline 00:02:16.340 --> 00:02:18.800 is, Southeast Asian cuisine takes the global 00:02:18.800 --> 00:02:21.719 top spot. According to the report, global demand 00:02:21.719 --> 00:02:24.479 for Thai, Vietnamese, and Filipino flavors has 00:02:24.479 --> 00:02:27.210 hit an all -time high. But here's the interesting 00:02:27.210 --> 00:02:29.909 part. Diners are no longer looking for generic 00:02:29.909 --> 00:02:32.930 Asian fusion. They want hyper -regional authenticity. 00:02:33.530 --> 00:02:36.909 Specific dishes with specific provinces. This 00:02:36.909 --> 00:02:38.830 shift towards authentic storytelling in food 00:02:38.830 --> 00:02:41.310 is exactly what brands like Yuzu Group have been 00:02:41.310 --> 00:02:43.810 doing and capitalizing on, proving that local 00:02:43.810 --> 00:02:46.969 culture is a global asset. Next, we move to technology 00:02:46.969 --> 00:02:49.469 with a story from Tableo regarding a future of 00:02:49.469 --> 00:02:51.990 service. The headline reads, Restaurants Turn 00:02:51.990 --> 00:02:55.430 to AI Agents to Fix Labor Crunch. We aren't just 00:02:55.430 --> 00:02:57.789 talking about chatbots anymore. This past year, 00:02:57.849 --> 00:02:59.990 restaurants have been adopting AI agents that 00:02:59.990 --> 00:03:02.710 can automatically manage inventory, schedule 00:03:02.710 --> 00:03:06.889 staff, and even negotiate supply orders. While 00:03:06.889 --> 00:03:08.830 this helps solve the chronic labor shortage, 00:03:09.069 --> 00:03:11.430 industry experts warn that the challenge for 00:03:11.430 --> 00:03:13.830 the next decade will be balancing this cold efficiency 00:03:13.830 --> 00:03:17.430 with the warm human touch of hospitality. And 00:03:17.430 --> 00:03:19.810 finally, a major shift in the battle of brands 00:03:19.810 --> 00:03:23.490 from courts. McDonald's dethrones Starbucks as 00:03:23.490 --> 00:03:26.270 world's most valuable restaurant brand. After 00:03:26.270 --> 00:03:28.370 a decade of dominance, Starbucks has slipped 00:03:28.370 --> 00:03:30.650 to second place following a year of customer 00:03:30.650 --> 00:03:34.449 dissatisfaction and price hikes. Meanwhile, McDonald's 00:03:34.449 --> 00:03:36.870 has reclaimed the crown by focusing intensely 00:03:36.870 --> 00:03:40.189 on value and simplified menus. There's a massive 00:03:40.189 --> 00:03:42.770 reminder for all entrepreneurs that no matter 00:03:42.770 --> 00:03:44.909 how big you get, if you lose connection with 00:03:44.909 --> 00:03:47.340 your core customer, you can lose your lead. From 00:03:47.340 --> 00:03:49.360 the rise of Thai flavors to the AI revolution 00:03:49.360 --> 00:03:51.740 and the battle of giants, the food industry is 00:03:51.740 --> 00:03:54.599 moving faster than ever. Thank you, Josiah. That 00:03:54.599 --> 00:03:57.800 last story about Starbucks and McDonald's really 00:03:57.800 --> 00:04:00.479 highlights how competitive this industry really 00:04:00.479 --> 00:04:03.520 is. It's not just about cooking good food. It's 00:04:03.520 --> 00:04:06.240 about building a brand that can survive and scale. 00:04:06.900 --> 00:04:09.719 And that is the perfect transition to our main 00:04:09.719 --> 00:04:12.729 guest today. He started with a single shop and 00:04:12.729 --> 00:04:15.949 has successfully scaled it into a multi -brand 00:04:15.949 --> 00:04:18.930 portfolio that captures exactly that authentic 00:04:18.930 --> 00:04:22.189 energy we just heard about. So Proud, go ahead 00:04:22.189 --> 00:04:25.069 and get us started. Welcome to the show, Mr. 00:04:25.350 --> 00:04:27.250 Min. Could you please introduce yourself and 00:04:27.250 --> 00:04:29.490 tell us a little bit about what you do? Okay, 00:04:29.569 --> 00:04:32.310 so my name is Min. I'm a CEO and founder of Yusup 00:04:32.310 --> 00:04:37.329 Group. I started Yusup Group since 2018. First 00:04:37.329 --> 00:04:40.410 shop is Yusup Ramen, and then following... Following 00:04:40.410 --> 00:04:42.870 months, I opened Yuzu Omakase. And after that, 00:04:42.910 --> 00:04:47.529 eight years. Since then, now, I'm here. I would 00:04:47.529 --> 00:04:50.189 say I'm a big fan of Yuzu Suki. Like, it's my 00:04:50.189 --> 00:04:53.189 comfort restaurant. So what inspired you to start 00:04:53.189 --> 00:04:55.629 Yuzu Group in the first place? So it's more like, 00:04:55.689 --> 00:04:58.569 it's not a group at first. It's more like a brand 00:04:58.569 --> 00:05:02.589 that I wanted to do. I came across this space 00:05:02.589 --> 00:05:05.230 in Siam Square eight years ago. In Siam Square, 00:05:05.269 --> 00:05:07.889 I saw it three. And then I just finished grad 00:05:07.889 --> 00:05:11.360 school from Columbia. um coming back deciding 00:05:11.360 --> 00:05:13.500 what to do and then i found my passion in food 00:05:13.500 --> 00:05:15.480 i always like go try new things even though it's 00:05:15.480 --> 00:05:17.860 like street food fine dining everywhere um all 00:05:17.860 --> 00:05:19.980 around the world and then i came across this 00:05:19.980 --> 00:05:22.160 very good opportunity the space in siam so a 00:05:22.160 --> 00:05:25.339 very nice very prime location and then i thought 00:05:25.339 --> 00:05:28.060 to myself like what should i do like what do 00:05:28.060 --> 00:05:30.279 i like to eat and what's my strength what's what's 00:05:30.279 --> 00:05:33.660 my passion and then uh i i came across this ramen 00:05:33.660 --> 00:05:36.910 infused with yuzu from tokyo from all over the 00:05:36.910 --> 00:05:40.250 world and there are a few places that serve yuzu 00:05:40.250 --> 00:05:43.050 infused ramen and then i thought okay if i do 00:05:43.050 --> 00:05:45.230 it in thailand then i would be the first and 00:05:45.230 --> 00:05:47.589 then nobody would do it and nobody would back 00:05:47.589 --> 00:05:49.990 then nobody would really know like what yuzu 00:05:49.990 --> 00:05:52.529 is so i feel like it's a good shot and then i'll 00:05:52.529 --> 00:05:55.370 be the first in thailand then there i hired like 00:05:55.370 --> 00:05:58.170 a group of japanese on rd team and then along 00:05:58.170 --> 00:06:01.230 with me we developed this um yuzu infused ramen 00:06:01.230 --> 00:06:03.629 for like over a year and then we launched the 00:06:03.629 --> 00:06:07.500 first one in Going back to grad school, what's 00:06:07.500 --> 00:06:09.639 one lesson from your student years that you still 00:06:09.639 --> 00:06:12.420 use today? I think it comes from one of my professors. 00:06:12.699 --> 00:06:15.920 His name is Mark. He said that all his success 00:06:15.920 --> 00:06:18.439 right now is contributed to just one thing that 00:06:18.439 --> 00:06:22.079 he did. All he did is ask. So he taught me the 00:06:22.079 --> 00:06:24.660 things that I didn't know or I would love to 00:06:24.660 --> 00:06:27.740 know that the only action I have to do in life 00:06:27.740 --> 00:06:30.720 in order to succeed or achieve what I want is 00:06:30.720 --> 00:06:34.439 ask. I asked a lot of people about a lot of stuff 00:06:34.439 --> 00:06:36.959 in every context, everywhere, right? Let's say 00:06:36.959 --> 00:06:39.259 today, like, what are we doing? What should I 00:06:39.259 --> 00:06:41.699 do? How should I solve this? How should I tackle 00:06:41.699 --> 00:06:45.420 this? So I think everything that has made me 00:06:45.420 --> 00:06:49.439 who I am and my team today is I asked my way 00:06:49.439 --> 00:06:52.540 through. Because sometimes people overlook asking 00:06:52.540 --> 00:06:56.399 questions as like important factors. So the biggest 00:06:56.399 --> 00:06:58.860 challenge you faced early on and like, how do 00:06:58.860 --> 00:07:02.800 you overcome it? So then again, back to the asking. 00:07:03.720 --> 00:07:06.720 I feel like the asking part is somewhat very 00:07:06.720 --> 00:07:09.600 simple, but I think people underestimate the 00:07:09.600 --> 00:07:12.759 power of asking. I feel like because the things 00:07:12.759 --> 00:07:14.620 you said, that the obstacles I face, right? All 00:07:14.620 --> 00:07:16.560 I did is ask, ask the right people, ask the right 00:07:16.560 --> 00:07:19.939 team, ask everyone, right? So every time I found 00:07:19.939 --> 00:07:23.879 myself struggle in certain context, certain problem, 00:07:23.959 --> 00:07:27.300 then I would ask. my team i would ask my seniors 00:07:27.300 --> 00:07:29.920 i would ask my mentor i would ask the people 00:07:29.920 --> 00:07:32.160 who has expertise in that field and then solve 00:07:32.160 --> 00:07:35.300 it so back back back at it again so it's asking 00:07:35.300 --> 00:07:38.139 it's the asking part would you say the asking 00:07:38.139 --> 00:07:41.800 part plays into staying creative while keeping 00:07:41.800 --> 00:07:44.139 the business running efficiently for sure because 00:07:44.139 --> 00:07:46.899 i think asking is not just asking for advice 00:07:46.899 --> 00:07:49.879 right it's more like exchanging ideas also like 00:07:49.879 --> 00:07:52.019 some some people when we were in a conversation 00:07:52.019 --> 00:07:56.139 then They're afraid to talk. They're afraid to 00:07:56.139 --> 00:07:58.800 express themselves and all that. And then we 00:07:58.800 --> 00:08:02.360 would have to ask them, what do you think? How 00:08:02.360 --> 00:08:06.079 about this? If it goes this way, then how do 00:08:06.079 --> 00:08:08.240 you think it would go? I mean, all these things 00:08:08.240 --> 00:08:12.959 really promote creativity. So as we know, many 00:08:12.959 --> 00:08:15.160 people definitely want to join your team. So 00:08:15.160 --> 00:08:17.699 what qualities do you look for in young people 00:08:17.699 --> 00:08:20.800 that you want specifically? For me, right now 00:08:20.800 --> 00:08:24.490 is... honestly for my team specifically maybe 00:08:24.490 --> 00:08:28.389 not for i want ambition i want people who know 00:08:28.389 --> 00:08:32.169 what they want like and be ambitious enough to 00:08:32.169 --> 00:08:35.330 you know ask for it like okay what do you want 00:08:35.330 --> 00:08:38.549 in like three to five years people should have 00:08:38.549 --> 00:08:40.730 like specific like short term even like if you 00:08:40.730 --> 00:08:41.769 don't have a long -term goal you should have 00:08:41.769 --> 00:08:43.750 specific short -term goal like within six or 00:08:43.750 --> 00:08:46.230 one one year what do you want to gain like if 00:08:46.230 --> 00:08:48.169 you want to join my team what do you want financial 00:08:48.169 --> 00:08:51.210 gain how much within How many years? Because 00:08:51.210 --> 00:08:54.789 exactly if we know the compensation, we are able 00:08:54.789 --> 00:08:57.129 to like, okay, if you want this amount, this 00:08:57.129 --> 00:08:59.769 much, then what do you have to do? What do you 00:08:59.769 --> 00:09:02.990 have to, how do you grow into that financial 00:09:02.990 --> 00:09:07.669 incentive that you want? So ambitiousness, ambition 00:09:07.669 --> 00:09:10.090 is very, very, very important because if you 00:09:10.090 --> 00:09:12.029 want to stay still, you don't want to grow, you 00:09:12.029 --> 00:09:13.970 don't want to improve, then what's the point 00:09:13.970 --> 00:09:18.000 of, I would say living or even like... waking 00:09:18.000 --> 00:09:21.299 up then like yeah all right thank you Mr. Min 00:09:21.299 --> 00:09:23.879 that point about asking I like that a lot so 00:09:23.879 --> 00:09:25.840 thank you that kind of reminds me of something 00:09:25.840 --> 00:09:29.639 we talk a lot about here at school which is just 00:09:29.639 --> 00:09:33.200 being a lifelong learner so having ambition and 00:09:33.200 --> 00:09:36.440 just that ability to learn so that's really good 00:09:36.440 --> 00:09:39.039 we've covered a lot from your origin story and 00:09:39.039 --> 00:09:41.779 the challenges of starting out But we need to 00:09:41.779 --> 00:09:43.940 pause there for a quick break. When we come back, 00:09:43.940 --> 00:09:46.639 we're going to discuss resilience and how to 00:09:46.639 --> 00:09:49.720 handle that pressure when you're running an empire, 00:09:50.000 --> 00:09:53.179 if you can call it that, and get your advice 00:09:53.179 --> 00:09:55.259 for students who want to follow in your footsteps. 00:09:55.419 --> 00:09:57.700 So stay with us. We'll be right back after this 00:09:57.700 --> 00:10:06.629 short PSA. And that's a perfect pause point because 00:10:06.629 --> 00:10:08.509 you can't talk about flavor and business without 00:10:08.509 --> 00:10:10.830 talking about the foundation, safety and quality. 00:10:11.129 --> 00:10:13.509 This is a quick public service announcement for 00:10:13.509 --> 00:10:15.250 all our listeners who are planning their own 00:10:15.250 --> 00:10:17.590 food ventures. Whether it's a pop -up, a food 00:10:17.590 --> 00:10:20.450 truck, or a restaurant, food safety is non -negotiable. 00:10:21.029 --> 00:10:23.750 Remember the four C's of food safety that every 00:10:23.750 --> 00:10:26.970 successful kitchen lives by. Clean, cook, chill, 00:10:27.090 --> 00:10:29.669 and avoid cross -contamination. Your reputation 00:10:29.669 --> 00:10:31.889 is built on the trust your customers place in 00:10:31.889 --> 00:10:34.539 every single bite. Min's success with the Yuzu 00:10:34.539 --> 00:10:36.899 Group isn't just about bold flavors. It's about 00:10:36.899 --> 00:10:39.240 consistency and quality control on a massive 00:10:39.240 --> 00:10:42.080 scale. Make sure your business, no matter how 00:10:42.080 --> 00:10:45.039 small, prioritizes the health and safety of your 00:10:45.039 --> 00:10:48.419 patients above all else. A safe dish is a successful 00:10:48.419 --> 00:10:52.220 dish. And we are back. Before the break, Mr. 00:10:52.299 --> 00:10:55.100 Min shared how Yuzu Group began. Now I want to 00:10:55.100 --> 00:10:58.419 shift gears to the mindset of a CEO. Scaling 00:10:58.419 --> 00:11:01.480 a business isn't just about logistics. It's about 00:11:01.480 --> 00:11:04.759 managing. and managing a lot, including yourself. 00:11:05.200 --> 00:11:07.139 Proud, go ahead and get us started with this 00:11:07.139 --> 00:11:16.100 segment again. I think stress comes from when 00:11:16.100 --> 00:11:19.299 you face a certain situation and you don't know 00:11:19.299 --> 00:11:22.379 how to solve it. Stress happens because you don't 00:11:22.379 --> 00:11:24.320 know what to do when you face a particular problem. 00:11:24.960 --> 00:11:28.580 And when you don't know what to do, then you're 00:11:28.580 --> 00:11:32.419 stressed. But every time that you face... then 00:11:32.419 --> 00:11:35.279 you have to figure out the ways, right? Say when 00:11:35.279 --> 00:11:37.440 you go skiing, right? You have two choices. You 00:11:37.440 --> 00:11:39.500 look at the trees or you look at the way, right? 00:11:39.940 --> 00:11:42.860 Of course, I mean, you have to take into account 00:11:42.860 --> 00:11:45.899 the trees. It's a challenge. But then if you 00:11:45.899 --> 00:11:47.440 look at the trees, then you wouldn't find the 00:11:47.440 --> 00:11:49.639 solution or the way, right? So when you go skiing, 00:11:49.820 --> 00:11:51.840 you look for the pathway that you go through 00:11:51.840 --> 00:11:54.399 the trees. So usually when you see problems, 00:11:54.500 --> 00:11:56.940 you see problems as the tree when you go skiing. 00:11:58.029 --> 00:12:00.029 So it's like you have to look for the way, but 00:12:00.029 --> 00:12:01.870 the tree is not the problem. It's like you cannot 00:12:01.870 --> 00:12:04.789 find the way yet, but the tree is there. Why 00:12:04.789 --> 00:12:07.789 do you find the way around it? So that's every 00:12:07.789 --> 00:12:09.909 time when I think of problems, I think of it 00:12:09.909 --> 00:12:15.730 that way. So I think I have a pretty good stress 00:12:15.730 --> 00:12:18.110 management if I look at the problem or obstacles 00:12:18.110 --> 00:12:21.820 that way. Let's say another day, of course, every 00:12:21.820 --> 00:12:23.899 day we have unsolved problems and we have to 00:12:23.899 --> 00:12:27.940 think about it another. When the team or I myself 00:12:27.940 --> 00:12:30.559 cannot think of something, we try to sit on it 00:12:30.559 --> 00:12:33.820 a little bit. We'll circle back to it. The situation 00:12:33.820 --> 00:12:37.379 where we cannot solve that problem is not something 00:12:37.379 --> 00:12:40.559 to be stressful just yet. So I think when we 00:12:40.559 --> 00:12:42.460 have to look through it in another perspective, 00:12:42.600 --> 00:12:45.659 give it time, talk to a lot of people and then 00:12:45.659 --> 00:12:49.789 try to get something out of this problem. logically 00:12:49.789 --> 00:12:53.210 and like in a timely timely manner so i feel 00:12:53.210 --> 00:12:55.570 like we have done your best i feel like we have 00:12:55.570 --> 00:12:57.970 done our best in the time given to us already 00:12:57.970 --> 00:13:00.710 and we put it there sit around a little bit and 00:13:00.710 --> 00:13:02.830 then sit on a little bit and then come back so 00:13:02.830 --> 00:13:05.490 at the end of the day it's more like have we 00:13:05.490 --> 00:13:08.570 done our best to tackle this problem is there 00:13:08.570 --> 00:13:11.570 any because if everything we do minutes by minutes 00:13:11.570 --> 00:13:14.990 today is the best we can do to solve this problem 00:13:14.990 --> 00:13:17.190 let's let's do it tomorrow again so it's more 00:13:17.190 --> 00:13:20.340 like I think it's that kind of mentality that 00:13:20.340 --> 00:13:25.919 I have to manage my stress level. So frankly, 00:13:26.080 --> 00:13:27.879 it's like, OK, I can still sleep every night, 00:13:27.960 --> 00:13:30.980 you know, go to bed and wake up fresh. You know, 00:13:30.980 --> 00:13:32.820 it's not like it's in my head. I have to like, 00:13:32.879 --> 00:13:36.220 I cannot sleep like that. Shifting back to the 00:13:36.220 --> 00:13:39.720 mindset of the CEO, what emerging trends in food 00:13:39.720 --> 00:13:41.899 and hospitality should students pay attention 00:13:41.899 --> 00:13:45.360 to for wanting to get into this business? I think 00:13:45.360 --> 00:13:48.889 it's more like. behavior behavior of consumers 00:13:48.889 --> 00:13:52.970 these days is shifting a lot after covid i think 00:13:52.970 --> 00:13:55.870 i think after covid is the one thing right okay 00:13:55.870 --> 00:13:58.549 we we see a lot of like a rise in delivery like 00:13:58.549 --> 00:14:02.289 uh things but i think it's more like the i say 00:14:02.289 --> 00:14:06.309 the the world has become more digital the world 00:14:06.309 --> 00:14:09.870 has become stagnant with data online so i think 00:14:09.870 --> 00:14:12.830 it's more like people have access to i think 00:14:12.830 --> 00:14:15.659 um you have to bear with me for this. It's more 00:14:15.659 --> 00:14:18.620 like, I feel like people has been exposed to 00:14:18.620 --> 00:14:21.779 more like a monitors, like laptop, mobile, a 00:14:21.779 --> 00:14:23.820 lot. Everything has become so digital and then 00:14:23.820 --> 00:14:27.039 we are overwhelmed with data like graphics, illustrations, 00:14:27.299 --> 00:14:30.179 animations, movies. Everything is around us. 00:14:30.220 --> 00:14:32.000 Everything is digital already, right? So I feel 00:14:32.000 --> 00:14:34.759 like people are very overwhelmed with that. So 00:14:34.759 --> 00:14:37.600 back to the F &B industry. I think people are 00:14:37.600 --> 00:14:39.419 trying to escape it. I think it's more like a, 00:14:39.460 --> 00:14:42.200 I think the world, the new luxury has become 00:14:42.200 --> 00:14:46.629 more offline. in every way say i think in even 00:14:46.629 --> 00:14:49.750 in restaurant like people don't when when people 00:14:49.750 --> 00:14:52.809 eat i feel like it's more like a a time to relax 00:14:52.809 --> 00:14:56.370 a time to wind down right so in terms of menu 00:14:56.370 --> 00:14:58.809 even the food even the interior everything i 00:14:58.809 --> 00:15:01.370 think has everything has to be simplified in 00:15:01.370 --> 00:15:03.629 the next three to five years, I think we see 00:15:03.629 --> 00:15:06.509 a lot of, I think minimalism in terms of interior 00:15:06.509 --> 00:15:09.710 or even like simplification of menu or even the 00:15:09.710 --> 00:15:12.590 names or even the SKU of menu presented. You 00:15:12.590 --> 00:15:14.490 see a lot of brands right now that, you know, 00:15:14.490 --> 00:15:17.090 the brand that thrives right now is not the brand 00:15:17.090 --> 00:15:18.590 that has like, you know, a full -scale restaurant. 00:15:18.690 --> 00:15:20.590 Okay, full -scale restaurant is mainly for family 00:15:20.590 --> 00:15:23.950 dining or whatever. But I think people now, behavior 00:15:23.950 --> 00:15:25.889 change. People want something quick. People want 00:15:25.889 --> 00:15:28.870 something simple. Quick and simple. Simple, not 00:15:28.870 --> 00:15:31.740 just the food is simple. SKU has to be. very 00:15:31.740 --> 00:15:34.159 small, like easy to decide. If this restaurant 00:15:34.159 --> 00:15:37.039 sells chicken over rice, they sell chicken over 00:15:37.039 --> 00:15:39.980 rice. If you put noodles over rice or chicken 00:15:39.980 --> 00:15:43.360 over noodles, it becomes like stagnant. Like 00:15:43.360 --> 00:15:46.320 we are overwhelmed. Even though we look at it, 00:15:46.360 --> 00:15:48.379 we don't see why is it overwhelmed? But I mean, 00:15:48.419 --> 00:15:51.120 underneath are like, I don't know, everything 00:15:51.120 --> 00:15:54.960 that everyone has been exposed to all day. I 00:15:54.960 --> 00:15:57.419 feel like the SKU of the menu has to be... So 00:15:57.419 --> 00:16:00.200 to put it in a... Very plain word. It's like 00:16:00.200 --> 00:16:03.679 everything has to be super simple. Simplicity 00:16:03.679 --> 00:16:06.600 of everything in terms of F &B, specifically 00:16:06.600 --> 00:16:08.779 the industry that I'm in, I think is mandatory 00:16:08.779 --> 00:16:12.659 in the next three to five years. So what is one 00:16:12.659 --> 00:16:16.919 mistake young entrepreneurs should avoid? Over 00:16:16.919 --> 00:16:21.120 -invest in things. I think eight years that I 00:16:21.120 --> 00:16:24.500 do this business, I mean, I still, okay, I still 00:16:24.500 --> 00:16:27.480 figuring out a lot of aspects of business. I 00:16:27.480 --> 00:16:30.720 feel like people try, I think when we do business, 00:16:30.840 --> 00:16:34.379 we have only one aim, right? It's like if we 00:16:34.379 --> 00:16:36.000 do business, we set up a company, the company 00:16:36.000 --> 00:16:38.720 function is to make profit, right? To make profit 00:16:38.720 --> 00:16:42.639 is revenue minus expense is profit, okay? Whether 00:16:42.639 --> 00:16:45.940 it's marginal, net or whatever. But then if that 00:16:45.940 --> 00:16:50.559 is the business is created for, then the investments 00:16:50.559 --> 00:16:52.759 that, you know, people like a young generation 00:16:52.759 --> 00:16:55.720 or even me back then, even like a me a year ago, 00:16:55.840 --> 00:16:58.639 right? We tend to over -invest in a lot of things 00:16:58.639 --> 00:17:01.059 that shouldn't be invested in, right? So you 00:17:01.059 --> 00:17:04.359 have to prioritize the investment. Okay, F &B 00:17:04.359 --> 00:17:06.940 specifically, how do you invest in interiors? 00:17:07.079 --> 00:17:10.519 Like sound system, like raw material and everything. 00:17:11.099 --> 00:17:14.700 Do not over -invest. I've met people, okay, we 00:17:14.700 --> 00:17:16.339 want the best one. We want the good one. Okay, 00:17:16.400 --> 00:17:18.400 this is my first project. Let's do this this 00:17:18.400 --> 00:17:20.880 way. I want this exact table. It's expensive, 00:17:20.940 --> 00:17:23.940 but I want it. This and that. Prioritize things 00:17:23.940 --> 00:17:26.859 a little bit. Do things that matters to your 00:17:26.859 --> 00:17:30.299 business and can generate the most revenue. That 00:17:30.299 --> 00:17:35.039 has to make sense in the way. What's a practical 00:17:35.039 --> 00:17:37.900 first step a student can take to start a project 00:17:37.900 --> 00:17:41.460 or business? I think everywhere. I think right 00:17:41.460 --> 00:17:43.819 now, I think online. I think online would be 00:17:43.819 --> 00:17:45.960 something that everyone has to tap into. I think 00:17:45.960 --> 00:17:48.519 at this digital age, I mean, I think everything 00:17:48.519 --> 00:17:54.200 is possible. I'm thinking if I were 18 or 19 00:17:54.200 --> 00:17:59.579 or 20, I would study online e -commerce a lot. 00:17:59.640 --> 00:18:02.460 Then I would go into it, like how to minimal 00:18:02.460 --> 00:18:05.680 investment and sell to the most majority or mass 00:18:05.680 --> 00:18:08.880 group of people, mainly even in Thailand or around 00:18:08.880 --> 00:18:11.539 the world. I think if we figure that out, the 00:18:11.539 --> 00:18:14.059 algorithm of social medias and algorithm of how 00:18:14.059 --> 00:18:17.000 these channels and that channels and how influence 00:18:17.000 --> 00:18:19.690 like certain platforms or whatever, then... I 00:18:19.690 --> 00:18:21.750 think start online because super minimal investment 00:18:21.750 --> 00:18:26.210 and then limitless opportunities. If you could 00:18:26.210 --> 00:18:28.990 give one message to students dreaming big, what 00:18:28.990 --> 00:18:33.250 would it be? Okay, I think when I always encourage 00:18:33.250 --> 00:18:36.970 people to dream super big. I mean, you only live 00:18:36.970 --> 00:18:39.309 once, right? I mean, it's very cliche, but I 00:18:39.309 --> 00:18:41.789 mean, once in your life, whatever you want to 00:18:41.789 --> 00:18:45.589 do, you do it. You go do it. You go kick it in 00:18:45.589 --> 00:18:49.109 the butt. I don't know. But big, the size of 00:18:49.109 --> 00:18:51.890 the dream, I have to really emphasize on this. 00:18:52.130 --> 00:18:55.230 No one, your dream cannot be compared to other 00:18:55.230 --> 00:18:58.150 people's dream. Say, for example, say your dream 00:18:58.150 --> 00:19:01.750 is what? Grow 1 million trees in your lifetime, 00:19:01.990 --> 00:19:05.029 right? And stay in a cave with like your family, 00:19:05.210 --> 00:19:07.430 right? That's your dream, right? If you can achieve 00:19:07.430 --> 00:19:10.710 it, you do it. Bravo, good for you. Some people 00:19:10.710 --> 00:19:13.849 want 1 billion baht. Okay, good for them. Let's 00:19:13.849 --> 00:19:16.779 go do it. Some people want 10 million baht. Let's 00:19:16.779 --> 00:19:19.420 do it. But the $10 million and the $1 billion 00:19:19.420 --> 00:19:22.599 cannot be compared because people don't want 00:19:22.599 --> 00:19:24.420 the same thing, right? Okay, financial gain. 00:19:24.460 --> 00:19:26.740 Some people want to be in a money game. Okay, 00:19:26.859 --> 00:19:29.400 let's do it, right? But is it the whole dream 00:19:29.400 --> 00:19:32.460 that you ever dreamed of? No, but say it's your 00:19:32.460 --> 00:19:35.140 first dream, right? Whatever you want to do, 00:19:35.200 --> 00:19:37.240 as long as you don't harm people, you don't take 00:19:37.240 --> 00:19:40.079 advantage of people or being unfair or dishonest, 00:19:40.140 --> 00:19:42.119 I say you go do it. Whatever you want to do, 00:19:42.160 --> 00:19:45.509 you do it. But do not... Put your dream into 00:19:45.509 --> 00:19:48.609 a scale of other people. That's like, no, no, 00:19:48.670 --> 00:19:51.549 no, no, no. Yeah. Okay, well, thank you very 00:19:51.549 --> 00:19:54.029 much. I like that dream big, but don't compare 00:19:54.029 --> 00:19:56.470 to other people. I think that's a fantastic note 00:19:56.470 --> 00:19:59.049 to end on. Mr. Min, thank you again for being 00:19:59.049 --> 00:20:00.990 our guest today and for sharing your time and 00:20:00.990 --> 00:20:03.630 insights with us. Your journey from that first 00:20:03.630 --> 00:20:07.359 ramen shop till now is a powerful reminder. that 00:20:07.359 --> 00:20:10.339 passion combined with the right systems and a 00:20:10.339 --> 00:20:13.859 big dream can truly go global. And it has been 00:20:13.859 --> 00:20:15.640 our pleasure having you on the show. So thank 00:20:15.640 --> 00:20:24.140 you very much. And that brings us to the end 00:20:24.140 --> 00:20:26.299 of this episode. A huge thank you to Mr. Min 00:20:26.299 --> 00:20:28.900 for taking us inside the mind of a restaurateur. 00:20:29.539 --> 00:20:32.819 My big takeaway today, authenticity scales and 00:20:32.819 --> 00:20:35.500 don't settle for small dreams. Whether it's the 00:20:35.500 --> 00:20:37.940 hyper -regional food trends we heard about in 00:20:37.940 --> 00:20:41.000 the news or Mr. Min's dedication to quality and 00:20:41.000 --> 00:20:44.099 simplicity in his restaurant brands, success 00:20:44.099 --> 00:20:46.900 comes from when you refuse to compromise on what 00:20:46.900 --> 00:20:49.640 makes your product unique and special. Thank 00:20:49.640 --> 00:20:52.160 you all for tuning in. If you enjoyed today's 00:20:52.160 --> 00:20:54.619 episode, please remember to subscribe or leave 00:20:54.619 --> 00:20:57.279 us a review. It really helps us bring more great 00:20:57.279 --> 00:21:00.609 guests like this to the show. Until next time, 00:21:00.630 --> 00:21:04.009 keep learning and keep creating. And as always, 00:21:04.089 --> 00:21:06.150 this podcast would not be possible without the 00:21:06.150 --> 00:21:08.450 hard work and support of our international student 00:21:08.450 --> 00:21:10.750 production team. All music and sound effects 00:21:10.750 --> 00:21:13.990 are courtesy of Pixabay .com, a vibrant community 00:21:13.990 --> 00:21:16.529 of creatives sharing copyright -free images, 00:21:16.809 --> 00:21:19.609 videos, and music. And we're signing off until 00:21:19.609 --> 00:21:22.329 next time. We are Students Incorporated, because 00:21:22.329 --> 00:21:31.289 your voice matters. Ooh.