Kisah Sirivat: Asal Billionaire, Jadi Bankrupt & Start Bisnes Jual Sandwitch

WonBin

By late 1997, the story of Sirivat Voravetvuthikun, a former stocks and property high-flyer who turned to selling sandwiches for a living, stunned Thailand's wealthy.

Mr.Sirivat confessed that initially he felt ashamed of his new livelihood. He said : "It's like I was flying 10,000 feet above the ground, then I had to stay on the ground and sell sandwiches."

"It's not easy to do whatever we never did before, carrying a tray on the ground and sell sandwiches".

"In the first week my sandwiches were not moving very quickly, but thanks to the media publicity, people begin to know me and the sandwiches soon statred selling. I feel better for myself", he added.
His sandwiches are made new everyday and the unsold are given to his staff first. The remaining are given to abandoned children at Ban Rajavithi, Phayathai Shelter and to the aged at Ban Bang Kae. His main principle is to be honest to his customers, by selling them products of good quality. The unsold sandwiches would never be frozen overnight for next day sale, because that would damage the taste.
He said his failure has taught him to look into reality. He said that in the past he used to think that big is beautiful and small is ugly, but now he thinks the opposite.
He said he was proud that his 'never-give-up' spirit has been meaningful to his family, his employees and others who are living in despair.
Billions of baht worth of stock wealth became worthless overnight and all of his credit was cut. A new Bt 1-billion luxury condminium project at Khao Yai National Park in Nakhon Ratchasima was immediately in the red.
But, the crisis turned him from a wealthy man into the 'sandwich man'. From easy streets, Sirivat began a new life, selling freshly-made sandwiches at crowded intersections in Bangkok's business areas like Sukhumvit, Silom and Phloenchit roads.
The yellow box strung from his neck as he sold workers their lunch has endured to become a symbol. It tells the story of the hard times he and his wife overcame in the past 10 years.
He will never forget his first day - six hours to sell 20 sandwiches. 'I had my family - my wife and three children - as well as 40 staff to take care of, 'Sirivat said of that day.
No friends, no relatives and no bank to help him with money. He was a broken man.
Yet Sirivat grew his new business with the little money left with him after his depts had been cleared.
Five years ago, he decided to open the first of his new coffee-shops -- Coffee Corner by Sirivat Sandwich, in BNH Hospital. Last year, another opened at Bangkok Hospital on Rama IX Road.
He makes all of his quick and ready-to-eat foods from local rice and fruit. Even though his earnings are a fraction of those of 10 years ago, he is happy doing 'the real thing; no bubbles'.
'I like my business to proceed step by step,' he said.
The lessons of the crisis taught him the meaning of sufficiency, sustainability and patience.
Sirivat patiently makes an effort to ensure that his business will be sustainable. He plans to go public over the next two years.
His business model guarantees that wherever he opens a new coffee-shop, he recruits locals as staff and sources products from inside the province.
He will use local graduates and teach them about running a business - and how not to run a business. He said it would be like a post-graduate course on the job.
Sirivat's goal is simple and ambitious: 'if McDonald's aims to sell to just 1 per cent of the world's 6 billion people, then I want to sell to just 1 per cent of Thailand's 65 million,' he said.

WonBin

Sirivat Voravetvuthikun : Saya lebih rela jadi bankrupt dan terpaksa menjaja sandwitch di tepi jalan daripada membunuh diri dengan cara terjun daripada bangunan

WonBin

Antara kata-kata beliau yang begitu terkenal ialah "Gagal sekali dalam bisnes bukan bermakna akan gagal selama-lamanya. Saya rela bankrap dari mati membunuh diri."

Kata-kata itu dikeluarkan oleh mulut beliau ketika beberapa negara Asia mengalami tsunami ekonomi yang dahsyat pada tahun 1997 lalu. Ketika itu ramai jutawan dan usahawan telah mengalami rugi teruk serta jatuh bankrap. Rentetan dari itu ramai yang memilih jalan singkat dengan mengambil keputusan membunuh diri kerana gagal membayar hutang ataupun tidak dapat menanggung malu.

Namun itu bukanlah pilihan terbaik bagi SIRIVAT VORAVETVUTHIKUN. Pada suatu masa beliau berjaya membina empayar hartanahnya sendiri dan kemudian mengalami kejatuhan yang teruk sehingga muflis, namun beliau tetap gigih untuk meneruskan hidup dan memulakan semula perniagaannya dari bawah.

Asalnya Mr. Sirivat Voravetvuthikun adalah seorang pelabur di pasaran saham yang bereputasi tinggi sehingga pernah digelar 'Guru Pasaran Saham'. Beliau merupakan salah seorang individu yang berjaya membentuk nasib berdasarkan pergerakan harga bursa saham.

"Dahulu saya adalah seorang multi-millionaire dan saya boleh dianggap sebagai seorang yang mempunyai peranan penting dalam industri." kata beliau yang juga seorang usahawan hartanah.

Sirivat bermain dalam pasaran saham dan kemudian untung dari pasaran saham tersebut dilaburkan semula di dalam industri hartanah. Selain itu, beliau juga meminjam wang dari bank untuk membangunkan sebuah resort mewah di Bangkok.

Malangnya apabila krisis kewangan melanda Asia, perniagaan beliau turut musnah . Pasaran saham jatuh merudum dan apa yang tinggal hanyalah jumlah hutang sebanyak USD$10 juta.

Ketika insiden ini terjadi, beliau tidak boleh melelapkan mata. Beliau menjadi begitu lemah dan tidak berdaya tetapi Sirivat tidak pernah terfikir untuk membunuh diri. Bunuh diri merupakan pilihan popular banyak orang yang hilang pedoman sepanjang krisis kewangan Asia.

揓ika saya membunuh diri, masalah tidak akan selesai. Malah ia akan membebankan isteri dan anak-anak saya,

WonBin

Seorang jutawan hartanah dan pelaburan dari Thailand. Dulu dia hidup mewah dengan pelbagai perniagaan dan pelaburan. Beliau boleh dikatakan seorang yang sangat berjaya sehinggalah berlakunya krisis ekonomi 1997. Dia telah disytiharkan bangkrup. Dia kerugian USD8.7 juta berserta aset seperti kondominium mewah dan tanah. Kereta-kereta mewah beliau turut ditarik. Akhirnya beliau terpaksa menjual sandwich yang dibuat oleh isteri dan 3 anaknya di kaki lima jalan untuk menyara hidup.

Dia pernah mengaku yang pada mulanya, dia amat malu dengan cara hidup barunya. Dia berkata ini umpama terbang tinggi 10 000 kaki ke udara dan akhirnya terpaksa duduk di atas tanah menjual sandwich di kaki lima. Tapi katanya, dia lebih rela bankrupt daripada mati.

"It's not easy to do whatever we never did before, carrying a tray on the ground and sell sandwiches". "In the first week my sandwiches were not moving very quickly, but thanks to the media publicity, people begin to know me and the sandwiches soon statred selling. I feel better for myself", he added. His sandwiches are made new everyday and the unsold are given to his staff first. The remaining are given to abandoned children at Ban Rajavithi, Phayathai Shelter and to the aged at Ban Bang Kae. His main principle is to be honest to his customers, by selling them products of good quality. The unsold sandwiches would never be frozen overnight for next day sale, because that would damage the taste. He said his failure has taught him to look into reality. He said that in the past he used to think that big is beautiful and small is ugly, but now he thinks the opposite. He said he was proud that his 'never-give-up' spirit has been meaningful to his family, his employees and others who are living in despair."

WonBin

Aku pon sama jugak, kalau nak diikutkan ego aku, memang sukar untuk keluar daripada kepompong ICT & construction aku nih.

Kalau buat projek RM80 juta, setakat RM100 ribu - 200 ribu ringgit tu kebas masuk akaun poket sendiri pon orang tak perasan. Begitulah mewahnya jadi kontraktor dulu-dulu. Setakat BMW 3 Series tu boleh beli cash sahaja ...

Dengan ekonomi gawat yang sangat teruk dan peralihan pucuk pimpinan kepada Najib (orang Najib dan Ahkak Pink yang kontrol semua projek tender besar2) , nampaknya aku kena terima hakikat. Tak perlu malu beralih kepada bisnes 'bodoh-bodoh' seperti supply meja pejabat, A4 paper,  supply mentol lampu...... janji boleh survive dan mengumpul kekuatan untuk bangkit semula

slier81

indeed nice..
jiwa kental..trully born to sucess

WonBin

For any Chinese businessman in Hong Kong, is normal to be a bankrupt at least once in your career

sinar_inspirasi

wonbin jgn ego.... teruskan perjuangan... aku bermula dari bawah sekali.. kalau gawat pun aku rasa aku tak sangat terasa.. sebab aku pernah merasa.. jatuh pun pernah...

so aku skrng buat yg terbaik.. utk lawan gawat ni.. aku harap bila abis gawat aku dapat terus memecut.. insyaALLAH.. doakan

skrng ni seolah2 air sangat deras.. aku lawan dan lawan.. bila air kembali tenang.. aku akan terus mendayung dengan lajunya...

itu laa kehendaknya...

mat403

aku puji sikap ko...insyaallah ko boleh bangkit semula bang...

zusha

suka lah wonbin,honest n berterus terang,tak yah pukul hape2 utk mencanang yang memang
tak de

ngah_jabor

Originally posted by zusha at 5-4-2009 20:38
suka lah wonbin,honest n berterus terang,tak yah pukul hape2 utk mencanang yang memang
tak de

bukan seme orang suka berterus terang....mmg betul,sesetengah orang suka konsep canang-mencanang...baru nampak gah...gempak...realitynya,hidup berterabur.... ...

myahakeem

bernas gitu pendapat ko.cayaaalah.
konsep canang mencanang ni untuk tutup kelemahan dan kekurangan sebenor.

Originally posted by ngah_jabor at 5-4-2009 22:43


bukan seme orang suka berterus terang....mmg betul,sesetengah orang suka konsep canang-mencanang...baru nampak gah...gempak...realitynya,hidup berterabur.... ...

[ Last edited by  myahakeem at 6-4-2009 00:00 ]

Mia_Sara

wow....i feel touched baca..

alovera

Bagus thread ni esp for those yg agak terkena tempias crisis economi.  Saya ingat lagi at one time (maybe tahun 1997) ramai org jual nasi lemak maybe alternatif sementara menanti economi pulih. Yg penting boleh survive.  Dan saya sgt respect org yg sanggup berusaha camtu dari duduk menunggu project yg besar2.

Itu sbb millionaire camna sekali pun, jangan lansung tak jejak kedai mamak, jgn langsung tak pegi restoran2 tepi jalan. Tak salah sekali sekala makan kat gerai2 asalkan bersih. Esp pada anak2, mewah camnapun jgn biasakan mereka hanya yg terbaik sahaja.  If something happen atleast mereka pandai bawak diri.  Nasihat family saya turun temurun..

duyong95

aku nak jual sandwich kat pantry opis pon kakak pantry kata aku sudah potong line dia...

sinarfm

tak per duyong95.jual benda makanan lain yg bukan kakak pantry tu jual. Mesti bole punya.

duyong95

heheheh...nnt le aku pikir kendian apa aku nak jual..

nazeira

cuba duyung jual kudapan(betul ke perkataan ni??) pulak..mcm karipap kecik ke..popia mini ke..keropok segera ke..sy pernah cuba..sambutan ok jgk..yelah menguyah sambil buat kerja..kalau buat sendiri benda tu mcm popia mini margin untung dia ok jgk..kalau tak pun beli pack besar lps tu repack balik kecik2...diaorg mesti beli punya...

nazeira

sebenarnya perasaan MALU lah yang membantutkan kita dari berjaya..mcm sy ni..depan rumah sy ada kedai kopi yg sejak 2004 x diusahakan..kosong..org nk sewa x bg coz takut nnt berbah fikiran nk operate sdiri plk..tp sampai skrg x start2..dulu mak sy niaga kat situ dan jualan dia ok jgk..yelah hinggakan dpt besarkan n sekolahkan ank2nya 7 orang sampai berjaya (Alhamdulillah) tanpa ayah..mak sy brenti sbb sy suruh dia brenti sbb kesiankan dia yelah pkl 4pg kita dok syok2 tido dia dah bangun masak...sy ni sjak settle down kat kg..dok tanam buah anggur je..nak take over bisnes kedai kopi malu pulak..nk kerja rasanya dah x nak dah..duduk saja2 kat rumah rasa boring yg teramat sgt..so, skrg sy buat bisnes kecik2 mcm jual silk, kain sembahyang, kaftan dll ke kl sbb sy ni slalu ulang-alik ke kl at least sebulan sekali sbb ikut hubby..so mtk tlg kawan2 n sedara mara tlg jual...Alhamdullillah la ok jgk sbb terisi jgk masa compare dgn dulu asyk dok berperang dgn anak 2 org ni..TAPI alangkah baiknya kalau sy dapat menangkis persaan MALU sy dan menyambung smula bisnes kedai kopi mak sy..sekurang2nya masa sy terisi n lagipun sy minat melayn orang (yeala..dulu2 masa cuti kerja kat kl balik kg ada jgk tolong2 mak kat kedai..manisnya kenangan itu...ewahh) tp sekarang kalau nak jadi BOSS n menjual sendiri MALU sgt2. takut itu..takut ini..huhu...motivasi diri tersangatlah rendah..MALU kalau byk duit x apa..tp duit ciput je..ngam2 je..nk kaya jauh lagi...huhu..bilalah nk jd mcm SIRIVAT ni...

elle_gogo

sebenarnya sifat pemalu tu normal. lebih lebih lagi kalau anda seorang prmpuan.
elle mula2 pun mcm tu gak. lebih lebih lagi kalau kerjaya perlu melibatkn kita keluar kesana kemari berjumpa dgn org.

1st time meeting dgn customer mmg berpeluh satu badan. rasa mcm nk pergi interview kerja je... tapi, lama2 dah takde apa. cuma bila kita nk mulakn sesuatu tu je susah. tapi, bila benda tu dh berjalan, mesti u akan selesa... malah u happy bila step pertama u tu berhasil