What I Learnt About Running a Business While Travelling Across Asia

Roughly a year ago I took my work with me on the road as I travelled across South-East Asia. From Malaysia, to Indonesia, Thailand through to Cambodia and Vietnam, I covered a lot of ground.

Across the continent I was treated to some cheap but amazing food, privy to some lush, incredible nature, and guest to some very hospitable hosts.

However, adjusting to work on the road took a bit of time to get used to. As FMF Creative is an international business, the shift in time zones created the rare moment of confusion (it also didn’t help with the odd spotty internet connection).

With all that said, at the end of a long work-day I’d often leave the remote office and be quickly reminded of some simple lessons in running a business from the people I’d meet across Asia. Here are a few takeaways:

You Will Have to Put In The Hours

It’s not uncommon to see a lot of small business owners across Asia open from early morning till late at night. Coming out of a 10-12 hour working day early on in the business cycle felt rough at times, but seeing the conditions of people working for a lot less puts things into perspective.

There will be times where hard work will be required to ensure a more stable future for your business.

Communication Is Key

I often found if I wasn’t clear with how I communicated across the continent that I’d end up getting a lot more than I bargained for. Whether it would be accidentally ordering an extra plate of rice or getting lost on a scooter in Bali, getting all the information and assurances upfront just saves the hassle.

Being clear with communication can be the difference between being overworked or overloaded to having a smooth working process in your business.

Service With a Smile

I would often see people rushed off their feet in Asia – between serving multiple customers at once, or taking on more tasks than physically able. Despite this I found that the service I would still receive was generally warm. I can see why people refer to Thailand as the 'Land of Smiles'.

It's an important lesson that no matter how frantic things can get, that you have to remember to stay positive in the face of obstacles. Embracing this attitude can be the difference between a one-time or returning customer.

While a lot of these lessons may be obvious, sometimes when it comes to the day-to-day running of a business it can be easy to forget. From sales, to content creation, to management, I believe there's a lot to be learnt from the people we meet on our travels. It's important to keep an open and honest mind, and remember these simple aspects in life.