Yangon Event Recap: How I Built This
The Yangon Travel Massive chapter hosted a How I Built This event and invited entrepreneurs from the Myanmar tourism industry to share the stories and secrets behind their success.
This event recap was submitted by Yangon chapter founder Bertie Lawson and Managing Director of Sampan Travel.
Thanks to the speakers who shared their experiences:
- Wai Wai from the funky and chic guesthouse Wai Wai’s Place in Sanchaung
- Zaw Min Oo (aka “Jack Burma”) founder of Green Season Travel, organizing innovative and unique trip to lesser-visited parts of Myanmar
- Min Than Htut of the Yangon-based tour operator Pro Niti Travel and Tours
- Marc Shortt, founder of the Sa Ba Street Food Tours in Yangon
Takeaways from the presentations
Wai Wai spoke about the many struggles that had to be overcome since arriving in Yangon from a small village in Northern Shan State, to running one of the most popular guesthouses in Yangon.
The secret to her success? Treating each guest like family and allowing word of mouth to spread.
Jack shocked would-be-entrepreneurs that it took him 18 years to build Green Season Travel (!). It all began when he was young and fell in love with the English language, and then later began taking tourists around Myanmar on an ad hoc basis.
“The only way to do great work is to love what you do.”
Jack accounts his success to his generous and talented former employers, who he described as his ‘teachers.’
Min laid out a total of 9 points that he tries to live and work by.
“Pay it forward”, “Work hard, and then work smart”, and “learn, learn, learn.”
Min recounted how he bounced back after his office burnt down in the early years of his company.
Marc was the only non-Myanmar speaker at the event and therefore came from a different perspective than the other three speakers. Marc has a love of food, and it was this passion of discovering a country through its cuisine that led him to setting up his street food tours.
He cited the importance of networking and building a brand as the secrets to his success.
Thank you to everyone that presented and watched and for Pansuriya Gallery on Bogalay Zay Road for hosting us!
Are you an entrepreneur working in Myanmar tourism? Get in touch with Bertie and the Yangon chapter to present at a future event.
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