GE Track - The US Trip by Tarn

What I have learned from the US trip?

1. Don’t be afraid to fail

From listening to the talks provided by different speakers inspired me to step out of my comfort zone and started to make changes. I have learnt from Randy and Steve Blank that failure is a good thing for a successful entrepreneur, because if you never fail, then you will never learn. If Steve Jobs never got fired from Apple, he would never have started NEXT or PIXAR and he would never invent iPod, iPhone and iPad. 

Randy also mentioned that you always need to have a plan B. Silicon Valley is unique place because it encourages ideas and innovation. Randy mentioned that he failed so many times, but all those failures were his lessons. Failures offer the lessons for entrepreneur to come back and move on to the next venture. 

1. Do things with passion

I was amazed by people working in the silicon valley; their great ideas turned into great products. The talk by the founder of driptech emphasized the fact that you do not need to have lots of money to start-up your company. If you have great ideas, you will find way to make what you dream for possible. The concepts of venture capitalist and angel investors have become more real to me. The founder of driptech saw the problems of poor irrigation in developing countries. He found the existing irrigation technology expensive and required   other equipments in place. So, he came up with an affordable and simple drip irrigation system for small-plot famers. He went all the way to test his product in a rural region of India. I also learnt that great innovation does not have to involve high technology. It can be simple but it has to create value for customers.

It was a great opportunity to participate in the two business plan competitions: GCSV and RICE. I met many great entrepreneurs around the world eager to bring their ideas into real businesses, and also met many venture capitalists and angel investors who were interested in our product, DeepScan. During the Q/A session, we had many constructive comments about business models, so we took all those comments on board and adjust them. I realized that this is not just an academic work, we can make it happen for real. 

1. Sustainable design - green, simple and beautiful

Two weeks at GreenMBA made me understand the concept of sustainable design. The speaker from AUTODESK showed us the program her company developed to select eco-materials and to design more energy-saving building. By altering the building to some degree, you can save a lot of energy. 

I was also introduced to the term, “Permaculture”, which is a sustainable land use design. It has been used widely to reduce drought, flood damages and pollution. The speaker showed us the picture of infiltration basin, which can be built in your backyards. It helps to reduce the risk of flooding in households.

The 3 days brain training at the greenhouse helped me to improve my learning and reading skills substantially. By using Brian’s learning techniques, I can read and understand an assigned reading or article in a shorter amount of time. I also have learnt to create mind-maps to improve my learning skills.

What I do not like about the trip?

I did not really like my time at Stanford University very much, and I also did not find the course with Tina useful to me Also, the speaker form a drug company also did give me inspiration at all. In my opinion, at his career position at the R&D Department, he could have made many positive changes to those people living in African countries, who cannot afford high quality drugs. He made it clear at the talk that he and his company had no plans to launch affordable medicines for poor countries. I also found that the talk by one of the professor about patent not practical for me and my friends. He kept on talking too much about his experience on developing patent laws in Malaysia. I found the content very boring and very descriptive. I think it would be better if we had more time to visit more start-ups in Silicon Valley. 

It is one of my ultimate goals to start my own business, but I was afraid to step out of my comfort zone and make it real. I used to think that my dad is the one who stops me from doing it, but now I realize that it is ‘me’ who hinders my own dream. I was afraid to fail. I was afraid that I didn’t have enough experience. The trip has changed my mindset. I believe that failure is actually a blessing in disguise, because it give you lessons. Without these lessons, you can never become successful. Those entrepreneurs I met at the business plan competitions, Silicon Valley and GreenMBA inspired me to step out of my comfort zone and do something great. Since I got back from the US, I have become more active at works, and I really want to build on my parents’ businesses. I am trying to see if I there are opportunities to expand my market aboard. Now I’m trying to change how my workers do things in the production line. I know that it is a tough job for someone who are not highly experienced in business for me to run the company smoothly and expand the market base, but I believe that as long as I do not give up easily, I’ll find ways to make it possible. 

GE Track - The US Trip by NamPueng

From the trip to US, I got a lot of experience and more broad vision from travelling, seeing different culture, lifestyle and environment such as old people still come to study in the class, more concern about environment , complete study room and equipment for students at stanford university. But the study that I think they’re very useful for me are; 

• Mind-mapping

Since my reading is not good, I have the opportunity to develop my reading skill which is basic of learning that can be used for study throughout my life. From this learning, I know that I should prepare my mind by setting the goal and concentration including suitable environment.  And I learned technique how to quick study such as high speed overview, look for key word, re-read & highlight and make mind-mapping which is process/system/network that help me understand and memorize easier.

• Driptech

It’s a simply technology that I’ve seen my dad do it at home but how they create the different and how to sustain this business in term of customer, partner, resource, distribution and manufacturing. And why farmers have to pay for this? Because of their advantages such as having microfinance available, short payback period, low cost and comfortable product.

Besides, I got many inspirational ideas after seeing their successful life. For example; 

• Getting to plan B

Most people including me always imagine about the successful business but in the real life, not only build the entrepreneurship and find great business opportunity but we also should prepare plan B in order to be ready for unfortunate situation such as adjusting process, finding better economic or cheapest price.  

However, when we should change to plan B? we have to pay attention by measuring each moment again and again when we lost or waste more, more and more.

Key success of this study is when we do the business, we should not think only profit and successful but we should have passion to solve problem, care & think of customers, curious to learn and develop process.

• Aj. John’s house (PermaCulture)

He’s my role model in term of being happy with simple life. The concept focused on self-dependent life similar as "the philosophy of Sufficiency Economy" in Thailand. 

• Green MBA

They concern about environment and quiet strict about waste and recycle.

Although we can learn a lot about the water project but I think this trip would be more interesting if it was not focus more on water project and Green MBA. I think it would be better to learn about the process to do the new business or case study from entrepreneur, how they can create new innovation and bring it to business, how to do business in or with America , organization who are the middle man between Thai vs US or Innovator vs Investor.

However, from this trip I’ve got new experience and learned many ideas from successful people which I can apply to my life and my business in the future when I’m back to Thailand.

GE Track - The US Trip by Sharp

What did you like about the trip?

From Silicon Valley, I like Randy Komisar (at Kliener-Perkins, the most famous VC firm). The Entrepreneurship in Silicon Valley consists of vision to see something that not exists before, ability to make that happen, and a lot of passion. Entrepreneur must flexible because the market is not yet mature many things that I don’t expect will happen, (if it mature, big company will already been there). Business that I create must sustainable (so the thing that I create will no faded away over time) and create positive thing for the world. The stage of business is also new thing that I learn, I usually think that I will build business from family funding, and it must pass on to next generation, or it may last long. But after meeting Randy Komisar my basic believing about business is totally changed. The factors to create that business are differ in each stage of start up company.

1. Create stage, I will need people (founding team), idea, and money. The environment in Silicon Valley usually draws people together.

2. Incubation stage, I will need business plan and prototype in order to get money from investor. This stage needs a lot of capital to invest in.

3. Expand, This stage I need a lot of up-front capital, since the product needs expanding. The short cut to success is having one big customer, as they buy a lot and I can use their name as a reference.

4. The exit, the important part that Randy mention, which I’ve never though of. It is critical point for sustainable business. CEO is stewardship of someone else’s asset. It is not a failure of entrepreneur.

I learn that each stage of business needs different set of people and different type of investment. It isn’t as simple as I thought. The other thing is keeping the business to myself isn’t the good way for development of company, the business needs different set of people to get new ideas or new path, so that we can continue development as the environment of business changed.

Driptech was a good example for bringing innovation to daily life, it really showed me that innovation doesn’t have to be fancy, complicate product and being entrepreneur isn’t too hard to become.

Brian Weller is another highlight of this trip. I wish I learned from him since the beginning of IMBA course. Mindmap might help me understand in the class better.

Steve Blank makes this trip remarkable. He pointed out that start up company need different tools from existing company. And also talk about the learning environment that embrace the failure and value it. I really proud of this opportunity, meeting him at his house.

At GreenMBA I love to see how community get involved with university. The presentation night gave inspiration for being entrepreneur. Furthermore the field trip to Porter Creek vineyard, Bay model, the salmon place (Sorry I can’t remember) was great learning experience to sense how important environment play role in our life, to witness what we can do for our earth, to see how delicate people do in their job.  Especially to visit prof. Stayton’s house to see the knowledge being applied to daily life.

What did you wish was better?

Time spent in Stanford wasn’t quality as I expect. With Tina class I think it is quite the same as written in the book, and brainstorming is what we usually do in Thailand, so I can say I didn’t learn new things much as I expect. I wish that I had clear idea about Intellectual Property or Licensing before listening to Jon Sandelin (Stanford’s OTL). I know how important it is, but I hardly understand what is it about. I wish we can visit IDEO in Palo Alto just to see their prototypes and get inspiration is worth doing.

Of many inspirational ideas and people we saw, how do you wish you could be like?

What is keeping you from achieving the same thing as that person?

I wish I could be like Randy Komisar, who change profession many time and did every job very well. Lots of experience he gained support what he is today. I think graduate from pharmacy keeping me from doing different things. I think work as pharmacist get paid ok than shifting to other profession that pay less, and it’s hard for me to be employee in other profession since I don’t want to throw away my hard study for 5 years.

What ideas did you learn, which you would like to bring back to Thailand?

What is keeping you from doing that?

Thailand needs VC, so that in Thailand the innovation process can be accelerated. Since VCs crate environment that entrepreneur needs for bring their passion come true, such as access to big company, people, and infrastructure. The university in Thailand should have Licensing department or the course about licensing in every science major. The knowledge about patent/licensing in Thailand is limited. 

The organic culture is suitable for Thailand. It will be great if we can get involve with organic activities or product in our daily life. But organic staff is quite complicate, not easy to do. The knowledge of organic life is quite scattered and not widely pass on around people in Thailand.

I like the salmon breeding idea. Not that I want to breed salmon in Thailand, but to mimic natural process such as fish ladder is bright idea and to breed upon DNA is thoughtful. Also Seafood selector card that tell you what is the best choice and what is worst choice is great. I don’t think I can do this card, it will be easier if department of fishery do it. Actually after I wrote about” what is keeping me from doing that?” I notice that anything is possible, just I don’t get out and do something.

Entrepreneurial Opportunity

Opportunity Statement




Start from small scale project for example Sena District, Ayutthaya. Then expand to other flooded area.

Opportunity for flood relief: Convertible Boats.

Flood happens every year. Government put so much money and effort to prevent, still it occur. People need to adapt their lief style to reduct the effect of flooding. There is a successful story of using flooding system from Non- profit organization in Bangladesh. Through the work of Shidhulai 88,000 families of hundreds of riverside villages are benefiting from improved education, sustainable agricultural practices, increased income, clean solar-powered lighting and communication with the outside world.

This project inspiring flood alleviation for thai people, by bringing rescue team, medical service, flood relief package, and a chance to continue school activity. The boat is easy to assemble and portable.

Opportunity for sustainable design: inflatable vinyl tube

Instead of using traditional sandbag stack as flood barrier. It is time consuming and can cause back pain. With innovation, we now can use inflatable vinyl tube with its benefits:

•Easy to store

•Reusable and Eco-Friendly

•Lightweight

•Durable

When heavy rain occur the water will collected in to the tank and pump in the vinyl tube. Then the vinyl tube can expand as flood barrier

successful story on using innovation to prevent flooding

Non-Profit organization

Warwick’s Belmont Park a flood-prevention success story

In July 1982, about a month after a flood forced the evacuation of hundreds of Belmont Park residents, the Army Corps of Engineers finally approved a $3.7-million plan that called for the demolition of 59 houses and relocation of their occupants. The city, with help from the state, had to come up with 20 percent of the cost, about $700,000. Joseph W. Walsh was mayor at the time, and he pledged to find the money. The last flood a month earlier had reached the first floors of most houses and caused $2 million in damages.

The flooding had gotten increasingly worse because of continued development of floodplains along the river.

It took about four years to complete the flood-control project.

In the end, 61 houses were demolished or removed. Another 19 vacant lots were purchased and utility rooms on 12 houses were raised above ground to avoid floodwaters.

This kind of project still authorized to develop elsewhere on the river. To get started, it needs to receive a request from a community. A $2.3-million plan was announced to restore 115 acres of floodplains along the Pawtuxet, Meshanticut and Pocasset Rivers by removing dikes, restoring stream channels and removing fill.

What is wetland?

Wetlands are areas that are covered by water or have waterlogged soils for long periods during the growing season. Plants growing in wetlands are capable of living in saturated soil conditions for at least part of the growing season. Wetlands such as swamps and marshes are often obvious, but some wetlands are not easily recognized, often because they are dry during part of the year or "they just don't look very wet" from the roadside.

Some of these wetland types include, but are not limited to, many bottomland forests, pocosins, pine savannahs, bogs, wet meadows, potholes, and wet tundra. The information presented here usually will enable you to determine whether you might have a wetland. If you intend to place dredged or fill material in a wetland or in an area that might be a wetland, contact the local Corps District Office for assistance in determining if a permit is required.

How it is important?

Wetlands can reduce the impacts of increased precipitation, storms, glacier melting and even sealevel rise. The water regulating and storage functions of these wetlands are crucial in adapting to a changing climate. Therefore, in order to protect people living close or even far downstream from wetlands and their source of livelihoods, we must conserve and restore wetlands. In this way, they can continue to play their critical role.

How it is value?

There is a discussion on economics of wetland restoration published in American Journal of Agricultural Economics in 2002.

It is challenge to setting priorities is the fact that the value of services from any particular wetland depends not just on conditions at the wetland site but on conditions elsewhere as well. As Boyd and Wainger point out, the marginal value of filtering nutrients for clean water depends on the amount of nearby wetlands and sources of contamination. Similarly, the marginal value of providing habitat from a given wetland depends on whether there is also useable habitat nearby that might be necessary to support a viable population of a species of concern, or whether habitat of this type is common or rare elsewhere. Setting priorities can only be done at a broad scale, but the local details are essential for establishing what services a wetland may provide. Economists will need to collaborate with natural scientists to develop such models.

There is currently great demand for estimates of the value of ecosystem services by various government agencies, including US EPA and the US Army Corps of Engineers, and well as others outside the government.

Reference:

http://www.nao.usace.army.mil/technical%20services/Regulatory%20branch/RBwetlands.asp

http://www.entrepreneur.com/tradejournals/article/96893271_2.html

http://www.projo.com/news/content/Belmont_Park_03-24-10_KNHSK6U_v11.36e5924.html

Company

HydraBarrier, Alternative eco-friendly sandbags.

These easy to use sandbag replacements can be deployed in minutes and can divert water in emergency flash flood situations. They are light weight, industrial strength water tubes, used to protect property in the event river flooding or any other occurrence where flood control measures are required.

Reference: http://www.hydrabarrier.com/index.htm

Entrepreneur Opportunity

What if we can storage the water when heavy rain happen, then put those water in the flood barrier tube and stack it as flood prevention wall a few hours before the flood reach residential area. The damage will dramatically reduced. It cost less for protection, rather than relief.

My experience in South (Going trip)

Since the start of this blog creation, I don't have much chance to travel to places which are being affected by flood. However, due to chinese tradition, I had to go down to Nakorn Srithammarat which is one province in southern region of Thailand to pay respect to my ancestors. I didn't expect it to be a trip with full of experiences about flood occuring in the region. Here is my story;

On the going trip, I and my mom took the train from Hua Lamphong Station in Bangkok with the destination at Klong Chandee. The train left on the night of March 27, 2011 and was expected to reach the destination by 8.30 in the morning of Sunday. However, during that night, the train had to stop for several times due to the flooded rail and flood also made the rail unbalanced which caused the train to incline on one side. People on the train were very upset and the rain kept falling all night. Based on the schedule, we were supposed to reach there before 8.30 but in reality, we were there around 11.30. Along the way, I have seen how much damages the flood has caused to people in those areas. Their crops were flooded and the water even ran through their home. I could see a lot of things floating with the water. I could imagine how hard people in the area were living. For almost 12 hours of our journey there, the rain didn't stop even for a second. I also tried to check the weather forecast and news about things happening throughout the night. Here are some of photo to show you how bad it is.



Those were not all problems we have to face. We have to reach bangkok by that night but our flight was cancelled due to the closure of Nakorn Srithammarat Airport. We had to book another airline with the full price which was around 55% more expensive than our original price. We also had to catch our flight in Suratthani which was around 155 kms. We had to drive through rain and wasted lots of time. On the way, we could also see a lot of accidents and flooded areas. It made me feel so pity for those people who had to live there.

Then I felt that, flooding is not a small problem anymore. Every region in Thailand, or many developed countries in other parts of the world are also facing the same issue. I would like to encourage everyone that it's time that we should start doing something. From what I had talked with local people, flood occurs every year and it only gets worse. We can't wait for only authorities to help but we should start acting now to prevent further flooding in the future.

Flooding is not a small problem. It affects several sectors of the country ranging from reduction in GDP, lower productivity of the agricultural sector, damaged properties and infrastructure and etc. People, please join us by sharing your opinion and idea how to lower the damages. We are waiting for your help!!!

Flooding in Central Part of Thailand

Disaster zones imposed in South after flooding
By The Nation on Sunday.



Southern Thailand is suffering from downpour-triggered floods, with all 16 of Nakhon Si Thammarat's districts, eight of Phattalung's districts, and three of Chumphon's districts declared disaster zones yesterday.
In response, the government will open a flood situation follow-through centre at Government House this morning

PM Abhisit Vejjavija said that he had instructed Sathit Wongnongtaey of the PM's Office to coordinate with the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department (DPMD) to assist flood victims in the South, especially in hard-hit Nakhon Si Thammarat and that he himself would visit the National Disaster Warning Center (NDWC) today to check disaster warning systems.

Sathit, who chairs the committee following up assistance for flood victims, said that the committee had started working from the beginning and related agencies such as DPMD, NDWC and theMeteorological Department had reported on the situation directly to the prime minister. However since the situation became more and more severe, a flood situation follow-through centre will be opened today at 11am at the Government House. He also commented that, besides the committee's report of flood situation and assistance, the Cabinet meeting tomorrow will table the idea of setting up a central coordinating center to warn the public of disasters and assist victims.

In Nakhon Si Thammarat, the bodies of two Buddhist monks who were reported missing in a landslide-hit area of Khanom district were discovered. And 60 tourists were marooned in the popular Nam Priwan Resort in Nopphitam district.

At Nakhon Si Thammarat, where all district were declared disaster zones and flood conditions extended due to ongoing heavy rainfalls, a road linking the province to Surat Thani was damaged and several cars were reported to be swept off the road. The Nakhon Si Thammarat-Thung Song Road was also impassable due to floodwater Officials on 38 flat-bottom boats were dispatched to evacuate at-risk residents to safer grounds.

The bodies of Phra Pattaraporn Jirawara and Phra Apichat Akhathammo, who meditated in the wooded area of Bang Nai Plao in Khanom district and were apparently caught in a landslide, were discovered yesterday about 100 meters away from their original camping spot.

Phattalung yesterday declared its Muang, Kuan Khanoon, Kongra, Srinakarin, Pa Payom, Khao Chai Son, Sri Banphot and Bang Kaew districts as disaster zones. The situation was particularly severe in Muang and Kuan Khanon, where a total of some 8,000 households and 45,000 rai of farmland were under deep floodwater. Chumphon's Mungam Lang Suab and Sawi districts were also declared disaster zones.

Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department's southern region office continued to warn people on the southeastern coast. especially those in Phattalung, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Surat Thani and Chumphon, of heavy downpours until tomorrow as well as possible flash floods and landslides. Small fishing boats were also urged to remain on shore due to strong winds and 2-3 meter-high waves during this period.

In related news, 150 homes of 1,200 people in 10 tambons of Trang's Muang, Na Yong, Huai Yod and Wang Wiset districts were flooded yesterday, while many areas of Surat Thani were flooded, especially the low-laying Kanchanadit district. The district is now under 50cm-deep water and at-risk residents have been evacuated.

The continuous rainfall prompted Ranong to have its seacoast residents to move their belongings to higher grounds for fear of flooding condition from rising tides. They also watched out for landslides.
Source: The Nation