The 66-year-old Thai cosmetics brand Srichand powder is well known in Thailand for its old-school beauty products. But eight years ago, Rawit Hanutsaha, 35, stepped in to his family business and modernized it with bold new branding. It worked. Within three months of the relaunch, his brand saw 100-percent sales growth. He shares what it takes for a successful product makeover.
What brought you back to the family business?
I lived a fast-pace banker lifestyle until one day I happened to be at my grandfather’s factory and saw the old-school way everything operated. Coming from an international finance firm, it got on my nerves. There was not a computer in sight; everything was done with pen and paper. It made me worry that, if I didn’t step in to modernize things, my grandfather’s business would be lost forever. Even my first client said it was a miracle that our brand still exists.
Why did you go for such a drastic rebrand?
I wanted to make a cool Thai brand out of my grandfather’s legacy. I think our country is pretty resourceful and Thai designers are in high demand right now. The big shopping malls are putting Thai products on sale quite often. We should be proud of our heritage products. We used to rely on old customers from the Southern and Northeastern parts of Thailand, but now our product sits on the shelf in Watsons. We’re also the only cosmetic company with a Thai name on sale at Eve & Boy, Siam Square.
Did everyone support your idea?
A lot of people told me to change the name. But I didn’t agree. I think our Thai name makes us unique. Everything at Eve & Boy has a Japanese or Korean name we’re the only Thai-sounding product. The name Srichand might remind people of their old grandmother’s favorite beauty powder, but I personally believe that our brand knows Thai women’s skin best.
What have you learned from the rebranding process?
New business owners should hold on to their dream no matter what happens. It’s the easiest thing to forget when you have to overcome hard times. Things will fall apart and it’s only you who can piece them back together. Sometimes, success and failure are just one step away from each other. Be fearless, keep moving forward.
Available at Eve & Boy nationwide. Try Siam Square, 186 Soi Siam Square 1, 02-252-7566. BTS Siam
Ballet Shoes
Around for more than 60 years, Ballet Shoes is one of Bangkok’s oldest shoe shops. What started as a family store in Ratchaprasong has gradually developed into a tailor-made shoe company catering to a diverse range of customers, though ballet shoes are still their specialty. Ponchanok Kongdechakul, 33, Pimpika Kongdechakul, 32, and Pasini Kongdechakul, 30, are the third generation of the family to work in the business. We spoke to the three sisters along with their parents, Pongdej, 62, and Jariya Kongdechakul, 60, and grandmother, Kimsong Saejia, 85.
Why did you decide to go into the family business?
Ponchanok: Our grandma never wanted anyone to do this business, even our parents. She still thinks that we’d be better off taking salaried jobs than managing our own business. But when I graduated from economics school, I knew I didn’t want to get a regular day job. I’ve grown up with this shoe business, so it’s instinctive to work here. So I’ve opened a shop under the same name selling the same designs but in quirkier colors than just black, blue, navy or white. It’s funny, we often find that the parents of our new customers are actually our old customers.
What was the business like when you first started?
Kimsong: My husband and his father used their skills as shoemakers to make products for the leading malls of 60 years ago like Daimaru at Ratchaprasong Junction. Back then, the land which CentralWorld is on was just a swamp. We finally bought two shophouses and opened the Ballet Shoes shop in 1959. When the lease ran out, that land became Gaysorn Plaza.
Pongdej: Shoemakers in the old days were much more skilled than today. We used to have 50 shoemakers who could produce everything from ballet shoes to boots. Now we only have 12 craftsmen left. The new generation doesn’t have the patience to practice and become a craftsman.
What are the pros and cons of running a family business?
Ponchanok: I love the fast decision-making. We can make a design and send it to our factory and sell it in two weeks.
Pimpika: The con is management, which can be hard to change.
Do you plan to expand to other products?
Ponchanok: After our shop at Siam Theater burned down in 2010, I realized that this was an opportunity to expand. We aim to increase production and create a new line of bags, too.
