Brief Summary
Theoderik shares his entrepreneurial journey, emphasizing the importance of business models, adaptability, and focusing on daily processes rather than distant goals. He highlights key lessons learned from failures, the significance of parental support, and the value of living in the moment. The conversation also touches on practical business tools like Odoo and the necessity of soft skills in building lasting relationships.
- Importance of understanding business models and adapting to market changes.
- The value of parental support and humility in decision-making.
- Focusing on daily processes and living in the moment for long-term success.
- Utilizing tools like Odoo to streamline business operations and free up mental space.
Introduction
Theoderik, an entrepreneur and content creator, discusses his spontaneous approach to content creation, where he avoids scripts and relies on genuine curiosity from his team to drive questions. He started creating content in response to anxiety about the financial industry's issues with financial scams, aiming to provide real-life value and guidance.
Early Business Ventures and College Life
Theoderik recounts his early life as a child of a single parent from a lower-middle-class background, attending good schools through academic achievements and church support. During college at Prasetiya Mulya, he engaged in arbitrage, buying tempered glass and power banks from Lokasari and Mangga Dua and selling them to his peers for profit. He used the money to cover tuition fees and living expenses.
Layer Cake Business: B2B and B2C Strategies
Theoderik describes his layer cake business, dividing his sales into B2B (selling to rich friends' parents for corporate gifting) and B2C (selling directly to parents through their children). He details how he replaced the box and tied a ribbon to increase the value. He made significant profits during Chinese New Year and Eid, using the earnings for personal expenses and investments.
Exhibition Business and Early Success
Theoderik shares how he transitioned from selling layer cakes to organizing exhibitions. He identified a flaw in Prasmall's pop-up market, using a commercial angle to make it profitable. His first event, the Old Town Market at Grand Indonesia, was a success, netting him Rp 250 million, which he split with his partner and used to pay off debt.
Challenges and Setbacks in the Event Business
Theoderik discusses the challenges he faced in his second event, where a demonstration by tenants led to him refunding everyone. Despite this, he still made a profit due to lower rental costs and sponsor income. He learned the importance of being wise and adaptable, leading him to shift his focus to office buildings for events.
Transition to Office Buildings and Pandemic Pivot
Theoderik explains his move to organizing events in office buildings, which offered more frequent opportunities than malls. During the pandemic, with events canceled, he pivoted to online classes, creating Cafe Midstocks, an investment education platform. This venture proved highly profitable, with significant turnover from online classes.
Digital Agency and Content Creation
Theoderik discusses the creation of his digital agency, driven by demand from financial institutions and MSMEs for content creation. He emphasizes the importance of adaptability and seeing opportunities, leading him to view Cafe Midstocks as a media outlet rather than just an education platform.
Business Models and Technical Basics
Theoderik stresses the importance of understanding business models and basic technical skills for entrepreneurs. He uses the example of starting a coffee business to illustrate different business models and their respective roadmaps. He also highlights the need to understand financial records and inventory management.
Streamlining Business Operations with Odoo
Theoderik introduces Odoo, a software with 70 applications that can handle various business processes, including sales, invoicing, accounting, and HR. He shares his past struggles with manual recording and inventory management, emphasizing how Odoo can streamline these tasks and integrate with marketplaces. Odoo offers a free trial with unlimited hosting for one application.
Humbling Experiences and Life Principles
Theoderik recounts a humbling experience where he had to use his savings to support his mother, leading to a moment of self-doubt and questioning his path. He learned the importance of faith, parental prayers, and not underestimating the power of God. He now focuses on three daily principles: seizing opportunities, being self-aware and enjoying the moment, and ending the day with satisfaction.
Retirement Goals and Living in the Moment
Theoderik shares his retirement goals, emphasizing the importance of passive income and having choices. He believes that money should provide options and time, aligning with one's life values. He stresses the significance of living in the moment, enjoying simple pleasures, and freeing one's mind from technical matters to focus on macro things.
