Why move to a poor, landlocked country of 7 million people to pursue entrepreneurship? Listen to this episode to hear why some expats, foreigners and overseas Laotians should consider moving to Laos.
Laos is a country that does not attract much attention globally, so I chat to Benjamin Soo (based in Vientiane) to hear more about life in Laos and the opportunities & challenges for foreign startups and businesses in Laos.
Born in Malaysia, Ben moved to his mother’s home country of Laos in high school and was inspired to bring about positive change after seeing so much poverty. He went through a long soul searching journey to figure out what he could do to bring about the most impact and create employment and opportunities for locals.
Based in Vientiane, Ben eventually co-founded an upscale construction business, Modern Lao Homes and a SE Asian import/export business for Australian goods called Bunnasia.
Find out more about Ben's businesses here:
In this podcast episode, we chat about:
- Taking over a failing French restaurant in Laos
- Starting a premium construction business with limited experience
- Selling Australian goods in Laos & Thailand
- The current startup ecosystem in Laos
- The attraction of Laos for foreigners, investors & startups.
Podcast Timestamps & Topics
- 0:00 Intro
- 1:36: Ben’s Intro
- 3:53: Why entrepreneurship in Laos? Ben’s entrepreneurial journey from Malaysia to Laos.
- 11:05: How did Modern Lao Homes start?
- 14:30: How did Bunnasia (Australian import/export business) start?
- 17:14: What’s the attraction of Laos for startups or investors (if any)?
- 20:45: What sort of expats / foreigners move to Laos? What to expect as a foreigner?
- 26:30: What is the startup ecosystem like in Laos? Chinese & Thai investors?
- 28:45: Do many overseas Laotians or Laotian diaspora moved back to Laos?
- 31:30: Ben’s background growing up half Laotian / half Chinese Malaysian
- 33:50: Can you navigate Laos just speaking English?
- 35:50: Major challenges for Laos in regard to business and its economy?
- 38:55: What is the nightlife like in Vientiane? Ben’s day to day life?
- 43:00: Would Ben go back to Malaysia?
- 46:00 – Advice for young people & aspiring entrepreneurs
- 50:30 – Ben’s personal goals in Laos for the next 5-10 years & conclusion
