EP#26 - From Surf Camps to B2B Tech Businesses, Embracing Indonesian Culture in Business with Chris Burns

Today we’re joined by Chris Burns, who is a serial entrepreneur based in Bali. Chris  is currently involved in two tech companies - Bali App, Omniup. As well as the online shop for Revolver Espresso in Bali. Chris has multiple other businesses, including Secret Sumatra (surf camp in Krui), property investment in Bali and working at the Bali Tourism Board

Chris talks about the early days of his surf camp, where they were still building the site when half of the next season was fully booked!  We cover the importance of knowing your customer, understanding their buying habits can spell the difference between making little to no sales or upwards of $2000 a month. 

We discuss how learning the native language can put you and your businesses in a much better position. There are quirks and nuances to culture and language that if overlooked can increase friction for customers, but if you nail it it can be really rewarding. 

When selling in his B2B proposition, we discuss how it's important not to over complicate things, sometimes the customer just wants one thing, so don't over sell! 

How B2B businesses are sometimes a lot easier to run as they solve specific pain points, whereas trying to convince regular people to download and use apps is a real challenge.