Name: BONAGUA, Jian Jezequiel G.

Course and Section: CE168P-2/A7

Skillset Enhancement Undertaking #9
"Tob" Itthipat Peeradechapan is considered to be a youth
entrepreneurial icon when he is 34 years old. He is the founder of
Taokaenoi Food & Marketing, an international brand best known in East
Asia for its crispy seaweed wafer-thin sheets. Like most companies, Tob 's
story inspires people, proving that the track we follow is not the only way to
move forward. Here are some interesting facts on the youngest billionaires
in Thailand through his struggles and successes.
Tob acknowledged he was a youthful video game addict. He
neglected his studies in favor of video game tournaments when he was 16
years old. A year later, he dropped out to begin purchasing chestnuts. He
had difficulty with initial sales from a small kiosk. But his first venture was
soon popular with an estimated monthly turnover of close to $87,000 at
around 30 locations and with 50 employees through grit, determination, and
a stroke of luck. As a businessman as early as 19 years, Tob was paving
the way for success.
Taokenoi was a name that Tob 's father would tease him with due to
his bossy attitude. It translates into Little Boss.Tob 's fledgling chestnut
venture was also called Taokaenoi. He took his name with him when he
finally had to close his shop and start his maritime snack company. In East
Asia, Tao Kae Noi has grown into a family name.
The Billionaire is a biographical film about Tob 's career, also known
as "Top Secret," Wai Roon Pan Lan. The film released in October 2011
depicts Tob 's life as a drop-out and how he became one of the youngest
(baht) billionaires in Thailand. In an interview with Tob, he said that while
there were some changes to the film as regards its production value, its
plot, ideals, and messages reflected his journey in detail. In Thailand,
where it grossed 38,796,264 baht, the film was well received.
The launch of Taokaenoi on a 7-Eleven had few sales. Tob noticed
the algae packs on the bottom shelves, thus out of sight. The shop
manager was persuaded to move the packages closer to the cashier had a
major effect on sales. It is almost unbelievable with everything to be
planned to sell a product that such a small detail – one that could easily be
overlooked – can have a major impact. In 2008 Tob knew that its business
would succeeding when sales reached $30 million.
Tob is the youngest person to be included in the "50 wealthiest
people" list in Forbes, with 34 years of age. His story, with so many
achievements, inspires and shows how a person can apply himself to
something. Today, in order to diversify its assets, Tob has split 10 percent
of his shares into institutional investors. By supporting startups and the
future generation of entrepreneurs, he looks towards the community back.