Meet the Team: Fon Sanutchom & Bua Laksika
Heads, hands, and hearts constitute the team of San Fun Group (click here to read about the philosophy behind our team formation). Today we spoke with two of our team leaders, whose polar personalities and works play a big role in the establishment of San Fun Group.
Fon Sanutchom
The first of the team members I spoke with is Fon. According to many interns, she is a reliable older sister to them—calm, caring, and diligent. A specialist in Chinese language with extensive working experiences in sales, services, and marketing, Fon, however, joined the team expecting to "take care of the juniors."
"When I was invited to the team, I was told that my main responsibility was to 'take care of the juniors.' I was like... am I going to be a babysitter for somebody? I later learnt that we would be accepting interns, whom I would be supervising. I had so many questions—where would the interns come from? How many of them would there be that my help would be needed? Almost two years later, we have had over thirty interns from different academic backgrounds and nationalities."
The number of interns has grown, as does Fon's responsibility. She is now focusing on the administration of properties under SF Living. Not only do the properties need to be run smoothly, but the people running them also need to be happy. According to Fon, this is an immense task.
"I take care of everything. People. Day-to-day tasks. Suppliers. Quarrels. Everything. Thai people think of admins as somebody who merely answers calls or messages, but being an admin here at San Fun Group is like overseeing the whole town. We do absolutely everything. I have assisted the front office with so many things I don't really know how to scope my tasks down. For example, I have been a contact person for cattle purchase, structural assessment of buildings, workplace accidents, and many urgent matters. It's like when anything goes wrong, I'm the first to respond.
'Working here is different from other previous places. With other companies, you will have fixed work responsibilities and KPIs. At San Fun Group, I deal with unforeseen circumstances on a regular basis. Having plan B is hardly enough. Sometimes, I need plan C, D, even F! Moreover, working here requires you to be versatile, as you will be swinging around different roles. Communication skills and problem-solving skills are so important."
"Working in other places is quite square; here it's more of a star-shaped."
Fon described her work in a lighthearted fashion. Despite the erratic nature of it, she always radiates composure. Perhaps there is more than humor to her stress management.
"I try to be present and tackle the problems in front of me first. Future tasks can be dealt with when the time comes. Sometimes, people worry so much about the future when they can actually work on something right away. I apply this thinking outside of work as well.
'One thing I've learnt from working here is: be open. Don't limit yourself to what you have already known or mastered. Also, be flexible and don't always expect things to go as planned.”
How would you describe San Fun Group in three words?
Don't. Get. Old.
“When we think we are too old to learn, we close the door to new opportunities, and get stuck in a comfort zone instead of expanding our capabilities. Embrace unfamiliarity and we can improve."
In case you are one of the future interns interested in joining our team, here is Fon's message to you:
"I say this to every applicant during the interview: remember the fire and the drive to be a part of the team. Once you are fully a member of San Fun Group, you will face obstacles, stumble, and question yourself. But remember what brought you here; and keep going."
Bua Laksika
Bua was piled up in work documents when we met, but she was kind enough to spare me some time for an interview. The first to join the team full-time, but also the youngest, Bua shared with us both her professional and personal growth through San Fun Group.
"I had joined the team as a management trainee, and later business development. The work at first was fairly situation-based, meaning I worked on several projects depending on which one needed assistance and manpower at the time. Now, I am developing an accounting system for projects of San Fun Group. Furthermore, I am a visual artist when a project calls for visual elements, such as logos or illustrations.
Although her work entails system design, accounting, and arts, Bua actually studied engineering. Let's hear what she thinks about the different facades of her work.
"Accounting is record-keeping. This record helps keep track of the 'health' of a business—its financial flow and readiness for any emerging risks—similar to how a doctor monitors a patient's vital signs. My background in engineering contributes to systematic thinking, while visual arts is what I have been doing since childhood; and I plan to continue until my hands give out."
Bua's shifting responsibility from the situation-based nature of the initial works to the precise accounting system is a reflection of her journey. It is not entirely a smooth sail, especially in San Fun Group where the tides change according to other business partners.
"The greatest challenge for me is fear of the unknown. It is not always clear what tomorrow will bring in terms of tasks, and when it does, it comes in bulk. That can be overwhelming. My journey so far has been dealing with that challenge. And I'm still figuring out the best strategy. What I find helpful is to recenter myself and lighten up the voice in my head whenever I feel the worry and fear creeping up on me. Receiving support from my colleagues was also a part of many learning moments of mine. It helped me realize that making mistakes is not the end of the world."
A team member since the first steps of San Fun Group, Bua mentioned how she envisioned San Fun Group to be.
"San Fun Group is not merely a workplace or business. It is a where people of different dreams connect.
‘This was the vision of San Fun Group that drew me in the first place. As the company expands, I want to see the same focus on human growth—a community. Now we have seen such things outside of work. People went bouldering and cooking together. I wonder how this small circle can flourish in the future."
How would you describe San Fun Group in three words?Community. Holistic. Pathfinder.
“San Fun Group is a community that values interactions between members. It also adopts a holistic view toward business and problem-solving. Lastly, San Fun Group walks new and alternative paths.”
