Simon Samaan sold his international education business in 2007. After that, Samaan rewarded himself by planning a three week holiday to Phuket, a small tropical island in Thailand.
Samaan liked the place. A lot. So he stayed a little longer and five years later, he owns and runs Class Act Media, an English language media company that owns The Phuket News newspaper and radio station, LIVE 89.5.
Samaan and his tech team have also recently built more online ventures, including an online trading website, an online ticketing platform, and an employment website.
Why did you make the move into media? And in Phuket ?
I think Phuket offers a lot of business opportunities as it’s constantly expanding with more and more people choosing to live and do business here.
I was also seeing a gap in the market to offer good quality information and entertainment to both expats and a growing Thai middle class.
Being the Managing Director of a fast growing company, managing different forms of media and over 40 staff, how do you balance time between work and family?
If I’m at work later than 6pm, I start getting restless. I have two very young children that I miss a lot so I’m always wanting to get home to see them. I guess that’s a natural way of limiting my work.
I try not to go into the office on weekends, but I’m always checking my emails.
Do you have any role models? In business or life in general?
I don’t really have one particular role model in business or life. I love reading business success stories and I’m always fascinated and moved by such people.
I also have a very simple motto which I believe has always helped me and made it easier to take risks.
“If someone else can do it, then so can you”
Where do you hope you and your business will be in 5 years?
Hopefully I’ll be in a position that having already achieved all of my long term expansion goals, my involvement in the day to day running of the business will be very minimal.
If all that happens I was going to say I’d be off on a tropical island somewhere but I already am.
What would you say to other Australians considering starting their own business?
I started my first business with a capital outlay of $1000 so my message would be, “If someone else can do it, so can you”.
Good ideas, backed up by hard work, does pay off. It’s not always about how much money you have. Have faith in yourself and don’t be scared to take risks – but back it up with hard work and honesty in the way you do business.
For more information, check out ThePhuketNews.com or PhuketLIVEradio.com.
