Vimigo Case Study

From Solo Ventures to Team Success - How an Eyewear Entrepreneur Overcome Natural Disasters and Pandemic

Company：Skyline Optical Trading

Optical Trading

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Skyline Optical Trading：Navigating Through Tsunamis and Pandemics

Skyline Optical Trading

From Guangzhou, China to Malaysia’s eyewear market. Discover the journey of an eyewear trader who navigated challenges like tsunami and global pandemics, evolving from a solo vendor at local markets to leading a team in Malaysia’s optical industry.

“Leadership is about integrity. It’s about walking the talk. This is crucial because it fosters trust in the workplace,” said Frian Lin, the founder of Skyline Optical Trading Sdn Bhd. With three decades in the eyewear business, Frian believes that integrity lays the foundation for businesses to earn customer loyalty and employee commitment, ensuring long-term growth of a company.

Just as a mentor helping Frian during his early days in Malaysia, he hopes to help his employees realize their dreams as long as they hit their target and the company makes profit. Thanks to the VIMIGO performance rewards system which makes all these possible.

Navigating Entrepreneurial Challenges in the Eyewear Sector

Frian is an avid runner coming from Guangzhou, China. At age 15, he entered the optical industry, taught by his father how to hand make glasses using wire in their factory. This undertaking marked the start of his business career. Throughout his career over the past three decades, he experienced the 9/11 attacks in the U.S., the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, and the 2020 pandemic. Every disaster posed unique challenges to his eyewear wholesale business.

The 2004 tsunami was especially devastating. The sudden disaster wiped out his hard-earned assets overnight, leaving him in debt and poorer than ever. At that time, most of his inventory in Indonesia was flooded, and his customers were unable to repay their debts. He decided to move the remaining goods to Malaysia where he landed in the small town of Lukut in Negeri Sembilan selling glasses in pasar pagi/malam for a living.

With zero knowledge of local dialects and unable to even read road signs, Frian struggled both in his business and personal life. Fortunately, a mentor lent a helping hand and his business began to thrive. Soon after earning some money, he bought himself a car, set up a warehouse in Seremban, and hired 3 staff. To prove himself further, he decided to move his business to Kuala Lumpur in 2019.

Looking back on the daunting path due to “black swan” incidents, Frian is no longer filled with desperation but rather tranquility. Without a strong will, most people would have changed their path. Yet he persists in the eyewear industry, continuing to deliver trendy, premium, and comfortable eyewear to his customers.

Turning Crisis to Opportunity

6 months after settling down at Kuala Lumpur, his business was once again hit by the 2020 pandemic lockdown. Being a solo vendor for years, Frian longed to build a team instead of going it alone. He did hire employees but struggled to retain them and didn’t know how to set up a system to reward good performance.

With questions in mind, he gained some insights after reading Shane Mun’s book titled “Money is King”. Introduced by a friend, he then learned more about VIMIGO from our preview. He decided to implement the system in his company. “I grew up working for my father in our factory where the management style was rather conventional. As times changed, it dawned on me that positive company culture plays a vital role in sustaining the business. To stay competitive in today’s eyewear market, I opt for a more open management style.“

A new mindset leads to a new journey. Frian not only attended VIMIGO offline courses himself but also brought his team to attend VIMIGO For Team classes. He also participated in the Founder Program, hoping to master Shane’s teaching, align the team, and help them achieve their dreams.

Empowering the Future Leaders in Eyewear Wholesale

Like most bosses, while the company started implementing VIMIGO, Frian was concerned whether his staff were inclined to use the app, and whether their results being made public would create embarrassment. Inspired by Shane’s quote – “Champions are made through competition, not practice” – he shifted his mindset by organizing various ‘PK’ challenges to boost team morale.

Leaderboard

Improved Employee Competitiness

For instance, Frian initiated a competition for the warehouse department. Normally it took 3-4 days to complete inventory checks for 60 boxes of goods. Guess what, the winning team was able to finish in just 3 hours! He also used ‘PK’ challenges to reduce shipping errors, encouraging the team to update their results daily. By the end of the month, work performance had greatly improved as well as the company’s competitiveness.

During the implementation of VIMIGO, the company underwent “reshuffling” and screening: the right people stayed in the bus, while the wrong ones gradually got off the bus. Despite doubt, Frian realized that the ultimate goal is what mattered most. With a clear vision and alignment between the company and its employees, things become easier.

“Success is a journey, not a destination.” Frian resonated. As a result of the company’s transformation, he had formed his core team of talented young people and set up another two companies for them to manage. He also introduced foreign brands from US, France and Japan to Malaysia targeting the Malay market, aiming to move his business to new heights while becoming a leader in the eyewear wholesale sector.

EWF

Employee Welfare

With the help of the VIMIGO system, Frian launched a car-reward plan to recognize high-performing staff. In April 2023, 4 employees got their new cars. In June the same year, the company organized a 7-day trip to Japan to reward top performers. The team had wonderful memories visiting Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and Mount Fuji.

Upholding the Legacy of Skyline Optical

Having faced various challenges throughout his entrepreneurship, Frian acknowledged, “Life is like running a marathon. The first half relies on your physical strength, while the second half depends on your willpower and belief. Persistence comes from believing in oneself and in the significance of every step taken. From being solo to having a team, from selling glasses for a living to making others’ dreams my own – it all comes from strong belief and perseverance.”

Today’s Skyline Optical Trading is more than eyewear wholesale excellence. It embraces the spirit of optimism, positivity, persistence, and never giving up. As the founder, Frian hopes to pass on this spirit. “So long as you’re the right person, you can achieve your dreams at Skyline!”

Always striving for better, Skyline Optical upholds the truth that what really changes the course of one’s life is his vision, mission, and goal. This is what VIMIGO believes in an entrepreneurship spirit. Thanks to the trust of entrepreneurs like Frian. VIMIGO will continue to support SMEs to create a win-win for employers and employees. Let us together build a brighter future!