Apr 16, 2023

High School Dropout Turned Videographer Turned Coffee Shop Owner... in Thailand

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This podcast episode was recorded in Chiang Mai Thailand.

This special episode is an international story of pursuing creative passions, changing careers after burnout and going against cultural norms halfway around the world in Thailand.

While visiting Chiang Mai, Thailand, LIVE A GREAT STORY founder Zach Horvath frequented PHOX Studio, his favorite coffee shop in the city. Through frequent visits for morning computer sessions, Zach got to know Gim, the owner of the coffee shop.

Turns out Gim has an inspiring story of following his own self-directed path, dropping out of high school to pursue photography, getting a video production degree in Denmark and then starting his own coffee shop.

Gim's story is not a typical story for Western culture but it's even more unusual in Thailand.

Gim dropped out of high school, quickly realizing that traditional education was not his path.

Instead, he found solace in photography. He spent his high school years wandering the streets of Chiang Mai, self-educating.

"My mom was quite supportive when I told her that I didn't want to go to high school. She only ask one questions: "What would you do with your free time? You will have a lot of time."

I told her, "I will do photography.I think I'll take a little journey around city and take some pictures."

She said it was ok because she thought it would took me like maybe three weeks for. maximum. It took me like the whole three years. I didn't go to high school at all."

But after some time, Gim felt that it was important to take the next steps in his education so he started exploring other options.

Gim asked around for suggestions from family and friends, and he stumbled upon a film school in Denmark that was accepting new students.

In a very unusual move, Gim took off for two years to Denmark for a degree in video production.

After returning to Thailand, Gim worked for a small production house in Bangkok but found that the work didn't fit him at all, running out of his creative passion.

In search of inner peace and clarity, Gim traveled to India.

However, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and Gim was forced to take a break from everything. During this break, he pondered over his next journey and stumbled upon the idea of opening a coffee shop.

And just like that, PHOX Coffee was born.

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