3.3 OBSERVANT

Being observant of your surroundings is one way to unleash your inner creativity. Each time you ask questions, the creative juices begin to flow.  You don’t necessarily have to be an expert in a specific industry in order to come across a disruptive solution to an age-old problem.  After you validate your solution in the pre-existing market, you should learn as much as possible about its respective industry.   Learning its history and observing trends is key to ensure your solution remains relevant.   While it is nice to have a successful project underway, it never hurts to have more ideas baking in the oven. 

Entrepreneurs are always looking for the next great idea.  They pay attention to what’s going on, not only right around them, but also around the world.  They often recognize potential opportunities long before others and what an entrepreneur really needs to be is highly insightful of consumers’ needs. 

A more abstract definition of entrepreneurs may relate to individuals who identify various needs and requirements of a consumer market that remain unfulfilled. Once identified, the entrepreneurs take the initiative to set up an enterprise with the rudimentary objective to deploy the business machinery towards the fulfilment of identified unfulfilled consumer needs in order to generate optimum profits for themselves.

Figure1 : Observant

3.3.1   TONY FERNANDES

Figure 2 : Tony Fernandez

Tan Sri Dr Anthony Francis Fernandez, also known as Tony Fernandez born in Kuala Lumpur in 1964. He went to boarding school in Epsom, Surrey before going to study at the London School of Economics.

After finishing his schooling at Epsom College, he studied at the London School of Economics and qualified as a chartered accountant. He subsequently launched himself into the music industry, moving from his role as financial controller of Virgin Communications to Warner Music International London in 1989, when he was still in his mid-20s.

He was promoted to managing director of Warner Music Malaysia in 1992 and to regional managing director of Warner Music South East Asia in 1996. In 1999, he became the Vice President of Warner Music South East Asia. But as the music industry struggled to cope with the challenges and opportunities presented by the internet, Tony decided it is the time to make his move and start pursuing that childhood ambition. 

Figure 3 : Air Asia Airbus a320

His motto is “dream the impossible” and some might have thought Tony was doing just that when, as a child, he dreamed of establishing Asia’s first low-cost airline. But in the aged 37 in 2001, he made his move by buying the loss-making Air Asia for one ringgit and then transformed it from a small and struggling airline state-owned airline.

He had no experience of running an airline, but this did not deter him and he set about transforming the carrier into a short-haul low cost airline in the mould of those recently established in the West. Now, he was the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Air Asia and founder of Tune Group. Tony is one of the entrepreneurs who have the characteristics of observant entrepreneurs.

In October 2001 he meet Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and advised him to buy the Airline. That was a first step that he take.  After he bought Air Asia from DRB-Hicom, he start to set the vision of Air Asia.

Figure 4 : Tony Fernandez Meet Tun Mahathir Mohamed

It is "To become the largest low cost airline in Asia and serving the three billion people who are often charged high fares.” No have anyone willing to take risk, but Tony Fernandez  even went as far as to mortgage his house and use up most of his personal savings to sustain and grow Air Asia. At that time, nobody understand what he thinking by doing all these things and most of the people simply think that he was hysterical.

In order to achieve his vision, he start observant and introduced the low cost Air Asia to Malaysians with the slogan "Now everyone can fly", which aims to make flying affordable so that everyone can fly.  Air Asia had broken even and cleared all its debts but Tony continued to expand and grow Air Asia into what it is today. 

Airlines Air Asia is quickly becoming profitable within two years because of low fare, high quality service.   Now, Air Asia has been voted the world's best low cost airline and unprecedented, in six consecutive years (2009 - 2014).   Observant and his vision has changed the Air Asia to pioneer low-cost airlines in Asia and the largest low cost airline in the world

Figure 12 : Tony with Air Asia stewardess

Being observant of your surroundings is one way to unleash your inner creativity. Each time you ask questions, the creative juices begin to flow. You don’t necessarily have to be an expert in a specific industry in order to come across a disruptive solution to an age-old problem. After you validate your solution in the pre-existing market, you should learn as much as possible about its respective industry.   Learning its history and observing trends is keys to ensure your solution remains relevant.   While it is nice to have a successful project underway, it never hurts to have more ideas baking in the oven. 

Entrepreneurs are always looking for the next great idea. They pay attention to what’s going on, not only right around them, but also around the world.  They often recognize potential opportunities long before others and what an entrepreneur really needs to be is highly insightful of consumers’ needs. 

A more abstract definition of entrepreneurs may relate to individuals who identify various needs and requirements of a consumer market that remain unfulfilled. Once identified, the entrepreneurs take the initiative to set up an enterprise with the rudimentary objective to deploy the business machinery towards the fulfilment of identified unfulfilled consumer needs in order to generate optimum profits for themselves.