Meet Lifestyle Asia Thailand’s 50 ICONS, where we gather influential people from Thailand’s younger generation and dive into their beliefs, thoughts, and toasts to their spectacular success in their respective careers. This story goes out to Belle-Nutsima Sirisoonthorn, a businesswoman and influencer who doesn’t let excuses interfere with her business.
When it comes to finally achieving success, the beginning is never easy. Whether you’re starting from zero experience or doing whatever it takes to close a deal, being able to build an empire takes a lot of determination. And although some may have been born into wealth like Belle-Nutsima Sirisoonthorn, that doesn’t mean she didn’t work hard to build her brand. This gorgeous influencer currently has a beauty enterprise called Siris Group with many businesses under such as Siris Beauty Boutique, Aeswe Aesthetic Clinic, Esthemax Thailand, Skin Culture Laboratories, YUMI LASHES & BROWS Thailand, ERASCA Thailand and XLEAR THAILAND, and more under.
Today, LSA will take you behind the scenes of her brand, identity, and battles that some may not realise as this young lady even had to fly abroad to negotiate a deal without having any prior experience. And along with this cute fashion set, adorning her wrist are Hamilton watches to add that extra touch of sophistication.
[Hero & Feature Image Credit: Instagram @bellesiris]
Belle-Nutsima on the SIRIS Group Empire and being an entrepreneur
The challenges of not having any prior experience
“I have a lot of businesses, including clinics and beauty centres. I also import medical cosmetic equipment. And then there’s also my lash business. So, all in all, there were a lot of challenges I had to face. But let’s start at the beginning. The most difficult brand was my first, which was importing cosmetics from France. When I came across this French brand that’s all about eyelashes, I was quite young. At that time, I was 22. I had zero experience, but I really wanted to bring this company to Thailand, so I emailed them. I got no response, so I decided to fly to France to visit the shop.”
“However, it turned out that although the brand was from France, the headquarters was in Belgium. Therefore, I had to book a train ticket there. I pretended to be a customer, talking to the employee, but then they asked where we were from. I responded Thailand. They mentioned how some Thai people contacted him about wanting to open the brand there. I told him it was me. They were shocked, yet smiled, and that’s when I was taken to see the owner. We talked, and the deal was closed. I think it’s because they saw my determination, even though I had no experience.”
It’s all about taking action
“When I started my company, I was also an employee. I did everything from accounting, and marketing, to being the admin, responding to customers. I even did their lashes myself. But because I was taking on all these roles, I learned a lot, which allowed me to expand my business. It’s honestly all about starting from somewhere, and once you begin, you instantly gain experience. Then you can use that and build on it for other businesses.”
“It’s all about having the courage to do something. Once you start a business, it doesn’t just end there. You have to also confidently build the brand. When I brought this French product in, not many knew about this item. I had to educate people on the product, where it came from, its quality, and make it resonate with Thai citizens. I even went to study how to do eyelash lifts in France to earn a certificate for people to trust us. I believe social media helped us a lot since we could promote and show our work, but it’s also all about creating trust with our customers.”
On the differences in managing businesses
“I graduated from International Economics at Chulalongkorn University, so I didn’t have any background in business management. But I’ll confidently say that all my brands were built on experience alone. I’d say when it comes to my brands, I always focus on two things: opening them and importing the products to serve our clients. However, the biggest challenge currently is social media marketing. In this era, everything changes quickly. At first, the hit platform was Instagram, and now it’s TikTok. We have to target the newer generation because we already have customers from the older ones, so we need to keep up with the trend.”
The pressure in life and work
“The truth is no pressure at all. My family doesn’t do that. I’m really lucky because they support everything I do, so I have the freedom to choose my career. If it doesn’t cause trouble, they’re all for it. I think it’s better like that because the results turned out well. However, I always put pressure on myself because when I do something well, I always ask “what can I do better?” It’s like I’m always in a competition with myself.”
A passion for beauty and fashion
“I’ve always had a passion for beauty since I was young. I remember when my mom would pick me up from school, before going home, we’d stop by the clinic. I’d often sit and wait for her there. But as I entered my teenage years, around 14 to 15, I asked my mom if I could try some treatments. That was when everything sparked.
The same goes for fashion. It all started with my mom. She would dress me up when I was a kid, but when I got a bit older, I started picking my own clothes. I remember most children would have activities at home. Mine was updating my wardrobe, which was something my mom always assisted me in doing every month. We’ll go shopping together, and she’ll let me choose what I want. But on a serious note, I’m also thinking of starting a clothing brand. However, it seems tiring. You have to release a new collection all the time, and it takes a lot of devotion. And we all know that fashion moves fast.”
“As for skincare tips, my routine is quite basic. However, one thing I always prioritise is skin cell turnover. I like to use AHA or BHA products since we have a lot of dead skin cells on the epidermis. This helps with exfoliation making the skin smooth whilst tightening pores. It also makes you look more radiant, and when we apply skincare, it helps the products absorb into the skin better. Another thing I always use is sunscreen. The sun is the cause of wrinkles, blemishes, freckles, and ageing skin.”
On the future of SIRIS Group
“Right now, I’m looking into wellness. I want to focus on health since the elderly population is increasing more and more. So, in the future, I’ll focus on that group more. The last thing I want to say is if you’re thinking of starting a business, just do it, and do it quickly. And if you’ve already invested money and time into it, make it happen. No one wants to waste money. It’s all about trying every means possible until it happens. Also, always remember to act like a glass half full. Listen to everything, gather information, think about it, evaluate it, and see how you can use it in your career and life.”
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Drinking is best during the day, especially when at brunch. If she's not working, catch her at the gym or socializing with friends. An introvert extrovert at heart. She's a Capricorn.
