Before starting a business, know that many problems can come solely from the lack of proper market research. Unfortunately for Japanese internet personality ROLAND (ローランド), this could be why he was hit with nothing but hardship when opening his business here in Malaysia.
In a recent video uploaded to his YouTube channel, the well-known host shared how he burned over 60 million Japanese Yen, or approximately RM1.9 million, when attempting to expand his business to Malaysia. Earlier this year, the host shared his plans to open a branch of a hair removal salon, ROLAND Beauty Lounge, at the J Value Mall at the Pinnacle in Petaling Jaya.
The mall was initially developed as a Japanese concept mall, focusing on Japanese businesses. However, construction in the mall is ongoing, causing a lack of crowd, even from Japanese expatriates. Many locals noted the lack of patrons was due to the mall location in PJ, which is far from downtown Kuala Lumpur and where most Japanese expats live.
Through his YouTube video, the 31-year-old shared an inside look at his discussions with the CEO of J Value Mall, Hirofumi Ouchi. The video most notably showed them discussing the mall, the slow rate of construction, and the lack of crowd. Due to these issues, ROLAND decided to scrap the plans to open the salon, leaving all his investment to waste.
The video has garnered the attention of many Malaysians, sharing their opinion regarding the initial business plans. Many said the plans failed because of the lack of market research, adding that most Japanese expats live in Bukit Bintang, Hartamas, and Mont Kiara, which would have been a better location for the salon. Many also felt that ROLAND got cheated by the CEO, who seems incompetent, and hope that this experience won’t deter him and other Japanese companies from investing in Malaysia.
While it was unfortunate, we hope ROLAND learns more from this experience – and hopefully, with more knowledge about Malaysia, ROLAND and other businesses will continue to invest in our country.
You can watch ROLAND’s video here:
Adleena contributed to this article.
