Have you ever had an idea to make a startup, but were afraid to fail because of your opinion that ‘your targeted market is not ready for your technology? But, if we think about it, maybe the ride-hailing business won’t be growing if we just wait for the market to be tech-savvy.

The plan to build e-commerce is indeed not just a matter of making products and selling, but also about our shopping mindset. That challenge was felt by Prinda Prachartam, CEO of Thai e-commerce, Glazziq, who sold the first online eyewear products in Asia.

“By making an improvement to the traditional flow, an event if it is an improvement, implies changes to the way people have been doing things in the past,” said Prinda to Ziliun.

Prinda said, at the beginning of Glazziq’s, customers were not used to buying glasses online. Before Glazziq was released, many people were hesitant about whether to buy glasses online. Because choosing glasses is identical to try it directly. “Including my family who is working in the optical industry,” Prinda said.

According to Prinda, many customers sometimes have their own assumptions about buying glasses online. For example, some thinking that Glazziq does not have prescription services only sells frames but doesn’t include lenses, and others. The challenge is superb, according to her when Glazziq’s team must show how the use of new technology can help data management and make the entire operational process far more efficient.

However, customers who have tried shopping at Glazziq are gladly impressed and help spread information about Glazziq without being paid, including from celebrities. Followers of Glazziq’s social media accounts are now more than 100.000.

According to Prinda, the Glazziq website allows buyers to mix and match glasses and lenses based on what they want. Glazziq also provides trial services at home to customers so that they can try in their own homes and get opinions from their relatives. If it is not suitable, then they can easily return it to the nearest 7Eleven store which is far more convenient for customers than the ordinary post office.

Prinda argues people who want to make a startup must fully understand their target audience. According to her, to build a startup, it is important to target customers based on their needs, not only based on demographic and general categories. Personalized involvement with customers, for her it is also very important to communicate the right message to the right target and at the right time.

“Success is no longer determined by how you want to sell but how customers want to buy,” Prinda said.

To be a successful entrepreneur need to grow the“being rich is not the goal” mindset. According to her, a successful entrepreneur will instead focus on facing challenges, doubts, and other obstacles. Before reaching that point, it must continue to be enthusiastic and resilient in facing difficult times.

For Prinda, when we decide to do something that “disrupt with traditional industries”, we should have estimated all challenges, doubts, and obstacles throughout our business journey.

“You have to be passionate about what you do, learn quickly, be flexible and adaptive to rapidly changing environment. “The certainty is the only certainty there is and you just have to always expect and be prepared for changes to survive,” Prinda said.

The article has been translated & edited by Chafidz Maulana. This original article was here.