Navigating Business Growth Like a Pilot
Starting a business is a lot like flying a plane. As a pilot, I know that before you can take off, you need a flight plan, a plane, a checklist, and a proper runway. In the world of business, your flight plan is your business proposal, your plane represents the business itself, your checklist is akin to your daily tasks, and the runway symbolizes the essential foundation needed to launch your business successfully.
Let's begin with the plane. In aviation, there are small planes and large planes. Small planes, like a Cessna 172, represent small businesses—they don't require much fuel or a long runway to get airborne. On the other hand, a large aircraft like an A380 represents a big corporation, demanding tons of fuel and an extended runway for a successful takeoff.
When I started my business in 2021, I had minimal experience and limited capital, so I approached it like a lean startup, piloting a small Cessna 172. This small plane required only a modest amount of fuel to get off the ground, and once airborne, I had to ensure I flew at an altitude that conserved as much fuel as possible—capital was tight, after all.
Fast forward to the end of 2023, and I found myself ready to transition from that small aircraft to something a bit bigger. My business was growing, and I planned to move from a 2,000 sqft storage area to an 8,000 sqft building. This expansion required careful calculation and planning to ensure I had the necessary capital to make the leap. At that moment, it was clear I needed to land the Cessna and prepare to pilot a mid-sized plane.
The transition wasn’t easy. The profits I had at the time were just enough to cover operating expenses, and moving to a larger location meant my costs would surge, potentially quadrupling. I needed to rebuild my runway—long enough to ensure my mid-sized plane could take off.
During this critical phase, I ventured into TikTok, seeing it as my “ATC” (Air Traffic Control). I knew this platform could guide me in a larger, more competitive airspace. By December 2023, I had successfully followed the guidance of my ATC. It was like receiving an ATC command, “EW99, turn right 20 degrees for sequencing.” But, even with ATC’s directions, it was up to me to fly the plane.
This marked the beginning of my journey into livestreaming and the creation of my TikTok account, @Captain.Kucing. It hasn’t been an easy flight, but I wanted to journal how I transitioned from flying a small aircraft to piloting something larger, and how I’ve navigated the skies of TikTok over the past eight months. Here I am, still flying, and the journey continues.
