The wholesale district

Thursday, April 3.  Today was the second day full of stuff to do.  My new experience was to go to the Sampeng wholesale district in Bangkok, a street lined with every product imaginable, only for wholesale purposes.  If  you wanted to buy one thing, forget it.  They talked in dozens or more.  But the scene was like some of the night time bazaar shopping scenes in Bangkok, this time though for merchants looking to buy products from middlemen for sale in other parts of the city.

We went there to talk to a hat manufacturer, who proved to be at least as capable of producing what I want as the manufacturer from yesterday.  My feel with this guy was actually a little better today.  I think he can do it and wants to do it.  And my gut says, at least with our limited exposure, that this might be the guy I do business with.  Molds are still an issue, and we also learned that the woven lining that I want will add quite a bit to the cost per hat.  Another day, more information but not yet the complete picture that will give me an exact idea of what each hat will cost to produce.  Patience.  I should be able to put the numbers together in a week or two I'm guessing.  I know that it can come together, it's just a matter of how many hats need to be sold per day/week/month for me to at least break even in year one.  I don't plan to break even.  I plan to blow the doors off, so I can really then do all the styles I want and think about expanding to other markets outside of the golf market.  

Other than that it was a great day.  I got to know Korn, our Bangkok assistant and connection/helper a little better, got to meet my good friend Pae for coffee and talk hats, entrepreneurship, China, real estate, opening new clubs, and the Thai stock market.  My next two moves will be to open a bank account here (maybe I'll do a little trading!) and to get a Thai ID card.  That I'll probably have to do next time.  These two things make coming to Thailand quarterly a less difficult idea.  I also got a chance to have dinner with Nana, A Liang, and Jod, which was very nice.  It is always great to reconnect and reconfirm loving and supporting friendships.

I don't know readers, but each day seems to be getting better and better, and I feel more and more in the moment and good about the direction of everything in life.  I just might be flat out happy and peaceful!  What do you know?  Things can change with the right attitude.  Peace and until tomorrow all!