Many would think it crazy to open a business during Hong Kong's 2003 Sars pandemic, but not Ricky Chu, group managing director of mobile marketing firm Gravitas. Taking advantage of falling office rents and low salaries, Chu successfully built his two-man band into a booming business of 40 employees that makes millions of Hong Kong dollars annually.
How has your educational background and work experience helped you develop your business?
I graduated from Hong Kong Baptist College (now Baptist University) with a graduate diploma in China marketing and e-business. After graduating, I began work, marketing for telecom companies. I learned a lot about the products and services, which benefited me greatly.
What inspired you to open your own company?
In 2003, at the age of 30, I was facing a career crisis. I was told that the telecoms department where I worked was going to fold within a few months. At the time, the internet was beginning to take off, but going online with a mobile phone was not at all popular. I could see the huge potential and so set up a company with my brother.
How has your company developed?