Entrepreneur Craig Chau's life is an inspiration. A rags to riches story dotted with highs and lows which made him determined to reach each goal he set for himself.
Today the Hong Kong-born Canadian sits pretty with two blossoming businesses. One at Leanne's, an eyebrow, eyeliner and lip-enhancement saloon, where he is managing director, and iQQU skincare products, which he founded.
Despite being a high school dropout and not being well connected in society, the 50-year-old has demonstrated through the choices he has made in life, which have not always been right, that "man is the architect of his own destiny".
A less than perfect childhood didn't stop him from pursing his dreams, which he did by creating his own opportunities. First in hotels and then in the skincare and beauty industry, where he has made a name.
Prior to launching his career in the skincare and beauty industry, the flamboyant personality worked in the Thai hotel industry for more than a decade, where he held executive positions.
He has managed to rise above adversity each time the going has got tough. Pursuing his career path in the last three decades has interestingly been driven by his own interests, ambition and need for a fresh start. Chau has also never allowed his lack of educational qualifications and work experience to stand in the way of success.
Chau, an avid reader, picked up the tools of his trade from books, and encourages people to not get discouraged if they have missed the opportunity to study at a high level.
"I used to read a lot of motivational books when I was young, because I did not have anyone to mentor me," he states in a matter-of-fact way.
"I enjoyed books with different genres. Related to work included sales/marketing and psychology. The principals, philosophy and experiences of the writers made a big impression on me."
To better understand Chau, one has to go back to the time his mother decided to take the eight year old and his two sisters to live in Vancouver, Canada, after separating from their father. To make ends meet, she worked as a cleaning lady and a waitress at the Hyatt Regency, Vancouver.
"As far as I can recollect, we lived in the basement of a rented house for a number of years," began Chau. "My sister and I slept on a narrow sofa, just big enough to fit our tiny frames till we outgrew it. Most of our meals included rice with soya sauce and egg. This was probably the lowest moment of my childhood.
"As a kid I did not realise that we were struggling financially and I recall moments of resentment over not being able to possess the types of toys, clothes and fine things in life other children had.
"Money was usually tight, so we were used to receiving handouts for clothes and shoes. Being the sole breadwinner, my mother probably felt there were more urgent things to spend her hard earned money on.
"To save 25 cents, I vividly remember how we walked 13km to purchase groceries. It was especially hard during the winter.
"On one such encounter, I found myself being chased by a huge dog. I climbed on a car to get away, but nearly fell because of the slippery ice on the windscreen." Chau admits that childhood trauma can either make a person emotionally strong or break their spirit.
For him, it seemed to have done a little of both. He grew up an angry child, harbouring bitterness and resentment, which had made him stubborn and live in denial.
This made him emotionally vulnerable. As he grew older, he was able to channel the negative experiences as a driving force to accomplish his purpose in life.
Chau moved continents in his early 20s. He began his career in sales in Hong Kong, working for such business entities as McCann Ericsson and Tatler magazine. He has also spent 15 years working in Thailand's hospitality sector.
He ventured into the hotel industry very much by chance. It was during a flight to the Philippines that his eye caught an advertisement for the position of director of sales at Novotel Siam, Bangkok, in the newspaper he was reading. On his return, he spoke to the man in charge of hiring, and after hours of interviews he secured the coveted position reserved for people with years of experience.
Chau says it's not just the power of persuasion and salesmanship that convinces employers to get an inexperienced person on board.
Besides positive attitude and not taking "no" for an answer, of equal importance is not allowing rejection and suggestions by outsiders that you are too young to pursue your dreams to dissuade you from going after them in the first place, he said.
Chau has proved the importance of being hungry and driven when it comes to following a career path.
He explains: "You need to be positive and believe in yourself. You have to be prepared, driven and realistic in your goals. Everyone wants to be a millionaire, but getting there takes perseverance.
"You cannot reach your goal if you do not know how. Waiting for opportunities doesn't always cut it, often one has to create opportunities to reach that goal."
Chau attributes much of his success today to his fear of suffering and not having financial security. "When you go through hard times, you go through certain suffering that makes you appreciate the value of life. This is why I believe people should not live to work but work to live," he said.
"Life is a gift which can be taken from us tomorrow, so we should have a balance between work and play. I have been through a lot and I do not want to go through that again. I am at a point in my life where I am content. Today, good health and the happiness of my loved ones means more to me than financial gain."
