Hello, I am Siwat Vilassakdanont, people call me X. I’ve been with AnyMind Group since 2019, and joined through the acquisition of Moindy Digital (Moindy) where I was an investor and Managing Partner, and helped scale the business for around three years. Moindy is an influencer network that helps grow the YouTube Ecosystem in Thailand.
Prior to my investment in Moindy, I co-founded several tech companies in Thailand as well as held positions in local and international financial organizations in the United States and Singapore.
I am currently the Country Manager of AnyMind Group in the Philippines. My first six months at AnyMind Group consisted of scaling our influencer network model across seven markets, and formed the CastingAsia Creators Network. That scope involved recruiting and growing teams from the ground up, ultimately scaling this model from Thailand into a multi-national influencer network.
The responsibilities of my current position are similar to a start-up owner, where I inherited an existing team in the Philippines consisting of less than 10 people. After 10 months of managing the market, we have now doubled our headcount and our client base has grown to include leading local businesses as well as multinational brands. My diverse background in forming and scaling various start-ups has allowed me to take on this role quickly, as I like to liken what I’m building as “a start-up within a start-up”.
Since the Philippines is a relatively new market for AnyMind Group, I see myself as a jack of all trades. I help my team in all facets of the business including business development, strategic planning, financial management, HR, marketing, and growing our influencer network. Anything I can do for my team, I will just roll up my sleeves and contribute.
Duo ultimate combination
In my 14 months working here, I was given the opportunity to start our CastingAsia Creators Network business in 7 markets. After that, I was given the opportunity to scale up our Philippines operations. While it can be tiring and stressful at times, I feel grateful for having this kind of opportunity in my career.
At the same time, I have learned to be flexible with varied stakeholders including customers, employees, vendors, and other fellow leaders. There are days where you win and there are days where you lose, but coming to a compromise will get you closer to your long-term goals.
Structurally speaking, AnyMind Group is deep into the area of innovative technology and global megatrends such as marketing technology, entertainment technology, HR technology, mobile advertising, direct-to-consumer, and digital-out-of-home. Naturally, the company has positioned itself in various growth areas and continues expanding its footprint across the globe. I feel thankful and motivated to play a part in this company’s unique journey.
As AnyMind Group shares several values, my team and I work with these values throughout our time with the company. “Be Open”, refers to being open to diversity, but also being transparent with all stakeholders. “Being Bold” means willing to take smart and calculated decisions. “Moving Faster” means taking action right away rather than waiting too long. “Stay Updated” means constantly being updated on various trends and information, and using this to our advantage. “Achieve Together” is being collaborative with everyone in and outside of the company, and working towards a common goal.
In terms of achieving positive outcomes in my role, there is no secret to it. It is a combination of working hard and smart. Working hard means giving 100% of your effort and using 100% of your capability. Working smart means having a clear strategy, being flexible, and channeling your efforts into areas that have the most potential.
It is my personal goal to continue to grow the Philippines market to make it a major contributing market for AnyMind Group. In the nearest future, we are excited to explore business opportunities like our direct-to-consumer and TalentMind business lines in this market.
Perks of having a superb team
Given the situation that is happening at the moment, figuring a way to manage stress and burnout is very relevant to my team, since we have been in a full lockdown for over 3 months. I have five direct reports and they are my eyes and ears for the well-being of their teams. We align each team member’s personal and career goals, and also implemented a monthly award system for employee recognition. A simple “Good Job”, “Well Done”, or “Keep up the good work” does not hurt either.
Love also plays an important role in leadership. You cannot lead your people without loving them. Leaders who lead with love garner commitment and bring the best out of their people.
Usually, the challenges are stressful but temporary, and whenever I am faced with such challenges, I try to take a step back and understand the problem. My stress relief techniques include meditation and cardio exercises as I try to maintain my physical and mental health for a marathon, not a sprint.
“Success doesn’t stop when you get there,” said Michael Jordan. Even when we’re living through these tough times, it is okay to stop, pause, and give ourselves a pat in the back and say: “Job well done!”, but we still have a long hill to climb ahead of us, and we are far from being a leading innovative company in the Philippines. Let’s celebrate our short wins, but let’s not forget about our long term goal!
