Today we’d like to introduce you to Sitthiphat Phosuay
Hi Sitthiphat, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Hello, My name is Sitthiphat (Gotji). I have to take you back to 2017 the time I first visited Austin for my Master’s degree in Hotel and Restaurant management. I was looking for a huge hotel to learn about mass staff training as my final project.
Luckily I found JW Marriott Austin the hotel that had 700+ staff back in the day. I learned how they trained 700+ people for my final project while enjoying the city.
In the end, I fell in love with Austin. Always wanted to come back. After graduating in Bangkok, Thailand, I worked for a couple of years until Covid-19 hit Asia.
I finally got back to Austin in 2020 but unfortunately, there were no jobs at the hotel I was working for.
It took about a year for me to work for a restaurant in downtown, I decided to start my own food truck in Buda 4 years ago, and it was the right decision because people didn’t go to restaurants at that time.
My partner and I kept doing what we love to serve the community and people gave us their love and support.
It was really good in the first couple of years but the food truck was down after the Covid ended. People went back to the restaurants again. We had to expand the second location to spread out the risk.
We have tried things here and there. Some were good, and some were bad. We were about to be broke the past couple of years which was very hot and too long, but we found the way out and kept going.
It’s hard for us not to handle the businesses but we carry about 10 staff with us. We can’t let them down, the show must go on no matter what.
4 years later, We have 3 physical businesses in Austin, Buda, and San Marcos. We also have one mobile catering business and 100% of orders come online.
I am planning on having a restaurant and home cooking class soon.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
There are a lot of external factors affecting my work, which can make managing a business really tough. Each of those factors—weather, trends, economy, and seasons—brings its own set of challenges.
Weather: Weather can significantly affect operations, especially food truck business, bad weather can impact production, sales, or customer behavior. This could lead to unpredictability in profits or supply chains.
Trends: Staying ahead of trends is crucial. The food business is highly competitive and each business always being active and follows trends, we have to continuously adapt to consumer preferences. A shift in trends might mean that we have to overhaul our marketing, our products, or even the way we operate, which can be resource-intensive.
Economy: The broader economic landscape has a huge influence. Whether it’s inflation, recession, or just shifts in consumer spending, these factors affect both the costs of running our businesses (e.g., raw materials, wages) and the purchasing power of our customers. During tough economic times, people might cut back on spending, which directly affects the sales.
Seasons: Our businesses rely on seasons, we could see varying demand depending on the time of year. This creates challenges with cash flow, inventory management, and workforce planning. For example, our business in San Marcos and Buda might struggle during the summer months because of school breaks and families going out of town.
Financial issues are often tied to these factors. Those factors are unpredictable, and it’s easy to fall into financial strain, especially if we have to manage fluctuating costs, inconsistent revenue, or increased competition.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I have a deep passion for eating and cooking, but what truly excites me is using my knowledge and experience to train people to work in the right way. My professional background in HRD (Human Resource Development) is centered on training and development, and I’ve always believed that the key to success—whether in the kitchen, office, or any other field.
In the culinary world, cooking is certainly a skill you can learn, but when it comes to turning that passion into a business, it becomes much more complex. You need the right systems, the right people, and the right tools to ensure the desired results. It’s about building a strong foundation—everything from establishing workflows, creating efficient processes, managing inventory, to developing a culture that values excellence. This is where my management and training expertise comes into play. I focus on ensuring that people are not only skilled in their work but also aligned with the right mindset and systems to contribute to the success of the business.
Looking back at my career, I’ve had the opportunity to manage multiple outlets while balancing my academic studies. While working on my Master’s degree in Thailand, I worked for five companies at the same time, managing a total of 13 outlets. It was an incredibly demanding role—stressful, and challenging, but also one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I had to learn to juggle various responsibilities, optimize resources, and ensure consistency across multiple operations. This experience really honed my management and leadership skills and helped me grow not just as a professional, but as an individual. I learned the importance of staying adaptable, solving problems quickly, and keeping a clear focus on long-term goals.
Currently, I’m focused on refining the training systems that I’ve built over the years and ensuring that teams are equipped to operate at their best. It’s not just about making sure the work gets done, but about making sure the people doing the work are empowered, motivated, and set up for success. I’m also looking into expanding into new areas within HRD, where I can help businesses, especially in the culinary sector, scale and grow by developing the right systems and teams.
The future of both the culinary industry and training in HRD is really exciting, especially as businesses continue to evolve and adapt to changing market demands. For example, the rise of technology and automation is changing the way we train people, and I’m keen on exploring how these innovations can be integrated into training programs. I also think there’s a growing emphasis on work culture and employee well-being, which I’m passionate about improving. As industries become more competitive, it’s not just about working harder; it’s about working smarter and building an environment where people can thrive.”
How do you think about luck?
“Luck is often a concept that people look to when things go well, but when it comes to my experience in business and life, I’ve never really relied on luck. To me, the idea of luck often feels like an excuse or something that can undermine the sheer effort and hard work required to succeed. Running multiple businesses at the same time, especially in such a challenging environment, has never been about waiting for luck to strike—it’s about constant problem-solving, long hours, and a lot of stress.
Work and life often seem to be at odds with each other. Balancing the demands of managing businesses with personal life can be one of the hardest aspects of my journey. When you’re handling multiple outlets, every day comes with a new challenge—whether it’s a staffing issue, operational hurdles, or the unpredictable nature of the market. The stress of managing everything, while also trying to maintain a work-life balance, can feel overwhelming at times. And through all of that, there’s never been a moment where I could attribute success to luck.
Instead, success comes from preparation, resilience, and the ability to stay focused in the face of challenges. The people you surround yourself with, the systems you put in place, and your own mindset—those are the factors that determine success, not luck. When things get tough, it’s about how you react and what you do to adapt. Luck might seem to show up in moments of opportunity, but even when those opportunities arise, you need the right foundation in place to take advantage of them.
There’s no easy answer to overcoming the challenges of running multiple businesses, but it’s about keeping your eye on the bigger picture and pushing through the tough moments. In business, there’s always going to be unpredictability—whether it’s changing economic conditions, fluctuating customer demands, or even personal setbacks. It’s not about hoping for things to fall into place. It’s about maintaining a mindset that can handle uncertainty and continue to move forward, even when it feels like life is working against you.
So, in my experience, luck might play a small role, but it’s never been the driver of my success. It’s the hard work, the right systems, the people you trust, and the ability to learn from failure that truly defines the journey.”
Contact Info:
- Website: https://gotjiskitchen.com
- Instagram: gotji_kitchen
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/15jQq75GFk/?mibextid=qi2Omg
