Expansion and our trip to Vietnam: being global is mostly about understanding people and cultures
 

Elephant Skin was already born global and remote. Today, it is present in Miami, United States (the place where it was founded by Brazilians) and also in Canada and Latin America, but the goal is to win over the world and, to do so, it has been dedicating itself to exploring new markets, with an initial emphasis on Europe and Asia.

As a global company and a people platform, ES wants to strengthen its community of artists all across the globe and, to do so, there can be no barriers, be those related to language or time zone.

We aimed at Asia observing matters related to the quality of works performed on the Archviz market and the cultural diversity of these projects. Vietnam was the country chosen in the globe to start exploring the continent. We spent two weeks getting to know the cities of Ho Chi Minh and Da Nang.

This experience brought to our Elephants valuable thoughts.

Exploring new markets - what is crucial when approaching a new culture?

In order to eliminate the time zone barrier, ES focuses on replicating the structured process that it has today in other parts of the world and, to do so, it is necessary to be open to learn from new cultures, like our founder and CGO (Chief Growth Officer), Henrique Driessen believes:

“Something that needs to be cherished is the respect to culture. Whenever you get to a place, it is not other people who should adapt to you, but the other way around. It is necessary to be open to getting acquainted and starting conversations”.

The Archviz market in Vietnam has as its main aspect master plan projects focused on the grand scale architectural complex.

The Vietnamese closeness to other regions of the world like Thailand, Ukraine, Poland, Australia, Eastern Europe, among others, is also reflected on its broadly developed culture and its work structure on Archviz, which is more focused on developing external projects along with other countries.

The Elephants’ visit to Vietnam had as its focus the understanding of the country’s culture and market and it was surprising to see similarities with the Brazilian culture:

“It is a culture similar to the Brazilian one due to climate, diet and behavioral elements. We were very welcomed. People, even though more shy, have a cool sense of humor and so we connected in an easygoing way”, shares Carlos Carbonar, HOD (Human and Organizational Development) Global Manager at ES.

We faced a few mishaps in communication regarding language and the different levels of English pronunciation and comprehension, but nothing that muddled our exchange. Even with differences in fluency, the wish to establish good relationships has overcome this difficulty and we managed to have great conversations.

Time zone – challenges, but also opportunities

Time zones are usually faced as one of the main challenges for global companies, but they can also be a great opportunity to refine even more the efficiency in delivery to clients.

While ES explored Vietnam, an image demanded to be prepared quickly and, to do so, a professional in the region was contacted. The file had been forwarded by the Brazilian artists at the end of the day and the artist worked on the image during day time in Vietnam. When it was already morning in Brazil, that image had already been completed.

One of the goals here is to employ the Follow the Sun (FTS) model, a 24-hour customer support, with teams available in several different time zones, working at their own pace and time without feeling overwhelmed and, of course, experiencing the scalability on a global scale.
Head of Marketing, Victor Luidgi, says that the trip to Vietnam was an exploratory job, considering all the possibilities and opportunities there:

“We also wanted to know what setting an operation in that time zone would entail and what relationships we would be able to establish with the other countries present in that region.”

Embrace the Challenges - It is way beyond winning over markets around the world, but counting on the richness and diversity of different cultures and people

Cultures can add elements to each other. It would have been possible to connect with Vietnam remotely, but the cultural immersion, walking the streets, taking in the smells, knowing its cuisine and being close to the lifestyle of these people are unique experiences, reached only through the intensity that being there in person provides.

From this exchange, it was possible to understand the level of high quality and operational structure in that region, as well as showing to the Archviz studios and Vietnamese artists how much a partnership could offer in exchange for professional background and employing a management structure already consolidated at ES.

“Being global is not only getting projects and having teams in many parts of the world. For ES, it is fundamental to understand what is valuable to every region and to the people who live there. We are building diversity in our team, products and markets to live the full scale of being a global company”, reinforces Carlos.

ES believes that when the Archviz market and the global community of artists come together, opportunities reach unimaginable grounds.

We are leaving our mark in every continent so that everyone remembers that together we can make extraordinary things through what makes us different ― the ability to tell unique stories.

Choosing to dream big and work on this purpose is an enormous responsibility. Our greatest reassurance is that we are surrounded by the right people so that this grand project reaches more artists all over the world.

There are Elephants all around the world, they just do not know it yet.
 

 

Communications Manager - Roberta Lemos | Communication Intern – João Victor Campos
Author – Journalist Daiana Barasa and Juliana Rodrigues | Naiá
Interviewed – Henrique Driessen - CGO, Carlos Carbonar - HOD Global Manager, Victor Luidgi - Head of Marketing
 

*All Rights Reserved to Elephant Skin Group Corp.​