Entrepreneurship is the spice of life
A chat with Ethan Yong founder of UmamiPapi Chilli Oil
I came looking for a story about a startup.
I left with a lesson about success.
When I caught up with Ethan Yong, the 30-year-old founder of UmamiPapi Chilli Oil, he was fresh from Japan - a former finance professional turned food entrepreneur who's redefining what business success can look like.
We met in the front yard of his Hawthorn home, where our conversation felt more like catching up with an old friend than an interview. I arrived hoping to document his growth strategy, what it was like meeting Gordon Ramsay and what was the best thing he ate in Japan.
But what I discovered was something more valuable, a thoughtful approach to building both a business and a life.
In one of my previous articles, I explored the rise of lifestyle founders - entrepreneurs who prioritise meaningful experiences alongside building a business.
Ethan lives this approach, creating a business that serves his vision rather than consuming it.
But it wasn’t always this way, "I've never had such drive and fire in my belly," he tells me, eyes brightening as he describes UmamiPapi's origins.
What began as a weekend project elicited genuine excitement from friends - not just polite nods, but the kind of enthusiasm that makes you feel like you have something special.
His first investment was just $50 for chillies and spices from Hong Kong Supermarket in Clayton.
He had no idea that this was just the beginning. A journey from experimenting in his home kitchen, to renting a commercial kitchen after hours, eventually growing into his own space.
Today, his products stand on Coles shelves alongside multinational brands.
The catalyst for this journey came from a pretty unexpected place, from watching one of his colleagues at his former finance job.
"She already had a home and everything, but had never gone overseas or done any exchange. She went straight from high school, to university, to work. I started questioning if that's what I wanted for myself."
He knew then, that he didn’t want to just follow convention.
"When I reflect on traveling with barely any money," he shared, "those experiences formed who I am today. I wouldn't trade them for material possessions."
In our twenties, we’re all told to follow the path of investing your side cash, saving up for a mortgage and going on an exciting holiday once a year.
Instead, Ethan invested in experiences. He didn't pay himself for two years, channeling every dollar into building something sustainable and meaningful.
While he now can appreciate having a life outside the business, he acknowledges the early years were different. "In the first few years, I had no idea about strategy. I thought I had to keep myself busy all the time and considered that productivity," he felt the only way to succeed was to move fast.
During his appearance on Foodstars, Gordon Ramsay offered advice that stuck with him, "Slow down and think about how you're going to solve something." This simple yet powerful perspective became one of many influences in his journey.
He tried offering some advice back to Ramsay, but needless to say that didn’t go down as well.
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I'm noticing this shift across various industries - founders rejecting hyper growth in favour of sustainable businesses that enable richer lives. They’re keeping things small, and doing one thing incredibly well.
In the grocery aisle, his products stand out. They're not anonymous corporate offerings but carefully crafted items with a story and purpose behind them.
The financial metrics tell one story, but Ethan's journey reveals another.
Entrepreneurship isn't necessarily about rapid scaling or exit strategies. It can be about creating something people genuinely love while building a life you don't need to escape from.
"I don't have plans to exit," Ethan explains. "This is not the type of business I intend to just make a bunch of money from and sell at a premium to some global conglomerate. I'm building a brand."
In a business landscape fixated on disruption and speed, maybe that’s the real innovation. Patience, craftsmanship, and intentional growth.
Ethan isn't trying to revolutionise an industry overnight - he's complimenting it, one thoughtfully made jar at a time.
Needed to hear this...."keeping things small, and doing one thing incredibly well." thx!