Jon Lim, a Blind Person who Successfully Become Chief Executive Officer in Balikpapan

I had a super cool opportunity to interview Jon Lim a week ago, a chief executive officer of Perdana Putra Utama Jaya company that focuses on the plastic factories and heavy equipment rentals. For less than an hour, he told many things about his life experiences and how he achieved success despite coming from unwealthy family. How does this blind person manage his own company in Balikpapan? Let's explore his story below!

Kiki: "Hello, good afternoon, sir."

Jon Lim: "Good afternoon."

Kiki: "When did you become blind?"

Jon Lim: "I became blind since I was in elementary school."

Kiki: "Oh, sir, please tell me about your childhood."

Jon Lim: "I am the seventh child in my family. My father passed away since I was four years old and my mom worked as a cake seller to support her seven children. We lived below the poverty line and faced many difficulties."

Kiki: "What about your education?"

Jon Lim: "I attended SLB Yayasan Pendidikan Anak Buta Surabaya from elementary to junior high school. Then, I continued my high school at a Christian high school in Bandung and went to Universitas Surabaya, majoring in law."

Kiki: "What was your work history after graduation?"

Jon Lim: "Since elementary school, I dreamed of becoming a lawyer, but in Surabaya, most visually impaired individuals were directed to become teachers and were funded until they graduated from college. I didn't want that, so I deviated from the path. I paid for my high school myself by busking at Taman Hiburan Rakyat in Surabaya. To cover my college fees, I worked as a masseur from 1980 to 1984. In 1984, I applied to PT. Prima Bangun Pelita Surabaya as a personal manager, where I was even given a secretary to help read letters. I worked there for only a year. Then, in 1985, I worked at Fashion Post, a company that produced Jova jeans. My boss told me, 'If you keep following me, you won't advance. You should start your own business.' Eventually, I opened my own office in the legal and service sector. Besides being a legal expert, I handled documents like marriage certificates, birth certificates, and other correspondence."

Kiki: "Wow, that's amazing! How did you write letters? Who read the documents for you?"

Jon Lim: "I wrote the letters, and then the employees read them."

Kiki: "Oh, how did you write letters? Did you use speech recognition software for your computer?"

Jon Lim: "Back then, there were no computers, I used a manual typewriter with ten fingers."

Kiki: "Wow, I see."

Jon Lim: "In 2008, I stopped working as a legal expert and service provider because I fell ill. Fortunately, I met a client who said he would help me if I supplied him with scrap metal from Kalimantan. In addition, I bought heavy equipment to rent out. As sourcing scrap metal became increasingly challenging, I shifted my focus to heavy equipment rental and also aimed to develop my plastic manufacturing business."

Kiki: "What is the name of your plastic factory?"

Jon Lim: "Perdana Putra Utama Jaya."

Kiki: "What about the name of your heavy equipment rental company?"

Jon Lim: "The same, Perdana Putra Utama Jaya."

Kiki: "So, do you currently have two companies in Balikpapan? Do you operate in other cities as well?"

Jon Lim: "I also rent out heavy equipment in Batam."

Kiki: "Wow, how many employees work for your company now?"

Jon Lim: "About 90 people."

Kiki: "Impressive! How did you search for scrap metal while being completely blind?"

Jon Lim: "I searched with my employees as far as Timika, Papua, at PT. Freeport. I looked for large quantities of scrap metal to ship to Germany. Those scraps were turned into Mercedes cars abroad."

Kiki: "Wow, what were the challenges of doing the work as a blind person?"

Jon Lim: "I didn't see it as a challenge. Whenever I met people, I'd never felt looked down upon. I was the buyer when purchasing items, and as a legal expert, I was the one resolving their issues."

Kiki: "So you don't find any challenges working as a blind person at all?"

Jon Lim: "There were many challenges. During school, I faced ridicule, but I don't feel any challenges at work. However, there were difficulties, for example, in crowded places, sometimes I felt overlooked because I can't see. I used to cope with that by smoking."

Kiki: "What helped you rise from adversity?"

Jon Lim: "I was risen by my difficult circumstances. I had to succeed."

Kiki: "Sir, what is your life motto?"

Jon Lim: "In life, do not expect sympathy from others! Thinking my limitations, I have to ask myself what I can do. That has been my motto since childhood."

Kiki: "What is the secret of your success?"

Jon Lim: "I try everything I can. When it seems impossible, I ask first, like when applying for jobs in private companies. People think a blind person wouldn't be accepted, but I asked and prayed first. Then, I was tested and passed. I was also the first blind person to graduate in law in East Java. This is because there were no blind people willing to try. In terms of courage, don't worry about what others will think of you. If you have solid skills, like being proficient in English, showcase them when you meet people, they will trust that you can give solution. My principle was that if someone came to my office, it meant they needed my help, even if they were a doctor who didn't understand law."

Kiki: "Wow, that's impressive! How do you build your self-confidence?"

Jon Lim: "To build self-confidence, you have to confront situations. You have to be brave, even when pressured, but focus on positive actions that enhance your skills."

Kiki: "What messages would you like to convey to fellow visually impaired readers to help them succeed like you, even without parental support?"

Jon Lim: "First, never expect sympathy from others. Second, think ahead. Don't rely on others. Ask yourself, what can I do? For example, if I were physically disabled and lost a hand, what could I still accomplish?"

Kindly note, this article has been published by Solidernews.com