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."
