Editor’s Note:
This article was first published in the Jakarta Post and reflects one writer’s observations during a period when Indonesia was emerging from the political and economic changes of the late 1990s. While the stories remain an interesting snapshot of that era, Indonesia’s business environment has changed considerably. Licensing has become more streamlined through digital systems, entrepreneurship is more accessible than ever, and intellectual property laws have strengthened. Nevertheless, many of the themes discussed—including supporting small businesses, encouraging innovation, and protecting original ideas—remain relevant today.
I sighed deeply, daydreaming about the good old days.
Do not be mistaken—I was not dreaming about political slogans or wishing to return to every aspect of Indonesia’s past. Rather, I found myself reflecting on an era when determination, hard work and a willingness to take risks often seemed enough to build a successful business.
That morning, a gentleman dressed in worn khaki shorts and an old T-shirt sat opposite me and shared his story.
“When I first came to Jakarta, I had almost nothing. My car was my only valuable possession. In the late 1960s, Kemang was still largely undeveloped, surrounded by fields and inhabited mainly by Betawi families. I traded my car for a small piece of land near a river.”
He continued.
“I needed somewhere to live, so I worked wherever I could. For a while I drove an unofficial taxi. Later I worked in construction. Every rupiah I earned went into building my small house. It took nearly three years before it was complete.
“First we built the walls. Later came the doors. Then the doors had no locks because we couldn’t afford them. The floor was poured long before we had enough money for tiles.”
Eventually he realised he needed a business.
He contacted friends in the Netherlands who sent him several laying hens. He sold eggs from door to door around Kemang.
Many Indonesian families preferred the smaller eggs from ayam kampung, but expatriate families recognised the larger eggs and quickly became regular customers.
Later he expanded into broiler chickens, selling fresh chicken meat as well. Eventually he opened a small neighbourhood shop.
That modest enterprise slowly grew into one of Jakarta’s best-known supermarkets serving the expatriate community.
The gentleman, now a successful businessman, invited me onto the veranda overlooking his horse stables. While admiring the peaceful surroundings, I found myself thinking less about his wealth than about the journey that had brought him there.
Stories like these have always fascinated me.
Another was my former employer, one of Indonesia’s successful timber entrepreneurs. Before building a large business, he spent his youth doing manual labour in rural Kalimantan. Despite later becoming one of Indonesia’s prominent business figures, he remained remarkably humble and placed considerable emphasis on supporting the communities living near the forests where his companies operated.
Neither of these men inherited wealth.
They recognised opportunities, worked extraordinarily hard, accepted risks, and slowly built successful businesses.
Today, entrepreneurship remains very much alive in Indonesia, but the landscape has changed. Modern entrepreneurs face different challenges—from increasing competition and rapidly changing technology to navigating regulations, financing and market expectations.
One issue that has long frustrated creative entrepreneurs is the protection of original ideas.
Years ago, furniture workshops around Kemang offered a good example. A successful design would appear in one showroom and, within days, similar versions could be found throughout the neighbourhood. Many designs were inspired by overseas catalogues or magazines, and original creators often received little recognition or protection.
Indonesia has since strengthened its intellectual property laws, and businesses today have better legal avenues to register trademarks, patents and industrial designs. However, enforcement can still be uneven, particularly for smaller businesses, designers and creative industries.
Bureaucracy was another obstacle for entrepreneurs.
Obtaining permits and licences once involved lengthy paperwork, multiple government offices and considerable expense. In recent years Indonesia has introduced digital licensing systems and simplified many business registration procedures, making it significantly easier for small businesses to get started. Even so, administrative requirements can still be challenging depending on the industry and location.
Competition has also become much more intense.
Successful ideas spread quickly, particularly through social media and online marketplaces. Small businesses sometimes struggle when larger competitors replicate products or services with greater resources and marketing power. This is not unique to Indonesia, but it highlights the continuing importance of encouraging innovation while ensuring fair competition.
Ultimately, what I miss is not bureaucracy, political systems or nostalgia for the past.
What I admire are the stories of ordinary people who built extraordinary businesses through persistence, creativity and hard work.
Indonesia continues to produce remarkable entrepreneurs, many of whom start with limited resources and grow successful companies through determination and innovation. Their stories remind us that sustainable success comes not from shortcuts, but from creating something of genuine value.
Perhaps those are the “good old days” worth remembering—not because they belonged to the past, but because those values remain timeless.
First published in the Jakarta Post.
