From Rolex to Entrepreneurship: Renaud-Louis’s Journey of Craft, Risk & Reinvention

What does it really take to leave a stable corporate career and finally bet on yourself?In this episode of Asian Business Owners, I sit down with Renaud-Louis, founder of Amplitude, a Hong Kong watch atelier born from 18 years of experience at Rolex and a lifelong passion for craftsmanship.Renaud-Louis shares the pivotal moments that pushed him from corporate comfort to entrepreneurship.What you’ll hear:The honest realities behind starting a retail business: choosing the right location, handling customers, managing cash flowNavigating a major identity shiftThe emotional and financial risks with the support of his familyTimestamps:（00:00）Introduction to Asian Business Owners（00:33）Meet Renaud-Louis: From Rolex to Entrepreneurship（01:36）Early Career and Passion for Horology（03:50）Journey to Hong Kong（06:12）Balancing Rugby and Watch Repairing（10:02）Climbing the Ranks at Rolex（14:57）This or That Questions（15:48）The Pivot Moment: Founding Amplitude（19:10）Finding the Perfect Shop Location（20:43）Setting Up the Shop and Initial Challenges（22:58）The Importance of Customer Relationships（23:36）Learning from Mistakes and Managing Cash Flow（24:28）Transitioning from Corporate to Entrepreneurship（25:36）Family Support and Humility in Business（26:18）Teaching Kids the Value of Hard Work（28:00）Creating a Community of Watch Lovers（30:06）The Art and Craft of Watchmaking（33:46）Future Goals and Aspirations（37:03）Final Thoughts and Advice for Business Owners👉 To find out more about Amplitude:The websiteOn Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.