Launches Knock Out 2 Book, Ira Pohan Hopes It Can Be A Guide For Those Who Want To Start A Business

Photo (Maria Trisnawati/VOI)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian House of Representatives Library together with Arena Publishing launched the book Knock Out! 2' which contains a collection of inspiring stories of business actors who are able to face the pandemic in their own way.

According to Ira Pohan, as the Founder of Arena Publishing and the initiator of the Knock Out Book, this book tells the story of a UMKM business owner who has risen from adversity so that he can scale up.

"We saw for ourselves that during the pandemic we were hit hard from a mental, health and business perspective. And not just a few people but the whole world. So, my friends and writers made a movement, not just a book but a knockout movement on how to rise from a crisis, " he told VOI after the Knock Out book launch event in Senayan, Tuesday, August 23.

According to him, the book and the Knock Out movement can offset negative news about the pandemic and encourage all affected parties to rise up together.

Even though there are crises and problems faced, he continued, he believes there will always be opportunities to promote business and create new businesses so that they can develop in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"This is our secret, we have a problem and we tell it. Instead of seeing the problem as a problem that makes us slump, the problem becomes our resilience to soar even higher," he explained.

Ira added that in writing the book Knock Out 2, he also involved State Civil Servants (ASN), Lecturers, owners of waste processing plants, shrimp pond owners and various other professions.

This book is a combination of the inspirational stories of 15 authors.

Ira also revealed that she was inspired by the Chicken Soup Book, which contains inspirational stories and solutions to be easily digested by readers and sold worldwide.

"Outside there is a Chicken Soup book that is beaming. We are also enthusiastic about it. Chicken Soup can be like that, Indonesia also needs to have our own version of the work," he added.

In this book, the story is a true story of every author in going through a crisis which consists of how to build a business during a Pandemic, how to keep running to build a business when many times there is no support.

Including how to manage finances to survive in every condition, how to get scholarships abroad, how to strengthen the team when a crisis occurs and many more.

Furthermore, Ira said, currently she and the writing team are preparing the book Knock Out! 3 which will tell about how entrepreneurs and leaders build dreams and team dreams.

"We are planning later for KOs 4,5 and 6, we will create a more niche market. Maybe food and beverages, fashion, focus on certain types of business. God willing, we will launch KO 4 next year," he concluded. (ADV)