From Beer Boss to Baskit: How Visa Woes Brew Startup Chaos
Meet Yann Schuermans: Belgian-Brazilian globetrotter turned supply chain gladiator in Jakarta. At 30, he quit cozy gigs at AB InBev, where he’d bulleted through jam-packed roles like strategy czar for the Asia Pacific office and M&A whisperer, for a startup where 50 hearty VCs said 'no thanks.' Alongside wife Yoonjung Yi—who moonlit as AB InBev's HR guru—they launched Baskit to untangle Southeast Asia's spaghetti supply chain with a $100,000 family safety net and the looming threat of visa eviction. Now pivoting daily through Jakarta traffic, they’ve corralled $5.5 million, survived payroll-free months, and learned: the ‘right time to leap’ is your bank account whispering 'good luck.'
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Turns out quitting a comfy beer empire job to chase startup dreams in Jakarta means 50 VC rejections, near visa disasters, and living on $100k savings while traffic jams teach you hustle. Entrepreneurship: chaotic, terrifying, and oddly addictive.
Quitting a corporate jet for Jakarta traffic jams and $100k in savings screams ‘life upgrade,’ said no one who’s ever balanced visas and venture capital rejections.
Starting a supply chain startup with your spouse sounds romantic until you remember 50 VCs threw shade, and 'payday' was just a myth told by corporate legends.
Source: Businessinsider | Published: 9/22/2025 | Author: Sophie Steiner
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