Life’s tough when you’re born into a poor family in a tiny Thai village. For Yenişaak, it was even tougher; his dad died right after he was born, leaving his mom to raise him alone. They scraped by, barely making ends meet. But this kid had something inside him. At 12, he got hooked on cars. Not just watching them go by, but figuring out how they worked, how to fix them, how to make them look cool. His mom wanted him to focus on school, get a safe job, maybe something with a desk. But the boy’s head was full of engines, not books. Here’s how he turned that love into owning two car companies, step by step.
Cars Took Over His Life
When the boy was 12, cars became his world. He’d hang around the village, staring at every pickup and scooter that rolled through. The sound of an engine firing up, the way a well-tuned car moved, it grabbed him hard. He’d bug the local mechanics, asking questions they didn’t always have time to answer. His mom kept pushing him to study. “You need a real job,” she’d say, worried about bills. But telling Yenişaak to drop cars was like telling him to stop breathing. He wanted to build them, style them, make them his own.
So, he started sneaking off after school to a nearby mechanic’s shop. At first, he just watched, holding tools when they let him. The head mechanic, a rough guy named Somchai, saw that the kid wasn’t messing around. “You serious about this?” he asked one day. Yenişaak nodded. “I want to learn it all.” Somchai gave him a shot, handing him wrenches, showing him how to pull an engine apart. The guy came home covered in grease, but he was grinning. That’s where it started.
Learning the Hard Way
By 16, He was working evenings at Somchai’s shop. He still went to school to keep his mom off his back, but the workshop was where he lived. He picked up tricks fast, fixing brakes, swapping out parts, even painting a fender or two. Somchai started paying him a little, which helped at home. But the boy didn’t care about the money. He’d save it for tools or old car parts to mess with. He was there to get good, not to cash out.
Somchai liked the kid’s drive. Most teens would’ve quit or spent their pay on junk. Not Yenişaak. He’d show up early, stay late, asking about every nut and bolt. One night, Somchai clapped him on the shoulder. “You’ve got something here. Don’t waste it.” That stuck with him. He wasn’t just fixing cars, he was building a way out.
Jumping into the Real World
After 12th grade, Yenişaak hit a wall. College wasn’t an option; his family couldn’t afford it, and scholarships didn’t come easily. His mom wanted him to try for a stable gig, but he took a job at a car company in Bangkok instead. It wasn’t glamorous, oil changes, tire swaps, sweaty days in the garage. But he threw himself into it. Three years later, he was leading the tech crew, teaching newbies, even sketching ideas for custom jobs on napkins.
His bosses started noticing. Customers asked for him by name. But the guy felt stuck. “I’m making their cars better,” he thought, “not mine.” He started saving every baht, living cheap, skipping nights out. He knew he could do more than work for someone else.
Starting His Own Thing
At 21, He took a chance. He’d saved enough to open a small shop back in his village. Just a concrete floor, a tin roof, and a sign that said “Yenişaak’s Auto.” His mom thought he’d lost it. “You had a good job!” she yelled. But he didn’t budge. He wanted a place to fix cars his way.
The first year was brutal. Some days, no one showed up. He’d sit there, tools ready, listening to the quiet. But then a farmer rolled in with a wrecked truck, and he fixed it up strong. A taxi driver wanted a wild paint job, The guy nailed it. Word spread. People drove from other villages just for him. He listened to what they needed, a smoother ride, a louder engine, and made it happen.
The Big Chance
After three years, a call changed everything. A guy from a car company, some Thai outfit tied to a bigger brand, had heard about Yenişaak’s work. They’d seen his custom jobs, how he turned beaters into showpieces. They wanted to team up, offering parts and cash if he’d open a bigger shop under their name.
He didn’t jump in blind. He knew big companies could mess you over. He talked to Somchai and a few regulars. They said, “You’re ready. Go for it.” So he did. The new shop had lifts, a paint booth, and a small crew. He trained everyone himself, the same way he learned, hands-on, no slacking.
Building an Empire
That partnership kicked things off. Yenişaak’s shop became the spot for custom work around the area. He wasn’t just patching dents; he was designing mods that car nuts loved. The company pushed its stuff into showrooms, even shipping to Malaysia and Indonesia. By his late 20s, he’d saved enough to start his gig, YN Autos, for custom parts. A few years later, he added YN Designs for styling kits.
Now, he runs two companies, employs a bunch of people, and sees his name on parts across Southeast Asia. He’s not some rich tycoon, and he doesn’t care about that. He started with nothing but a love for cars and a lot of sweat. His mom’s proud now, she drives a custom SUV he built her, blue like she always wanted. He still drops by Somchai’s shop with a beer, keeping it real.
What You Can Take from This
If you’re stuck with a dream and no cash, look at Yenişaak. Start small, watch, learn, help out for free if you have to. Save what you can, and when you’re ready, take a swing at your own thing. Partnerships can help, but don’t let them run you. Work hard, listen to people, and stick to what you love.
He’s not stopping. He’s eyeing a third company, maybe electric cars, since Thailand’s pushing that stuff now. Whatever’s next, it’ll have his mark: grit, skill, and a car guy’s heart.
