- Name: Bryan Lee
- Age: 28
- Current location: Lingmethang, Bhutan
- Home town: Falls Church, Virginia, USA
- Education: B.S. in Business Administration and B.A. Economics, UC Berkeley
- Current position: Finance and Operations Manager, Mountain Hazelnuts
- Organization description: Mountain Hazelnuts is a triple bottom-line company. It works to establish a world-class hazelnut production in Bhutan that creates shared value for all stakeholders, including farmers, communities, international partners, and living systems locally and globally.
- Bio: Born in Korea, raised in the USA, and currently working in Bhutan, Bryan has always had a global mindset. As a five-year-old, he memorized all the flags in his atlas before he learned to add and subtract. As a working professional, he has helped design entrepreneurial solutions that support local communities on three continents. In his current position, Bryan handles finance, operations and employee development at Mountain Hazelnuts, a social venture seeking to deliver socioeconomic and environmental returns for Bhutan through a market opportunity in hazelnuts.
- Countries I've worked in: Bhutan, Kenya, Nicaragua
- Sector / subsectors: International Business, Social Enterprise, Agriculture, Environment, International development
- Areas of expertise: Finance and business management in frontier markets.
- Country: Bhutan
- Region: Asia, East Asia
- Sector: Agriculture, Business, International development
- Degree subject: Business & commerce, Economics
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Tell us a bit about the organization that you work for and your role there.
Bryan tells us what it's like to work at a "triple-bottom line" hazelnut operation in the far-flung corners of Bhutan.
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Can you elaborate on the scale of the business?
Bryan is working to to help Mountain Hazelnuts reach its goal of 10 million trees, which would provide employment to 15% of the population and sequester three times the carbon emissions of the entire Kingdom of Bhutan.
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Bhutan isn't a usual destination for Berkley business grads. Can you tell us a bit about how you got to where you are?
Though he admits it may seem contradictory, Bryan attributes his success internationally to his two years working as an investment banker in San Francisco.
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Can you elaborate on your two internship experiences in Nicaragua and Kenya?
From consulting on a project that converted bat guano to fertilizer in Madagascar, to providing business training for youth transforming a landfill into an agri-business in Nicaragua, Bryan shares the weird and wonderful experiences of working abroad.
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What is a day or week working in Bhutan like?
With eggs from the noisy hens next door, and milk from the cows he dodges on the way to work, Bryan sets off on a day of financial modelling and coordination meetings - but finds that there is never a dull moment working in Bhutan.
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What are some of the professional challenges of working overseas?
A cup of green tea, 30 minutes of exercise, and 15 minutes reading the news each day keep Bryan ready to face the many challenges of living and working in the extreme conditions in rural Bhutan.
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Can you elaborate on the challenges of living so remotely?
One school, no police station, three restaurants which are essentially peoples' houses where they serve surplus food, and a hospital.... reasonably far away. Bryan's new home lacks some of the amenities, but it more than makes up for its practical shortcomings.
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What sort of abilities and qualities do you need to work in a social enterprise in emerging markets?
Bryan shares the most important quality you need to survive and thrive abroad.
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You mentioned you learned different ways of doing things, including approaches you aspire to. Can you give an example?
When in Rome, do as the Romans do. In the case of frequent Bhutanese road blocks, this means eating dumplings and chilling until fate decides you should pass.
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What are some possible entry points into social entrepreneurship? Does having a business degree matter?
Getting some hard skills and problem-solving experience will go a long way.
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What is your best practical advice for students and recent grads to get their foot in the door in international work?
Bryan recommends those looking to go abroad start on a more conventional path. Gain hard skills, and don't forget sciences. Build experience and expertise, as well as references that can help you out in future.
