What 15 Years in Thailand Taught Me About Hiring, With ExpatDen Founder Karsten Aichholz

I sat down with Karsten Aichholz to talk about how he built a business in Thailand that still runs without him. We get into what he learned about hiring in Bangkok, why he hires for challenge and fit instead of shiny resumes, how he adds a team sit‑in during interviews, and the simple Elvis Test he uses to check written English. He also shares why he moved his team fully remote in 2016 and how that helped people stay. We also talk about his content work, from Thailand Starter Kit to Expat Den, and how a long health insurance spreadsheet turned into a useful guide for thousands of expats. If you are building in Thailand or hiring across cultures, there are a lot of practical ideas in here.

• https://www.karsten.me/
• https://www.expatden.com/
• https://www.safeandnotsorry.com/

Building a business in Thailand that lasts comes down to who you hire, how you evaluate fit, and how well you adapt to the local context. Karsten Aichholz shared how he built a company in Bangkok that still runs without him, why he favors challenge and cultural fit over shiny resumes, and how a single spreadsheet turned into content that serves thousands through Expat Den.

• Hire for challenge and fit, not prestige resumes: Early on, Karsten tried hiring the absolute smartest people he could find. They got bored and left. He shifted to people who want to be challenged and grow. Those hires stayed longer, moved across roles more easily, and found meaning in the work even without a long corporate ladder.
• Turn interviews into two way evaluations with a team sit in: In Thailand, candidates tend to be deferential in formal interviews. Karsten added a two hour shadow with the team so candidates could see the real job and ask anything. Afterward he asked the team what the candidate cared about and how they felt working with them. It surfaced mismatches early and improved retention.
• Test written English in creative ways, not with generic exams: For roles that required writing, candidates received a short story about an Elvis lookalike contest and were asked to summarize it in clear English. It revealed thinking, judgment, and the ability to highlight what matters. Far more useful than a score on a standard test.
• Compete with big brands by offering what they cannot: As a small company, Karsten removed unnecessary rules and moved fully remote in 2016. In Bangkok, cutting a 90 minute commute each way is a game changer. Flexibility, autonomy, and real responsibility became powerful reasons people stayed, even if big names in Sathorn paid more.
• Respect Thai context and align with the system: Do not expect Western meeting behavior from people raised in a different culture. Signals differ. In Thailand, high school often says more than university. Asking about family can be relevant. Be careful equating loud assertiveness with healthy challenge. Also, look for allies whose incentives match yours. Karsten’s first big break came by working with the Board of Investment, who wanted to help him land in Thailand.