Michael Ormiston saw the numerous business possibilities in Hong Kong, and now has a thriving enterprise based on a discount dining card

Mr Ormiston, an Australian from Sydney, teamed with a colleague to launch OnCard, a scheme whereby members get a healthy discount when dining at Hong Kong restaurants. The Buffet Club dining card has proved particularly successful, giving members discounts at hotel buffets.

"There is so much opportunity in Hong Kong," says Mr Ormiston, 31. "I remember when I first came here I would meet many people who had set up their own business. I always thought, wow, that is a big step to take. I believe the rewards are as much as you put into the business. I don't think if I had stayed in Australia I would have had such an opportunity."
 
Initially the staff consisted of Mr Ormiston and five others. As the scheme took off, more people were added and now, just two years after OnCard was launched, there are 150 employees and an ever-increasing number of hotels and restaurants participating in the scheme.

Needless to say, Mr Ormiston has barely had time to catch his breath during that hectic spell. Even though he was convinced of the merits of the business, he could hardly have envisaged it would grow so rapidly. But Hong Kong people are inveterate diners - happy to spend money for quality - and the card offered a chance to earn generous discounts at some of the top hotel buffets. Hoteliers saw OnCard as a chance to boost their business.
 
Mr Ormiston had already spent time in Asia before coming to Hong Kong, working in the Indian city of Bangalore and in the city-state of Singapore.

 When not working, he is a keen amateur cook and wine buff, who rustles up dishes in his Tin Hau apartment. He makes a point of using Hong Kong's great airline connections to make leisure trips around the region.

"Every three months, I will take two or three days off to go scuba diving or skiing," he said. "When in Hong Kong you don't have time to stop. We are still driving the business forward; I am very hard on myself, pushing it on."

Mr Ormiston, the chief executive officer of OnCard, is a hands-on manager. In the early days, he and his colleagues did even the menial tasks themselves - their initial start-up office was a hotel room.

"I look at every dollar," he says with a smile. "Sometimes I might question something that is only HK$100 (US$12)."

Related link:
OnCard  www.oncard.com