Best CBC in Sabah 2011
Browsing articles tagged with " entrepreneurs"

Becoming his own boss: From being laid off to providing employment

Dec 31, 2012
En Zahrim Ahmad
Art Emphasize (Furniture maker)
Celcom 1Malaysia Internet Centre at Felda Rimba Mas, Perlis
 
From being laid off to providing employment

With convenient online customer service and skilled craftsmanship, Zahrim reached into new markets across Perlis

For most of us, losing a job would be devastating. For En Zahrim Ahmad, it was an opportunity. When Zahrim was laid off from his job in Johor due to recessive economy, he returned to his Perlis hometown with the mindset to become his own boss.

With training in Design Technology and Furniture Production at Mara Skills Insitute in Alor Setar, Zahrim created an independent cabinetmaking business to support his wife and child. And so, Art Emphasize was born.

In the beginning, promoting his business was tough and labour intensive. Zahrim would manually distribute flyers on a small scale to local residents. These initial efforts unfortunately failed to bring in sufficient business. Zahrim’s fate changed however when the managers of his local 1Malaysia Internet Centre intervened.

From photocopied flyers to online advertising

It just so happened that a 1Malaysia Internet Centre was set up right next to Zahrim’s furniture workshop. Zahrim would often frequent the centre to print and photocopy his promotional flyers.

En Zahrim Ahmad Art Emphasize (Furniture maker)That was when the proactive centre managers decided to help Zahrim expand his business through the internet. They taught him how to promote his services on Facebook and Mudah. Zahrim also learned how to do online research, inspiring him to expand his line with new products such as sarung keris and Islamic inspired woodcarvings.

By marketing his business online, Art Emphasize’s customers could simply order online. Zahrim would then personally deliver the furniture to his customer’s home. With such convenient online customer service, Zahrim acquired new customers from all over Perlis.

After just a few months of training at Celcom 1Malaysia Internet Centre, Zahrim simultaneously expanded his product line and market reach, increased his income, and even hired new staff to keep up with his expanding business. Zahrim is now supporting his family while proudly providing employment to his local community.

 

Internet access helps Kampung Pangi business export seaweed products to China & Japan

Dec 31, 2012
Pn Kabilah binti Abd. Hassan
Seaweed farming
Celcom 1Malaysia Internet Centre at Pekan Kunak, Sabah
 
Internet access helps Kampung Pangi business export seaweed products

Pn Kabilah’s family business earns up to RM20,000 a month by exporting to China and Japan via the internet

It’s not hard for images of sushi and seaweed to come up when one thinks of Japan. But who knew Japan is importing seaweed from a family business in Kampung Pangi, Sabah!

Pn Kabilah binti Abd. Hassan

For Kabilah, exporting seaweed products to Japan is a proud achievement of her family’s business. Everyday, her husband and children would bear the heat of the sun to wade the waters, occasionally diving, to bring back to land the humble yet valuable seaweed. Kabilah and her family will then identify and sort out the weeds, dry them, and process them for distribution.

Taking a family tradition to international business waters

Previously, the business was only promoted through word-of-mouth. Kabilah’s daughter, Cik Noraini, decided to help expand the family business by attending the business training workshops at 1Malaysia Internet Centre.

Armed with new online business skills and marketing know-how, Cik Noraini began promoting the family business via flyers, blogs and Facebook, enabling them to reach into fresh new markets. Soon, they were selling their seaweed products to Semporna, Tawau, Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur, and even to China and Japan!

1Malaysia Internet Centre continues to support the business by providing the fast internet connection and facilities they need to meet their international customers’ needs via email and Facebook. The centre has also helped Kabilah learn e-banking to help her receive online money transfers from their international clients.

With five acres of seaweed culture, the business now produces 5 tonnes of seaweed a month. Combined with their continuous hard work and dedication, Kabilah’s family business has now successfully taken their monthly income from RM450 to as much as RM20,000!