Don't Stop Creating

The Six Rockstars, Sg. Pisang Waterfall, April 2016. 

The Notebook

I would say, I have always been a maker for all I’ve remembered. I love notebooks, which girl doesn’t? But at 12, instead of buying the same ol boring factory produced ones, I tailor-made notebooks using card boards as the covers, wrapped with cut-out magazine ads of Givenchy, Dolce & Gabbana, Hermes or Louis Vuitton. Fill them with green A4 papers (because we had tons of them at home from my mom’s Early Learning Centre – a Montessori kinder-garden she run!) folded into two making it an A5 size. Punched two holes at the sides and tied them intact with hot-pink ribbons. I’d gave them away to my closest friends with a personalised love notes on the first page.

At 17, I volunteered for Global Peace Mission and raised funds for the Palestinians by selling these notebooks and celebration cards which was also DIY-ed.

Tim Burton Wannabe

At 14, influenced most by Utopia, Gempakstarz and manga, I started to imagine and make-up stories for a dialogue-based short story on my own and sold them to my tuition mates. Yes, it was only dialogue based as I am not a gifted artist to draw. Although I asked my mom to register me for a drawing class, it went to waste as I couldn’t settle with the teacher. As much as I wanted to be this kid who could just persevere even if I couldn’t settle with the surrounding people, I just couldn’t. Being a total people-person, I am very particular of a person’s personality and if I couldn’t feel how that person’s personality is benefiting me (or how I could benefit them for that matter), I would usually just leave.

I have this, “it should be like this” habit which is annoying I know and I apologise to my family and close friends for having to bear this annoyance. But with having to narrate a story on my own, I was able to create a story just ‘like how it should be’ and I loved every bit of this job!

Asian Mary Berry

Hah, not even close! But, I love the fact how passion really drives people and at 81 this legendary baker is still giving an impact to the world of baking and cooking! I loved baking (note the use of ‘d’ – because to be honest, I really don’t know now).

I started baking since I was 11 inspired by the children playbook I found in my dad’s library. My family was undergoing a horrible financial crisis that time but when I told my mom I wanted to bake the lemon cookies with orange icing, she brought me the ingredients nonetheless. Hey, I was too young to be able to understand my parents’ struggles that time. But it was true for whatever good you invested in, it becomes an asset. So I continued baking, mostly making cookies but at one point in life I thought about how great it would be if other people could also taste my bakes.

At 20, I started my own baking business which I named Magnifique Bonbons. It was also an initiative to raise funds for the Cambodia Humanitarian Mission I directed under my college. I would say that it was a success for me. Although looking back at it, I realised how very little I knew about baking but my guts were bigger than my fear. So I proceeded and learned a long the way.

The not-so Gisele Bundchen

I partnered up with my friend who had a clothing line business and became her model. We agreed for every piece of bakes I sold, the buyer gets a 5% off her clothes which was donated into my Supercake for the Cambodians fundraising project.

Business-Class Couple

When I continued my studies in the UK, I had a major identity crisis which I didn’t even know I had – I stopped doing most of the things that I used to do back in Malaysia (not because I wanted to but because I was a little bit culturally shock). So I searched for comforts in new things especially travelling. I could have gone to Egypt alone for internship when the Morsi riot was ongoing. Which my uncle would have been proud of, if I fell as a martyr there. And I could have succeeded my childhood dream of seeing what Africa is really like. But, ‘thanks’ to my husband – my boyfriend then for brainwashing me to believe that I did not have to go to such places alone (he promised we’d go there together one day. So yes, we’re working on that).

While I was having a break from my entrepreneurial ventures, my husband was not. He was forever persuading me that I could sell my Nasi Lemak (because he knew I wouldn’t wanna bake anymore). Oh my god I tell you, he’s an amazing persuader. Don’t know how he does it. It’s not at all desperate. It’s a sharp convincing message in all the calmness.

And so we did sell Nasi Lemak during the Sidney Grove backyard sale, and how the Brits loved the sweet chicken rendang! We even knocked door-to-door and offered our Pakistan neighbour Nasi Lemak with sweet chicken rendang for free.

“It’s a Malaysian spice,” said us.

“It’s okay, we have our own spices,” replied the mam. And when she shut her door, we both instantly looked at each other puzzled, and burst out laughing. Hahahahahahahaha! Couldn’t help that, sorry!

Then, my husband did it again during Ramadan last year when he convinced me we could sell Roti Johns. I despised the idea because cooking is god, tiring. I didn’t wanna do it. But, determined into bringing out and nurturing my entrepreneurial self again, he added “Imagine how great it is to give people amazing food to eat, we could distribute them to the homeless in town and we could get all creative about it too!”. Aaaaaaaaaaah, and we supplied about a hundred Roti Johns during Ramadan.

The Next Steve, Richard & Elon

Now fired to change the world just like how these three entrepreneurs did it, we are hoping to get entrepreneurial again. But, don’t wanna say anything about it not wanting to jinx it! Researching and developing sure take time. We’ll see how it turns out. And one thing for sho, thank God I never really got tired of writing! Alhamdulillah…

Everyday, there are many futures fighting for your attention. But, it’s the one you pay most attention to that happens.

So, what’s your entrepreneurial story?

Fresh Graduates vs. Retirees

Newcastle University, Class of 2015, June 2015.

As my friends and I (the fresh graduates) are finding the perfect jobs for ourselves, so do our parents who recently retired. And I found a few similarities between us,

Which we: 

1. Think a lot about what to do in order to continue sustaining our lives. 
2. Jump into one profession to the other in search of a job that fits our soul. 
3. Have time to think about so many things and developing ideas but to execute them is another story. 
4. Talk a lot about doing business but mostly do not have the experience in handling a business. Because the retirees are from govt/private/NGO sectors and the graduates are from universities learning theoretical knowledge. 
5. Staying at home doing house chores and running household errands while regretting a few things that we could have made right – like; 

• increasing our savings while we earn and get allowances for future use. 
• investing in our self worth by doing the things that we enjoy so we progressively improve and be a master in a few things. (To do the things that we love, we need to pay for it, so that’s what I mean by investing in self-improvement). 
• buy quality things such as a Chanel handbag, Calvin Klein jeans, Dolce & Gabbana dresses, Cuisinart kitchen essentials – basically all things that last a lifetime – while we earn. This, I regret a lot! Cry cry cry! 
• make lots of friends and maintain the network as I tell you, networking is too important. Because life is a business itself, everybody has something to sell and everyone buys from someone else. Means everyone has something to offer which you might need later. So, maintain your networking! 
• listening to lots of other opinions and feeling limited to limiting opinions (everyone has something to say and honestly, opinions is one of the cheapest thing that people can give). And at the end of the day, its not people who will pursue our dreams, its ourselves. 
• use all the KWSP/EPF money for house renovation, travel the world, start a business that we have no experience in without a successful mentor guiding, buy a new car or throw a lavish wedding party for the children. And three years after that, more than half of the EPF money has been used and only some is left is to be used for the next 10-20 years. So please leave half of your retirement fund capital in the investment portfolio, let it continue growing for you and take only the dividend before you’ll regret it later. 
• not diversifying our wealth by investing in stock market, unit trusts, promising business or property. Have no insurance for medical coverage that when we fall sick, we need to use our savings to finance our medication instead of benefiting from the insurance’s company coverage. 
• not managing our wealth well – we have lands and properties. But we don’t manage it to become our income but instead, the assets become a liability to us. So, manage your assets well that you can earn from them soon after you bought them. 
• not starting to work on our dreams soon enough that when we realise it, we feel that its too late. 

Two things that I can say are,

Prepare monetarily for your future

And,

Give up on the things (and people) that don’t serve you anymore to give space for what does

Nothing is ever too late. May Allah grant us the best path for our own unique life story. Amen.

Graduating Field vs. Real Life Career

Public Mutual Berhad, Damansara Perdana, January 2016. 

I am an agriculture graduate. I majored in Animal Production Science and my final year dissertation was focused on Halal Meat Quality. Our initial plan was for me to continue my studies at Masters level either in the UK or more preferably, US at Cornell University. Where they had a Halal Initiative Department looking into substituting the use of ruminant gelatin in Halal foods with fish gelatin. And also, because I found a warm prospect supervisor named Joe Regenstein if ever I further my career doing PhD in Food Science. Joe was generous enough to give uplifting comments about my dissertation and directed me to another professor in Iowa University whose current project was on Halal meat quality then.

But, being biased into enrolling Cornell University I didn’t mind researching into something that Joe’s department was looking into because I’ve heard that most of the times, your supervisor plays a very big role in the success of your research. Though I am unaware until what extend this is true but it is possible. Regardless of that, my scholarship applications were not successful. I was shortlisted for Chevening Awards for Northumbria and/or Glasgow Caledonian though. But, Chevening’s email came in after I have touched down in Malaysia and that time, our priorities have changed. No more looking into furthering studies but building a base for our family.

So, a week after touchdown I went to Langkawi to see my father’s organic project he started in early August, 2015. It is a partnership between him and another friend. The project was looking good growing corns, legumes and soon leafy vegetables. But, after some careful considerations between my husband and I, we decided we couldn’t join the project yet. Because as for me, I was impatient to wait for the revenue and to farm under the scorching hot sun. Yes, honestly. So it was confirmed that when I was ideally taking agriculture as my academic path to end world poverty, I wasn’t thinking of growing the crops myself. But just managing it or owning a company who directs such deeds.

Not long after, I knew I had to decide what to do asap. Time is money and both weren’t waiting for me. Everyday I thought about what to do, I could be a motivator – I love uplifting people’s spirits and make them believe in themselves like never before. I could be an author – for my love for fantasy tales. I could be a proofreader – but that was not good enough for me according to my husband. I could be a model, starting just by posting pictures at my IG and soon talent seekers will notice me – but my husband has a different idea about modelling. I could be an actor, hahahaha. That was funny. But honestly I have always thought being an actress is cool. Because you get to explore the sides of yourself you never will if you weren’t being asked to act different characters. You get to try new things ultimately adventurous things. You get to travel the world and be as influential as Jolie. And surprisingly, my husband nodded to that. Adding,

“Yeah, why not. And make yourself eligible to be in quality movies like late Yasmin Ahmad’s and Ola Bola. Not just random Suami Aku Ustaz drama and the likes. Hahahahaha,” so we both laughed.

“Of course, if I ever became an actress, I would go for the internationals. Just like Yuna penetrating the US music industry not long after she became a singer. She’s absolutely inspirational,” added I.

“Yes, and soon we will build our own production house and start a theatre just like how we always wanted,” added my husband and we both smiled.

Both my husband and I like to think that we are artists. Only that he really is a musician but I am either a ballerina or a theatre actor in my dreams. I used to be the main actor in sketches at school; direct, narrate, script write and manage a theatre in college. But that was it, no further. I could have pursued it professionally but I didn’t – thinking that being in music and film industry might make myself contradictory to my beliefs. So, I kept that interest and moved on.

Then, I was offered a lecturing job. Only for three months to replace my ex-lecturer who will be on maternity leave. It was a great offer, thinking that from replacing my ex-lecturer I could start building my career in academic line once again. Great, great opportunity. But, I ended up not taking the job because I knew I didn’t want to be tied up to the place I used to have so many commitments at. I could be a freelance motivational speaker to the students, I like the idea but to be there for a few months, I contemplated on that. Yes its only three months, but then my decision has been made as I strongly wanted to go somewhere new, explore something edgy.

Ultimately, I want a job where if I work really hard, I can earn more.

“I could be a financial consultant like my mother!” So it hit me. “Yes yes!” She has time for the children and for herself. She invites people to save money to secure their future and help people live a comfortable life. She manages people’s wealth, help grow them and then distributes them. And after sometime, she already has passive income. “Actually very ideal for me. Besides, I love people and helping where I could. Even though I can’t yet end world poverty (yes very idealistic) food wise, I can help people stay away from poverty by helping them manage their financial matters. In time, I’ll be freaking wealthy and I can really start contributing to end world poverty food wise”.

Freaking wealthy, yeap.

So here I am, as a unit trust consultant, taking takaful license soon as lots of my clients ask if I offer takaful too and sooner will be covering wasiat writing. As believe it or not, some really ridiculously wealthy people really forgot to prepare wasiat before they head to the heavens. Leaving their wealth not benefiting their family nor the community (sedekah/amal jariah), and managing the unreleased wealth involved service charges by the trustees. So be wise and have your wasiat written ok. God wills, taking Islamic Financial Planner (IFP) license to take this profession at a more professional level.

At the end of the day, the field you graduated in might not be your real life career because as you grow; your goals are modified, your priorities are changed along the way, you adapt to the changes of the technology and you embrace the fast-paced moving world. That you realised pursuing something the way you used to picture it to be executed might have to be tweaked here and there in order to for you sustain your life, yourself and your family.

And it don’t matter too.

Because if you don’t know it, you can always learn. As life, is a life-long learning process.

Learning never ends.