WEEKLY INSPIRATION
OUR ENTREPRNUER:
NORHAFIZA BINTI MOHD REJAB AIN SOFIA | FAZLIYANA | IZZA NASUHA | AISYAH HUSSEN
If you willing to know more about this, scan here !
ENTREPRENEUR BACKGROUND
Name: Norhafiza binti Mohd Rejab Age: 36 years old Status: Marriage (3 kids) Live: Kepala Batas, Jitra, Kedah. Start the business: 6 Years ago.
: 012-578 7078 (ieja) : ieja rejab bakery : iejarejabbakery : iejarejabbakeryjitra
ENTREPRENEURSHIP Entrepreneurship is more than what its definition says. Entrepreneurship is an individual inspired act to create something significant from virtually nothing. It is the will to follow a perspective regardless of how many resources are available.
It is the drive to persuade and lead others to realize that idea and the ability to take risks. In order to discover more about entrepreneurship, we decided to interview a business owner so that we can understand entrepreneurship from an entrepreneur's perspective.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP Nurhafiza binti Mohd Rejab, also known as Ieja, is the owner of Ieja Rejab Bakery in Jitra, Kedah.
Started her business almost six years ago, back in 2016, despite being married with three children, as she was interested in opening a bakery and enjoys baking cakes and pastries.
Although her family was shocked by her decision to open a bakery, they supported her in doing what she loves and are still a reason for the bakery's success today.
BUSINESS STRATEGY
Businesses use business strategies to help them realize their long-term vision and set financial goals in a competitive market. They also use them to help them make better business decisions. Therefore, in order to meet its targets, every enterprise must have a business plan. Ieja, like most business owners, understands the importance of strategizing for the success of her business. Her bakery, which she manages with just RM 500 in start-up funds, employs four full-time employees in each division.
BUSINESS STRATEGY
In order to achieve her goals, Ieja relies on a small group of people who share a few characteristics. Her ideal candidate is someone who can handle the high level of competence and performance that will be expected of them over time, should she decide to hire again. During this time, the new employee will also be monitored for two months to determine if they are qualified for the role.
BUSINESS STRATEGY Ieja aims to appeal to millennials with the opening of her bakery. This is because her bakery specialises in cakes for special occasions like birthdays and weddings. She advertises her bakery on various social media sites, including Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, in the hopes of gaining new clients. Using this strategy, Ieja has been able to bring in about RM 10,000 every month. This highlights the importance of having a business strategy for each entrepreneur.
CHALLENGES In the business world, each business has its own demands and challenges. It is the goal of every business to maintain a strong relationship with their customers and to keep their brands relevant. Like every other entrepreneur, Ieja also faced some obstacles while operating Ieja Rejab Bakery. When the pandemic COVID-19 hit in 2020, Ieja was one of the business owners that was affected. Her sales were cut each day because of the Movement Control Order (MCO).
CHALLENGES Facing this, Ieja decided to search for agents in order to broaden her business. She began selling her cakes to the agents in order to keep up with demand. Her agents, however, made mistakes in storing the cakes, posing a new challenge for her. As a result, Ieja Rejab Bakery's customers were left with a bad impression of her bakery. Following this incident, Ieja urges her agents to store cakes at the right temperature to assure quality. This highlights that a successful business is one that is able to face and overcome any potential challenges.
ENTREPRENEUR’S SUCCESS Behind every successful entrepreneur, there must be sources of motivation that drive them to take the first step and keep doing it. Inspiration can come from a variety of places, such as personal experience, close relationships with loved ones, or even personal idols. It's all Ieja cares about. Entrepreneurship allows Ieja to help a lot of people, and she enjoys it. Simply by opening her bakery, she is able to assist those in need of work to help them support their families.
ENTREPRENEUR’S SUCCESS Furthermore, with the profit that she earns, she can donate some of it to the people who are in need. Ieja's business idol is Rozita Ibrahim, the founder of Sendayu Tinggi, as she inspires her in a lot of ways. Ieja is inspired by Bonda Rozita's strong belief that women must be self-sufficient in order to achieve success and be free.
WALT DISNEY SAID, "THE WAY TO GET STARTED IS TO QUIT TALKING AND BEGIN DOING."
ENTREPRENEUR’S SUCCESS As an entrepreneur, Ieja has her own set of values and principles. Not giving up easily is one of them. She adheres to this core principle because she believes that in order to succeed in this world, especially in business, one must be willing to take risks. Besides, she thinks it would be a waste of time to stop the business just because she had to deal with an obstacle in the process. This mindset of hers is what drives her to survive and succeed in the business world.
ENTREPRENEUR’S SUCCESS There were times when Ieja questioned whether she was capable of running a bakery or if customers would actually buy her cakes. However, she took the first step and became an entrepreneur, aiming to increase sales and open new branches within the next five years. Ieja's advice to anyone who wants to be an entrepreneur. “Be serious about what you're doing. To make a plan, do some research and talk to others about the things you want to do. Another thing you should do is try to be more professional in your business, as well. In the middle of a problem, don't just give up and move on. Instead, come up with a few ideas and remember that the first phase is the phase where you try and fail. Remember that failing once doesn't mean failing for good, so don't give up.”