KUCHING: Behind every successful entrepreneur, there are stories of stumbling, falling and bouncing back.
Normawati Mohd Hamden, who is now running a business producing dried and instant noodles is no exception to this ebb and flow.
“For me, I don’t call it failing, I call it learning,” said the founder of Zuema Mee Kolok Sarawak.
“If I never fail, I will never learn or know what the mistakes are and what are the things that do not work (in business).”
The 44-year-old took time out at her factory in the Mara Industrial Estate (KIM), at Demak Laut recently to recall her not-so-easy sojourn — to become who she is today.
She remembered it being a painful decision when she had to close down a business she had operated for 10 years selling handicrafts, souvenirs and other local products in 2010.
As much as she wanted to stay positive that things would become better ‘soon’ and there would be light at the end of the tunnel, the reality was her bank account was drying up.
“First, I had to retrench some of my staff before I started using my own personal savings to pay for the rental. A few months later, my business was still not making any profit, hence, I decided to close down for good,” she recalled.
It was one of her lowest points in life as she failed to sustain her business which she took over from her aunt after graduating from a university in 2001.
She was running out of money to pay for her monthly housing loan and there were a number of mouths to feed at home.
She had to beg the bank officer on several occasions and had to borrow money from a friend.
“I accepted it (failed business) as a lesson to learn and was ready to rise again. Perhaps, it is true that failure is only the opportunity to begin again, but wiser this time (the second time),” she said.
Instead of renting a place to start another new business selling cookies and pastries, Normawati decided to use her social media account as her ‘shop’, promoting her products and taking orders.
She would share some posts to introduce her products as well as on the process or ingredients to attract more buyers, especially those who did not know her personally.
“About 10 years ago, most people were using social media as a platform to share about their personal life, photo, to connect and make new friends — rarely to sell things or business online.
“But for me — I saw it as an opportunity to sell my products without renting a shop. So, I managed to have a stable income for a few years before the idea of producing dried kolok mee (without any paste) popped into my head,” she said.
The mother-of-five started doing research about the dough for noodles and how to dry it and produce the similar ‘springy’ texture as the fresh kolok mee.
According to her, the fresh kolok mee could only last about four to five days as it contains eggs; while her dried kolok mee can last for months.
Besides, it is safe for young children as she is using a high protein flour and drying method instead of deep-frying the noodles/ dough.
“Even though I started accepting orders from friends and family from West Malaysia and overseas, I kept it small as I was doing it at home. I produced about 30kg per month,” she said.
It was in 2018, when she decided to expand her business by renting a factory at Mara Industrial Estate (KIM) Demak Laut Industrial Estate, Jalan Bako, with various grants from the state and federal agencies.
In addition to dried kolok mee, she also introduced a new product, the instant kolok mee which comes with paste.
“Many told me that they wanted to buy my dried kolok mee(without paste) but they don’t know how to cook or prepare so I went on to produce instant kolok mee.
“Meaning to say, it (the instant kolok mee) is the same as other instant noodles, where it comes with the paste,” she said, adding that whenever there is a problem, there is an opportunity.
Just when things were starting to look up, Normawati realised that it was another roller coaster ride as some people, especially netizens, started to criticise her products for being overpriced.
Some had attacked her for selling the instant kolok mee for RM5 per packet (65 grams) while others claimed that some local kolok mee stalls taste better.
“It is alright, there is no way to compare the price of my products with other instant noodles as the ways we produce it as well as the ingredients are different. Besides, RM5 is reasonable for those living in West Malaysia or overseas.
“As for the locals, I know, there are plenty of kolok mee stalls around the town but it is okay, everyone has their own preference. I don’t have to argue much as I know my strength and the quality of my products,” she said.
As an entrepreneur, she said, one must not be afraid to face problems or critics but accept it positively and see it as an opportunity or a challenge to improve the business.
Currently, her factory is producing 30kg per day, however, it is still not sufficient to meet demand.
Thus, she has invested RM150,000 in upgrading the equipment, which is expected to be completed within the next two months.
Moving on, Normawati said, she is expected to launch another product this year, which is the instant kolok mee cup (cup noodle) once the upgrading of her factory is completed and running smoothly.
For those who want to become entrepreneurs, she said, they must be able to identify the potential industry or things they are interested and passionate about.
Secondly, they must be able to know the niche market, have enough funds or savings for their business as well as a Plan B. What if things do not work the way they planned?
“Always be ready to learn and relearn, accept advice and feedback positively and they need to put in a lot of hard work and effort in order to succeed. There is no big secret but it is all about hard work and willingness to learn and accept challenges,” she said.
“Take baby steps and enjoy the ups and downs in the journey. Do your best and give your best,” she said.
As for those who have the opportunity to further their studies, Normawati said, education should remain the top priority for youngsters or school leavers – so they should not rush into doing business.
“For those who have the chance and afford to further their studies, please study as you will need knowledge in doing business,” she said.
Normawati, is among the ten entrepreneurs from five enterprises in Sarawak who were named winners of the state-level Shell Livewire in December last year.
