When Generasi Gemilang (GG) met up with Intan Nor Faliana Shamsudin, she was a portrait of serenity, tenacity and grit. Underlying that composure, is her strong will to succeed – the never say die spirit. In addition to her resolve, her entrepreneurial sense also helped in her fight for survival.
Her husband could not continue with his small food business because of MCO restrictions. That’s not all. She gave birth to another daughter (Intan already has four daughters aged 11, 10, seven and four) during the MCO and had to quit her job at a hypermarket to take care of the new-born. With an extra mouth to feed, one could say she had no other option but to be innovative to get her family going.
It is tough to find a job during the MCO as most companies were getting their employees to work from home. Intan was also unable to take on a job that would require her to be away from her home because she has to take care of her children. “I needed a job that has flexi-time,” Intan said. “A nine-to-five job would not do because there’s no one to take care of my daughters and babysitting charges are expensive.”
Bead coasters and choco jars are among the many offerings she has
As a result, Intan had to work as a part-time agent selling cakes, cookies and choco jars. Business was good and she was making a decent living. The delivery service was a godsend for her during the MCO as the cakes and cookies she sold were delivered to her customers that way.
To further supplement her income, Intan also got involved in handicraft. She made bead coasters and keychains for sale. The venture received good support from various quarters – chief among them were schoolteachers who would order the keychains, especially as gifts for their students. Intan is not about to rest on her laurels despite the positive response from her customers.
“I really enjoy making the coasters and keychains because I know my customers appreciate them,” she said. “For new ideas, I do my research online and I hope to also market my products online one of these days, perhaps as a merchant on Shopee or Lazada.”
Check out the related links below to know more about the Christmas Gift Boxes offered and purchase one now!