Is your family in any business?
Both my parents are employees. My father is a Singh converted to Muslim and his family runs their own business in India. Ever since my father migrated to Singapore, we lost contact with our relatives in India. In my family line, I am the first to venture out into the business world.

What generated your interest to be your own boss?
Though my parents are employees, I have always wanted to be my own boss. I am a learner, inquisitive and analytical in nature. When I see things, I always think of how to make money from that particular product. Anything that I see could make money, I will try out. I am not afraid of making mistakes as I believe that we learn from our mistakes. Another factor for my interest in business is my mixture with different races. I have Indian and Chinese friends who had made it big from their own business venture. From there, I see that they can do business very well and this is how the interest develops.

Do you have children in business? What do they do?
I have three children. My eldest daughter just graduated from the local polytechnic in chemical engineering. She will be pursuing a degree in entrepreneurship studies. My other two children are still schooling, but they do help me in my business during their school holidays. This gives them the exposure in running of a business. My children are good in servicing customers and recommending customers to my boutique. They bring contacts for me.

Did they go to school in Singapore?
My two younger children are studying in Singapore school. My eldest daughter will be furthering her studies through distant learning. Only for taking her exams will she have to go to the States.

Are you highly qualified?
I am not highly educated because during my time, education was not emphasized by parents and society. I am lucky to get to my present status without having a high qualification.

Does your husband work?
My husband and I together formed Mona J. This is a husband and wife partnership. His job scope will be more on purchasing, liaising with suppliers and advertising. I will focus more on customer relationships, networks and contacts.

Has your business always be located here?
Yes, I set up my business here at Ginza Plaza. Mona J had been here since Ginza was opened and that was in 1995. I am one of the pioneers here. Even though my place is in Ginza which is away from everybody and people are saying that I operate in a dead place, I thank God that Mona J survived and is still going strong. When I first started out here, I was the sole Malay boutique around but after past 10 years, other Malay boutiques sprung up. However, I have already established my foothold and am relatively stronger as compared to them so I do not view these new boutiques as threats to my business.

Why did you choose this location? What is special about it?
My business is different because of its location. In the early 90's, there wasn't any Malay/Muslim boutique in the West. I did market research and realized that there was not even one Malay/Muslim boutique out here in the West selling exclusive Malay baju kurung and kebaya. So everyone had to go to Geylang Serai to get their Malay costumes. The distance can be hindrance for some people and not everyone likes to go to Geylang Serai. So I decided to set up a Malay/Muslim boutique here in the West and during that point in time Ginza Plaza just opened. The rent was reasonable and the place is of premium quality given that it is in a shopping centre. This place justifies my exclusivity from those in Geylang Serai.

Did you have to get a license to do business here?
My business is registered under the Registry of Companies. I did not need any additional license to operate my business here.

May I see it to see how the government categorizes your business? What name do they give it?
I am categorized under the retailing market.

How easy was it to get this license?
To get a license is not difficult. Getting a license is not a problem at all. You just have to make sure that you have enough Medisave.

Did you need something separate from the government to be at this location?
No.

How long do you think you will stay here?
Presently, Mona J has branched out into three different areas, namely, Mona J Boutique, Mona J Bridal and Gallery of Scarf. In fact right now my Gallery of Scarf is selling well and I am intending to expand my Gallery by getting a separate boutique for it. I am thinking of getting one more branch here at Ginza Plaza so that it would be easier for me to manage. My boutique is here so as my bridal. I would like to have my gallery of Scarf here too. Just concentrating on one particular location does not shrink my customer base. I am in the West but my customers come to me even if they are living in the East. The important thing is that your product must be good so that no matter where you are, your customers will come to you.

Do you have any partners? Are they related? How?
Mona J is a husband and wife partnership. My husband provided the initial capital outlay. He was retrenched in 1993 and we decided to use his retrenchments benefits fund to start up Mona J. Mona j is a family business and I believe my daughter will be following my footsteps. It is a waste if my business is not passed down to my family because we are among the best at the moment in the Malay/Muslim market. We are exclusive and people would say that our price is expensive but our product is unique. We don't sell common clothing. Our fabrics are imported from India and Italy with exclusive design.

Tell me some stories that give me an idea of the hardships in starting a business from scratch.
In the very beginning, capital is very important. You must have strong funds and this was our main hardship, finding funds to support our business. Initially we thought that $80 000 that we put in was enough. We did not realize that continued funds are needed to sustain our business in the first few years. This is because; it takes a few years just to break-even and recoups our investment. This is the tougher times because Mona J is very new in the market and banks do not have much trust and faith in your financial strength. Even though Mona J was doing relatively well in its initial years, we still had problems obtaining loans since the credibility is not there. Thus, we used up all our savings, we had to borrow here and there from family and friends just to save the business. Moreover, during the start-up phase, all our supplies had to be paid in cash. Supplier does not trust you so everything must be paid in cash. This further adds on the financial hardship that Mona J had to go through. Honesty is very important for Mona J. Once we had the available funds, we started paying all our loans.

Besides the financial hardship that Mona J went through, we also faced difficulty in penetrating in the Malay/Muslim market. People are not aware of us and we are unknown to the public. Given that we price exclusively, people are skeptical on whether our quality is worth the price they are paying for. I had to write to the local Malay paper, Berita Harian to tell them about Mona J and ask them to use my clothing for their advertisement. I am new and thus we had not enough funds to advertise Mona J. I am fortunate in the sense that my product is different and I am setting up in a different location away from Geylang Serai where the typical Malay/Muslim boutique is in abundance. The advertisers were looking for something new so they printed my products in Berita Harian. That was my stepping stone into the media world. I continued my efforts into the radio platform and with help from the local DJ; I entered into the television world. When I just started, I knew no one from the media industry. It was all hard work and perseverance that established my name in the media industry. Now, I have contacts with local and Malaysian celebrities and advertising in the media is easy for me.

I believe that exposure is very important for Mona J and once I have enough funds, I started to advertise. This is the only way for people to know about Mona J but for us to be an exclusive brand; I advertise my product in the television and radio. These are the places where people recognized Mona J and are willing to try our clothing.

While I am busy with the starting of my business, I am still responsible towards my full-time job. I did not want to give up my job because I need a stable flow of income to sustain my family. So I juggled my time between work, business and family.

What are some of the things you have had to overcome to succeed?
I started my business in 1993 and I was still holding a full time job. My husband ran the business while I am at work and I will join him after work and in the weekends. At that time, Mona J is still new and not established. We did not know the potential of Mona J so I can't afford to just quit my job. I had to plan my time efficiently as I am holding the responsibility of an employee, employer, wife and mother to my three children. With the limited time I have with my children, I am fortunate that they are good in their studies.

Tell me some stories of your best day in business.
When people recognize Mona J and praise Mona J. That is the best time and feeling that I ever had. Like now, Mona J is selling like a hotcake. Our cloths are easy to sell. People love my product. They are proud and honored to wear Mona J clothing and accessories. They told me that even by not telling their friends where they bought the their clothes, people know that it is from Mona J. That is the best time I can remember. You work hard throughout the past ten years and this is the fruit of your continued effort, sweat and perseverance. You are very satisfied today looking at how your brand garners respect and honor from your customers.

What about your worst day. (Have you ever felt like giving up before, how many times, when does it happen and why?)
In year 2001, it was very unfortunate because the business did not turn out well. I was having financial difficulty. It all started out because I was over confident of my customer demand strength. In the previous year, I business did exceptionally well and thus I decided to stock up in 2001. I bought an extra supply of products. However, I did not expect that my products could be copied. Other retailers went to Vietnam and get the same type of scarf that I imported from India and Italy. They sold it at the market for 1/3 of my price. I sold my scarf for $99 while these retailers were selling for only $15. I got stuck and jammed. My stock that was worth about $200 000 got stuck. Sales were not generated as people were buying the cheaper stuff. The economic crisis made buyers more cautious about where they pour their money. They will rather have a lower quality product that cost lower.

That moment, I was really lost. I did not know what to do. It was a very stressful period for me, finding ways and means to try and sell my stock so that my investment will not go down the drain and I will be able to recoup my $200 000. I cannot just give up like that.

Therefore in year 2001, I always had sales promotion. I slashed my prices just to clear my stock. Some of my stocks, I even sell it below cost price. Just to get back my money. So, luckily, and thank god, my $200 000 came back to me. Otherwise, there will not be Mona J today.

At that time, I had another outlet at West Mall. The rental there is very high making my overheads very expensive. So I closed that outlet and concentrate all my business in Ginza Plaza. From this traumatizing experience, I learnt that in business, one has to think fast. You must always be on your feet to deal with any unexpected situations. I am fortunate because I shared problems with my suppliers and he trusts me. So he gave me a longer credit period during my tough time.

From my buyer's point of view, I also learnt that people still want to buy my products just that I should not price it too expensive. My prices have to be on par with the current economic situation. This is a new learning experience for me because I started my business when the economy is booming and going upwards. The purchasing powers of buyers are strong. However, the economy now is declining and my pricing must cater to this downturn.

I am a very strong person. If I thought of giving up, year 2001 was the best time for me to just stop every business activities and declare bankrupt. But this is not me. It is just not my attitude, character and behaviour to just give up without fighting. I am a very strong person and I always think positive, I believe in myself and in Mona J. I built up Mona J from scratch, sustained the business turbulence and difficulties for the past ten years. Giving up is not what I want. I have to fight!

Did you have the capital to start the business or did you borrow it from someone to get started?
My capital was obtained from my husband's retirement benefit. It was our own personal funds with no loans involved.

Who competes with you?
In the Malay/Muslim fashion industry, there are no strong players. I do have small competitors along Geylang Serai.

Have you ever thought of going in business with them to make a bigger business?
No. As I said, there are no strong players in the Malay/Muslim market. My product is also different and unique. Thus it is not compatible for mergers because business structure, target markets and products are totally different. If I were to merge, this will only erode my brand name. Mona J is exclusive.

Did you start as a businessman as a child selling things to your friends and family?
I started helping my mother in her home-based clothing business. We sell to our friends and neighbours. Our customers tell us their clothing preference and we will go out and look for them.

When did you decide that you would strike out on your own instead of working for someone else?
Having a home-base business, it is very restrictive. Our clientele I sonly within a small group of people and these are our repeated customers. You cannot venture out and see more people. The payment is also installment based. You get your payment in small monthly amounts, which take a long period of time before the whole sum is paid. These factors spurred me to venture out and set up my own boutique.

When you started what did your husband or family thinks?
My family members gave me strong support. However, on my husband side, his family was not supportive of us going into the business world. My husband works in an oil-rig company which provides a good income. They perceive that going into business will not bring about a strong generation of income for our family to lead a comfortable life. We talked to my husband parents and told them that we wanted to give it a try. They gave us their blessings.

Do you have kids? Do they live around here?
I have three children staying with me at Bukit Panjang.

Have they ever given you advice on the running of the business?
I always share with my children opinions and problems regarding my business. Thus, they know more about the business operations and my promotions. For example, the bridal packages were further customized due to the suggestions of my children. They asked me to add in more services so that it would be more attractive.

What are your own values in doing business and what do you like to pass down to your children?
My values are to be honest and sincere. We need these values to build the trust in our customers so that they feel satisfied and will be loyal to us. Do not cheat customers. Whatever they put on must be nice and look good on them. If they put on your cloths and it looks bad on them, you have to tell them. Business is not all about selling and reaping profits. There is a personal touch to business. Customers are not providers to your income generation; they can be your close friend too.

Will any of them follow you as business owners?
My daughter will be the most likely candidate to follow my footsteps.

What would happen if you got sick, who would run your business?
My husband is with me and we have a staff working for us.

How does your business work?
All my goods are purchased by me. They are my assets and my stock. So I strongly believe in good support from suppliers. This is a critical factor for you to stay strong in the market. To build this strong relationship, prompt payment is necessary and this is what Mona J practice. Prompt payment to suppliers.

What qualities that you have do you think differentiates you from someone who works for others?
I am a strong an inquisitive in nature. I like to try out new things that have potential for growth. Moreover I have satisfaction. When you do venture on your own, you are fully satisfied with what you are doing. I am also hardworking and the flame within burns strong. This is me.

Why does someone decide to be on their own rather than join an existing company?
Probably they don't dare take risks. If you want to go into business, you must be daring in taking risks.

What qualities does it take to succeed?
Daring, different and smart. Ideas and concepts must be different.

How old were you when you first realized you wanted to be in business on your own?
Before I got married at eh age of 17.

Did your family and friends encourage you?
Yes, my family and friends encouraged me. I got married at the age of 21. Initially, my husband preferred me to stay at home and run the household. The very beginning of my marriage my husband did not approve me of being a businesswoman. So I stopped all my business activities for about two years after marriage. But later on, my past customers started calling me and asking for my cloths that I used to sell (home-base selling). It is a waste if I stop my business activities as I got ready customers wanting my products. So I started selling from home again and soon we realized that the growth of the business form home is good. We are young and we have more money. The standard of living is very expensive in Singapore and we can afford to lead a comfortable life with our children.

When was the moment you realized that the business would work and support you?
From the very beginning, I know I can go far with Mona J. The products I have and my repo with my customers made me confident of my business success. I am very confident that I can position myself very well in the Malay/Muslim market. In business, you don't think of the question mark questions. Can I do it? Can I make it? You have to put aside this thinking. Look at other people and races that have been successful in their business. We have to always think positive. If your business is turning out well, share your problems with those you trust as they can guide you and give your ideas on how to better manage your business. For me, I always share with my family.

Tell me about your first few customers and first few years of business.
I registered Mona J in 1993 and I have customers supporting me from then until now. Their wardrobe is only filled with Mona J brand. They just have the faith and confidence in Mona J.

My product is a little on the high end due to its exclusivity and uniqueness but at the end of the day, it is the comfy that makes the difference. When my customers use my cloths, they say that it is different and long lasting. Mona J is a value for money brand. Mainly I am using silk so it gives a high quality and silky appearance. My first few customers who are not married in 1993 now come back to me for Mona J Bridal service. That is why I could venture out into the bridal sector because I have my ready clientele. The support from my first few customers has always been here.

What are the qualities that it takes to succeed in business?
Honesty. Being successful is not easy. You have to be honest and not cheat your customers, suppliers, family or even yourself. Be honest and stay humble. Mona J do not practice any hidden costs promotions and advertising as this method of selling your product will eventually deter customers away from you once they realize that there are many hidden and unknown costs. At the end of the day, your name is spoilt in the market.

What would you advise young people to do today in starting a business?
Are you strong enough? Do you dare to take risks?

What kind of business are you going into and is it different?
You have to study the market and research on whether your product is similar to your potential competitors. If your product is about the same as others, don't think once, think ten times. This is not an easy time to do business. You are competing with the established and on top of it, economy is sluggish. Buying power is not there.

What do you do about retirement funds? You just save on your own?
I have a number of insurance that I have bought for my retirement days and I also set aside a certain portion of my income for savings. I consistently save my money as I feel that savings is very important to sustain you in the future.

Did you ever think of expanding the business in some way or in multiple locations?
I have friends selling my products in Malaysia and France. This is through home-based selling. Of course I would like to venture internationally and hopefully I can have a fashion show in Paris where my Baju Kurung and Baju Kebaya are paraded for the international community to learn and know more about the Malay traditional costume.

As we try and pick the final 38 entrepreneurs from all the people we interview what qualities would you think a person should have to inspire others?
You have to be strong, determined, patient and humble before you can be an inspiration to others.

What story would they tell younger people?
It is very important for the younger generation to complete their studies. Do not abandon studies halfway as education is very important. Young people should not hastily pursue their dream of being an entrepreneur. You must have qualifications to survive in the New Economy. Being an entrepreneur takes careful planning and research. So I would like to tell the young people to complete their studies so as not to have any future regrets.

If you are chosen as one of the 39 winners will you come to the ceremony to be honored?
Yes.

Will you be comfortable with the press and TV asking you many of the same questions if you are a winner?
Yes. It won't be a problem.

Do you have any objection to this interview being posted on the Community Web Site or published in the newspaper prior to being chosen?
No, I have no objections.

If part of the Spirit of Enterprise is a scholarship given in your name directed to any school you would like to give it to: any idea now where that would be? You don't have to decide now, but if some day you are asked - any ideas? Primary school, secondary, college, technical or university?
I would like to give it to madrasah. Madrasah Al-Irsyad.

Who do you admire in business?
In the Malay/Muslim market, there is no Malay business that I can look up to. Not in Singapore.

Who do you admire in general in any field?
I admire the lady behind Hour Glass. She is a very strong lady with strong family support. Because of her family support, she can go very far with her business.

What are your thoughts on the "secrets" to having a successful business?
There is no secret actually. Satisfied customers are your success. When customers are satisfied, words get around and this will improve your name and status in the market.

Do you have a suggestion for someone else we ought to interview who you think has an interesting story to tell?
Not at the moment.

Before I go any other story you would like to tell me?
When you want to go into business, ask yourself whether you are ready, willing to work hard, focus and you must be strong. Think positive. Share whatever you have with the needy. In this economic downturn there are many families out there struggling to get a decent livelihood. I know I cannot give much but I make it a point to make contributions to those who need.

Student Interviewer's Personal Comment