UHAK 1032 INTRODUCTION TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP - PROJECT 1 ENTREPRENEUR PROFILE

NORUL’S COOKIE BOX sells handmade bakeries including cookies, tarts, cakes and puffs. The owner, Puan Norulhuda, insists in fresh hand making over these years. The shop is located at Jalan Pendidikan 3, Taman Universiti, Skudai.

Puan Norulhuda Abdul Hamid is now 50 years old and a mother of 3. She is currently living in Desa Skudai. She studied Architecture at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM). Before she started the business, she had worked in architecture industry for 22 years.

The business started in 2007 at home when Puan Norulhuda planned to stop working in the industry. Before running Norul's Cookie Box, she had tried selling different types of product, for example, prayer wear. However, things did not go well in the way she expected.

One day, people around her suggested her to sell her homemade cookies. Supports from friends and family on her homemade cookies motivated her to continue in this business.

In the early years, she only ran the business for few months during fasting and Raya season. She used to make 2-3 types of cookies only and only targeted her colleagues, neighbours and friends to be her customers.

She left her job in 2012 when the number of customers had grown consistently and gained popularity. The growing number of agents finally gave her confidence to open a physical shop in April 2015.

• Attended bakery courses during weekdays in early years
• Attended Dr Azizan Osman’s seminar to gain business and marketing knowledge as well as life development skills

• Attended Advance Roket Bisnes (ARB) 2017 by Najib Asaddok for online marketing skills and strategies
• Financial support from family and own savings
• Learned from friends for inspiration of new production

• From home based business to a physical shop
• Variety of product increased from 2 types to more than 20 types

• From no worker to 2 permanent workers in shop and 12 kitchen helpers

• Amount of agents grew from 40 to 80 in 4 years

• Sales of products increased by years, from RM 4,000 per month to RM 60,000 per month during festival season

Puan Norulhuda is reaching the age of retirement, hence, she opes to get the right person to take over her business. She is discussing with her children for the future of the business.

Next year, she will be moving back to her hometown, Pahang and will open another branch there. Her children will help her to take care of her shop in Johor. She is also planning to organise some production workshops near Kuala Lumpur area where most of her agents gather at.

As a entrepreneur, Puan Norulhuda advises us to not limit ourselves only in a certain industry. She had been in her comfort zone for 22 years yet she still wanted to try something new and reach her possibilities. 

She shared her experience on how different it is to be employed and to run a business. She told us that being employed might be much easier but it only benefits our own selves. However, running a business can help many families out there as you are creating job opportunities.

She told us that we should set our selves a target when doing business. It could be big or small but must be clear enough. We should also always work hard and strive to gain more knowledge in all field. Lastly, she encouraged us to build a good social network as it is very important to have human resources when we are running a business.