ALLUSKIN Sdn Bhd, an online skincare company, had enjoyed brisk sales since its launch in October 2019 until the Covid-19 pandemic brought its growth to a halt.
Founder Dr Nurul A'in Sa'ari, affectionately known as Aen to friends and family, had quit her job as a doctor to become an entrepreneur in 2019.
Aen said sales of the skincare products were encouraging at the beginning as she had started building the brand even before her housemanship under the Health Ministry.
"It took me two years to build up the brand. After that, I decided not to renew my contract as a doctor as entrepreneurship was my passion.
But the pandemic and the resulting Movement Control Order (MCO) caused Aen to lose almost all of her initial capital of RM20,000.
"The raw materials and ingredients from Germany, Italy and France could not come into Malaysia due to the MCO restrictions. As a result, some customers also switched to other brands," she added.
In 2020, Aen convinced two shareholders to inject RM100,000 into the company.
Aen launched the skincare products, which cater to dry and sensitive skin, after realising that many people were having acne problems but could not find a suitable cleanser.
"I personally manage the social media content because I don't believe in 'over-claiming', as some marketers tend to do.
"It is important to first gain your customers' trust before you can sell them your products," she said.
There are currently 15 Alluskin sales points (agents) in Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore. The products have also found its ways into more than 20 independent pharmacies in Brunei and Sarawak, as well as nine Aeon shopping malls in the peninsula.
Online sales contribute to 20 per cent of Alluskin's total sales, with the remaining from agents, pharmacies and malls.
Aen, who finds writing therapeutic, said she would jot down her thoughts whenever she encountered difficulties.
"This has helped in my decision-making and creative pursuits. It also reduces my stress and allow me to have a better understanding of my thoughts and feelings.
"Sometimes, I will also ask my close friends for advice. My biggest challenge is to not let myself be bogged down by all the noises from people who are in the same industry.
"We each have our own mission and vision. I'm also in this industry to educate consumers," she added.
Alluskin, which recorded a sales turnover of RM1.5 million last year, is targeting RM5 million in its fifth year of operations.
The writer was a journalist with the New Straits Times before joining a Fortune Global 500 real estate company. This article is a collaboration between the New Straits Times and Tradeview, the author of 'Once Upon A Time In Bursa'.
