How a 23-year-old started her own business from scratch while working full-time and pursuing a degree.
By Dzulqarnain Mustafa and Nur Darin Qyiswa Binti Adnan
As students, a lot of us believe that we should choose our education path based on what we want to be when we grow up and stick to it. That was until Syakirin Rizal, 23, challenged that notion and started her own business while working full time as a chemist.
At first, it seemed all well for Syakirin to pursue a job role like a chemist due to the demand but soon she realised that because of the economy in this day and age, it seemed inadequate. So she decided to branch out further and reel in another source of income, while also pursuing a degree.
Dare to dream
With her diploma in Applied Chemistry, Syakirin has been working in the semiconductor industry as a full-time chemist for nearly three years now.
However, it has been a dream of hers since secondary school to start her own business one day. As part of an effort to achieve that, she is also currently pursuing a part-time degree in Business Management at Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS).
“I chose to do Applied Chemistry in Polytechnic as it was in high demand, and companies are always hiring,” she said when we asked why she chose a chemistry diploma instead of business.
Syakirin added that her job in the semiconductor industry also allowed her to build her capital. When she decided it was enough, she began to put her plan into motion.
Making decisions
According to the Ministry of Manpower in a written response to a PQ in September 2022, there are about 53,200 locals who are working two jobs or more.
With the competitive hustle culture and the current state of the economy, Syakirin feels that having another source of income would benefit her greatly. The cost of living and the recent inflation of the current economy really made her think twice about her own value income that she has now.
“I wanted to step forward and be independent,” she highlighted as she explained why she decided to create her start-up.
Without missing a beat, she enrolled in SUSS at the same time she applied for her full-time job. She chose to major in Business Management to venture from her original diploma, and make one day be day one to achieving her dream.
Her decision to pick up a business degree was a long thinking process and she slowly discussed this with her family. She felt that as much as she wanted to focus on being a chemist, the career progression seemed lack-lustre compared to starting a business, which provides so many opportunities.
Other than that, the exposure and chances to network with other businesses and new people intrigued her, and she felt that there was a lot to learn when she puts her degree to good use.
Slowly, the development of her own business was set in place as she pursued her degree and made sure to use her skills while she learns on the go.
With her newfound motivation and vision, she did research on businesses that seemed suitable with the branding that she wants. At first, opening up a cafe was something she had in mind.
However, she realised that the amount of capital and investment that she needed seemed unrealistic at her age, so she gained inspiration from local brands like Okami that promotes streetwear. Syakirin thought about her own fashion style and how she manages her appearance.
“I like to be comfortable, but there are people that say my style is boring,” she laughed as she recalled this.
It was decided then that she will focus on casual comfortable clothes for her brand to create awareness that simplistic design and ultimate comfort can be the way to go and debunk the idea that casual equals boring.
And so, Kixco.sg was created.
Overcoming adversities and gaining support
Of course, starting a business is never easy even for someone with prior experience. There is a lot that goes into creating a start-up, so it was no different for Syakirin when she first started back in July.
In our interview, she mentioned that one of her first concerns was how she could find a supplier. She was struggling to find a trustworthy, friendly supplier that was able to work with her in any situation possible. She was also worried about the costs, and how she could market her products and if people would like it.
In a way, business-to-business communication was new to her and as a young and new start-up, she had so much to learn through trial and error.
Given her introverted nature, Syakirin also began second-guessing herself when she first started. She wondered if what she was doing was going to turn out well, believing that in order to make sure it did, she needed to put herself out there.
However, Syakirin still felt blessed to have her parents' approval. Being the first to fulfil her parents’ dream to open a family business, she also felt that she was under pressure to set a good example and starting point for that dream to be achieved..
As much as she is focusing on Kixco for herself, she also said: "This is something I want to do for my family too."
Her perseverance and can-do attitude shines bright to make her efforts worth it at the end of the day. Slowly, she got the hang of it with the help of her family and her friends. Ultimately, asking for and receiving help is not a sign of weakness.
Of course, juggling her job and her degree along with Kixco is also as challenging as starting the business itself.
Syakirin shared that juggling all three seemed like more than she could handle, but a close family friend of hers also owns a business. A mother of three, she said that the business owner juggles everything from taking care of her kids to managing everything for her business on her own. So Syakirin thought, if her family friend can do it, why can’t she?
Not only that, her family is very proactive and helps out anyway possible, ensuring that she feels supported both morally and physically.
“My mother is my biggest supporter, really,” she admitted while she nodded.
When she first told her mother, she was very receptive and supportive of her decision. Syakirin shared that her mother is interested in business-like things, and would always give her ideas on what she can do with her brand. Her mother would also provide moral support in the form of packing Kixco orders for her especially after a long day, and providing encouragement when she feels that her daughter really needs it.
The Present, For The Future
Syakirin and her friends had little expectations when they started the brand together, but her business slowly grew. Her team of four people focuses on different roles to push the brand to the fullest potential.
The brand’s social media page and website was built from scratch and she took her chances and promoted her first ever product, their cargo pants. Her business took off and slowly gained followers.
Their Instagram shows impressive feats. They launched in July this year and in a few months, they gained up to 428 followers and their Tiktok has an average of 500 views among all the videos recently. It seems that her products are something that people demand for.
As their demands grew, their audience grew as well. Their social media engagement allowed Kixco to get feedback on their cargo pants as their first ever product.
A number of the male audience started to ask about their products. This shows that the audience is intrigued with the products and the team did not expect the huge support from other demographics, as the primary focus of Kixco at that point was cargos for ladies.
All of the feedback and engagement on their social media gave them a newer perspective. They would do more research and look out for trends in the local scene. Their comfort and casual focus gives them an edge as many from Generation Z focus on simple yet basic tones.
Other than their consumers asking about unisex products, the demand for plus-size cargos was also brought up to the team. Though they already had the idea in mind, it was still unexpected for the team that their apparel was in demand even before they announced its launch.
This showcases the potential of Kixco to grow significantly as there is a huge demographic, they are grateful to be a trustworthy business that people relied on.
Nothing is set in stone
In an article from SUSS about Gen Z and where they will take our future, Associate Professor Leong Chan Hoong from the Centre of Applied Research, SUSS said: “I always look at Gen Z, and younger, to be a resilient cohort. They are not the strawberry generation we have imagined them to be.”
“They are willing to work hard for whatever they believe can take them further.”
As tough or competitive as the industry is, Syakirin still holds strongly onto what she believes in. Kixco greatly improved over the months since they started and her dedication and her passion to continue to strive proved her efforts fruitful.
She braved through her journey even though she is still trying to figure things out while balancing three different roles. It was never easy to say the least, but at the end of the day, Syakirin courageously faces her obstacles and takes opportunities to succeed and be the best that she can be.
“If you want to do something, just take the step and do it,” she advised. “Just start. If you don’t, you will lose out,”
In life, everything is not going to be simple or as easy. Challenges will appear in our everyday life and it is okay to change our ways or our vision of our life. Change is constant and it can be for the better or for the worse.
You may be an artist that dreams of being a doctor, or an engineer who wishes to be a writer, or even like Syakirin, a chemist who wants to open a business. What matters most is you just do it.
Hi Dzul and Darin. I find this article relatable and impactful because it challenges traditional notions of career paths, showcases the struggles and success of balancing multiple responsibilities, and inspires others to follow Syakirin's passion and take risks.
The pathway she took challenges the conventional belief that one must choose a specific education path and stick to it. Many students feel pressured to decide their entire future at a young age, based on what they think they want to be when they grow up or what their parents dictate. Syakirin's story shows that it is possible to explore multiple interests and pursue different paths simultaneously.
Her story also resonates with the struggles faced by many students who juggle multiple responsibilities.…
Hi there Darin and Dzul, very interesting piece on the newsmaker I would say. I think after reading this feature piece, I envy her dedication and how much she has achieved. I personally already struggle with time management and find it hard to find any free time to do anything that I like so I really applaud everything that she has accomplished. Good job again guys! -Adriena
Hi team, thank you for the presentation! I think it’s interesting to explore the topic of pursuing your dreams (that is so different) despite having a lot of commitments. I especially liked your headline because it describes everything she is in a compelling sentence.
I personally have a lot of interests and it’s very difficult to explore so many things at once. I always tell myself I don’t have the time for so many activities. Reading this makes me inspired to challenge myself and pursue what I like, it is possible to balance everything.
Hi team :)
I enjoyed reading your article, it felt very insightful! A quote that I really liked that you included would be:
“If you want to do something, just take the step and do it,”
“Just start. If you don’t, you will lose out,”
As someone who is always hesitant before taking an action, this quote really felt personal because no one will be able to predict what the future holds! If it is not causing yourself or others harm I think we should be more courageous in life :)
Juggling three things at once when we only have 24 hours a day, is inspiring knowing that she is 23 and have achieved so many things all at once.…
Hi Dzul and Darin, Jasmine here :) I love how there is a bigger message for your audience to chase their dreams that is heavily touched on. It gives your "So what?" angle more merit. It comments on the hustle culture so prevalent in Singapore and shows an actionable way of combining passion with work to make the hustle a lot less dull (though the dreariness of it is inescapable lah). Overall, a really great job done! <33