Learn about how two home business owners got started and how the social media platforms they chose helped them.
by Puteri Quraishah and Nabil Zahir
When COVID-19 came around and took the world by surprise, it greatly affected everyone whether they suffered a loss in terms of a job, a house, or even a loved one. This pandemic has had us coming up with different ways to get some sort of normalcy and move on with life. Schools and jobs use teleconferencing platforms to conduct lessons and meetings, friends hang out online instead of meeting up in person, and people have taken to the internet to find a way to make a living. Their reasons for doing so may vary from side income to retrenchment.
You may have seen more home businesses while you are scrolling through social media ever since the pandemic began. According to The Straits Times, the first five months of 2021 saw 27,764 new businesses. These businesses can be seen advertising and creating content on different social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Some even have accounts on multiple platforms so as to take advantage and maximize their potential reach. With the large number of home businesses that are built on different platforms, how do the platforms they choose to use play a part in the business’ growth? We talked to two different home business owners to get their input.
Meet the owners.
Whoaa there!: Founder of @whoaa.store Apphia Neo, 24, at her pop up booth in the National Museum of Singapore back on the 26th of September. This was their third popup and this time round as part of the museum’s Youth Special Weekend. (Photo Credit: @whoaa.store Instagram page)
Apphia Neo, 24, is the founder of @whoaa.store that sells quirky statement accessories like earrings on Instagram and Tiktok. With a following of 20.3K on TikTok and 3.8K on Instagram, it is no doubt that @whoaa.store has gained an impressive following since its launch back in 2020. What started as a hobby to pass the time during Circuit Breaker evolved into a passion project that has become a side income for Apphia.
XOXO!: Maisarah, 20, founder of @xobymai showing off the accessories she made. The rings and bracelets were all self-made by her. This was posted on the launch of @xobymai on Instagram on the 9th of September. (Photo credit: @xobymai Instagram page)
Maisarah, 20, is the brains behind @xobymai, a store that sells accessories like necklaces and earrings. An interesting fact was that during the interview, Maisarah told us that this business of hers started out because she wanted to raise funds for charities like Palestine Aid. She had always made jewellery for herself before she considered creating them to be sold. @xobymai, similarly to @whoaa.store, is active on both Instagram and on TikTok with a following of 2.1K and 2.9K on the respective platforms.
We sat down and talked to both of them on zoom calls to learn more about their business as well as the things that happen behind the scenes.
Origin and platforms of business.
Before we asked anything else, we had to find out how these entrepreneurs were inspired to start their businesses.
Whoaa What Is Happening?: Pictured here is Apphia behind the scenes on the set of a National Day Parade launch shooting for @whoaa.store. The project was in collaboration with a new videography startup, @notbrothers.co, as well as some of their followers as talents. (Photo Credit: @notbrothers.co Instagram Page)
Apphia explained that @whoaa.store started out only as something she did during the circuit breaker last year. Freshly graduated and being stuck at home, she decided to make use of her time and keep herself occupied. Armed with her love of earrings and wanting to spread some positivity during that period, she put up the variety of earrings she had on Instagram and as she put it,
“I looked around my house and realised that I got a lot of earrings that I collected over the years from Thailand, from China, and I just decided to put it up and that’s how everything started.”
Other than using Instagram, she also ventured onto TikTok after she chanced upon the many small businesses on the For You page.
Flower Bracelets is part of XO. by Mai Bracelet collection. Along with this, she also sells other beaded accessories such as rings and necklaces. (Photo Credits: Maisarah)
As for Maisarah, she mentioned that @xobymai first started because she wanted to raise funds for charities like Palestine Aid, Yemen Crisis, and others that are in need. After all, at the time, the hashtag #FreePalestine was trending. Making jewellery was something that she enjoyed and was already doing on her own but she didn’t think to put it up for sale. Since she was doing something she loved and creating these different accessories, she figured why not make it into something that could benefit a charity or an organisation. Thus, @xobymai was created.
“I enjoy making it so why not do something good with it,” Maisarah said in our interview.
The business, like @whoaa.store, is on Instagram and TikTok. The reason was that she was more familiar with these two social media and even had an existing platform before starting her business.
Does the platform affect content?
According to BestinSingapore, as of January 2021, Singapore has roughly 4.96 million social media users, this accounts for about 84.4% of the country’s total population. Hence, it is no surprise that home businesses have taken it up to the various social media platforms to enter the market.
Apphia explained that she first established her business on Instagram as the main platform. She was initially sceptical of Tik Tok, due to the privacy issue that was circulating, and it was not until she introduced the app to her mother and chanced upon the community of small businesses on the app, did she decide to hop on the bandwagon.
She mentioned how it was easier to gain an organic reach on Tik Tok and she was impressed at how her content and products could go viral. One famous product from whoaa! is their Mr and Mrs DaBao Earrings that went viral June 2020.
Mr and Mrs DaBao: This pair of earrings gained everyone’s attention back in June 2020. Apphia’s boyfriend came up with the idea but only during the circuit breaker did the idea come to life as people were encouraged to take away their food. (Photo Credits: @whoaa.store Instagram Page)
She also mentioned the contents posted are more spontaneous as it feels a bit more informal. She was able to show the production process of her products and shoots, which helped build a bond with her followers.
Similarly, Maisarah enjoys the use of Tik Tok as it is a bit more laid back and it has more features such as adding sounds and syncing of videos to audio that makes the experience more fun. She was also able to interact with her customers by replying to the comments, requesting to see the process of their orders being packed.
Maisarah also expressed her preference for Tik Tok as the video content is short with a maximum duration of three minutes, perfect for those who are just scrolling through the For You page.
When asked why they still choose to have an Instagram page, Apphia replied that while Tik Tok is spontaneous, Instagram helps to establish the brand image and is a bit more formal. Customers on Instagram are more likely to message enquiries. Moreover, Instagram is where all the friends, family and loyal customers follow and get updated on the latest products and campaigns. Now, with the new feature of Reels on Instagram, there is more content to be explored and created for the business page.
Hence, when it comes to Tik Tok, these business owners choose to create content of the production process and behind the scenes footage. On Instagram, however, they choose a more formal approach of where they post product images, details and sales information.
Advice for any upcoming businesses?
As people who have been able to take a mere thought in their minds and turn it into an actual business, we asked them for any last words or advice that they could share with people who are looking to start up a home business of their own.
Apphia mentioned a piece of advice would be the shareability of content. Starting out as a small business or home business, oftentimes businesses may not be able to afford to run ads for their products. Sharable content encourages the viewers to spread said content around, getting more reach for the business.
“I still remember in Ngee Ann poly, my lecturer always said “Content is King. Content is King.” so I always make it a point to come up with content that resonates with people, evokes emotion, and make people want to share.”
Another piece of advice that she added was to just go for it. Rather than saying “Don’t think, just do”, she mentioned that the more you overthink, the more stressed out you can become.
Similarly, Maisarah also mentioned that the piece of advice that she has is to just go for it.
“If you are planning to start a small business and you are afraid it might not do well or you are afraid that people might not support your business, even if they are close friends or family, just go for it.”
The small business community in Singapore is very welcoming and even have some group chats that you could join in to meet other business owners. Overall, you never know if you never try so you should not be afraid to start.
Just Go
From the discussions between the different business owners, it is visible that the different social media platforms are perceived and utilised differently. Starting a business is no easy feat, and learning about how to utilise the resources you have can definitely be an advantage towards growing your own business steadily. To reiterate the advice given by Apphia and Maisarah, “just go for it” because you will never know how things might pan out.
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