It’s all I got August 24, 2009

While I was working in my 9-5 job, I knew that if I keep doing this, I will die young.  I need to find an alternative. It’s a matter of life and death.

I always wanted to have a business of some sort. The problem was – I didn’t know what business.

I have no capital. I have no experience. I do not have a mentor to teach me anything about business. I have no – wait.

I do have one skill. I can dance, Middle Eastern Dance, rather well. If I can do that, I can teach it too!

And, that’s how it all started. I truly got nothing. The skill is all I have. So I worked with what I have. And take it from there.

From that one skill, I grew it into a few more set of skills. I grew my selling skill. My marketing skill. My organisational skill. My networking skill. My event management skill. My budgeting skill.

Bit by bit. Little by little.

Before I knew it, I became an entrepreneur.

*NEW* Basic MED at TTDI Community Centre May 4, 2009

Starting from 9th June, there will be *NEW* Basic Class opened at TTDI Community Centre for the ladies who would love to get their hands (hips!) on Middle Eastern Dance (MED)/Belly Dancing. Details are as below:

Time and day: 10.30-11.30am every Tuesday
Venue: Recreation Room, TTDI Community Centre
Teacher: Suzi
Package: RM80 for 4 sessions
Drop In: RM25

Package is Limited to first 10 7 spots only!

Grab this great deal quick. To book for your spot please e-mail to elwardadance@gmail.com with your name and contact details!

*NEW* session in TTDI starting June April 22, 2009

Alhamdulillah, I have finalised a new MED/Belly Dancing session under Elwarda Dance.

The new Basic session will be conducted in TTDI Community Centre starting June every Tuesday 10am-11.30 am. What is special about this new session is that I will only be organising it, but I won’t be teaching it!

I have been working on training a few new Teachers and this is the perfect time to make them practise what they learn. More details will be coming up soon!

Oh and as always, it’s a ladies only session

Tired and cranky and but trying to be productive and happy April 4, 2009

I have been feeling quite tired lately. Maybe because we haven’t been eating the healthiest food. We have been eating out a lot. And too much ‘mamak’ food can make me feel rather sluggish.

Despite that, I have been working my hardest to complete my To-Do lists that is getting longer every day. OK, maybe now my hardest as I have been watching Biggest Loser, America’s Next Top Model, Celebrity Apprentice, UK Apprentice, and a few more reality shows that are clogging my brain cells.

On another note, I just finished reading ‘I am not sick, just a bit unwell, Life with Neurofibromatosis’ by Yvonne Foong. I bought this a book a few months ago directly from her. It was out of stock then and I only recently received it. She was conducting her fundraising by selling this book and t-shirts at one of the events that I attended. I was really touched by her condition and inspired by her strength and spirit. Reading this book, it gave me more prespective of her condition, and it also made me appreciate more of Almighty’s gift for me. The book is now selling in MPH.

Business-wise, I started my Teacher Training sessions for potential MED teachers.*hurray!* I am still behind with picking up new stocks and marketing for Elwarda Accessories. I am feeling rather lousy because of that. *bleargh*

It was quite an emotional roller coaster these past few days. Result of unhealthy eating, lack of exercising, and also by the lack of spiritual work. These what happens Naziehah, if you lose your life’s balance. *need to sort self out now*

Elwarda @ Emila March 24, 2009

I have always loved this blog, Emila’s Illustrated Blog. Ever since I get to know about it’s existence, I kept coming back for more of it’s beautiful paintings and illustrations. Whenever I look at those amazing creation of hers, I will always felt this deep sense of peace and happiness. Great beautiful paintings always did that to me!

But Emila is not only a talented artist, she’s also an excellent blogger! Another reason why people kept coming back to her blog

So when she asked for a gift sponsorship for the competition in her blog, how could I resist to be a sponsor!

I sponsored 2 items, one from each of my Elwarda.

From Elwarda Dance, I sponsored an Elwarda Gift Certificate worth RM35 for the winner to experience an MED (Middle Eastern Dance/Belly Dance) class with me.

Fom Elwarda Accessories, I sponsored one piece from Elwarda Asal.

Read more about it here!

In return, I get a banner space for a whole month! Look at my new banner, isn’t it pretty and blinky?

Thanks Big Z for the banner

I feel very happy to be getting more opportunity to expose and market my Elwarda. I am even happier to be able to work with somebody as nice and as talented as Emila!

Sunny selling day and blog (In)Trend February 28, 2009

I decided long ago, never to walk in anyone’s shadows
If I fail, if I succeed
At least I’ll live as I believe

My heart soared as how Khatijah Ibrahim’s voice soared loud and clear on humid Saturday that is today. (Khatijah Ibrahim is a Malaysian singer and she has the most powerful voice). She’s also an entrepreneur and her business, Khaty’s Kitchen also participated in the event. Today she also graciously sang us this beautiful song that made me run from my booth to the main stage.

Oh what a song. Oh what a voice. Oh what a day!

Today I did my first offline promotion, participating in an Entrepreneur’s Carnival organised by 4 combining Malaysian women entrepreneur’s group.  I mostly did marketing for my Elwarda Classes, Workshops, and Women’s event. I also printed a few of Elwarda’s Gift Certificate to sell. As a first timer, I did many rookie mistakes such as not bringing a receipt book resulting in Big Z having to roam around KL looking for one! But all is sorted as soon as possible, pheww!

My first customer! . She is so darling and her kid is just so cute! Thank you Asmida, I hope to see you again soon

Need. to. write. receipt. quick!

Sometimes we just need to close our eyes when it’s the only good close up pictures! Grrr..

The strangest things is, all throughout this day a few people kept coming to me and said, ‘Oh, I read your blog!’. And I went – Hmm..I have blog readers? My first customer above is one of them!

And they said oh, from this magazine, and that magazine and I went scratching my head as I have no idea which magazine they were talking about. I know have short write-up coming up soon but they will usually tell me when it will be published!

Until a few of them said, Intrend March! So I just have to check them out for myself. (InTrend is a  Malaysian women magazine published in Malay language)

This is the cover, but where, where?

Oh, there it is!

Look closely..naziehah.wordpress.com is chosen as blog ‘Pilihan Kami Bulan Ini’ (Blog of the month!)

Thank you people in InTrend! I heart you for the  exposure and the lovely round red star sign stamp! I suddenly felt so giddy like when you received a star from your teacher at school for getting full marks

No matter what they take from me
They can’t take away my dignity
Because the greatest love of all
Is happening to me

I am grateful for all the opportunity, for any big or small exposure, and for the good and kind people that I met today and every day. Thank you too hubby Big Z for all your help and support always, especially today with all the running around looking for receipt books!

I had a great day today and I hope yours are great too!

Women Entrepreneur’s Carnival 2009 February 23, 2009

Elwarda will be exhibiting here this Saturday the 28th. Spread the word and come visit us!

New business cards, new business and seminars February 23, 2009

1. I just finished printing my new business card! Weee

2. As I am slowly but surely working on the new business, Elwarda Accessories, I realised quite a few thing. While Elwarda Dance is very niche and relatively easy to market, EA are a bit more tricky. My sales are moving at the rate of a snail pace and I am quite unhappy with myself because of that. I think maybe I am lacking in direction with EA. I gotta sharpen a few edges here and there.

3. Meanwhile, I am working really hard to prepare for this Saturday’s Karnival Usahawan (Entrepreneur’s Carnival) . For the first time ever, I will be doing an offline promotional booth. I am quite excited and nervous at the same time. If you have time, come and look for Elwarda there! . I will update the poster and location in the next entry.

4.  I wanted to go to this Branding seminar early March, and I invited a few entrepreneur’s friend of mine. It costs quite a bit but I knew that when it comes to investing in yourself and your business, you can’t be too skimpy. But I am working on to gather a group so that we can get a Group Discount. Let’s see how that will work out.

5. Suddenly I got an sms saying that I can get sponsorship to another branding seminar tomorrow. Full sponsorship! Wohoo! Alhamdulillah. So tomorrow I will be in a seminar the whole day learning about branding

Henna me pretty! February 18, 2009

Wonderful Wednesday: Henna me pretty!

March last year, I organised a hafla, an all ladies party under my dance and event company, Elwarda Dance. For that event, I invited a henna artist to do a henna for all my guests as a party souvenir. However, on that day, yours truly was too busy running here and there to make sure everything went smoothly that she missed her chance to get a henna done on her. She  wistfully stared at all the beautiful designs that adorned her guests’s hand, shoulders and she even saw one lady getting henna done of her belly!

*sob, sob, wipe tears, clear throats*

Anyway, last last weekend, at a Gaza Charity Bazaar in BSC, she got herself one tiny henna on her hand!

Look, look!

I also found out that being a hand model is difficult. This is one attempt.

The ‘ooh-my-hand-is-so-dainty-I-am-afraid-it’s-going-to-fall-off-from-my-wrist-any-second-now’. Also known as the ‘tip-toeing hand look’.

This is another one

This one looks like a murdered pigeon. Or a crooked chicken leg. Or well – a failed hand model’s hand.

Anyway, don’t focus on the hand pose, although you can’t help it now. Buuuut, look at the tiny little thing. Isn’t it so beautiful? Before it faded, I kept staring at it for days and it always bring a smile to my face.

Or a big grin like this

Fill that gap December 23, 2008

Trading Tuesday: Fill that Gap

One of the true purposes of entrepreneur is to ‘fill that gap’. In a market there’s always an unfilled demand. No one consumer is alike so chances are there are many consumer’s need that are not fulfilled by the existing market. Especially now, when consumers are becoming more sophisticated, more discerning – the opportunities are opening left, right and everywhere!

For example, in my Elwarda Dance business, I am filling the gap of the need for fun and gentle exercise for women. Since Middle Eastern Dance/Belly Dancing is a low-impact exercise, women with low level of fitness and women of all ages can easily enjoy the acitivity. When I taught  in a gym/fitness centres before, I saw that  most of the classes were mainly geared to the young and fit. Therefore, by me offering a Middle Eastern Dance/Belly dancing class to women, I am fulfilling the need for fun and low impact exercise for women.

Another gap is the all-women class. Some women are shy to work out in a mixed-gender gym. Therefore, there’s a gap – a need to have an all women exercise class. I also filled that gap by teaching an all-women class only!

Another gap is the need for privacy and exclusivity. Some women learn best one-to-one, and they need a personal attention which they can’t get in a group class. Therefore, I started a Personal 1-1 session at my home to fulfill this need.

There’s actually a few more gaps that I filled in operating my Elwarda Dance business. But I am thinking you already get my drift

Whatever business that you are in, or if you feel like starting a business, but you do not have any idea what to do  – think about those gaps. And go fill them up!