ONCE a well-known fashion model appearing in the likes of Glam Lelaki magazine and other such publications, Muhammad Joharee Johari, 31, is today a full-time entrepreneur who sells beverages on the roadside.
Joharee and his wife, a former air stewardess, were among those affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Putting aside their personal sentiments, the couple began their business called DaunKopi, selling artisanal coffee and tea at the roadside near their home on Jalan Bahagia, Kelana Jaya, since last August.
A heart operation in 2019 forced Joharee to take a break from work before resuming in 2020. But within months of resuming work, the government implemented the movement control order (MCO), which forced him to lose his source of income.
He then tried his luck working at a call centre with a low basic salary and commission from each call. But that did not last long.
“While working there, I started discussing with my mother and brother about what I should do as I felt telemarking was not my field. After the one-month trial period, I decided to quit the job and start this business,” he said.
Joharee is thankful that his mother was very helpful when he first started out with the business.
“Alhamdulillah, I am lucky that mother was there to help me. The capital for the business is quite high as I was very particular about the quality.
“There were many things to purchase such as tent, table, the storage box and the ingredients to make the beverages. Alhamdulillah, in the two to three months, we managed to recover the capital,” he added.
He said the first week of business was quiet as not many people knew of their stall.
“By the second week, the customers coming were beyond our expectation and we exceeded our target,” he added.
“The highest sale was 200 cups in a day. On average we sell between 120 to 150 cups,” he said, adding that the beverages were their own recipe and sold at a starting price of RM6 per cup.
“My brother worked as a barista in a well-known coffee shop before this. So, he had the experience to make the drinks. But this is our own recipe. Alhamdulillah, the response from customers so far has been very good,” he said.
As a model, Joharee’s handsome face was well-known. Asked if he was embarrassed to be selling beverages at the roadside, Joharee said such thoughts had once entered his mind.
“Honestly, I have thought about what others would say if I do this business. I used to be concerned about my standards. I had wondered if people will say I am no longer worthy of being a model if I do this business. Before this, people see me as a celebrity, and wherever I went, they greeted me accordingly.
“When I think back, I realise all these people will not help me especially during the MCO time, no one will help us unless we help ourselves.
“Today, many celebrities have been forced to do business at the roadside just to make a living. Maybe they have also thought of things like me. But if we are embarrassed about what we do, we will be stuck. So now, if anyone wants to talk about me, that is up to them. What is important is that I am able to sustain my family, and that everything goes well,” he said.
Although he had just started operations, the number of social media followers for DaunKopi had reached more than 4,800.
They have also actively updated their Instagram account with their latest menu.
“I felt moved that there were customers from as far as Pahang who come to the stall. When I asked how they knew about the stall, they said through Instagram. They came just to try the beverages at DaunKopi,” he said.
After seeing his efforts bearing fruit, Joharee wants to expand his business, to improve and increase their new menu to include snacks as requested by customers.
“What I would like to advise others in a similar position is that if we do not start with something, we will never know what we can do. There is no point in thinking about what others might say as they are not the one paying our bills or providing us with food.
“To start a business, we don’t necessarily need big capital. Moreover, there is a lot of financial support for small businesses today. We can check our eligibility”. – The Vibes, December 9, 2021
#PetraKasih is an initiative under the Vinod Sekhar Foundation to assist and promote food stalls and small traders, including home-based businesses, during the pandemic. Each week, Getaran will highlight the plight of different food traders. If you know a food stall or small trader in your area and feel they deserve to be featured, contact us at [email protected].
*This story first appeared in our Malay-language sister portal Getaran
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