Seeking and providing new opportunities within the Malaysian market is the objective of truly homegrown entrepreneurship, Flenaz Synergy Sdn Bhd. Initiated and managed by the team of Norlaila Yusof and Nastasha Nordin and their spouses, the company which began operations in 2017 is geared towards creating a name for itself within the domain of Malaysian household products. The multifold plans of Flenaz Synergy include that of resolving the challenges Malaysians face in the selection of suitable household products through the marketing of affordable Malaysian-made products by utilizing internal talent in the distribution of products. In a conversation with Top 10 of Malaysia, Norlaila Yusof and Nastasha Nordin speak on the background story of Flenaz Synergy, the successes achieved since inception and the challenges of taking the company forward.
The team of Flenaz Synergy consists of the husband-and-wife teams of Norlaila Yusof – Mohd Fairouz Bakar and Nastasha Nordin – Mohamad Azli Che Azhar. The Flenaz name created from an acronym of all four names symbolises the team’s talent, skill and years of working experience in the engineering, finances and business sectors which has facilitated the management of the company.
Both Norlaila and Nastasha possess vast experience in marketing from managing successful marketing teams locally and abroad. “I was a stay-at-home mom who ran several lucrative online businesses in various fields,” recollects Nastasha. “The experience I gained has given me the confidence to start a new venture by providing solutions for issues faced by Malaysians.”
Norlaila has had similar experiences in marketing products locally and abroad while completing her Master’s programme in the UK. The talents of the team are spread out with Norlaila focusing on the financials, Nastasha on team management and their husbands on production and operations.
The company has started off with the creation of a pillow that is suitable for most Malaysians in terms of comfort and resiliency. “We decided on a pillow made from a material that provides the right comfort, is washable and affordable,” says Nastasha. The pillows are entirely made in Malaysia, another plus point for the team. There are two categories of pillows, the Leyna Favourite and Leyna Premium.
“Both pillows have been favourably received as shown by the encouraging sales of more than 197,000 since we started in 2018,” projects Norlaila, “The sales of the Leyna is gaining momentum as most customers who have purchased the Favourite are keen to own a Leyna Premium.”
The distribution of the pillow is managed by a team of leaders and agents located throughout the country and in Brunei. “The company is run like a family. We manage our teams like a family as we consider them an integral part of the company,” says Nastasha. To date, there are a team of 100 leaders and about 2,000 agents.
“Most agents are happy with the success they have achieved with the company and look forward to working with us,” says Norlaila, “And we are proud that we have given them an avenue for earning money and gaining experience.” The training programmes conducted on a frequent basis have given leaders and agents a tremendous boost in confidence.
Being mothers with children, both women have sharpened their skills at time management in ensuring a healthy work-life balance. “I plan the daily time schedule incorporating both my work schedule and the children’s when they come back from school,” both women say. Norlaila spends time with her children in the office and at home while Nastasha does it at home. “The weekends are focused on the children to make up for the weekdays,” explains Nastasha.
The advice for those wanting to start new entrepreneurships is to start small and to be self-financed. It is important to be debt free and to manage costs. Both entrepreneurs encourage those interested to start out as agents before aspiring to start new ventures. The experience and skills gained as agents are immeasurable in being able to override the dynamic challenges of the business world.
