Nothing is more engaging and inspiring than listening to a success story especially one that is inspiring and life-changing. Razikin Md Ardani of Cinta Dua Sdn Bhd has this exact story to share with Top 10 of Malaysia. Razikin aims for the gold and not even once has he let his past disappointment bring him down.
Digital technology is here to stay and have become the foundation of new business models for young and aspiring risk takers. The huge potentials existing within the two-decades-old domain continues to attract the younger demographics in applications and exponential growth potentials sans the excess baggage of brick-and-mortar setups. Those possessing the vision and perseverance in capitalising on digital technologies have catapulted towards high exponential wealth stakes. The Malaysian business scene has been equally involved with the emergence of digital businesses supported by internet savvy demographics.
“I was a good student in school but I didn’t get to further my studies due to financial constraints. One of my teachers cried when she found out about this. It made me sad too but I don’t want to look back or have any regrets. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for tough circumstances,” explains Razikin Md Ardani when asked about his education background.
Razikin went to Sekolah Vokasional Klang and studied engineering but ended up working in the field of food technology for an international fast food chain factory. He spent years there and was really good at his job that when his business took off, it was hard for his employer to let him go.
“I got married at a young age and began to feel the pressure to provide for my family. I ventured into business to solve my financial problem. It wasn’t really passion-driven per se but I had to decide and learn along the way,” says Razikin.
When he first started the business with his wife, Zakiah Bahri, Cinta Dua only offered wedding planner services. The jobs kept coming but it was tough working on tight deadlines, especially when there were only two of them doing everything. On top of the obvious manpower issue, Razikin kept running into problems in sourcing for decor materials.
“In finding solutions to our problems, Cinta Dua expands into decor supply business that it is today. I seek help from well-known business mentor Dr Azizan Osman to properly manage and market the business as both my wife and I have almost zero knowledge in how to run a company.”
From selling wedding decor items online, Cinta Dua now has its own one-stop centre called Cinta Dua Mall in Klang. Currently servicing clients from Singapore, Brunei and even Indonesia, Razikin is busier than ever managing his time between the business and his family of four children.
“It is not as intense as it was back then when I got as little as two hours of sleep at night because I had to finish last minute wedding set ups and arranging for shipping of items. Currently, I have 10 staff working in the company so I have more time for my family. I trained them myself. I found it hard to trust other people in the beginning because I was so used to doing everything on my own but I have learned to slowly let go and focus more on branding and marketing instead,” says the Klang-born entrepreneur.
Within the next 10 years, Razikin hopes to achieve the company’s RM50 million sales target. It is not entirely impossible considering Cinta Dua’s reputation over the years as one of Malaysia’s most preferred wedding and decor suppliers. Cinta Dua always caters to
its customer’s demands even under the most extreme time constraints, which Razikin believes to be the core strength of his company.
Now in his forties, Razikin has come a long way. He is thankful for the experience and everything that he has learned over the years. “When I was working at the factory, I earned just about enough for my wife and children. I always wished I could spare some cash for my parents but I’m happy now that they are still around to share my success. A lot has changed these past three years and I’m very thankful for that.”
As for aspiring entrepreneurs out there, Razikin only have one piece of advice to share – never lose focus. He believes that everybody has to start somewhere but it is important to stick to their expertise and focus only on one thing. “Never ever give up. There might be a time when we feel down and disappointed, but problems are inevitable. Don’t let it get you down and dwell on it for too long. Find a solution and if nothing works, move on to the next best thing.”
