COMMENT | A tale of nasi lemak and ayam penyet

COMMENT | A good friend of mine, Din (not his real name) is a very smart entrepreneur. While being a speech coach and a speechwriter for some well-known personalities in the country, he also invests in fancy restaurants and vending machines.

When the pandemic hit the country, Din’s business took a hit. He was forced to temporarily cease operations of a few restaurants while cutting down operations of some others. Since the maintenance cost of his vending machine business increased by 15 percent, he discontinued it as well.

While figuring out his next plans, Din met his former staff member who asked if he would be interested in investing in his younger brother’s business. This guy wanted to open up a burger stall in Sungai Penchala and presented Din with an irresistible burger sample and a business model. Long story short, Din invested RM5,000.

Three months later, Din was presented with a weekly cash report, indicating good profit. The young guy then proposes a second burger stall in a different area, to be managed by a friend. Totally impressed, Din signs a contract with him, transforming the RM5,000 initial investment to a 10 percent profit share in the business.

As a people person...