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Meeting beauty entrepreneur Intan Ilyani Ghazali is like a breath of fresh air. She elegantly stands out with her flawlessly-natural skin tone, perfectly-coiffured hair and sophisticated persona. Yet, she is awesomely down-to-earth, friendly and vivacious in true Malaysian charm.
After a 15-year stint with Malaysia’s biggest bank where she last held the coveted position as Personal Assistant to the Chairman, making the decision to leave everything behind to pursue her entrepreneurial journey was not easy. However, she says, “I always had the passion for beauty and personal branding. Despite the lucrative job perks and great working environment where I learnt a lot, I made the decision to come out on my own because I believed that I can do more.”
“A friend suggested that I create a beauty brand that reflects my beliefs on being natural and beautiful inside out. I also desired to give back to society. This is how the brand Face & Co came about. It is of course not easy to enter into an industry that had already been conquered by many Malaysians, but I believe that we can reach out to the market and generate strong acceptance. I have a huge mission. Though some of my friends laugh at this idea, I intend to grow the brand to the next level, into the international arena and position it as a global brand.”
Her decision to not depend on loans or funding, but instead use her lifelong savings and compensation from a voluntary employee separation package from the bank to fuel the business startup was not easy. It meant that she had to bootstrap the business right from the beginning. It also meant learning on the go, having to solve problems on her own, and having the urgency to work harder and to continue to persevere despite the odds.
Having surmounted many challenges throughout the journey and yet, Intan remains positive. She believes that recognition has to be earned and that anyone can do it.
Intan said, “The satisfaction in being able to achieve your goals, and make people smile along the way, is truly worth it.”
She adds, “Face & Co was launched in April this year. I didn’t expect the response to be so overwhelming as we only use social media for our promotion. Not just in the stringent standards and unsurpassed quality of our products – if you look at the one-year intensive journey of product research, formulation, production and brand development – but also through our philosophy to empower women, by encouraging them to look natural and confident in their own skin, live a positive-thinking lifestyle and help others along the way.”
Face & Co’s first product, True Foundation, received overwhelming response that within the first one and a half months, stocks in her headquarters have already run out. True Foundation is a compact cushion foundation with SPF 35 that neutralizes and brightens skin for true complexion. Light in texture yet provides full coverage, it is suitable for all skin types and wudhu-friendly.
At the moment, the only stocks available are through her nationwide partners who share her passion for empowerment and positivity. “My partners are my strongest supporters and we work together to create the right business model and platform to grow the brand. I believe that we all carry the spirit of entrepreneurship. Through Face & Co, we build and nurture leaders, we learn together, we grow together. We create opportunities and income. We are beautiful and confident, and inspire one another to become better persons.”
“Face & Co’s ‘Be Bold’ campaign further inspires confidence among users, encouraging people to learn to be bold, speak their minds, recognise their values, pursue their dreams and be successful in life. Our brand lives up to its commercial values as a respected beauty brand that also practises social responsibility.”
As a single mom, Intan’s 14-year old daughter, Indah Khadeeja is also very understanding, having experienced together with Intan the entrepreneurial journey to the uncovering of Face & Co. The bond between mother and daughter is strong. A tech-savvy teenager, Indah Khadeeja often suggests new ideas of promoting the brand i.e. through international social influencers on YouTube and more besides following her mother on business meetings.
As the second in the family, Intan has always been independent since young and has grown up taking care of her siblings. That has shaped her beliefs in able to think on her own.
Her advice to other entrepreneurs is to always think positive and maintain the passion in order to keep going. It is important to have a clear intention of what we want, plan and always have friends and loved ones to support throughout the journey.
Intan’s next bigger mission in the long run is to promote personal branding as part of the Malaysian education blueprint and empower the younger generation with greater self-esteem and confidence.
This a huge task that entails huge efforts in research and planning and requires the support of relevant authorities. She understands that it will take some time. Nevertheless, she will persevere towards this aim, while growing her business at the same time.
Intan Ilyani Ghazali is a truly inspirational woman, who has prevailed against many odds in life. She is a bold and exemplary entrepreneur who believes in the powerful combination of beauty and positivity towards making life more beautiful and meaningful for all. Follow her heartwarming journey on https://www.facebook.com/face.co.my/ and embark on this purposeful mission to make life matter, not just for yourself, but for others as well.
Contact Information:
Name: Dr. Zyro Wong
Organization: Zyro Wong Consultancy
Website: http://zyrowong.com/
Phone Number: +6019-224 9663
Email: me@zyrowong.com
Address: B-1-3A, Kuchai Exchange, Jalan Kuchai Maju 13, Off Jalan Kuchai Lama, 58200 Kuala Lumpur
Release ID: 232652
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