KUALA SELANGOR, July 18 — From a RM500 startup capital and offering spa treatments from door to door, V Sharmili has transformed her humble beginnings into a thriving business, proving that determination can turn a dream into reality.
Today, her Mili Nail Spa outlet in Saujana Utama, Sungai Buloh, has become not only her main source of income but also shows her determination as a young entrepreneur, who built her business from the ground up over the past decade.
The 30 years old, fondly known as Mili, ventured into the spa business in 2023, drawing on her experience working as a ‘spa girl’ since she was 19.
Her journey into entrepreneurship was further fuelled by the encouragement and positive response from customers of various races, inspiring her to expand her services and establish her own spa premise.
"I started working part-time as a spa staff member before deciding to try running my own door-to-door spa business with just RM500 in capital.
"It was encouraging because many of my customers supported and encouraged me to open my own spa. “More than 90 per cent of my customers are Malays, and they continue to support my business by coming to my shop until today," she said.
Mili Nail Spa provides a wide range of personal care and beauty services, from henna application and manicure treatments to hair care, eyebrow shaping and body massages, serving customers from different walks of life.
From setback to success
However, building her own brand was not without challenges. Mili faced difficulties early in her entrepreneurial journey when she was allegedly deceived by the premise owner while trying to establish her business.
She claimed the landlord had increased the rental three times within a year, placing additional pressure on her business and breaching the agreed lease-purchase agreement.
“In 2023, I started the business by renting only half of the shop, but the landlord tried to take advantage of me by increasing the rent three times in a year without any reasonable reason.
“So, I had to find a new premises. Thankfully, things are better now and the business is also doing well,” said the eldest of four siblings.
Mili’s success was also supported by various government initiatives aimed at empowering youth entrepreneurs, including start-up grants, entrepreneurship training and micro-financing programmes to help them grow their businesses.
The Perak born entrepreneur received RM10,000 in funding from the National Entrepreneur Group Economic Fund (TEKUN Nasional) as initial capital, along with business guidance and continuous monitoring support.
The assistance helped her manage and expand her business despite having no formal qualifications or prior experience in entrepreneurship.
“I had no business experience. I only relied on the skills I already had to start this business. Thankfully, things became easier, and my fiance has also been my backbone throughout this journey,” she said.
For the long-term planning, Mili dreams of expanding the brand with more branches nationwide while also fulfilling her aspiration of becoming a teacher.
She hopes her journey will encourage young people to persevere, step out of their comfort zones and explore career opportunities in fields they are passionate about.
“The important thing is that as a young entrepreneur, we need to work hard, not give up easily and always be independent. Don’t worry about what people say.
“Don’t be afraid to try starting a business. If we are afraid, we will not get anywhere. So, keep going and don’t look back,” she said.
