Happiness in a cup

TEN years after graduating from secondary school, Yong Chung Keat can proudly say that he has achieved his dream of owning a cafe. The 27-year-old is the owner of a Xing Fu Tang outlet, which carries one of the famous boba brands in Taiwan. It all started when he made a trip to Taiwan with his family last year.

“We went to a lot of boba tea shops, but Xing Fu Tang left the most lasting impression on me,” he shared.

From its branding to the authentic Chinese concept of finding your “Xing Fu” (or happiness) in a cup of boba, the Xing Fu Tang flagship cafe in Taiwan is designed to incorporate traditional Chinese ideals.

Impressed, Yong came back to Malaysia with the seed of an idea planted in his mind – he would open an outlet in his home state Melaka.

Having forged partnerships with his brother and a friend, he contacted the management team of Taiwan’s Xing Fu Tang, who subsequently referred the trio to its Malaysian branch.

“It wasn’t a smooth-sailing path at the beginning. To start running your own business is entirely different from working for other people,” he said.

The first challenge he confronted was his lack of knowledge of the licensing and branding of a business. He also lacked resources and contacts, which took him some time to get the work done.

Besides, both of his partners were final year degree students – which meant that for most parts of the preparation work, he had to handle their tasks and delegate duties when they were away.

“There were risks, too, as we were using our savings, instead of mortgaging and taking out

loans. We doubted if we could regain our capitals, and we worried if the spending habits of the locals could sustain the business,” he confessed.

Not just that, he had no prior experience of being his own boss and managing his workers, even though he had worked as a logistics manager in Singapore for four years.

Back then, he only needed to complete his part, he said, but as a boss now, he has to frequently deal with areas that he is not accustomed to, such as accounting and secretarial work.

It was also a risk to forgo a stable job and to invest his savings in a business that may turn out to be a passing fad. Despite that, Yong is grateful to have the support of his family and is hopeful that his venture would reap rewards.

“Don’t start a business right after graduating,” he advised, explaining that some work

experience is necessary as a stepping stone to becoming an entrepreneur.

He believed that fresh graduates who start businesses without getting used to management roles will find it tougher as conflicts may arise more often and it takes a longer time for them to deal with certain issues in the business.

“Boba is a trend that will slowly fade sooner or later, but it is my expectations and wish that I’d be able to keep Xing Fu Tang afloat and different from other brands in the market,” he said.

This article was published in the Newspaper in Education (NIE) pullout by The Star Newspaper dated 31 July 2019