Fahima, Founder of Virus Communications and CEO of Virtual Consulting, is one of the most successful entrepreneurs in Indonesia.
She was named as one of the “10 Intenational Young Creative Entrepreneurs” by the British Council in 2007 and was also featured in Business Week as one of the “25 Asia Best Young Entrepreneurs.” In the same year, she also won the Femina L’oreal Best Mum award.
And the awards just kept coming. Last year Swa Magazine featured Fahima as a “Young Woman Future Business Leader.” She was also featured as one of the “Top 40 Below 40 in Indonesia” by Fortune Magazine.
We’re glad that Fahima took time out with us for an interview. Her story, as we expected, is very inspiring.
1. Thanks for joining us! Could you briefly share with us your journey as an entrepreneur?
Entrepreneurship is in my blood, it runs in the family. In 2006 I started my entrepreneur journey, I was 27 at the time. Together with my husband, we decided to leave the advertising industry to form Virus Communications. People said it was a crazy decision because we quit at the same time. But I think there will be no crazy result without a crazy (daring) start. And it proved to be the right decision, Virus Communication grew fast, and we went in at the right timing too. We also had the right partnership.
Virus was originally a traditional marketing communication company, but two years down the road we did a SWOT analysis for the company, and decided to focus on both online and digital. It was the right decision, again, because the industry was hoping for a consultancy that was able to connect digital marketing and communication in one language.
Another reason why we decided to shift on to the online direction was because we had a strong partner, Virtual Consulting with NukmanLuthfie as CEO at that time.
Once we decided to go online, Virus grew even faster and bigger. We won important pitches from big clients, and even won a regional pitch for a big international brand. Because of this sudden growth, I needed full support on infrastructure, financial and human resources. Not long after that we decided to merge with Virtual Consulting in which I am now the CEO and owner along with my husband.
2. What is your current focus now?
We’re a digital business solution. So for us is going to be about business solutions through digital channels. Its true that there are social media agencies, advertising agencies, online advertising agencies, web agencies out there, but basically we are all that combined. And we’re adding advanced technology into it. We have the ability to combine it all. So, the solutions we offer are business solutions, not just campaign solutions. Advertising talks about campaigns, social media talks about how to handle brands in social media, and PR talks from the PR point of view. We’re combining them all so it becomes a ROI-measurable business solution.
3. What are the key factors that helped you to attain success?
I believe in faith: I’m a part of that faith, and I follow that faith. I will never understand and comprehend the keys to success. But from my experience, there are some things that could be learned. First is family: It’s the root, as my family helps shaped my character. Second is environment: Working environment, friends environment etc. The current situation that I have right now is a result from a chain of luck and hardwork that I call faith.
4. What are three key tips that you would share with budding entrepreneurs?
a. Make sure we understand the business we’re about to start. We need to have the knowledge, have the skills, and understand what lies ahead.
b. Totality. Don’t start with many businesses. Instead, try to understand where your strength lies. We start with one business and we make the business “life”. Spend our life for this little child of yours.
c. We have to be clever managing finance. Especially if we talk about a growing business. A healthy cash flow is very important. Because the pulse of a business lies in cash flow. Many people think too much about spending, forgetting the cash that goes in is equally important.
5. Are there any things you wish you had known earlier, which would have helped you with your business?
My background is in traditional advertising. So when I first decided to jump into online, there’s so much to learn about the business in order to strengthen my strategic thinking. If I had online knowledge earlier, I’d have more time to explore other stuff. For example, if I knew online communication at the beginning, I could have learned more about web development and web strategies, as they are important when recommending business solutions to our clients.
I also wish I knew more about finance. As I said earlier, the root of the company is in its financial health. When we understand finance and know how to manage our money, it would be a good foundation for entrepreneurs to bring the company ahead.
6. Any future plans ahead?
To be able to well-executed a digital strategy, we have to have a good investment in technology, and that’s what we are working on now. For example, like making an investment in CRM technology.
Personal future plans, in a few years’ time I’d like to start a career as a socialpreneur. I have a clear picture of what will it be but I will only share once things become more concrete.
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Great…
It’s interesting story for the business world — but We must needs to discuss more and more. In this recent time We glad to meet you. And thanks for visiting us, welcome also congratulatation for all your success.
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