Despite some setbacks early on in her business, Ainul Aishah Azizun persevered, and she's now enjoying the sweet taste of success

Even though her mother taught her and her siblings how to make Raya cookies when she was a little girl, Ainul Aishah Azizun never imagined she'd one day manage her own cookie company. Ainul Cookies & Co. at Tropicana Gardens Mall in Petaling Jaya is her first outlet, which officially opened January this year. "I never thought I would one day run my own cookie business. It's a dream come true for me," says Ainul, who used to bake and sell cookies at bazaars, and on Instagram. She even delivered the cookies to customers herself. 

"I went through many hardships in this business. As a new entrepreneur, my first several years were a steep learning curve. It was also not as simple in terms of technology as it is now. There was no Waze, Lalamove, or Grab, and there was no recruiting app to find helpers. It was difficult, but I persevered. I sold my cookies at bazaars, festivals, and on the street during the holiday season." Ainul adds that she would even bring the cookies in her car and sell them straight to her friends if they asked. She did all of the groundwork herself, including setting up tables, acquiring and hauling all of the ingredients, baking and packing, promoting, as well as selling.

"I went through many hardships in this business. As a new entrepreneur, my first several years were a steep learning curve. It was also not as simple in terms of technology as it is now. There was no Waze, Lalamove, or Grab, and there was no recruiting app to find helpers. It was difficult, but I persevered. I sold my cookies at bazaars, festivals, and on the street during the holiday season." Ainul adds that she would even bring the cookies in her car and sell them straight to her friends if they asked. She did all of the groundwork herself, including setting up tables, acquiring and hauling all of the ingredients, baking and packing, promoting, as well as selling.

Its branding and interior design are clearly distinguishing features that draw people's attention. "The shop, mostly in pink with hints of black, is intended to be Instagrammable. We also set the ambience by playing specific types of music, so that regular customers know what to expect when they come to enjoy their cookies and coffee." The 30-something, who has been living near the Tropicana Indah area since 2007, says she is familiar with the community and its residents. 

In fact, her online operation office has been in Kota Damansara since before she opened the shop at Tropicana Gardens Mall. "We sensed a lot of potential when we first visited the mall. It is a high-profile mall, and I believe people are more aware of it because of the reputable Tropicana brand name. The area's demographics are also favourable as it is home to a large number of expats and locals."