Self-made Success

Beauty entrepreneur Nabilah Nazib proves that all you need is determination and a dream to build a successful online business

“I wanted to change my life,” says Nabilah

Nazib, founder of haircare brand Sugardoll.

At only 23 years old, Nabilah was a struggling single mother working as an insurance agent, faced with the judgement of being a divorcée. “And to make matters worse, I was suffering from post-partum hair fall,” she says. “For an insurance agent, appearance is everything!”

As she conducted her own research into solving her personal hair problems, she found a purpose.

“At the time, I couldn’t afford the expensive treatments at the fancy salons, so I had to figure out what worked for me,” she says. “And when I did, I wanted to share what I’ve learned with the people out there who are experiencing the same issues.”

The secret to her haircare line, based on her own findings, is simple: healthy ingredients. Formulated with high-performing and nourishing ingredients, including biotin, vitamins, as well as olive and almond extracts, Nabilah has created an entire range of hair care solutions, from shampoo and conditioner to hair tonic, serum and supplements. And customers have not been shy about sharing their results.

But it was not always this way. “When I started Sugardoll five years ago, there was not a lot of interest in hair care, especially products such as hair supplements,” she reveals. “I found that Malaysians often neglect their hair, especially when they know it can be covered. Sometimes, they even leave it damp under the hijab—which is definitely not advisable!”

With a goal to change attitudes about haircare from reactionary to actively taking care of it, her journey as an entrepreneur began.

One of the key factors that helped parachute her new brand into the mainstream was her social media presence. Cultivating an authentic online persona that matches her own bubbly personality, she sees herself as an older sister or caring friend to her many followers. “I love that I can share different aspects of my life,” she says, referring to the tips she often shares online, which touches on every subject, from entrepreneurship, cooking and childcare to hair and beauty.

However, being the face of a thriving brand comes with its downsides too. “Cyberbullying is definitely real. There can be so much judgement about everything that I do,” she says. “At the beginning, they said I was a bad mother for going off and starting a business. It really used to get me down but these days, I’m far too busy.”

Indeed, part and parcel of being an online entrepreneur is exactly that: being online. “I’m on my phone 24/7,” she reveals. “I try not to miss even a single enquiry online because I know that people are depending on me—my kids, my employees…”

At the same time, she runs a tight ship behindthe-scenes, ensuring that everything goes according to plan. Needless to say, it is clear from the myriad of positive reviews of her brand on social media that all the hard work and determination are definitely paying off. She teases that a brick-and-mortar retail presence with brand new products is something loyal customers can definitely look forward to.

And with Sugardoll entering different markets in Southeast Asia, she is one step closer to achieving her ultimate goal of building a globally beloved brand.

“I can’t believe it’s already been five years. I am making my dreams come true,” she says, reflecting on her time being at the helm of Sugardoll. “I hope that anyone who is following me is inspired by my journey.”

Imparting some advice for budding entrepreneurs, she says, “Just take the plunge. You’ll need to put in the time and effort but it will happen—every dream can turn into a reality.”