Light Up the World
July 19, 2020 |
After graduating from high school in Lampung, Indonesia, Rara Anggriani worked at her relative’s shop selling spare parts before heading to Malaysia to become a domestic worker. After a couple years in Malaysia, Rara arrived in Singapore in 2012 to work as a domestic worker and has since helped fund the construction of a family home in Indonesia as well as set up another spare parts shop that is managed by her mother.
Growing up, Rara did not have an easy childhood as she faced abuse and had to battle the trauma of this, yet none of this stopped her from fulfilling her goals and aspirations to become a self-made business owner someday. With the encouragement and support of her employers, she is now a proud Aidha graduate, having completed all three Aidha modules successfully.
Inspiration Strikes!
Rara got inspired at her employer’s house party where there were scented candles around the house. She noticed how just a few candles could transform the overall mood of the surroundings and from there, her interest for candles and scents started to grow.
She was also the first runner-up of the Business Plan competition at 2019 graduation ceremony
where she presented her candle business, Ratu.
Applying what she learned during Aidha’s Module 3 – Start your Business, she has prepared a comprehensive business plan for Ratu, her candle business. She aims to first bring this candle business online and gradually expand to brick-and-mortar retailers.
“I understand the business environment, such as how to make decisions and measure its consequences, so I can develop my business strategy,” she said.
Rara started by doing thorough research on candle-making where she decided on using natural ingredients such as soy wax, as opposed to using paraffin wax like most scented candles. “The natural ingredients are more environmentally friendly and safer,” Rara explained.
Rara’s very own Ratu candles in Spiced Apple and Spearmint scents.
They are made from soy wax and they use wooden wicks.
After rounds of trial and error, Rara finally took the leap of faith and started creating her prototype batch of soy candles under the brand of Ratu with two interesting scents – spearmint and spiced apple. She wanted to know how well her candles will be received and has received good feedback so far. “But there’s so much to improve on and learn,” she said humbly and positively.
Now, a proud Aidha alumna and student ambassador, Rara’s learning journey is not over. She is still learning the ropes of candle-making and is planning on participating in Aidha’s Business Accelerator programme to further strengthen and develop her business strategy. She hopes that she can finally follow through with her business plan and officially launch Ratu in 2023 together with her brother, Ari, back home in Indonesia.
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