Indians are making remarkable strides in the world of entrepreneurship, breaking barriers and achieving great success. However, stepping into entrepreneurship is no easy feat—it requires immense courage, dedication, and the resilience to overcome numerous challenges.
One such inspiring entrepreneur is Saratha, the founder of Saratha’s Fashion Tailoring. With no prior business background, she built her venture purely on talent, hard work, and unwavering confidence. Her journey is a testament to the power of perseverance and passion in turning dreams into reality.
Humble Beginnings in Tailoring
Saratha Munusamy, a 48-year-old entrepreneur, established Saratha’s Fashion Tailoring in 1995. Her passion for tailoring was inspired by her mother, who would create beautifully designed dresses for Saratha and her siblings. Growing up, Saratha spent nearly three to four years assisting her mother with tailoring, which eventually led her to choose it as her career.
In her early days, Saratha provided personalized services by visiting customers’ homes to take measurements, stitching the garments at her own house, and delivering them to their doorsteps. She dedicated a separate room in her home for tailoring, where she stored materials and worked on her designs with dedication and precision.
The Birth of Saratha’s Fashion Tailoring in Serdang
Saratha and her family were well known in Serdang, as she was born and raised there. This strong local connection helped her attract more customers from the area. In the early days of her business, she frequently traveled to Serdang to find customers, take measurements, return to her home in Seputeh for stitching, and then deliver the finished garments. However, the daily travel was exhausting, both in terms of time and expenses.
Realizing the need for a more convenient setup, Saratha decided to open a small shop in Puchong. Her family fully supported her decision, and her father provided financial assistance to help her establish her first tailoring shop in Serdang in 1995. This marked the beginning of Saratha’s Fashion Tailoring.
At the start, she had just one tailor working with her, but as her customer base grew, she expanded her team to include four skilled tailors from India, each with exceptional expertise in the craft.
Sustaining Growth and Overcoming Challenges
After years of hard work, dedication, and growing recognition, Saratha expanded her business by opening a second branch in Brickfields in 2018. She strategically chose Brickfields as its central location made it easily accessible for customers from outstation. Her commitment to quality service and customer satisfaction had attracted clients from across the country. Customers traveling from the north to the south could conveniently visit the Brickfields branch to take measurements, discuss custom designs—especially for wedding blouses—and collect their finished garments. This branch also has four skilled tailors to meet the growing demand.
When asked about the challenges she has faced as an entrepreneur in sustaining and growing her tailoring business, Saratha shared,
“There are peak seasons for us, especially during certain months that are considered auspicious for Hindu weddings. During these times, we receive an overwhelming number of orders, and at times, we struggle with a shortage of manpower. On the other hand, there are dry periods where we receive very few orders, yet we still have to cover expenses such as rent and wages for our workers.
Satisfying customer expectations is another challenge, as each client comes with unique design preferences. Some even place last-minute orders, which we must accommodate. Additionally, we have encountered customers who delay payments, which adds to the difficulty of managing our business. Balancing all these aspects while ensuring customer satisfaction is one of the biggest challenges in this industry.”
How Tekun Nasional Helped Saratha’s Business Thrive
Saratha successfully navigated these challenges with unwavering determination and the strong support of her family. Her husband, Sivakumar, and her two daughters, Yaasmithaa and Neraanjahnaa, were her pillars of strength, encouraging her to push boundaries, set higher goals, and work tirelessly to achieve them. With dedication and perseverance, Saratha reached another significant milestone in her journey by opening her third branch in Puchong last year. This expansion was made possible with the financial assistance of a Tekun Nasional loan.
Tekun Nasional is an entrepreneurial development institution under the Ministry of Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development, offering small capital financing facilities to businesses in a quick and accessible manner. Under Tekun Nasional, there is a specialized Indian Community Entrepreneur Development Scheme aimed at encouraging Indians to pursue entrepreneurship. The loan Saratha received through this scheme was instrumental in helping her purchase embroidery materials from India, hire skilled staff, and pay the deposit for her third branch.
Saratha shared that the loan application process was straightforward. SME (Small & Medium Enterprises) entrepreneurs need to provide the required documents for the application. If the documents are acScurate and complete, the approval process takes only about two weeks. For more details, she encourages aspiring entrepreneurs to visit the Tekun Nasional website.
Saratha’s Vision of Making Fashion Accessible to Everyone
When asked about her future plans for Saratha’s Fashion Tailoring, Saratha shared,
“I wish to open a boutique where customers can find a wide range of high-quality blouses at various price points, making it accessible to everyone. My goal is to offer affordable options alongside premium designs, ensuring that Saratha’s Fashion Tailoring caters to all. I want my business to be a place where everyone can find something that suits their style and budget.”
Saratha’s message to Indian women aspiring to pursue entrepreneurship is to be bold and never give up. She emphasized that this advice applies not only to the tailoring industry but to all businesses.
“Women empowerment is essential. Women should never doubt their abilities and potential. We don’t have to compete with anyone—we just need to stay focused on our goals and keep moving forward to achieve success.”
Saratha also expressed her heartfelt gratitude to her family, her dedicated staff, and Tekun Berhad for their unwavering support in her entrepreneurial journey. She acknowledged the crucial role her family played in encouraging her every step of the way, the hard work and commitment of her staff in delivering quality craftsmanship, and the financial assistance from Tekun Berhad, which provided her with the opportunity to expand her business. She believes that success is never achieved alone and is grateful for the strong support system that has helped her grow Saratha’s Fashion Tailoring into what it is today.
Saratha’s journey from a small home-based tailoring business to a thriving brand with multiple branches is a true inspiration. Through passion, perseverance, and unwavering dedication, she has not only built a successful business but has also created opportunities for others in the tailoring industry.
Tekun Nasional played a crucial role in Saratha’s expansion by providing her with the financial support needed to grow her business. Through its specialized Indian Community Entrepreneur Development Scheme, Tekun Nasional has been actively assisting Indian entrepreneurs by offering accessible and flexible financing solutions tailored to their needs. This initiative has been instrumental in empowering Indian business owners by providing them with the capital required to start, sustain, and expand their ventures.
By equipping Indian entrepreneurs with essential knowledge and resources, the initiative helps them navigate challenges, enhance their business strategies, and build sustainable enterprises. This support system enables small businesses to thrive, create job opportunities, and contribute to the broader economy, further strengthening the Indian entrepreneurial community in Malaysia.
As she continues to expand Saratha’s Fashion Tailoring and work toward her vision of making fashion accessible to everyone, Saratha remains a shining example of resilience and determination. With the right mindset, support, and resources like Tekun Nasional, success is always within reach.
All the information and images are provided by Saratha.
This is a Varnam Exclusive Feature! Any Reproduction Requires Credits To Varnam Malaysia.
This initiative is a joint collaboration between Varnam Malaysia, Tekun Nasional, and the Ministry of Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development.
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.
