Over the past 20 years, Endeavor has become a shared vision, cultivated and expanded across the world by a network of passionate and committed entrepreneurs, board members, partners and staff. This Global Entrepreneurship Week, we’re pleased to present a selection of Endeavor’s #FacesOfImpact, highlighting the story of a different Endeavor Entrepreneur each day this week.
Co-founders and real-life couple Vivy and Fadzarudin were taken with the convenience of online shopping while living in London, buying everything from groceries to clothing. But once back in Kuala Lumpur, they grew frustrated with battling hours of congested traffic to travel from mall to mall, each one housing a different local designer.
So Vivy and Fadzarudin convinced ten local designers to join them, pooled their personal funds of $30,000, enlisted the help of developers to create a simple but functional website, and leveraged the followers of Vivy’s already successful personal blog to launch Fashion Valet (FV) as a one-stop-shop for all of Malaysian women’s fashion needs —all in the span of just one month.
Their scrappy approach worked. With over 400 designers under its belt and four privately owned labels, FV has positioned itself as one of the largest online fashion players in the regional market. In 2015, the company launched its own clothing line, as well two retail stores in Kuala Lumpur and one in Singapore.
The founders approached Endeavor with the same tenacity, using the selection process, over 30 mentoring sessions, and a program at Stanford to take a critical eye to their business and consistently work to continue to grow it.
We worked so hard to get through this process. It really changed us,” Vivy says. “In two years alone, we grew our revenue five times. And it’s all because people asked us the right questions. We quickly pivoted the business, dropped what didn’t work and improved what did.”
“FV is bigger than just my team and me,” Vivy reflects. “The more we grow, the more local designers grow too. It’s bigger than us, bigger than me, and that’s why I feel so passionate about FV.”
Has Endeavor impacted you? Share your story with us to be included on the Endeavor Faces of Impact website, launching soon!
