Startup Stories: Sagemaker

Richard Ker

 

@richardker

Here's an all-women startup you never heard before. These ladies want to empower women and make education accessible for everyone. They call themselves Sagemaker. This is their inspiring story. 👇

1/ Sagemaker is a social enterprise that was founded in 2024 by four close friends: • Maizatul Kamal • Shafiqah Zainol • Azeera Hakim • Ummu Sulaimah They have knowledge in branding and marketing, product design, sustainability and community building.

2/ Sagemaker isn't just about making money. They found out that Malaysia has around 1.5 million B40 women-led family. And most of them have low or no income and struggle to survive. These women need help. So they came up with a solution. Something within their passion.

3/ They do it by creating jobs for these women. They gather those who need help and work together with them in small teams. Then the women are trained on how to sew and create kids products. While Sagemaker team focuses on designing and marketing the products. Everybody wins.

4/ But it wasn't easy for Sagemaker's founders. They had to constantly prove that their business model works. Critics doubted them and asked them to forget about the idea. And told them to get real jobs instead. Many seamstresses rejected them. 🤷🏻‍♂️

5/ Through tough moments and sleepless nights, they came up with their first product. It's an educational story book for kids that's interactive and made of fabrics. Each page has clear learning objectives and good storyline. The product is made with passion, love and purpose.

6/ Even though they just started, they're already making an impact. There are already 10 mothers receiving these benefits. And they're actively looking for companies to partner with them. Or anyone looking to buy meaningful and purposeful corporate gifts and toys.

7/ Sagemaker deserves more attention and support. Because running a business today shouldn't just be about making money. It should create an impact and purpose. So when I met them recently, I felt inspired and should tell their stories. Will you reach out to them, please? 🥹

Thank you for reading. I share inspiring stories & tips on entrepreneurship, marketing, technology and mindset. I also help businesses grow through social media marketing & powerful storytelling. Feel free to follow @richardker, save this or repost to inspire others.

Sources: https://t.co/S6G02UG6aC https://t.co/f4OpnvWxCW https://t.co/vx41HB9CJf https://t.co/sY63ihkTfK