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They are saying to make success out of one thing, you have to begin younger. That was what Max Ahmad, the founding father of The Halal Mixologist, did.
From promoting Digimon and Pokemon playing cards to his secondary faculty classmates, to instructing tennis as a Junior School pupil, Max knew that he needed to run his personal enterprise at some point.
His curiosity in enterprise spurred him to pursue a Enterprise diploma at Nanyang Technological College (NTU), the place he landed his first job on the Singapore Change Restricted (SGX).
Little did Max know that this profession path would quickly change with a seemingly unassuming cellphone name. It turned out {that a} recruiter from Workforce Singapore (WSG) reached out to him for a job interview within the hospitality sector.
Max shared that he initially was not eager, provided that he had already secured a job. Nonetheless, he determined to take a leap of religion. This opportunity encounter opened the doorways for Max to enter the hospitality business, the place he labored with the Tourism division at WSG.
As a Senior Supervisor, Max labored carefully with established business companions and academies, notably Marina Bay Sands, and the Singapore Tourism Board. By this expertise, he not solely discovered from business veterans but in addition honed his management and administration abilities, which is able to turn out to be useful down the highway.
Hanging out on his personal
Max knew that deep down, he nonetheless held onto his entrepreneurial dream, and it was only a matter of time.
At first, he dreamed of getting his personal themed boutique lodge whereas working with meals on the premises. Nevertheless, that additionally meant needing a big sum of cash to be invested to launch and maintain the enterprise.
Therefore, Max determined to finish his six-year stint at WSG and begin small by opening backpacker hostels: Moni Gallery Hostel at Lavender Road, and The Shophouse Hostel at Arab Road—each of which required decrease funding capital than accommodations.
Whereas managing his hostels, Max stored his gears working, developing with new concepts that would convey one thing distinctive to Singapore’s hospitality business. He turned again to his experiences for inspiration and remembered conducting conferences at lodge lounges and bars.
“As I don’t drink alcohol, I felt a bit of misplaced being in such locations,” lamented Max, and added that he participated in celebrations with a glass of sentimental drink or juice to switch champagne.
It was additionally at that second that Max seen that the rooftop of The Shophouse Hostel was underutilised. “Why not make it a spot that may generate income?” he mentioned.
Coupled with a mission to create extra inclusive wine and eating experiences, Max invested S$150,000 of his financial savings and transformed the rooftop house into Singapore’s first halal bar, Atap Bar, in 2017.
He has additionally bought his two hostels to completely give attention to his eating places. As of now, Moni Gallery Hostel remains to be working and The Shophouse Hostel has closed.
At this level, one would possibly surprise how The Halal Mixologist is expounded to Atap Bar. To place it merely, The Halal Mixologist began as a advertising device to advertise the bar’s idea.
“What units us aside from others is that we’re a halal bar idea with a mission of bringing enjoyable to halal. We consider in delivering a enjoyable and healthful expertise whereas being inclusive.”
Max Ahmad, founding father of The Halal Mixologist
Opening his halal bars was not a stroll within the park
Nevertheless, Max discovered himself getting off to a shaky begin.
Regardless of his background in hospitality, Atap Bar was his first foray into the F&B business. In consequence, Max skilled many struggles, together with licensing, main as much as the bar’s launch.
The shortage of manpower can also be a prevalent downside within the business, as few harbour the will to pursue a long-term profession in meals—an impediment that Max was all too conversant in.
“It was very tough to rent the fitting folks, and one of many errors we made was hiring the mistaken individuals who weren’t a great match for the organisation.
Whereas we’re nonetheless dealing with this downside, now we have managed to incorporate a technique to establish individuals who would purchase into our mission and values within the choice course of. Having a group that believes in your mission and the path you might be working in direction of is necessary.”
Max Ahmad, founding father of The Halal Mixologist
Max added that as Atap Bar was positioned on a hidden rooftop, it was difficult for the enterprise to realize a pure footfall. Thankfully, the bar gained traction amongst Singaporeans after a month of opening.
With a constant stream of consumers, The Halal Mixologist achieved profitability inside seven months and broke even after a yr of operations.
2018 was additionally a yr of change for Atap Bar, because the bar quickly occupied The Nice Mischief, one other cafe in Singapore for 2 months.
Nevertheless, two months after the transfer, Atap Bar closed its doorways, to the dismay of many loyal prospects. Max revealed to us at Vulcan Publish that the owner needed to extend the rental by 50 per cent, a price he was not able to bear.
Atap Bar’s closure didn’t discourage Max, as he continued to open extra halal speakeasies: first with Wanderlost Bar in late 2018, and Fairytail Bar slated to open in April 2020.
However the companies hit a sudden roadblock as a result of COVID-19 pandemic, inevitably delaying Fairytail Bar’s opening. Max described the Circuit Breaker as a “tough time” for his companies, as dine-ins had been prohibited.
Thankfully, publish Circuit Breaker, each Wanderlost Bar and Fairytail Bar noticed elevated visitors as Singaporeans began to discover extra throughout the nation as a result of journey restrictions.
Out with the outdated, in with the brand new
If 2020 was the yr of change, 2023 could possibly be described as a rebirth for The Halal Mixologist.
The model determined to shut one other chapter with Fairytail Bar, as D’Lodge was slated for renovations. “I assume one lesson we will study from that is that you will need to have management over the lease, so hopefully at some point we’ll work in direction of changing into our personal landlord!” joked Max.
Not prepared to surrender on the model’s mission, The Halal Mixologist launched two new F&B institutions: Nauti Nauti, a poolside oyster bar; and R.I.B, which provides halal takes on Southern soul meals.
The enterprise additionally ventured into e-commerce with Mockohol, an internet platform aiming to make premium halal bottled drinks accessible to the lots at their doorstep.
With the three fledgling companies, one would possibly surprise how Max balances them altogether.
He elaborated to Vulcan Publish that social media engagement stays essential to selling the model. The Halal Mixologist has since applied a loyalty programme with a reward level system that enables future prospects to offset their future payments after they go to their shops.
The Halal Mixologist’s one-of-a-kind bars and eating places not solely caught the eye of Singaporeans but in addition movie and tv giants United Worldwide Photos and Hollywood for the dwell film adaptation of the well-loved recreation Dungeons and Dragons (D&D).
For a month, Wanderlost was transformed right into a tavern harking back to the sport, and a brand new menu of themed meals and drinks was created. The bar additionally ran D&D video games to commemorate the film, which garnered a lot love from followers and new prospects.
The Halal Mixologist provides new companies resembling mixology workshops and pop-up dwell bar stations to diversify their income streams additional and maintain youth growth packages.
Based on Max, the Youth Improvement Packages are the right platform for teenagers to get hands-on experiences working in bars and kitchens with out dealing with alcohol. By this initiative, he hopes to form the long run era of the halal business and appeal to extra expertise.
Regardless of all odds, The Halal Mixologist has developed right into a model that champions inclusivity with their unorthodox halal F&B shops and companies. Wanting ahead, Max goals to solidify their companies throughout the Singapore meals scene.
Max additionally expressed his ambition to move upstream for his companies, the place he can develop his personal manufacturing line and create his halal drinks, which he hopes will turn out to be a family model in Singapore.
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Featured Picture Credit score: The Halal Mixologist
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