They are saying to make success out of one thing, you could 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 college 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 at the Singapore Trade 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 in 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 means of this expertise, he not solely realized from business veterans but additionally honed his management and administration abilities, which is able to turn out to be useful down the street.
Putting 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 resort 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 resorts.
Whereas managing his hostels, Max stored his gears operating, arising 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 resort lounges and bars.
“As I don’t drink alcohol, I felt somewhat misplaced being in such locations,” lamented Max, and added that he participated in celebrations with a glass of soppy drink or juice to interchange champagne.
It was additionally at that second that Max observed 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 area into Singapore’s first halal bar, Atap Bar, in 2017.
He has additionally bought his two hostels to completely deal with his eating places. As of now, Moni Gallery Hostel continues to be working and The Shophouse Hostel has closed.
At this level, one may surprise how The Halal Mixologist is said to Atap Bar. To place it merely, The Halal Mixologist began as a advertising and marketing software 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 in 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. Consequently, 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 in the business, as few harbour the want to pursue a long-term profession in meals—an impediment that Max was all too accustomed to.
“It was very tough to rent the proper individuals, and one among the errors we made was hiring the flawed individuals who weren’t a very good match for the organisation.
Whereas we’re nonetheless going through this downside, we’ve managed to incorporate a strategy to establish individuals who would purchase into our mission and values in the choice course of. Having a group that believes in your mission and the course you’re working in the direction of is vital.”
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, as 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 clients. Max revealed to us at Vulcan Put up that the landlord 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 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, inevitably delaying Fairytail Bar’s opening. Max described the Circuit Breaker as a “tough time” for his companies, as dine-ins have been prohibited.
Thankfully, submit Circuit Breaker, each Wanderlost Bar and Fairytail Bar noticed elevated visitors as Singaporeans began to discover extra inside the nation because of the journey restrictions.
Out with the outdated, in with the 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’Resort was slated for renovations. “I assume one lesson we are able to study from that is that it is very important have management over the lease, so hopefully at some point we’ll work in the direction of turning into our personal landlord!” joked Max.
Not keen 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, a web-based platform aiming to make premium halal bottled drinks accessible to the lots at their doorstep.
With the three fledgling companies, one may surprise how Max balances them altogether.
He elaborated to Vulcan Put up that social media engagement stays vital to selling the model. The Halal Mixologist has since applied a loyalty programme with a reward level system that permits future clients to offset their future payments after they go to their retailers.
The Halal Mixologist’s one-of-a-kind bars and eating places not solely caught the consideration of Singaporeans but additionally movie and tv giants United Worldwide Footage 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 recreation, 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 clients.
The Halal Mixologist provides new companies corresponding to mixology workshops and pop-up dwell bar stations to diversify their income streams additional and maintain youth improvement packages.
Based on Max, the Youth Growth Packages are the good platform for teenagers to get hands-on experiences working in bars and kitchens with out dealing with alcohol. By means of this initiative, he hopes to form the future era of the halal business and entice extra expertise.
Regardless of all odds, The Halal Mixologist has advanced right into a model that champions inclusivity with their unorthodox halal F&B retailers and companies. Trying ahead, Max goals to solidify their companies inside the Singapore meals scene.
Max additionally expressed his ambition to go upstream for his companies, the place he can develop his personal manufacturing line and create his halal drinks, which he hopes will turn into a family model in Singapore.
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Featured Picture Credit score: The Halal Mixologist