Nothing should ever stop you from reaching your dreams. Previously, we’ve shared the story of how Ramly Burger came to be. Today, we’ll be sharing with you guys another origin story of a famous mini market, 99 Speedmart. You can find this mini market basically anywhere you go around the country.
Being born with a physical disability did not stop the founder of 99 Speedmart, Lee Thiam Wah from working hard and becoming a successful business owner. This is the story of he earned the title, The King of Mini Markets.
Lee Thiam Wah was born in Klang, Selangor in 1964. His early childhood was definitely not easy. As a baby, he suffered from polio decease which made him unable to walk and depended on a wheelchair until today. His father, a construction worker and his mother, a hawker worked day and night to feed their 11 children.
Unfortunately, his parents couldn’t afford to send their kids away for high education. Primary 6 was the furthers Thiam Wah could go. At the age of 14, the future entrepreneur started his own small business of selling snacks to help his parents out.
By 1987 at 23, he managed to save up RM17,000. He used the money to open up his very first grocery shop called ‘Pasaraya Hiap Hoe’. After a few years, he sold his grocery business for RM88,000 and opened a mini market named ‘Pasar Mini 99’. This was the moment his life changed forever.
The reason the business owner named it 99 because it’s not a perfect score and will always find ways to improve the services so it can provide the best for everyone. The mini market was initially targeted for low income customers and migrant workers. Since then, the business kept on expanding and opened its 1000th outlet in 2017. Thiam Wah’s company’s revenue has reached RM2.1 billion in 2014.
By November 2021, there are more than two thousand 99 Speedmart outlets nationwide. With his grandmother’s inspiring words, the entrepreneur did not let his physical disabilities stopped him from achieving his goals which has lead him to earn the title, The King of Mini Markets.
Sources: 99Speedmart, Forbes, VulcanPost, WikiImpact
The post The King Of Mini Markets: The True Origin Story Of 99 Speedmart appeared first on Hype Malaysia.
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