Assalamualaikum and hello from London,

Masyaallah! how long has it been since I last update this blog? 6 months? That is definitely record :)..

I'm in London now. Been here for 3 weeks and flying back home tomorrow. This is probably the 3rd year am here to attend some classes... maybe next year I'll go to the US for a change :)...

It's been a mad 6 months for us at The Dessert Table. Ever since I attended that fateful free seminar called Seminar Jutawan Industri with Dr Azizan Osman, my life, my business has not been the same. After that, I attended all the series and one that I attended with my hubby, he quit smoking. The very day that I wrote on his action plan that he would quit smoking, he did. Till today, he's cigarette free, alhamdulillah..I have a lot to gain from those seminars.

Business wise, well...The Dessert Table is now a Sdn Bhd Company, which I think is our way of stamping our foot firmly in the business. We are committed to bring the best Cake Baking and Decoarting courses to you out there, whether you're a hobbyist or someone looking into starting a small business from home or a bakery, we have courses suitable for you, offered from time to time.

We now have a Retail area in the front shop area. We offers Flower making tools, aprons, mitts, books, colors and so many other gems. You'd be delighted to browse through our store. We would soon offer them through our online store. Insyaa allah the web designer is in the midst of setting up the online retail store so we can offer convenience to our customers.

We have Admin Executive, Mira, taking care of all the affairs that I can't handle. You can reach her through 03-7499 4794 for any inquiries ya...

Ohh I could go on and on but I won't. Do look at our Class Calendar for June - September Classes ya..

Owhh!! And we have Sales on Tools and Classes as well. It'll only be on 15th June 10am - 1pm..do check out the details on our FB page as well. Go to www.facebook.com/mutiaradesserttable for more details..

I have loads of photos but I have scarce time to upload them. Let me find time on the plane tomorrow. I do have about 14 hours to spare hahahaha...

Love,
Farida Ismail

Journey Into the Unknown : no more.

Assalamualaikum and hi,

 Do you fancy Chocolate Cakes? What about Chocolate Bars loaded with nuts and everything crunchy? Cheese? Do you love cheesecake & Chocolate cake put together? Well...then you shouldn't have missed this awesome All Things Chocolate Class...

Take a look at hat we did last week 6/12/2012. Attended by Jiha and Natasha, 2 BFF, we had loads of chocolatey fun. Their kids would have an even awesome time finishing all these goodies up! 

Natasha & Jiha.. I hope they learnt a lot... The class was loaded with tips and tricks, and do's and don'ts

And so let's continue from last week's ramblings.

The migraine did come, for the next 3 days. So did the angin in my stomach - either from eating too late or from not peeing for almost 4 hours, both thru morning and afternoon sessions. But by now I put those issues in the challenge category. Nothing comes easy in life and to get anything that is valuable as gold, there had to be sacrifices.

Of course, there other challenges. Apart from eating Nasi bungkus with no kuah and lauk the size of my thumb (am not complaining, only describing..LOL).., we had to send Zaim back to Seremban (which he enjoyed tremendously!), and I had to leave Hubby behind to do his own things for 3 days. Going back at around 11pm daily and waking up again at around 4.30 am the next day and going through the whole process over again, at this age and in this body, it's quite a challenge. But I decided to persevere and not complain even one bit.

I had caught on the positive vibes from the other participants. When I got close to a complainer, I ran, as far as I could. I decided to change seat every time we came back to the hall. Some became close and stuck to one another throughout the seminar, but I didn't. I don't know, it's hard for me to get close to the very first person I got in contact with. I'm just being cautious..once bitten, twice shy.

Anyways..the seminar was a thousand times awesome!!! It was unlike anything I imagine when I signed up for it. It's everything I wanted in a seminar, and more!

I was like a sponge, absorbing everything Dr. Azizan said, hanging on to his every word. Even through the banging migraine (possibly from the very loud sound from the speakers.. I'm so used to silence, even in TDT or at home), I tried to understand and apply the logics to my own business. At first I was a bit lost but by the 4th day, I totally got it! I got everything, not just what he said, but all the things he applied throughout the seminar as well. Whatever he said, he applied. And I saw that very clearly. I GET the FORMAT.

AWESOME!!! I had came in a skeptical but because I decided to give it a chance, I came out a better person. Understood the process needed to better my business and myself. And most importantly : I think I found myself the perfect Mentor. It's something I needed. And I knew that, and since the current Coaching program is coming to an end soon, is apt I got my business a new one.

It will no longer be A Journey into The Unknown. Jerry's word, at the end of the seminar, stuck with me. He said out loud, answering my question, which I shall not divulge: 'macamana nak maju? You don't even know where you're going." He's right. How will I get to where I want to go if I don't even know where I want to go. How do I create a map to unknown destination? I felt like an idiot. But hahaha..an enlightened idiot!

Anyhow, just to share with you 5 of the things I found interesting that changed my paradigm:

1. Failure . I've always viewed FAILURE as a taboo that should not be discuss. Let alone highlighted. But during the 2nd day, Dr. Azizan said it was the very thing that should be told to others. Well, it's not something unfamiliar, I've heard quotes on failures just about a million times but I usually dismiss them in seconds. I didn't want to have anything to do with FAILURE. I don't ever want to discuss my many failures with ANYONE let alone the public. But to hear Dr. Azizan explained how these personal and difficult experiences should be shared and how it can help in positioning your brand, I was astounded. Wow!! I immediately see light at the end of the tunnel. Thanks DAO! I'm enlightened.

2. Never sell or up sell. Always share.

3. What you give, you get back, MORE! I know that but not in detailed. I mean I know of hadeeths that explain this concept but Dr. Azizan put it in a very clear manner that it is something that WE SHOULD EXERCISE GIVING AWAY EVERYDAY, IN EVERY SITUATION. I'm taking this seriously now.

4. THANKFULNESS. It's something we know. It's taught in our religion. But how many of us really are grateful? For everything we have and have nots. We were made to stand for a long time, that every time we were allowed to sit, we were told to be grateful for it. Even standing up is something to be grateful about, after sitting for too long sampai kebas bontot! I've never given peeing too much thought till that seminar. How precious toilet break time is.

Subhanallah! Thank you Dr. Azizan for making me realise how we should be grateful for the smallest things in our lives, that we usually just dismiss without much thought, so we can be more and more grateful for all the things bestowed upon us by the AlMighty Allah, or for those not granted to us. Allah knows whats best for us.

5. PASSION. I didn't realize until it was explained by DAO, that I am so Fortunate. I found my passion  early on and had turned them into business.

How many of you out there, are working on something everyday, but that something is not your PASSION. It's just WORK. How many of you drag yourself out of bed everyday, dreading the time at the office? You want to come in late and finish off early? Throughout the day, sitting in front of the PC, you dream of actually doing something you love? How many of you dare to actually START DOING what you LOVE? Well, some lucky people in the seminar found their real passion, what is it that they love doing, some sounded funny and menial, but DAO put them in perspective, and turns out, their Passion CAN be turned into Business... What's yours? Do you dare? Well, I dare you! Share with me if you dare....

Till then,

Love
Farida Ismail

JOURNEY INTO THE UNKNOWN

Part 3: The Chicken that digs for Food will not sleep Hungry (don't ask me why the title is such..LOL)

Assalamulaikum and hi,

Thanks for all your lovely feedbacks. So I can continue with my ramblings? Ahakssss...my blog maaa..I'll do as I like...hahaha..

Before that, yesterday 2nd Dec 2012 we had a 'gamat' and 'riuh' Bread class with Mamazieza Hassan from Penang. The class that many months ago started with only 3 students, and yesterday we had 13 awesome students who were eager to learn and left so pleased with the results... Many more who inquired last minute had to be rejected for now. But you gals are most welcomed to join our next Bread Class ya..

They looked like roti naik don't they? Can help shooting these babies..`

Roti Manis ala Roti Naik

Mexican Bread

Agaknya la kan.. diorang bincang pasal roti ke  apa ek?
Note: Ni bukan kenduri tau, ni masa kelas roti .... :)

Group ni buat kerja...

Duta produk kita kali ni... Kak PAh dari Kelang

Happy faces at the end of the class. One person missing la...

Alhamdulillah...next Bread Class with Mamazieza will be on the 12th Jan 2013, right before a Sugar Cookies Class with me on the 13th Jan 2013.

So let, me continue with my ramblings.

So, I signed up for the 'Intensif Jutawan Industri' worth RM4,999.00, which ran from 23rd-26th Nov 2012. Sigh...that's a lot of money..taken from my first salary, after a year of getting enough to get by.. But, I pujuk myself, it's for a good cause. It was a choice between IJI or a Canon 7D..hmmmm...

After I'd tried some of the tips from the small red booklet and saw results, I called Richworks and paid the balance. Menggigil woooo transferring that much money to someone else. The money I got to see online and never get to hold. The money I got from the tips in a small booklet. Imagine how much I can make if it was a huge thick folder? LOL!

Out of the 50 tips in the book, I choose 4.
No 13 : Berikan Kad Diskaun atau Voucher Percuma - I managed to get my royal icing and shabby chic classes full through this method.
No 15 : Kongsikan apa yang anda tahu kepada orang lain - Increased traffic to my personal and FB page
No 20 : Tingkatkan Imej Anda, Perniagaan atau Kedai anda - I change the front of shop display and immediately felt better and rejuvenated. And my customers were quite happy to see the change.
No 22 : Tips percuma di Facebook atau Mana2 Sosial Media di Internet - I found that more and more people liking my status especially if its free tips on baking and decorating.
And BAMMM! And it gave me some confidence about signing up for IJI. Kudos to Dr. Azizan Osman of Richworks.

So, it was right after our 2nd Royal Icing Class, 2nd week in a row that I went to the IJI seminar on Friday. My body was a bit tired but my mind was alert. Ready to take in anything that Dr. Azizan would throw to us mere mortals...hahahaha..

Waaahhhh...we Supreme Diamond got special treatment. Special carpeted lane, priority entrance, gold covered seats...waaahhhh..I loike!

The energy in the room was awesome!! Wowww! I was literally feeding off the energy and aura of those people, all holding on to some kind of expectations and dreams to be fulfilled, while busily looking for seats and familiar faces. I saw the Munawarah Clans sitting behind me and said hi to Ina... her mom was also there... As we settled down, the lady beside me quickly launched into a million  reasons why she's there... I let her talked while I soaked in the energy and let myself get lost in my own personal reasons for being here. I barely heard or understood her. But I don't think she noticed anyways... :-)

Then the Emcee came out and got everyone to stand. I too got up clumsily, half expecting Dr. Azizan to come out anytime soon.. Can't wait!

But then, a kind of familiar song blast through the room and I shivered. Oh no!! Not the CHICKEN DANCE! I'm wearing my jubah today! And there were Pak Hajis and Mak Ajis around me...aiyyaaaa so malu one! Don't tell me this is like one of those MLM thingy where everyone got so hyped up and go googaga over the silliest thing..wohohohoh... What did I get myself into? RM4,999.00 worth of chicken nuggets woooo...

I danced. I did. Though ever so stiffly and hesitantly. Not at all like those in the crowd. I mean, come on! Too early for disco dancing no? I mean I was so conscious of my outer appearance that I freaked when my inner self conflicted with me. I actually wanted to enjoy the dance. But I'm too self conscious. I had let fun left me a looong time ago. I was the serious, no nonsense business woman, mom and wife to my husband. Suddenly I realized something... I'm no longer the fun person that I was. I mean throughout the whole chicken dance routine and the out of this world loud music, I was having a serious dialogue with myself. Whatever happened to me? Who took over this body of mine? I got to figure that one out...

The ever so energetic Emcee guy was coaxing everyone into dancing their heart out and clapping loudly as the music got louder. Dr. Azizan was to be welcomed by this loud thundering music and hand clapping mad people..OMG!!!

And out he came. The man himself...Huge grin on his face.. AND HE STARTED TO JUMP on the stage...double OMG!! what is this? am I in the right seminar? Isn't this suppose to be a serious meet with serious business minded people. I could feel my heart jumping up and down..beating as loud as the jumping mad people. And there were fire from both side of the stage. I felt that I might just collapsed. Was I wrong to come here? I felt the onset of a migraine coming.... oh dear...


To be continued....

BTW, some items have been updated for next year 2013. Please visit our Calendar page for more details. More classes to be updated from time to time so keep checking them. If you want notifications on Class Calendars and offers, please email us at mutiaradesserttable@gmail.com and we'll do our best to notify you, insyaallah.

Don't forget to LIKE our FB page : MutiaraDessertTable.

Till then,

Love,
Farida Ismail
The Dessert Table
The Expert in Bakery Training Business Start-up.