Page 10 - Berita Sunway - Issue 67

A SWEET AND SPICY

DELIGHT FROM

SHEFFIELD

FEATURES

Sunway University alumnus shares the struggles, joy
and inspiration behind his artisanal chilli paste enterprise
in an exclusive interview

Budding entrepreneur and Sunway University alumnus William
Chew won the hearts of the masses after sharing his inspirational
entrepreneurial journey, which included overcoming social anxiety,
on BBC’s hit television programme, Dragons’ Den. The chilli paste
aficionado is the face behind Mak Tok, a Sheffield-based artisanal
chilli paste enterprise.
If you didn’t ask him, you probably wouldn’t have guessed the
bubbly, witty and easy-going 28-year-old William Chew, Sunway
University alumnus (Class 2013) and chilli paste entrepreneur, lives
with social anxiety.
Dragons' Den offers aspiring entrepreneurs three minutes to
pitch their business ideas to five multi-millionaires, or Dragons,
who are willing to invest. Chew's inspiration pitch brought Sara
Davies — a venture capitalist, television personality, and 'Dragon'— supermarket, Ocado. To date, it’s sold up to 25,000 jars of chilli
to tears and garnered 1.2 million video views on BBC’s YouTube paste in retail.
channel. Davies invested £50,000 in his chilli paste business. Chew plans to expand the business to other regions in
Chew's appearance on the BBC show not only shot him to England. He hopes his business will break even by next year and
BERITA SUNWAY | JAN—MAR 2020
instant fame, making headlines in England and Malaysia, but also be profitable by end of next year. Chew, his cousin and co-founder
helped Chew get connected to notable players in various industries. Ng Shang Yin, and Davies, each own one third of the company.
“I knew I had social anxiety from a very young age. I was always The British outfit’s products are made of all natural
afraid to go on stage, but everyone thought it was just stage fright,” ingredients. Sourcing high quality ingredients from suppliers is
said Chew, who plays music to cope with his social anxiety. “To me another one of Mak Tok’s unique selling points. But getting these
music itself is a therapy.” ingredients at cheap and affordable prices is no easy feat. The
Being an entrepreneur meant Chew had to appear in public solution? Work with the right people. To him, “what you know, is
more frequently, but that enabled him to learn new ways to cope not as important as who you know in business."
with his disorder. “Every presentation on Mak Tok became easier Besides his radiant and positive attitude, Chew is also fondly
and better,” he said. recognised for his green baju Melayu, which has become a
It was particularly difficult for Chew to manage his social mainstay and part of his public persona.
anxiety after moving to England for his studies, spending almost “My identity itself has always been Malaysian. To be able to
six out of seven days cooped up at home. “It was a difficult issue to stand in front of the world and share this culture is truly
share, but I felt that it was important to let people know that even if a blessing.”
you have social anxiety, you can be an achiever,” he said.
Chew points to his mother as the inspiration behind his own FUN FACT
burgeoning culinary success. Missing his mother, Agnes Kong’s The company was named in honour of a kind-hearted
home cooking, the Penang-born Chew “nicked” her recipe and lady called Mak Tok to commemorate her death from
decided to recreate her Malaysian chilli paste! In May 2017, Mak breast cancer.
Tok was born — Chew was still undergoing his MA in Psychology in
Music at University of Sheffield then. The rest, is history! SUCCESS
The £100K Mak Tok business currently sells four different • Winner - Evolve Business Competition (2017)
types of chilli pastes: Signature Chilli Paste, Satay Chilli Paste, • Winner - Fine Food Digest Editor’s Choice (2018)
• Finalist - The Pitch by Deloitte
Sweet Chilli Paste, and Fire Chilli Paste in farm shops, delis and • Finalist - Sheffield Business Award (2017)
supermarkets (30 stockists overall) across England’s northern
10 • Duke of York Young Entrepreneur Award (2018)
regions, Yorkshire and Lancashire as well as through online British